Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Chappellet – Signature Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022 🇺🇸
Pritchard Hill (Mountain Fruit) – Napa Valley AVA – California, USA

Overview
A cornerstone of Chappellet for over three decades, the Signature Cabernet Sauvignon continues to define what Napa Valley mountain Cabernet is all about: power, elegance, and longevity.
The 2022 vintage carries a subtly adjusted blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 2% Merlot, featuring a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon and slightly less Petit Verdot and Malbec compared to the 2021 (see my v2021 notes).
This shift gives the 2022 an extra dimension of muscle and purity, heightening its mountain-driven character.

Aromas & Flavors
Undeniably dark and expressive. Notes of blackcurrant, dark cherry, plum, and cassis rise first, followed by cedar, sage, aged tobacco, thyme, and beautifully integrated toasted oak.
As it opens, deeper nuances emerge, espresso bean, cocoa, graphite, and subtle mountain herbs.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and impeccably structured.
The increase in Cabernet Sauvignon amplifies its power and linearity, while polished tannins deliver a glowing richness across the palate.
Flavors of black cherry, currant, chocolate, espresso, and warm spice saturate the mid-palate. The finish is long, confident, and built for aging.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, grilled ribeye, lamb with rosemary, venison, black-truffle dishes, or aged gouda/cheddar.

Verdict
A formidable yet seductively elegant expression of Pritchard Hill. The 2022 is slightly more commanding than the 2021, with enhanced Cabernet purity and structural depth. A true benchmark in Napa’s hillside Cabernets, age-worthy, expressive, and unmistakably Chappellet. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Pritchard Hill’s volcanic, iron-rich soils and elevation create Cabernets known for density, refinement, and remarkable longevity, which is why so many iconic Napa producers source or plant here.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Among my personal favorites in the mountain Cabernet category. The 2022 delivers that unmistakable “whoa” moment, especially when shared with friends and family. — 7 months ago

Steve Gerths

9.3

Boysenberry notes, chocolate and sweet oak — 4 years ago

Madalyn Kissel

10

Amazing bottle of smooth red wine that would pair well with anything. The perfect choice for a special occasion. — 4 years ago

Chris Anton

9.2

OMG! Delicious!!! — 6 years ago

Rufus King

8.9

Refined Loire valley Chardonnay, with notes of apple, pear and mild minerality, at Cornerstone restaurant in Ogunquit, and at Seven High restaurant in Kennebunk, ME — 6 years ago

Stanislav Lobanov

9.0

16.5+/20 (90+/100) Травянистый аромат с нотами черники, мяты и карамели. Тельное с умеренной кислотностью. Танины интенсивные и вяжущие. Молодо. — 7 years ago

Brent S

9.3

Always remarkable wines, and with Last Bottle, this was a steal — a year ago

Greg Helmer

9.2

Yes it’s cab; yes it’s rich and smooth. There’s grape/berry and finishes with very pleasing spice. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2017 vintage. Really tight, even after being open for two hours. Will hit the second-half of the bottle tomorrow night to look for improvement. **Edit**Finished the bottle on night two. Juice spiced up a slight, finely ground black pepper note but otherwise, the same. Considering that the winery prioritizes this particular wine as a cornerstone wine out of all the offerings, thinking this wine to be in a "dumb" phase currently. Will try to hit again in a year. — 4 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

Ruby in color with medium intensity.

Strong nose of raspberries, cherries, oak, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, lemon peal, spices, chocolates and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, ripe raspberries, strawberries, sweet spice, earth, light herbs, light wood, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice cool climate Pinot Noir from Los Carneros in Sonoma County. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

This Single Vineyard is easy drinking and a nice porch wine. Spicy and entertaining.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 20 minutes of airtime.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

A small production of only 2,000 bottles.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$46. — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Very interesting Red Blend from Hungary. I generally love the Zweigelt varietal, but it is surprisingly not the cornerstone of this wine. (Thirteen different varietals (must include three) can be blended to make Egri Bikavér).
Aromas and flavors of Cranberries, Raspberries and peppery spice. Light color and body. Short on the finish but very pleasant. Thank you Ron B. Revisited in June 2021. Aging beautifully! — 6 years ago

Eric W

10

Incredibly smooth and delicious. — 7 years ago

Steven Comfort

9.0

This cornerstone Pinot vineyard in Anderson Valley is known for powerful fruit, and this vintage is a great example. The knock is that the fruit expression is obvious and more one-dimensional than pinot from, say, Sonoma or Willamette Valley. I like this wine and the work Kevin Harvey has done with Rhys in Anderson Valley - but the jury is still out in my mind - I’m not convinced it will become a great region for Pinot noir... — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Another producer to inherit some vineyards from Verset was Thiérry Allemand who purchased Noëls holdings in Reynard. That vineyard is the cornerstone for this wine. The 1999 Allemand “Reynard” is still full of fresh brambles, some cow pasture, and beautiful purple flowers. It’s sanguine with inorganic earth and gentle spices. Bangin’ with venison, umami bomb, potato and pearl onion. This is gorgeous and should be outstanding through 2040+. — 2 years ago

Tom Kohli

8.9

Excellent Bordeaux! Drinks without decanting but also excellent 2 days later! Would buy again. Cornerstone pasta dinner. — 3 years ago

Steve Gerths

9.5

This is a beautiful Cab. Extremely smooth. Dark cherry notes — 4 years ago

Mark Turner

9.1

Smooth drinking, pleasant, good QPR. — 5 years ago

Boris Mathiszik

8.9

Good everyday cab. — 6 years ago

Rufus King

9.0

Juicy California Pinot Noir, with notes is dark cherry and mild spice, at Cornerstone restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine — 6 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.3

One of my close friends and I aged a bottle of this French Malbec upon his leave from NYC.

It’s not a particularly great bottle. It can be bought for $11. It is exceptional because of its context. We forget that wine is an opportunity. A moment of memory and gratitude to create. If we use this excuse to gather with friends, then we’ve already elevated the wine.

We aged it for just 1.5 years and so it met its 5 year mark. It was light, resembling the composition of a Pinot Noir. It was airy and, now, after tasting the bottle this weekend again, new, without the extra aging, we can tell that the chemical, sugary aftertaste disappeared.

Great out of the store, even better after personal aging in a walnut veneer bar, and exceptional if drunk with friends, especially close ones.

Two bottles, across two weeks, aging one for almost two years. For the cornerstone experience, a 9.3.

— 7 years ago