Darioush Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

92 Points - James Suckling Notes from the Winemaker The remarkable 2021 vintage celebrates Darioush’s 25th anniversary and bottling of Signature Cabernet Sauvignon. After decades of meticulous vineyard management, our estate vineyards spanning Southern Napa Valley and high atop Mount Veeder have hit their stride, producing fruit with splendid concentration, compelling freshness, and graceful complexity. TASTING NOTES Rewarding with extraordinary depth and poise, the drinking pleasure of 2021 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon begins with notes of royal cassis that fan out on the palate and continue with silky black cherry and refined dark berry fruit framed by bakers’ chocolate, cedar, and toasted sage. A lush, supple midpalate displays firm yet suave tannins balanced by a juicy texture lent by a deft blending of Merlot from the estate’s hillside vineyards. This is both a classic wine and vintage, finishing like it begins, with a flourish of brambly blackberry fruit lifted by accents of violets and bergamot. VINIFICATIONMeticulous attention to detail in the vineyard and minimal cellar handling. Hand-harvested, de-stemmed and then fermented in stainless steel tank. Aged 21 months in 75% new French oak barrels. Barrel lots were racked twice per year for clarity. COMPOSITION78% Cabernet Sauvignon,20% Merlot,2% Petit Verdot