About the Wine:
We consider the Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Chappellet’s crescendo: the ultimate expression of our celebrated Pritchard Hill terroir. We are very proud of this wine and the reputation that it has earned among the world’s top Cabernet Sauvignons. Crafted in extremely limited quantities, from grapes grown on our rocky, hillside estate, this iconic wine is outstanding, exceptionally complex, and full of structure and aging potential.

 

96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, warm cassis, chocolate pie and blackberry preserves notes plus nuances of wild sage, forest floor and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is elegantly played and refreshing with velvety tannins and a long mineral-tinged finish." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (31st Oct 2019)

95+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The flagship is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill, and this cuvée just about always represents the pinnacle of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. The 2017 is 100% estate Cabernet Sauvignon and reveals a deep purple color as well a stunning bouquet of blue fruits, burning embers, dark chocolate, sage brush, and crushed rocks. It's powerful, full-bodied, and concentrated, and the tannins clamp down on the finish enough to warrant hiding this beauty in the cellar for a solid 5-7 years. If drinking today, give it an hour or two in a decanter. It's another stunning wine from this estate." - Jeb Dunnuck (1/31/2020)

95 Points - Vinous:
"The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is a positively stellar wine in this challenging year. Crème de cassis, licorice, lavender, chocolate, spice and espresso all run through the 2017. This is an especially inky, flamboyant style for Chappellet, but all the elements come together very nicely." Antonio Galloni - (Jan 2020)

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The Ultimate Expression of Terroir:
The most sought-after wine in our portfolio, this limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon represents the pinnacle of Chappellet winemaking and embodies the elegant power and complexity of Pritchard Hill winegrowing. Like the great Bordeaux wines that first inspired Donn Chappellet, this wine is crafted by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with other classic Bordeaux varietals. The wine was aged for 22 months in 100%new French oak. Grown on our rocky, mountainside vineyard, our Cabernets have consistently displayed an ability to age for several decades.

Tasting Notes:
Embodying the essence of great mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, and the majestic terroir or Pritchard Hill, this wine displays epic depth and complexity. Pure, intense aromas of blackberry, cassis, perfumed violets, graphite and macerated berry skins leap from the glass, followed by layers of anise, vanilla, clove and dark chocolate. The luxurious berry and spice notes continue on the palate, where polished, mouth-filling tannins and a powerful structure add depth and gravitas to the deep, rich flavors, carrying the wine to a resonating dark berry and mocha finish.

Technical Information

Growing Season and Harvest:
The 2018 vintage delivered ideal growing conditions that were reminiscent of the exceptional 2012 and 2016 vintages. Perfectly timed spring rains saturated the soils, and were followed by moderate weather, with almost no days of heat above 100° F throughout the summer. Because the phenomenal growing conditions yielded a larger-than-average crop, we did as many as three to four thinning passes between June and August, aggressively dropping fruit to fine-tune the crop load. The temperate conditions continued late into the season, providing abundant hangtime, and ensuring ideal flavor development and the retention of excellent natural acidity. As a result, our 2018 wines offer beautiful color, concentration and weight, with lovely varietal purity.

Wine Statistics:
25.0° – 28.0° Brix at Harvest
14.5% Alcohol
TA – 0.55g/100ml
pH – 3.79

Varietal Composition: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot

 

98 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 100% new French oak for 22 months. The alcohol weighed in at 14.5%. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with bold expressions of warm cassis, wild blueberries and black raspberries, plus hints of chocolate box, menthol, tapenade, smoked meats and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bursting with vibrant black fruits, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and mineral laced." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (11/5/2020)

98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Always one of top wines in a vintage, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is another gorgeous wine with a more plush, supple texture that hides solid underlying structure and tannins. Beautiful notes of blueberries, new leather, camphor, violets, and smoked tobacco all flow to a full-bodied, seamless, gorgeously textured beauty that's very much in the style of the vintage. Possessing remarkable purity, flawless balance, and building tannins, give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years." (1/27/2021)

