2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa Valley
An expressive nose, with a touch of espresso bean, plum, ripe dark cherry and cassis. The palate shows rich, dark fruits, smooth yet bold tannins, a lovely silky texture and crisp acidity. Flavors include cocoa nibs, chocolate-covered espresso beans, crushed ripe plum, a touch of graphite and baker’s spice. This wine will reward careful cellaring for the medium to long term.
Clos Pegase’s winemaking legacy began with André Tchelistcheff, who crafted the inaugural Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vintages. Tchelistcheff’s pioneering focus on terroir-driven varietal planting laid the foundation for the winery’s philosophy. Today, Winemaker Robin Akhurst leads the team in honoring this legacy through a blend of tradition and innovation. The winemaking approach combines classic techniques with modern practices to highlight vineyard character.
Vintage Notes
Located in the St. Helena AVA, the fruit of Milat Ranch comes from the heart of the Napa Valley floor. Here, a unique combination of rich soil and ideal sun exposure consistently produces grapes of remarkable power and polish.
Winemaker’s Comments
Each block was hand-harvested individually. The clusters were sorted again at the winery, then destemmed, with 50% crushed and 50% whole berries in the fermentation. The must was allowed 2-4 days cold soak followed by a warm fermentation using a variety of different yeast strains. With two pump-overs a day, the wine was only pressed off the skins when dry. It was then sent to barrel to undergo a 2-month malolactic fermentation, racked one more time, and allowed to rest in barrel in our caves. After the 16th month of wine being in barrel the wines were racked clean, gently filtered and bottled.
Food Pairings
Complement the wine’s rich fruit and smooth tannins with savory duck confit, roasted winter squash and garlic mashed potatoes.
Specs
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: St. Helena, Napa Valley
Vineyard: Milat Ranch Block 3
Clone: 7
Harvest Date: September 17, 2021
Vintage Notes: 1st Bottling
Aging: 18 months French oak, 40% new
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.8
TA: 0.58 g/L
RS: 1.5 g/L
Production: 100 cases
Winemaker: Robin Akhurst
What’s Included
2-bottles:
2x - 2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Case:
12x - 2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa Valley
From Jan Shrem’s vision of a ‘sanctuary for wine and art’ to Michael Graves’ postmodern landmark on Dunaweal Lane, Clos Pegase has spent four decades treating wine and the visual arts as a single act. Estate vineyards in Calistoga and Carneros, the Hommage Artist Series, and a working sculpture collection continue under the stewardship of Adair Family Wines. Nestled in volcanic soils, the winery boasts 20,000 square feet of wine caves.
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa
Valley
Hello friends! Wow, we were incredibly lucky to pull the golden ticket for this one. The bottle shipped to us Wednesday afternoon, and the immediate first thing I noticed was the heft of the bottle–it’s much heavier than average wine bottles, hopefully a sign of good things to come. Since my wife was out of town on a work trip, the bottle went into the wine fridge until we popped it for Friday dinner.
The wine poured a deep garnet, slightly on the lighter side for a cabernet. It took a bit of time for the wine to open up after uncorking, but after about half an hour, there were dark fruits and woodsy slate on the nose. Taste-wise, the wine had the same heft as the bottle, but it was also somewhat brighter and more refreshing than we would have expected. Granted the weather that day was at the beginning of a weekend cold snap, but I could imagine sipping this even on a warm day, something I wouldn’t say for most cabernets. The palate was more spiced cherry or cranberry; some vanilla and tobacco developed over the next hour. Tannins were noticeable but not harsh or astringent, and they seem to be on their way to a lush, velvety texture. The finish is long, and evolves through a range of dried fruit flavors (I could have sworn there was some tangerine in there).
Naturally, a fancy wine like this needs the right meal to match. Accordingly, we present to you:
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Dave’s Hot Chicken Sliders and Crinkle Cut Fries
Hang on, that’s what the kids are having, let’s try again…
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Chipotle Chicken Burrito with Cilantro Lime Sauce
Umm…
Okay Fine, Here’s the Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Beef Osso Buco
Now that’s more like it. This works out to be a fantastic pairing. Even with its long finish, the wine never overshadowed the food, instead bringing out the flavors of the stew more intensely. (For the record, it was fine with the sliders, less good with the burrito as it clashed with the cilantro lime sauce.)
