2021 Vangone "Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The estate Vangone Cabernet Sauvignon is aged for 30 months in 90% new French oak, with thick staves chosen to preserve freshness and vibrancy. This results in a wine with bright, ripe mulberry fruit that is super dark, compact, and layered with incredibly savoury wild herb character and black truffle nuances. Full-bodied and rich, it boasts hefty tannins that are firm yet inviting, even in its youth. However, this wine is built for the long haul, with optimal drinking starting in 2028 and beyond. It delivers the intensity, power, and precision you’d expect from a great Napa Cabernet, offering remarkable structure and depth. (JC)

Still in barrel when I tasted it late in 2023, Vangone's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of four blocks (B, D, Bulli and a new section planted to clone 4). It's gently herbal, with piney, rosemary-like accents to the raspberry, cherry and cassis fruit. Full-bodied and amply concentrated, the texture falls somewhere between creamy and velvety across the mid-palate, balanced and plush, with a long, silky finish. (JC)