2021 Napanook Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Napanook comes from the piece of the Dominus property that is between the foothills and the creek and has a combination of gravel and clay soils. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Matured in 20% new French oak. Deep purple. Deep and gravelly, lightly spicy, equal parts fruit and earth. Much more density and weight to the palate than the Othello. Still very fresh, but with tighter-knit tannin and slightly tighter weave. Fresh acid drives a lengthy finish. (SCJ)
Critic scores
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Certainly the best Napanook bottling I can recall, the 2021 Napanook is a 3,000-case blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Boasting harmonious aromas of raspberries, red and black cherries, cinnamon, clove and dusty earth notes, this full-bodied wine tips the scales at a declared 15% alcohol, yet it shows no detectable heat. It is full-bodied, intense, rich and velvety, with hints of black tea on the long finish. Matured in 20% new French oak, it stands out for its lush mouthfeel and savory complexity.
Full bottle 1,355 g. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot from Yountville. Deep blackish crimson. Scented and seductive nose. Really quite complex for a supposedly second wine. Proper, sophisticated dry finish. Long. I’d happily drink this. Though comparing it with the grand vin, Napanook is a tad sweeter. (JR)
The 2021 Napanook, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Rich, deep and super-expressive, the 2021 captures all the best the vintage has to offer. A whole range of floral and savory overtones lend nuance. This vibrant, intensely mineral Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute delight to taste today, and an especially fine edition of Napanook, endowed with big fruit and equally potent tannins.
About the producer
Dominus Estate – the Napa property owned by Christian Moueix of Pétrus and La Fleur-Pétrus – has rapidly earned cult status.