96+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is bright, punchy and structured. Blackberry jam, grilled herbs, lavender, menthol and crushed rocks all come alive in the glass. This searingly tannic, mountain Cabernet needs a good deal of time to open, but when it does, it dazzles. Bright floral notes, blood orange and slightly redder tonalities of fruit develop over time. The Pritchard Hill is a wine for readers who can be patient." - Antonio Galloni (1/2021)

96 Points - James Suckling:
"Blue fruit with boysenberry and floral aromas. Cassis, too. It’s full-bodied, yet very tight and toned on the palate with fine tannins that are formed and polished. A classic wine. Give this three or four years to soften. Best after 2024." (10/17/2020)

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"Sourced from the top 15-20% of Chappellet’s holdings on Pritchard Hill. Floral aromas of fresh violets, damp herbs and black fruits. Powerful and muscular on the palate, but a lean, toned muscle. Often, the flagship wine of a Napa estate pulls out all the stops with ripeness, but this bottling is impressively restrained and elegant." - Matthew Luczy (10/12/2020)

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About the Wine:
We consider the Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Chappellet’s crescendo: the ultimate expression of our celebrated Pritchard Hill terroir. We are very proud of this wine and the reputation that it has earned among the world’s top Cabernet Sauvignons. Crafted in extremely limited quantities, from grapes grown on our rocky, hillside estate, this iconic wine is outstanding, exceptionally complex, and full of structure and aging potential.

Producer tasting notes:

"Embodying the essence of great mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and the majestic terroir or Pritchard Hill, this wine is gloriously opulent and elegant, immediately demanding attention with aromas of violet, black currant, cassis, ripe blackberry, graphite and sweet smoke. As it opens up, fascinating layers of sandalwood and cardamom emerge, as well as hints of vanilla bean, nutmeg, dark chocolate and anise. On the impeccably balanced palate, complex flavors of ripe dark berries and spice dominate, framed by silky, polished tannins that carry the flavors to a long, epic finish." - Chappellet Winery

99 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is another wonderfully evocative triumph from this family-owned Pritchard Hill pioneer. Deep garnet-purple colored, it storms out of the glass with profound scents of crème de cassis, blackberry preserves, licorice and mulberries, plus hints of unsmoked cigars, wild sage and tar. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers fantastic intensity and great poise, offering fine-grained, ripe tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral laced." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (30 Nov 2021)

98 Points - James Suckling:
"Blackberries, blueberries, black licorice, ink and flowers on the nose. Tar, too. Full-bodied with plush, integrated tannins that are intertwined to pure velvet. The finish goes on and on. Wonderful balance and harmony. 2022 release. So excellent to drink now, but will be even better in 2023 and onwards."  (3 Feb 2022) 

98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The flagship from this great estate is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill, which checks in as a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. It has an incredible nose of pure blue fruits as well as flowers, crushed stone, fresh thyme, tobacco, and graphite. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it's nevertheless weightless and light on its feet, with wonderfully integrated acidity, polished tannins, and a great finish."  (3/22) 

98 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"An extremely concentrated and well-structured wine, it offers flinty, toasty, tarry aromas, dark chocolate, black currant and espresso flavors on a thick blanket of fine-grained tannins that give a very firm mouthfeel. The wine has the depth and structure to age and improve for decades, as well as the track record to prove it."

98 Points - The Wine Independent:
"The 2019 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, with 5% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. Scents of blackcurrant pastilles, candied violets, chocolate-covered cherries, and clove oil come barreling out of the glass, leading to hints of fragrant soil and cedar chest. The big, rich, full-bodied palate delivers impactful, mouth-coating black fruit with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Drink 2024-2046"

94 Points - Wine Spectator
"Seriously fruit-laden, showing warmed cassis, plum sauce and blackberry compote flavors that are layered seamlessly, with a plush structure underneath and a backdrop of singed vanilla, sweet tobacco, violet and mocha. A big wine—and it knows it. Best from 2023 through 2038. 3,800 cases made." - James Molesworth (2022)

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