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Country: | United States |
Regions: | California California (Napa) |
Winery: | Titus Vineyards |
Grape Type: | Cabernet Sauvignon |
Organic: | Yes |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
The 2021 Titus Family Estate Reserve embodies the depth, concentration, and beauty of our Ehlers Lane vineyard with grace and elegance. A core of Blueberry, black currant, mulberry and warm coffee are rounded out with hints of lilac and maduro wrapped cigar. Inkiness in the glass gives the wine depth and length with rich finely knit tannins melting to chocolate pot de crème intensity. Crème de cassis and berry tart notes yield to espresso and rich oak on the finish as the palate endures. Enjoy 2025-2041.
Review:
Lastly, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Estate Reserve is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Malbec. It's a touch more focused and linear compared to the Imperatus, but I love the purity and precision in its cr me de cassis, espresso, classy oak, and spicy, floral aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with fine tannins and a seamless, layered mouthfeel, as well as ripe tannins, it's going to benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar and evolve for 15 years with ease.
-Jed Dunnuck 94 Points
The documented history of the property extends back to 1841 and includes General Mariano Vallejo, Dr. Edward Bale, Charles Krug, and Eli York, just to name a few. The land has been continuously farmed for over 150 years, with the Titus family’s first harvest in 1969. Dr. Lee Titus, a Radiologist, practicing in Sonoma at the time, purchased the land in 1968 and soon after, took over farming the vineyard. The evolution of wine production in Napa was moving towards those varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot - and to further emulate the Bordeaux region, Lee oversaw planting all five of the classic varietals as the old vineyards were being replanted. And so, Titus Vineyards began; bringing together the traditional grapes of Bordeaux in a New World site marked the beginning of the family wine venture.
Dr. Titus and his family came to California from Minnesota during the Great Depression. After graduating from Fresno State and serving in World War II, Lee attended medical school and became a radiologist. Meanwhile, Ruth Traverso was growing up in San Francisco's North Beach, where her parents, immigrants from the Piemonte region of Italy, were involved in the family's bakery business. During family vacations in Calistoga, Ruth helped friends harvest their grapes, giving her a love for Napa Valley and a kinship with grape farming.
Years later, having fallen in love, married and settled in the town of Sonoma with their four sons, Lee and Ruth began acquiring fifty acres in three separate parcels just north of St. Helena on the valley floor. Life in 1960's Napa Valley was much simpler than it is today. California's wine industry had yet to achieve its enormous potential, and the land was still affordable for the right purchaser. The vineyard Lee and Ruth Titus acquired in 1968 were originally planted to long-forgotten varietals like Mondeuce, Burger, and Golden Chasselas; alongside were well-known varietals like Pinot Noir, which was poorly suited to the warm, up-valley microclimate. The vineyard needed a change.
In 1972 the Titus’ were able to acquire another small, 10-acre vineyard on Ehlers Lane just a half-mile north of their Ranch vineyard. Replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot on dense, rocky volcanic soils, the vines of the Ehlers Estate Vineyard yield a different expression of Cabernet fruit. Eventually, the brothers were able to produce two distinctly different Cabernets from their Ranch and Ehlers Estate vineyards.
It would be more than twenty years before their sons crushed fruit for the production of the first Titus Vineyards wines in 1990. Although they hoped to one day build a family operated winery, Lee and Ruth spent those interim years raising their sons and growing grapes for other wineries, including Charles Krug, Beaulieu Vineyards, Cuvaison, Quail Ridge, and Pine Ridge. Ultimately, they left the creation of Titus Vineyards wines up to their sons: Phillip now works as Director of Winemaking for Titus Vineyards, while Eric manages the winery and vineyards
Consistent with the modern trends of farming in Napa Valley our winegrowing practices have evolved with our understanding of our site. The Titus Vineyards low-intensity approach is based on techniques that avoid pesticides, biocides, unnecessary fertilization - and encourages cover crops, beneficial native species, and
soil health. We believe that high-quality fruit begins with carefully matching the proper rootstock and variety to the particular soil of each vineyard block. Young vines are patiently trained into maturity, with little emphasis on fruit load in the early years. The yield of mature vines are kept moderate at approximately seven pounds per vine for full flavor development and even ripening. Precise hand-work of ‘crown’ weeding, shoot and leaf thinning, cluster shaping, and selective harvesting all aid the production of the most expressive fruit possible.
