This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic example of a perfectly balanced valley floor Cabernet with excellent fruit concentration. On the nose, this wine offers sweet blackberries, dried Mission figs, black cherries, blackberry coulis, toasted vanillin, and a hint of cigar box. The palate offers rich and velvety tannins, dark chocolate-covered cherries, black plums, mixed berry pie, and toasted walnuts. This offering is enjoyable today but will also evolve with cellar aging through 2040.
Winemaking
Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, our grapes were carefully destemmed and sent to the tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in the tank at 45°F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation with a select yeast, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 82°F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, the juice was pumped over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice, healthy fermentation. After fermentation and pressing, the 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in 50% new French oak and 50% neutral oak for 20 months. The final blend is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Vintage
The 2021 vintage was considered a drought year, which has typically proven to be excellent quality for wines. The season started off with bud break in early March, leading to a spring that allowed for a perfect flowering and set for the grape clusters. Summer was also quite warm and long, leading into an early Autumn harvest season. The drought conditions led to lower yields in the vineyard, which gave a perfect concentration for juice versus skin ratio. The consistent summer weather encouraged our Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot to ripen in late September into October to finish.
This Merlot is bursting with notes of strawberry rhubarb pie, red plums, mixed berries, milk chocolate, and layers of licorice. The palate showcases fine, juicy tannins alongside wild strawberries, raspberry liqueur, chocolate-covered cherries, brioche, and toasted walnuts. It is supple in texture and shows attractive depth on the finish. Enjoy right now and through 2037 with proper cellaring.
Winemaking
Upon hand harvesting in the early morning hours, our grapes were carefully destemmed and sent to the tank for a whole-berry fermentation. The grapes were cold-soaked in the tank at 45°F for 4-7 days, allowing for increased color, aroma, and flavor extraction. After inoculation with a select yeast, the grape must (juice, skins, and seeds) fermented at 82°F, which allowed for a hot extraction on the skins. For fermentation cap management, the juice was pumped over the skins two times per day, wetting the cap evenly for a nice, healthy fermentation. After fermentation and pressing, the wine was aged in 35% new French oak and 65% neutral oak for 20 months before bottling. The blend is 82% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Whitehall Lane has always utilized the art of blending to make a Merlot with layers of flavors, complexity, and balance. These elements assist with the goal of varietal typicity in creating the perfect Merlot. This 2021 Napa Valley Merlot was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Vintage
The 2021 vintage was considered a drought year, which has typically proven to be excellent quality for wines. The season started off with bud break in early March, leading to a spring that allowed for a perfect flowering and set for the grape clusters. Summer was also quite warm and long, leading into an early Autumn harvest season. The drought conditions led to lower yields in the vineyard, which gave a perfect concentration for juice versus skin ratio. The consistent summer weather encouraged our Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc to ripen in late September into October to finish the harvest season.
Specs
Composition: 82% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Appellation: Napa Valley
Alcohol: 14.9%
Winemaker: Jason Moulton
What’s Included
4-bottles:
2x 2021 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2x 2021 Whitehall Lane Merlot, Napa Valley Case:
6x 2021 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
We are a small, family-owned winery in Napa Valley’s historic Rutherford appellation. We own approximately 110 acres of prime Valley-floor vineyards, including the Leonardini Vineyard in St. Helena, and are committed to making the finest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Reserve wine.
The winery continues to receive accolades and awards for producing some of the greatest wines in the world. In Wine Spectator’s year-end ranking of wines, Whitehall Lane has been honored an unprecedented three times in five years for producing wines rated among the top five in the world. The winery has also been voted Winery of the Year by the Quarterly Review of Wines and Wine and Spirits Magazine.
In our short history, Whitehall Lane has developed into a world-class winery. The efforts of the Leonardini Family are evident in the recent run of accolades from wine publications, but are even more apparent in the beautifully made, elegant wines we continue to make.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, 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
I was the lucky recipient of a Labrat bottle for this offer. Happy Birthday to me!
Although I literally had to chase down the UPS driver to get the bottle. Jumped in my truck as soon as I got a text saying “missed delivery”. Found him down the street. He claimed to have rang bell and knocked. Whatever!
The wine is ruby colored, with good clarity and slow running legs. At first sniff, I get notes of cherry, plum and violet.
I put together some cheese, crackers and chocolates to taste with the wine, but initially, my LW and I tried a few sips without food. We both agreed that it drinks well on its own.
On the palate, notes of chocolate covered cherry, plum and cassis with a hint of Eucalyptus. Juicy mouthfeel, with light tannins and a medium finish.
The wine paired very well with a variety of foods. Not only did it play nicely with the cheese, crackers and chocolates, but also some leftover sweet potato tots with Sriracha aioli and smoked Gouda mac-n-cheese with pulled pork.
The Sriracha sauce brought out some light allspice notes. The wine was especially good with the mac-n-cheese.
This is a really nice Merlot. We finished the bottle before we finished the food! That is a rarity for us. Thanks for the opportunity. TBH, was hoping for a lower case price but was not expecting the Merlot to be bundled with a Cab.
2021 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
92 Points, James Suckling
92 Points, Wine Spectator
92 Points, Decanter
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Winemaking
Vintage
Specs
2021 Whitehall Lane Merlot, Napa Valley
92 Points, James Suckling
92 Points, Wine Spectator
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Winemaking
Vintage
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$576.00/Case for 6x 2021 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley + 6x 2021 Whitehall Lane Merlot, Napa Valley at Whitehall Lane Winery
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, 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, Jun 16 - Tuesday, Jun 17
Whitehall Lane Mixed Reds
4 bottles for $104.99 $26.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $279.99 $23.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2021 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon
2021 Whitehall Lane Merlot
2021 Whitehall Lane Merlot
TLDR: Four thumbs up!
I was the lucky recipient of a Labrat bottle for this offer. Happy Birthday to me!
Although I literally had to chase down the UPS driver to get the bottle. Jumped in my truck as soon as I got a text saying “missed delivery”. Found him down the street. He claimed to have rang bell and knocked. Whatever!
The wine is ruby colored, with good clarity and slow running legs. At first sniff, I get notes of cherry, plum and violet.
I put together some cheese, crackers and chocolates to taste with the wine, but initially, my LW and I tried a few sips without food. We both agreed that it drinks well on its own.
On the palate, notes of chocolate covered cherry, plum and cassis with a hint of Eucalyptus. Juicy mouthfeel, with light tannins and a medium finish.
The wine paired very well with a variety of foods. Not only did it play nicely with the cheese, crackers and chocolates, but also some leftover sweet potato tots with Sriracha aioli and smoked Gouda mac-n-cheese with pulled pork.
The Sriracha sauce brought out some light allspice notes. The wine was especially good with the mac-n-cheese.
This is a really nice Merlot. We finished the bottle before we finished the food! That is a rarity for us. Thanks for the opportunity. TBH, was hoping for a lower case price but was not expecting the Merlot to be bundled with a Cab.
Sorry no pics of wine in the glass. I attempted to take one over white paper and couldn’t get a pic without a prominent reflection.
@chipgreen Full Case too; musta been tasty!
I caved.
/giphy affable-lax-yarn
