- About This Wine
- Ratings & Reviews
- Tasting Notes
About This Wine
Ratings & Reviews
Tasting Notes
ABOUT THIS WINE
REVIEWS
WINEMAKER NOTES
The Buehler 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to Napa’s remarkable terroir, showcasing a powerful yet refined expression of the varietal. Crafted from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine brings together the rich intensity of hillside fruit with the depth and complexity offered by valley floor vineyards. The 2021 vintage saw an even-paced growing season, free of the dramatic heat spikes that sometimes challenge the region, resulting in a smaller but high-quality harvest. A drought year with rains concentrated early in the season provided ideal conditions for even ripening, ensuring ripe tannins and vibrant color that are immediately evident in this offering.
On the nose, the 2021 Buehler Cabernet opens with enticing aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis, and dark plums, underpinned by hints of graphite, cedar, and subtle tobacco leaf. The wine's aromatic profile is unmistakably Napa Valley, leaning into the darker, more brooding spectrum of Cabernet fruit, while remaining balanced and harmonious. The oak regimen, a blend of French and American barrels, lends a nuanced complexity, with whispers of vanilla, spice, and toasted oak that support the fruit rather than dominate it.
On the palate, this Cabernet Sauvignon reveals its full-bodied character with lush, velvety tannins and a structure that promises longevity. Blackberry compote, black currant, and plum flavors are layered with notes of mocha, black tea, and a touch of leather, creating a rich and textured mouthfeel. The careful racking process during its 18-month aging has allowed the wine to develop elegant tannins and a smooth, seamless finish, where the fruit lingers alongside a pleasant minerality and finely integrated oak.
This wine is approachable upon release, showcasing a youthful vibrancy that will appeal to those who enjoy fresh Cabernet with structured tannins. However, for those who prefer a more evolved expression, the Buehler 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has the potential to develop beautifully over the next two decades. Drink it from 2024 to 2028 for its vibrant fruit and structured profile, or cellar it until 2029 to 2039 to experience a softer, more velvety texture and the nuanced depth of secondary and tertiary flavors. This is a quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, delivering exceptional value and quality for the discerning collector.
Alcohol: 14.5%
On the nose, the 2021 Buehler Cabernet opens with enticing aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis, and dark plums, underpinned by hints of graphite, cedar, and subtle tobacco leaf. The wine's aromatic profile is unmistakably Napa Valley, leaning into the darker, more brooding spectrum of Cabernet fruit, while remaining balanced and harmonious. The oak regimen, a blend of French and American barrels, lends a nuanced complexity, with whispers of vanilla, spice, and toasted oak that support the fruit rather than dominate it.
On the palate, this Cabernet Sauvignon reveals its full-bodied character with lush, velvety tannins and a structure that promises longevity. Blackberry compote, black currant, and plum flavors are layered with notes of mocha, black tea, and a touch of leather, creating a rich and textured mouthfeel. The careful racking process during its 18-month aging has allowed the wine to develop elegant tannins and a smooth, seamless finish, where the fruit lingers alongside a pleasant minerality and finely integrated oak.
This wine is approachable upon release, showcasing a youthful vibrancy that will appeal to those who enjoy fresh Cabernet with structured tannins. However, for those who prefer a more evolved expression, the Buehler 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has the potential to develop beautifully over the next two decades. Drink it from 2024 to 2028 for its vibrant fruit and structured profile, or cellar it until 2029 to 2039 to experience a softer, more velvety texture and the nuanced depth of secondary and tertiary flavors. This is a quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, delivering exceptional value and quality for the discerning collector.
Alcohol: 14.5%
94 POINTS - "The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is powerful, dense and wonderfully expressive right out of the gate. Blackberry, chocolate, new leather and cloves are beautifully amplified. Large-scaled and yet super-finessed, the Estate is a terrific example of what readers can find here. - Vinous
93 POINTS - "Violet and hibiscus notes add nice lift to the plush core of well-defined blackberry and black currant fruit in this red, backed by a melted licorice snap note. Ripe and caressing, with the floral freshness chiming prettily through the finish. Drink now through 2036." - Wine Spectator
91 POINTS - "A broad and intense cabernet showing chocolate, blackcurrants, baked cherries and mocha on the nose. Mouth-filling, fleshy and concentrated. Drink or hold." - James Suckling
93 POINTS - "Violet and hibiscus notes add nice lift to the plush core of well-defined blackberry and black currant fruit in this red, backed by a melted licorice snap note. Ripe and caressing, with the floral freshness chiming prettily through the finish. Drink now through 2036." - Wine Spectator
91 POINTS - "A broad and intense cabernet showing chocolate, blackcurrants, baked cherries and mocha on the nose. Mouth-filling, fleshy and concentrated. Drink or hold." - James Suckling
The wine is brimming with fruit aromas and flavors biased to the black fruit end of the Cabernet spectrum: plums, blackberry, and black currant. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, this Cabernet drinks well on release but will soften and develop with additional age. For those who seek youthful fresh Cabernet fruit aromas and a more structured wine, drink it from 2024 through 2028. If you prefer the less fruity, more developed bottle bouquet aromas and a softer, more velvety wine on the palate, drink it from 2029-2039.