92 Points - Wine Spectator
92 Points - James Suckling
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
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%
All Wines
96 Points
Ruby-plum core with a light purple rim in the glass, with aromas of dark cherry, plum, spicy cola and black tea waft from the glass. The palate delivers all of that and then some, adding layers of cinnamon, clove, fig jam and white peppercorn. The finish shows the grip of some tannin that will help this wine evolve beautifully for the next 10-15 years.
94 Points
Aromas of cocoa mingle with notes of cassis, black cherry, blackberry coulis, graphite, toasted vanilla, and a hint of cedar. The palate is harmonious as the richness of barrel spice melds seamlessly with juicy plum, blackberry and licorice flavors. An incredibly polished texture, even at a young age. Long and expressive with loads of flavor.
92 Points
This is a rich, spicy and opulent Syrah. Intense garnet colored in the glass, the nose gives blackberry, plum, fresh raspberry and peppery aromas, while the palate displays a juicy berry compote, cassis, caramel and black pepper flavors before a rich, tannic finish. Four to five years in the cellar will round this out nicely.
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