We kept half the bottle in the fridge to finish on Sunday, which naturally meant we needed another fine food pairing–
What, Another One? The Last One Wasn’t Enough?
Yeah, we ate all the osso buco the last time around.
Alright Alright, Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Chicken Thighs Two Ways: Chinese Hong Shao and Moroccan Tagine
(In all seriousness, I get a ton of use out of the Instant Pot.)
Even a bit chilly from the fridge, the wine seemed even better than our first tasting, with more pronounced aromas. I’d imagine that it would stand up well to many years of aging.
In sum, this is certainly a classy wine in flavor (and bottle weight), well-balanced for a fine meal or drinking on its own. Many thanks to Terry and the Casemates/WCC folks for this opportunity!
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon
2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Vintage Notes
Winemaker’s Comments
Food Pairings
Specs
What’s Included
2-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$1,440/Case at Clos Pegase for 12x 2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa Valley
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 9 - Tuesday, Nov 10
2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon
2 bottles for $114.99 $57.50/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $529.99 $44.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Black Tie, on a Monday?
@ttboy23 Very high 2-bottle price compared to other online retailers as well.
@InVinoVeritas @ttboy23
I’d be curious where you found any pricing, other than the producer at $120, as CT, wine-searcher and Vivino all come up empty.
2021 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Milat Ranch, Block 3, St. Helena, Napa
Valley
Hello friends! Wow, we were incredibly lucky to pull the golden ticket for this one. The bottle shipped to us Wednesday afternoon, and the immediate first thing I noticed was the heft of the bottle–it’s much heavier than average wine bottles, hopefully a sign of good things to come. Since my wife was out of town on a work trip, the bottle went into the wine fridge until we popped it for Friday dinner.
The wine poured a deep garnet, slightly on the lighter side for a cabernet. It took a bit of time for the wine to open up after uncorking, but after about half an hour, there were dark fruits and woodsy slate on the nose. Taste-wise, the wine had the same heft as the bottle, but it was also somewhat brighter and more refreshing than we would have expected. Granted the weather that day was at the beginning of a weekend cold snap, but I could imagine sipping this even on a warm day, something I wouldn’t say for most cabernets. The palate was more spiced cherry or cranberry; some vanilla and tobacco developed over the next hour. Tannins were noticeable but not harsh or astringent, and they seem to be on their way to a lush, velvety texture. The finish is long, and evolves through a range of dried fruit flavors (I could have sworn there was some tangerine in there).
Naturally, a fancy wine like this needs the right meal to match. Accordingly, we present to you:
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Dave’s Hot Chicken Sliders and Crinkle Cut Fries
Hang on, that’s what the kids are having, let’s try again…
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Chipotle Chicken Burrito with Cilantro Lime Sauce
Umm…
Okay Fine, Here’s the Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Beef Osso Buco
Now that’s more like it. This works out to be a fantastic pairing. Even with its long finish, the wine never overshadowed the food, instead bringing out the flavors of the stew more intensely. (For the record, it was fine with the sliders, less good with the burrito as it clashed with the cilantro lime sauce.)
We kept half the bottle in the fridge to finish on Sunday, which naturally meant we needed another fine food pairing–
What, Another One? The Last One Wasn’t Enough?
Yeah, we ate all the osso buco the last time around.
Alright Alright, Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon with Chicken Thighs Two Ways: Chinese Hong Shao and Moroccan Tagine
(In all seriousness, I get a ton of use out of the Instant Pot.)
Even a bit chilly from the fridge, the wine seemed even better than our first tasting, with more pronounced aromas. I’d imagine that it would stand up well to many years of aging.
In sum, this is certainly a classy wine in flavor (and bottle weight), well-balanced for a fine meal or drinking on its own. Many thanks to Terry and the Casemates/WCC folks for this opportunity!