Tech Notes
Wine Details
Decanter
Jeb Dunnuck
International Wine Report
Wine Advocate
The Wine Independent
Wine Enthusiast
James Suckling
By Pope Valley Winery
2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Terroir
Owned by the Eakle family, Pope Valley Winery is located in the northeastern hills just beyond Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Our two estate vineyards, with a combined 80 planted acres at the winery and our Eakle Ranch vineyard, yield rich, distinctive wines characteristic of the terroir. Our wines showcase the mineral complexity of the soils - Pleasanton loam and Bressa Dibble complex. Pope Valley is the sub-region of Napa Valley with the greatest diurnal shift. This allows the grapes to hang on the vine long enough to ripen to their fullest potential, yet cool enough at night to develop complex varietal aromas. Pope Valley wines encompass the historic character that established Napa Valley as one of the premier growing regions in the world.
Production
This is a blend of wines made from Eakle Ranch and estate fruit. They were hand-harvested and sorted, destemmed into tank and held for a 7- day cold-soak. The various lots went through warm to hot fermentations, depending on fruit characteristics, and were pressed before dryness to retain the silky, supple texture. Blends were put together early, and the wine was aged for 22 months.
Wine Details
Appellation: Napa Valley
Vineyard Source: Eakle Ranch, estate winery blocks
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Aging: 22 months in 75% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.40%
pH: 3.60
RS: Less than 0.50 g/L
TA: 6.10 g/L
Bottling Date: 8/9/23
Tasting Notes
Vibrant and focused, this wine is complemented by juicy brambleberry and subtle violet aromas. It is velvety and voluptuous on the palate with cigar box, vanilla, and toffee character. A long, steady finish sings with firm tannins and dusty chocolate flavors.
[Information provided by Matador Vino]
Region:
North Coast
Vintage:
2021
Grape:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Country:
United States
Unit Size:
750.00 ML
Alcohol Percentage:
14.60
Appellation:
Napa Valley
Wine: Pope Valley Winery, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, USA 2021
Score/Rating: 95
Suggested Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040
Review Date: 02/13/2024
Reviewed By: Jonathan Cristaldi
Tasting Notes: The Reserve Cabernet is a blend of the best blocks of the Eakle Ranch. Alluring blackberry and black cherry fruits intermix with vanilla, sandalwood, and mocha spices. Full-bodied and richly layered with succulent black fruits and chocolaty cedarwood tannins that are firm and quite lengthy. This is a shy wine in its youth, and if you pop the cork on it in the next few years, give it air and watch it grow more expressive as its tannin profile builds with intensity through the lengthy finish. The tannins will mellow with time in the cellar. Try to hold off until 2025.
Wine: 2021 Pope Valley Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Score/Rating: 93-95
Review Date: 12/26/2023
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes: The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is also impressive, bringing more base notes of currants, charcoal, and scorched earth, with medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. It has a beautiful mid-palate as well as balance and should be an incredibly impressive Cabernet Sauvignon when all is said and done.
Wine: POPE VALLEY WINERY Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 'Reserve' 2021
Score/Rating: 93
Suggested Drinking Window: 2024-2034
Review Date: 03/2024
Reviewed By: S. Zahodnick
Tasting Notes: The 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Pope Valley Winery is a rare gem, [...]. It presents a refined and lively profile of blackberry, blueberry, and black currant, complemented by subtle notes of cocoa and espresso. The wine is beautifully balanced, with medium, silky tannins that create a velvety texture on the palate. Its complex flavors culminate in a rich, lingering finish that lasts long after the last sip.
Wine: 2021 Pope Valley Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Score/Rating: 93
Suggested Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040
Review Date: 01/31/2024
Reviewed By: Joe Czerwinski
Tasting Notes: Long, tannic and richly textured, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a rich, full-bodied effort dominated by dark fruit. Plums, cassis and black cherries are joined by velvety tannins and mocha overtones on the lingering finish.
Wine: 2021 Pope Valley Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Score/Rating: 93
Suggested Drinking Window: 2024-2042
Review Date: 10/10/2023
Reviewed By: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Tasting Notes: The 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, with [...] Merlot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. It gives up expressive notes of cassis, baked plums, and black cherries followed by hints of cedar, graphite, and wild sage. The medium to full-bodied palate has great vivacity and definition, with black fruit layers and savory sparks supported by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with a refreshing lift.
Wine: Pope Valley Winery 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Score/Rating: 92
Review Date: 02/01/2026
Reviewed By: Elaine Chukan Brown
Tasting Notes: Dark fruits, mixed herbs, and a pleasing earthy quality carry nose through finish. Graphite and pencil shavings emerge with further sipping. This Cabernet offers fine grained, while firm tannins, and a balanced acidity. Enjoy now alongside a meal, or hold for several years in cellar.
Wine: Pope Valley Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve 2021
Score/Rating: 91
Review Date: 02/01/2024
Reviewed By: Jim Gordon, Executive Editor
Tasting Notes: Violets, rose petals, blackberries and cinnamon give this wine a delicious, layered and unabashedly attractive expression. Good ripeness, generous oak spices and a velvety texture. Drink or hold.