2021 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Proprietary Red

The composition of the Hendry Red Wine has evolved over the years, from a 60% Malbec offering in its first vintage (2001) to more Cabernet Sauvignon these days. The 2021 Red Wine is a blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% each Malbec and Merlot, 17% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. It's a solid value in the Napa context, combining ripe berries and cherries with some slightly leafy elements on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is dusty and reasonably grippy, with those tannins joined by mouthwatering acids on the long finish. (JC)

I love Hendry and I refuse to be unbiased in this review, because they just awesome people. Plus they gave me a hat. The nose on this is very ripe and lush, blackberry, black cherry, and pomegranate syrup give way to barrel spice and toast. The palate has a very slight tartness from the acidity, a little pithiness from the skin contact and vinification, and then also has super generous fruit and a firm grip of tannins. It's a lot at once, but that's what you want out of a wine, something that delivers and this delivers on all cylinders. The fruit has more stewed characteristics on the palate, more blackberry, cherry and a touch of cranberry before it goes into the barrel and toast finish. This is a perfect wine for when you just think you want "red" wine without a certain varietal that comes to mind. Steak, meatloaf, pasta, pizza - I could see you having this with all of them, but not at once, that's just too much at once. Just make sure if you are going to have a steak you get yourself a nice fat potato to go along with it. You deserve it.