2008 Chappellet "Signature" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
SKU #1061003
92 points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a gorgeous, mid-weight wine laced with sweet dark plums, black cherries, menthol, tobacco and flowers. This gracious Cabernet Sauvignon-based red possesses lovely balance in an understated style. It should drink well for the next 5-7 years, perhaps longer. In the 2008 the blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 9% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. I was quite taken with both wines I tasted from Chappellet, the pioneer of first-class winemaking on the gorgeous hillsides of Pritchard Hill. (AG)
(12/2011)
92 points
Wine Enthusiast
A wonderful Cabernet, dry and classically structured, notable for elegance and smooth power. A sort of junior version of the Pritchard Hill Estate bottling, it’s rich and complex in blackberry and cherry, chocolate and cedar flavors, wrapped into smooth tannins.
(7/2011)
91 points
Wine Spectator
Offers a complex mix of cedar, dried currant, pencil shavings and mineral flavors in a full-bodied style. A firm and tannic wine, ending with drying tannins. Drink now through 2022.
(8/2011)
Connoisseurs Guide
Clean and composed with a proper fix on well-defined, young Cabernet fruit, this nicely crafted opus smacks of black currants and ripe cherries with deft touches of sweet oak and violets in the bargain. It is moderately full-bodied and slightly supple in feel and is roughed up at the finish by age-appropriate tannins. It is not a wine meant to be gulped down right away, but it has the right pieces in place to mature into beauty some five or six years down the line.
(4/2011)
K&L Notes
This shows ripe and spicy aromas and vibrant layers of blackberry, cherry and pomegranate intermingled with notes of clove, cinnamon, and anise. A savory impression of warm crust, accentuated by baked cherry and espresso elements, adds further depth to an already tantalizing nose. The wine is rich and mouthcoating from the first sip, displaying enticing fruit. Big rounded tannins add flavor and structure, as well as a firm but gentle grip that underscores beautiful concentration and viscosity.
