Salvestrin Winery St. Helena Estate Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
(Napa Valley, California) - [WS 96] [WA 95] [TWI 94]

About this Wine:
The flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Dr. Crane vineyard represents the pinnacle of Salvestrin winemaking. Medium bodied with finesse and focus, this wine opens with notes of black cherry, raspberry, fig and dried rose petals. The wine shows restraint and tension, perfectly built for long aging potential. The texture is velvety without compromising its inherent Cabernet weight, the mid palate is juicy and the finish persistently chalky yet polished.

Hints of barrel tones including baking spice and vanilla on the palate mingle with notes of red plum and fennel.  Made from 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the wine is aged for a total of 22 months, racked 2-3 times while aging 22 months in (58% new) French oak.

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Wine Spectator:
This restrained, mineral-inflected version is sleek and pure, with cassis, bitter plum and black cherry puree notes streaked with alder, savory and iron through the fine-grained and pinpoint finish. A red of precision and focus. Best from 2026 through 2040. 1,026 cases made.

95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
A terrific bargain (in the context of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon), Salvestrin's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, all from the site adjoining the winery. Gentle cedar and cinnamon notes accent ripe cherries and loamy earth, with the merest hint of dried herbs on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied in the mouth, with a silky, softly dusty feel that suggests cocoa powder on the long, elegant finish. 2025 - 2040.

94+ Points - The Wine Independent:
Opaque garnet-purple colored, the 2021 Dr Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon flies out of the glass with gregarious notions of crème de cassis, wild blueberries, and fresh, juicy boysenberries, leading to suggestions of cedar chest, menthol, licorice, and rose bud tea. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with ripe, expressive black fruit flavors, framed by grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and spicy.