2010 Chappellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (3 Liter)

(92 Points)  --  (Wine Advocate)

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a dark, mysterious beauty endowed with considerable depth and richness. Mocha, chocolate, spices and plums fuse together gracefully as this soft, supple wine takes shape in the glass. I very much like the immediacy of the 2010. Only a little bit of persistence is missing on the finish, but not enough to materially detract from what is a gorgeous bottle of wine. For Napa Valley standards, this is about as good as it gets for the money. The blend is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

Today Pritchard Hill seems to be the place everyone wants to be in Napa Valley. The Chappellets were the first to recognize the value and potential of these pristine mountain sites above St. Helena. In addition to making noteworthy wines, the Chappellets were also very smart to trademark the Pritchard Hill name. Unfortunately, that means no other winery can use the designation ‘Pritchard Hill’ on their labels. If Napa Valley is to become recognized throughout the world as a region loaded with first-class terroirs, Pritchard Hill has to be an official AVA (rather than being lumped into St. Helena as it is today), and Chappellet has to allow their neighbors to use the Pritchard Hill designation, which will only bring this corner of Napa Valley more prestige. As for the wines themselves, well, they are terrific. The Chappellet Cabernets are distinguished by a relatively low presence of Cabernet Sauvignon, while Malbec and Merlot play important roles in the blends. Wine Advocate #204, Dec 2012