Chappellet’s Iconic Pritchard Hill Vineyards have been hailed by some as “Napa’s Grand Cru,” and particularly with Bordeaux Varietals.  Following the advice of renowned winemaker André Tchelistcheff, by planting on the rocky high-elevation slopes, Chappellet became one of the first wineries in Napa Valley to plant vineyards on the lofty hillsides.  A half century later, their 2016 Mountain Cuvée still includes fruit from the winery’s coveted Estate Vineyard, and was expertly composed by renowned winemaker Phillip Titus, who’s been with Chappellet for nearly 30 years.  At $31.99/btl there’s simply never enough of this value wine from Chappellet to meet demand. 

 

An absolute crowd-pleaser, and those of you who’ve enjoyed this blend each vintage might notice the 2016 exploits a greater percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than their previous 6 vintages.  With Cabernet as the dominant grape, the 2016 is nicely concentrated, and on the palate, the wine’s hallmark velvety embrace comes dressed with provocative black cherries, blueberries, dried violets and cocoa. I highly recommend securing a case while supplies last…

 

Retails at:  $35.00/btl 

 

Winery Notes: “Lush, layered and complex, this Bordeaux blend begins with concentrated aromas of black cherry, boysenberry, and dark chocolate. As the wine evolves in the glass, notes of anise, clove and bay leaf emerge, creating an inviting combination of fruit and spice. On the palate, a creamy texture underscores the wine’s richness, while accentuating flavors of ripe plum, vanilla, and roasted coffee that glide to a long, lingering finish.“