Castiel Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California, 2021

About The Producer
Inspired by Dave and Kathleen’s desire to capture time and place, Castiel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a collaboration among nature, patient and caring human hands, and artistic excellence. It speaks clearly of its unique and extraordinary location upon Howell Mountain. It is masterfully brought to life by the talented and renowned winemaker, Celia Welch, whose deep knowledge and understanding of expressing terroir allows each vintage to showcase its unique qualities while maintaining the consistency of Howell Mountain characteristics.

Since the first vintage in 2014, attention to detail and exacting viticultural practices yield berries of ripe, delicious flavors. The grapes are harvested by hand in several passes resulting in many distinct vinifications from which to create the final blend. At the winery, clusters are gently destemmed and berries are chosen with intent by manual and sophisticated optical sorting methods. During fermentation, the wine is left on the skins until complete, and then pressed and transferred to French oak barrels to age for 18 to 22 months. Castiel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine structured around the backbone of minerality, concentrated fruit, powerful richness and integrated tannins, the hallmark qualities of a Howell Mountain cabernet.

Each vintage begins life in the vineyard where attention to detail and exacting viticultural practices yield berries of ripe, delicious flavors. Grapes are harvested by hand in several passes, resulting in many distinct vinifications from which to create the final blend. Arriving at the winery in the cool morning hours, clusters are gently destemmed and berries are chosen, with intent, through optical and manual sorting processes. The wine is barrel aged in 100% French oak for 20-22 months then bottle aged 12-14 months prior to release."

Sustainably Farmed.

Winemaker Celia Welch (Scarecrow)  and viticulturist Jim Barbour work with pristine fruit from Howell Mountain to produce small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon from an estate that is renowned for its soil quality and natural habitat. Castiel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon takes life from its ideally situated, west-facing vineyard on Howell Mountain where the soil is comprised of volcanic tuff and riddled with ancient rock.

Grape / Blend
100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
The 2021 Castiel Cabernet Sauvignon shows mulberry, fresh boysenberry, bay leaf, and forest floor aromas, with a touch of baked cherry pie and notes of cocoa dust. At entry, the fruit flavors are profound and complex, with juicy blackberry fruit dominant, then supported with baking spices, cocoa dust, a nuance of dried leaves and bark. Bright fruit acidity adds lift throughout the palate impression, and the finish is a mixture of nubby, slightly sinewy tannins, juicy cherry and cola flavors, and fresh raspberries. Three clones of Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between September 13 and 24, 2021. Each lot was vinified individually and kept separate in barrels until after the first year in oak. The wines were blended and then returned to their barrels for an additional eight months prior to bottling in May 2023. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration.

99 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Another masterpiece from the talents of Celia Welch, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain comes from a site on Howell Mountain and spent 20 months in new French oak. It's a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful Mountain Cabernet revealing ample smoked black fruits, notes of graphite, tobacco, spicy wood, and bouquet garni, a dense, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a gorgeous overall profile that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age. It will unquestionably have two decades or more of prime drinking.

Product Size: 750ml