Wine Reviews 2021 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, vinous.com <span>Dec. 2024</span>
My recent tasting at Vine Hill Ranch was incredibly instructive, as it spanned three very different and distinct vintages. Revisiting the 2021s was a reminder of how gorgeous those wines are. In recent years, VHR has experimented with an Extended Age bottling. While that wine is quite interesting, in 2021, I slightly prefer the regular bottling because of its greater freshness. The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon turned out well. Harvest took place from August 30 to September 5. Judging by the wine’s tannin profile, I suspect that was a touch earlier than would have otherwise been optimal, but these are the kinds of decisions owners and winemakers had to make in 2022. The young 2023, tasted from barrel, is quite simply one of the most refined, finessed wines I have ever tasted here. Kudos to proprietors Bruce and Heather Phillips, and their team led by vineyard manager Mike Wolf, winemaker Françoise Peschon and her daughter Isabelle, the latest addition to the team.
2021 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is fascinating to taste next to the Extended Age bottling. It offers a bit more aromatic presence and brightness. A burst of plum, violet, lavender and cinnamon opens. Energy and tension abound. What a wine. It is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. 99 pts.
2021 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch “Extended Age” Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Extended Age is a selection of the best barrels in the cellar that is given an extra year in barrel. Rich, sumptuous and explosive, the 2021 packs a tremendous punch. It’s a wine of exquisite mid-palate density. Black cherry, plum, spice, leather, tobacco and incense build in this powerhouse Cabernet. 98 pts.
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator <span>Nov. 15, 2024 (print issue)</span>
A deep well of gorgeous raspberry, boysenberry, mulberry and black currant preserve flavors sparkle in this red, with anise, violet and wood spice hints throughout. All that is riveted to a terrific graphite spine running from start to finish, where a flash of cast iron peeks in. As the fruit lingers, a subtle echo of hibiscus provides a suave counterpoint. This wine encapsulates the best aspects of this vintage. Best from 2025 through 2045. From California. 98 pts.
Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter <span>Sept. 10, 2024</span>
A fabulously classic and tightly knit Cabernet. Expressive bouquet of black cherry fruit, sandalwood, sagebrush, and graphite notes. Laser focused on the palate with pure red and black-toned fruit laced with tobacco. Beautifully sculpted tannins are fine-grained and help broaden the palate, and the finish is fueled by classic Oakville iron-like minerality. Crafted by winemaker Françoise Peschon. 98 pts.
Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com <span>May 3, 2024</span>
Extended Barrel Age cask sample
Incredible season, light yielding (perhaps because of the 60-day orange haze in 2020). Vineyard manager Mike Wolf says that by 2021 the vines were recovering from the drought. Such a relief. No rush to pick. Light rainfall during the summer but not worryingly so. 7–21 September harvest. The growing season felt very normal at last. Back to the strong oyster-shells nose. High toned and sweet and gentle with muscular structure. Juicy with some inkiness on the end. Slightly vegy note on the end. Transparent and pure. 18 of 20 pts.
Samantha Cole Johnson, JancisRobinson.com <span>May 3, 2024</span>
Deep purple in colour. Brooding black cherry and black plum with orange zest and clove spice. Intensely structured on the palate with firm lightly sandy tannin and well-balanced acidity that covers the whole palate lifting it and bringing ample freshness. Long, savoury finish with fresh thyme and oak spice. Very impressive. 18+ of 20 pts.
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, winespectator.com <span>May 2024</span>
A deep well of gorgeous flavors — raspberry, boysenberry, mulberry and black currant preserves — sparkle in this red, with anise, violet and wood spice hints throughout. All of that is riveted to a terrific graphite spine running from start to finish, where a flash of cast iron peeks in. As the fruit lingers, a subtle echo of hibiscus provides a suave counterpoint. This encapsulates the best aspects of the vintage. Best from 2025 through 2045. 946 cases made. 98 pts.
Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate <span>Jan. 31, 2024</span>
Vine Hill Ranch (VHR) is situated at the southern end of Oakville, bounded by Harlan Estate to the north, Beckstoffer’s Missouri Hopper to the east (those 40 acres were once part of the VHR property) and Hopper Creek and Dominus Estate to the south. The property, owned by the Phillips family, consists of 600 acres, of which 70 are planted almost entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon. VHR are first and foremost grape growers, boasting 13 winery partners, eight of whom bottle single-vineyard wines from the property. Managing Partner Bruce Phillips points out that the parts of the vineyard that extend up into the foothills of the Mayacamas produce wines with more tannins and darker fruit than the benchland sites.
