92 Points - Wine Spectator
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
92 Points - James Suckling
90 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
90 Points - Wine Advocate
The underlying tannin structure, complexity, and ample fruit will evolve over time and age gracefully for 10-15 years.
Recently voted Winery of the Year from Quarterly Review of Wine & Spirits Magazine. Napa Valley Life Magazine has also rated their tasting room as Best Tasting Room in Napa Valley.
This winery continues to receive accolades and awards for producing exceptional world-class wines. In Wine Spectator Magazine’s year-end ranking of wines, Whitehall Lane has been honored three times for producing wines rated among the top five in the world.
WINEMAKING
Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, our grapes were carefully destemmed and sent to tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in tank at 45˚F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma and flavor extraction. After inoculation with a select yeast, the grape must (juice, skins and seeds) fermented at 82˚F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, the juice was pumped over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice healthy fermentation. After fermentation and pressing, the 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral oak for 20 months. The final blend is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
VINTAGE
The 2021 vintage was considered a drought year, which have typically proven to be excellent quality for wines. The season started off with bud break in early March, leading to a Spring that allowed for a perfect flowering and set for the grape clusters. Summer was also quite warm and long, leading into an early Autumn harvest season. The drought conditions led to lower yields in the vineyard, which gave a perfect concentration for juice versus skin ratio. The consistent summer weather encouraged our Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot to ripen in late September into October to finish the harvest season.
Winemaker: Jason Moulton
Vintage: 2021
Appellation: Napa Valley
Varietal Composition: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot
Aging: 50% new French oak and 50% neutral oak for 20 months
Alcohol: 14.8%
95 Points
Rich and full-bodied, packed with dark fruit flavors of blackberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry. Notes of cocoa, cedar, and warm spice add complexity, while firm tannins and a touch of volcanic minerality reflect the bold characteristics of Calistoga’s terroir. Full-bodied in texture, and remarkably velvety. The tannins gracefully interweave, establishing a flawless equilibrium of acidity and pleasing fruit.
92 Points
Deep floral notes (violets), blackberry, black cherry, and cassis. Driven by the mountain's steep, cool-climate terroir, it balances rich notes of blackberry and pomegranate seamlessly intertwined with dark plum, cocoa dust, and roasted mocha, hints of roasted mocha and spice undertones add depth to its complex profile, culminating in a bold, yet elegant finish.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
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