The contemporary winery is designed solely for the crafting of Titus wines, allowing for complete control over every aspect of winemaking. With a founding vision that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts all of our wines are meticulously blended. The myriad decisions of blending provide the opportunity to fine-tune every vintage. This is the cornerstone of our winemaking philosophy. We believe the artful blending of varietals creates a more complete wine with superior expression of the grape variety, vintage, and region.
At the helm of today’s operations, Eric Titus and Phillip Titus place the utmost importance on responsible, sustainable farming practices that will enable the site to continue to produce world-class, Napa Valley wines for generations to come. It is a vision 50 years in the making!
Charles Krug Family Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Rising 1,650 feet above the Napa Valley floor on the southwestside of Howell Mountain, the Family Reserve Howell MountainCabernet Sauvignon sits above the fog line. The distinctiveclimate, along with volcanic and iron-rich red soils, producefruit with great balance and intensity.
Review:
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release Cold Springs is the most distinctive of the wines in this range of limited-release Cabernets from Charles Krug. Gravel, licorice, menthol and spice all develop in a Howell Mountain Cabernet endowed with tremendous class and nuance.
-Vinous 92 Points
DAOU Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Petit Verdot.
The 2021 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is emblematic of Paso Robles as a world-class region for Bordeaux-style wines. Intense purple-red hues foreshadow deep aromas of black fruit, pomegranate, tobacco, mocha, and bay leaf. Trailing notes of clove, nutmeg, and vanilla emerge as the wine opens up in the glass. Opulent textures expand across the palate with flavors of red fruit, blueberry, and chocolate-covered raspberry. The overall experience is fresh and rich, concluding with velvety tannins and impressive length.
Review:
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is blended with 23% Petit Verdot, made entirely with free-run juice, and it will be matured for 16 months in 50% new French oak. Opaque ruby, it offers pure aromas of cassis, violet, grilled meats, desert sage and bell pepper. The full-bodied palate is powdery, energetic and detailed with a long, layered finish.
-Wine Advocate 94-96 Points
If you look closely, you will notice the devil is in the details. The skull label is inspired by the ever-mysterious goat eyes, which are capable of seeing and sensing two things at once. The art conveys the double meaning behind the devil inside. The hieroglyphs tell their own detailed story within the goat’s skull. What do you see?
Review:
Coming from Sonoma and based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and smaller amounts of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Details is a smoking bottle of wine, as well as an incredible value. Darker berries, currants, scorched earth, lead pencil, and hints of chocolate all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a plush, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It's from Sonoma but will stand toe to toe with any number of Napa Cabernet Sauvignons that run two to three times the price.
-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
Bella Union by Far Niente Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.
The 2021 Bella Union Napa Valley Cabernet possesses beautiful and intriguing aromas of dark plum, black cherry, hints of clove and barrel spice. The palate is well-structured with velvety tannins complemented by generous layers of fruit flavors of blackberry, fig, and raspberry preserves that give way to a melting finish.
Review:
From selected rows of the De Carlie portion of the estate vineyard, this plush, luxe and rich wine is a new take on Rutherford-appellated Bella Union cabernet. Rich and ripe black fruits, broad and chocolatey, generous cherry cola and hints of vanilla bean. Thomas Rivers Brown collaborated on this.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Chappellet Pritchard Hill Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon & 5% Petit Verdot.