Winemaking is under the supervision of Françoise Peschon (ex-Araujo Estate), who says that the goal “is the truest expression of site and vintage, which takes a lot of pressure off.” Different vineyard parcels are picked and fermented separately following a short cold maceration. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, with about 60% new French oak used in the 22-month élevage (more prior to 2018).
At the small house on the property, I was able to taste a short vertical of the VHR Cabernet Sauvignon, from 2016 through to the soon-to-be-released 2021. All the vintages were singing, although my favorite was the 100-point 2019, which showed just an extra level of opulence when compared to the more elegant and aristocratic 2018 and 2021 vintages.
While the VHR Cabernet Sauvignon is primarily available through the winery’s mailing list—the 2021 should be released in February 2024—there is an affiliated label, Baker & Hamilton, that is distributed via the trade in California.
2021 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch
Scheduled to be released in February 2024, VHR’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is another fabulous wine from the Phillips family and winemaker Françoise Peschon. On the nose, it’s a bit restrained, with a subtle herbal perfume, hints of peppery spice and a concentrated mix of red and black cherries. In the mouth, the wine is similarly composed and polite, being medium to full-bodied, silky and taut in feel, balanced and elegant on the lingering finish. 98 pts.
Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com <span>Dec. 26, 2023</span>
Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in 70% new French oak, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR sports a dense purple hue to go with a stunning nose of blackcurrants, charcoal, leafy tobacco, and violet. This beauty is full-bodied, rich, concentrated, has a great core of tannins, and a killer finish. This will probably merit a triple-digit rating in 5-7 years and is a brilliant wine as well as a possible 30+-year legend in the making. 98+ pts.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, vinous.com <span>Dec 2023</span>
My tasting at Vine Hill Ranch was one of the highlights of the time I spent in Napa Valley this fall. The wines were just sublime. Longtime winemaker Françoise Peschon crafts one of the most classically elegant Cabernets in Napa Valley, as evidenced by her superb 2021. I find the VHR Cabernet really needs a few years in the cellar to be at its very best. Recent bottles of the 2016 and 2018 were just extraordinary. Yields are down about 20% in 2021, but that is not terrible given the fate other properties suffered. I was even more impressed with the 2022 given the challenges of the year. Harvest took place between August 30 and September 5, an especially condensed period. A lot can happen between now and when a wine is bottle, but the 2022 is shaping up to be one of my favorites in this vintage.
2021 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is super-polished. Freshly cut flowers, rose petal, lavender and spice lend notable aromatic presence to this silky, nuanced wine. This is one of the most elegant wines I can remember tasting here, even with low yields and tiny berries. Silky, perfectly-ripe tannins wrap around a core of red/purplish fruit. Medium in body and wonderfully refined, the 2021 is shaping up to be a gem. It is, quite simply, magnificent. 98+ pts.
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com <span>Nov. 13, 2023</span>
Lots of black fruits, lead pencil, graphite, and ink pot. Currants. Black earth. Some bark. Medium-bodied with chewy yet polished tannins with a minerally undertone. Hints of black mushrooms. Juicy and reserved at the end. Lots of freshness and structure at the same time. Good grip in the finish. Try after 2026. 98 pts.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, thewineindependent.com <span>Nov. 8, 2023</span>
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon rolls out of the glass with expressive scents of freshly crushed black cherries, warm cassis, and juicy blackberries followed by hints of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and cinnamon stick plus a fragrant waft of violets. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with vibrant black fruits and loads of baking spice sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing very long and achingly perfumy. 946 cases were made. 100 pts.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com <span>Feb. 16, 2023</span>
Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in 70% new French oak, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR sports a dense purple hue to go with a stunning nose of blackcurrants, charcoal, leafy tobacco, and violet. This beauty is full-bodied, rich, concentrated, has a great core of tannins, and a killer finish. This will probably merit a triple-digit rating in 5–7 years and is a brilliant wine as well as a possible 30+-year legend in the making. 98+ pts.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, vinous.com <span>Oct. 2022</span>
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a magical, utterly riveting wine and one of my early favorites in this vintage. I can’t say that I am that surprised, as I had the opportunity to taste the core component wines earlier in the year. The potential was evident even then. A model of purity and nuance, the 2021 captures all the dark, mineral savoriness of this site in grand style. I can’t wait to taste it from bottle. 97–100 pts.