Pulido Walker, Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate, Napa Valley, 2021

Overview of the Wine
We could not have ordered a more ideal growing season for the debut vintage of the Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Ample spring rains, mild summer sun, and no major heat spikes allowed fruit to hang for one of the longest stretches in recent memory. 2018 will likely go down as one of those memorable Napa Valley vintages born of an entirely unmemorable growing season.

The Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard is meticulously planted, drawing on several years of data collection prior to putting a single vine or rootstock in the ground. It has been quite the voyage of discovery shepherding this wine from the initial planting of clones 15, 30, 169, and 685 to the release of this inaugural vintage. We decided to harvest by clone and ferment the four wine lots individually. It was unanimous: the lots from clones 15 and 685 were standouts.

Mark Pulido and Donna Walker are immensely gratified that right out of the gate, this Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is every inch the thoroughbred, easily rivaling the wine from its sister vineyard on Pritchard Hill and a welcomed companion. 

Winemaker
Thomas Rivers Brown

Grape / Blend
100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin
Napa Valley, California

Winemaker
Thomas Rivers Brown

Winemaker's Tasting Notes 
The 2021 Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon favors the 2018 vintage slightly more than the 2019. Driven more by structure than fruit, the first impression is of tannin. Just as the growing season kept us on our toes, these 2021wines demanded attention in the cellar. We were careful about how much skin contact time we allowed in tank to keep the tannins from becoming overpowering.

As we’ve come to expect, this wine is more black-fruited, with blue and purple elements but no red fruit qualities to speak of. Its structure and finesse make this a Cabernet Sauvignon to lay down for a few years while the tannins smooth out. We think five years should be plenty to soften everything and reward
the patient with a seamless, nuanced and savory Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate offering that may be our finest yet.

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
I also loved the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard, a perfumed, blue-fruited Cabernet Sauvignon offering classic Mt. Veeder sappy herb, spring flower, sage, and scrub brush-like aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, a ripe, layered mouthfeel, and plenty of tannins, it's a classic mountain wine that deserves 4-6 years in the cellar.

94 Points - Wine Advocate
From vines planted in just 2015, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard showcases floral and herbal nuances of sage and bay leaf over a bed of ripe cherries. In the mouth, despite being full-bodied, the wine is a bit taut, accentuating the silky tannins, and finishes long and mouthwatering.

Product size: 750ml