Chappellet's Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon has been, since the beginning of their winemaking career, the most sought after wine of their portfolio. The wine is truly a love letter to the winegrowing potential of Pritchard Hill. The wine was inspired by Bordeaux, and like most left bank Bordeaux, the wine is a blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon with remaining amounts other classic Bordeaux blend varieties. The vines grow upon rocky, mountainside vineyards. After harvest and fermentation, the wine was aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak barrels.
Review:
Morlet Family Vineyards Mon Chevalier Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot .
Located on the hillsides of Knights Valley, near Calistoga, this vineyard benefits from its proximity to Mount St. Helena, whose warm and windy climate is ideal for the long ripening of the Bordeaux red varietals. Handcrafted by using classical winemaking techniques, this special wine is dedicated to our son, Paul Morlet.
Dark red with a hue of purple. Intense and complex bouquet of red, black and blue berries intermixed with notes of blueberries, minerals (graphite, wet river rocks) licorice, fresh blond tobacco and a hint of lavender. Full bodied, the palate is reminiscent of the nose, with a richly tannic yet round frame and a great intensity. The hillside tannins and the classical aromatic complexity create a harmonious ensemble, leading to a very long and elegant finish. Built to age for decades, this collectible wine opens up after a few years of cellaring and is particularly representative of this special vineyard from the hillside of Knights Valley. Mon Chevalier features the interaction of the loamy, well drained and rocky volcanic soil, the typical sunny mountain climate and the low-interventionistic Morlet winemaking approach.
Propietary Name Mon Chevalier
Name Meaning My Knight Named after our son, Paul Morlet
Type of wine Vineyard designated
Appellation Knights Valley
Vineyard singularity Morlet Family Estate Hillside 1100-1200 feet elevation Rhyolitic, loam & volcanic ash
Typical harvest date End of October
Picking Manual, small lugs, refer truck
Sorting Cluster by cluster, berry per berry
Fermentation Through native yeast Tank and Puncheons
Upbringing 16 months French oak from artisan coopers
Bottling Unfiltered
Cellaring time Decades
Serving Room temperature
Decanting recommended
Review:
The estate-grown 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. Very deep purple-black in color, it charges forth with intense notes of crushed black cherries, black berry preserves and cassis scents with touches of spearmint, Indian spices, espresso and dried lavender plus a waft of roses. Full-bodied, the palate reveals incredible restraint, slowly revealing earth and black fruit layers framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing very long and spicy.
-Wine Advocate 96+ Points
Moving to the top releases, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier comes from Knights Valley and was brought up in puncheons. A gorgeous bouquet of sandalwood, violets, loamy earth, and incense as well as some iron-laced black and blue fruits flow to a rounded, supple, incredibly textured Cabernet that has sweet tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. It’s already terrific yet will keep for 20-25 years or more.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
Filippino Elio Barbera d'Alba Superiore is made from 100% Barbera.
This 100% Barbera shows an intense fruity bouquet with subtle vanilla and toasty notes. Full and spicy flavors, and a good body.
The grapes are pressed and the stalks are removed. The must ferments at about 26°C for 6-9 days. After racking, before the end of fermentation, the new wine is put in 225 liter Allier barriques for long months, depending on the vintage and the wine’s structure. It is subsequently moved into stainless steel vats to rest for some months before bottling.
Aiurri Salas Rioja is made from 80% Tempranillo and 20% Field Blend
Aroma: Very expressive on the nose, with good complexity, red fruit and fresh black fruit, spices and wild herbs. Flavor: Combination of freshness and complexity. Pleasant tannins, lots of fruit, long finish with great persistence. Color: Black Cherry with a Violet rim.
Review:
"A peppery Rioja that shows the graciano and monastrell touch to the field blend. Menthol, basil leaves, laurel, blackberries and a lot of spices. Tense and powdery tannins on the fine-boned, full-bodied palate. Drink or hold. - Zekun Shuai (Senior Editor)"
- James SUCKLING (September 11th 2024), 94 pts