2021 PlumpJack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley
This alluring Cabernet is a big, rich red with immediately inviting aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and toasted spices. For all the energy and plushness, this stays well-balanced on the palate with complex flavors, creamy texture, and bold yet silky tannins. The finish lingers for an eternity, which is a relief because this bold red is one you’ll never want to end. Sit with those lingering impressions of baker’s chocolate and espresso before you dive back into the silky, mouth-filling fruit.
If we were to pick just one Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to blast into interstellar space for aliens to try when they stumble upon it someday, that wine would be Plumpjack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville. In our view it is the most flavor-packed, complex, complete bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that you can buy, in pretty much every vintage. Plumpjack is in one posh neighborhood, with Screaming Eagle, Rudd, Bond St. Eden, and Dalla Valle all nearby. This is Oakville’s (and the Valley’s) absolute sweet spot, near the crossroads of Oakville Cross and Silverado Trail. Their Cabernets are absolutely spectacular, stuffed to the gills with ripe cherry fruit and red rose perfume—and very fairly priced compared to the neighbors.
Vinous Media
<span class="item-details-content-container-critical-acclaims-score" title="Vinous"><span class="rating-type">VN</span><span class="rating-points">95</span></span><h4 class="item-details-content-container-critical-acclaims-title">Vinous</h4><p>The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is rich, racy and super-expressive. Silky and deep, with notable resonance, the 2021 offers up dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, new leather and licorice. Today, it is a very young wine in need of cellaring, but its potential is evident. Dollops of Petit Verdot and Malbec round out the blend. This should be positively stellar.</p>
JS94
James Suckling
<span class="item-details-content-container-critical-acclaims-score" title="James Suckling"><span class="rating-type">JS</span><span class="rating-points">94</span></span><h4 class="item-details-content-container-critical-acclaims-title">James Suckling</h4><p>Deep and brooding aromas of blackberry compote, blackcurrants, mocha and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied with fine tannins and a generous mouthfeel that is finely integrated, showing layers of mocha, blackcurrants, blood plums, cassis and cured meat. A very fresh yet structured wine that doesn't reflect the difficulties of the vintage. Drink or hold.</p>
WA94
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
<span class="item-details-content-container-critical-acclaims-score" title="Wine Advocate"><span class="rating-type">WA</span><span class="rating-points">91</span></span><h4 class="item-details-content-container-critical-acclaims-title">Wine Advocate</h4><p>The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate reflects much of the property's 35 producing acres of Cabernet on the eastern side of the Oakville AVA. Tasted under screw cap (the winery offers both cork and screw-cap closures), the wine offers up notes of mocha, black cherries and brown sugar. It's full-bodied, with a slightly coarse but velvety texture, showing ample concentration but not much elegance at this young age.</p>