While admiring the cranberry red hue, forward fruit aromatics of black cherry and cassis begin to make your mouth water before the first sip! On the palate, juicy notes of blueberry compote and cherry cordial meld seamlessly with hints of cinnamon and cream soda. The wine methodically transitions from the bright, round entry through the viscous midpalate and onto a broad-shouldered finish. This is where hints of clove, graham cracker and toasted marshmallow are juxtaposed with those of dark roast coffee and Bing cherry. This wine can be enjoyed now but will benefit from another 10 to 20 years of bottle age.It pairs beautifully with a vegetarian chili and cornbread slathered in a generous helping of sweet cream butter.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Petite Sirah, 5% Malbec
95 Tasting Panel Majestic notes of black cherry-kissed oak are adorned with pecan and graphite. Streamlined suede tannins create a lavish mouthfeel of rich, ripe boysenberry before the finish of white pepper and dark chocolate latte.
93 Wine Enthusiast Alluring nuances of rose petal, tobacco and cinnamon lead into a ripe, chocolaty palate of black cherries, cocoa and raspberries as a soft, velvety texture achieves a very smooth mouthfeel.
92 James Suckling This has aromas of dark chocolate, walnuts, black cherries, plums and spearmint. Firm and well structured, with a full body and firm, slightly grainy tannins. Excellent balance.
92 Wine Spectator Lively, with a bramble-tinged mix of raspberry, blackberry and plum compote notes, laced with licorice snap and apple wood accents on the back end. Shows good energy throughout. Drink now through 2035.
91 Jeb Dunnuck Bright cassis, tobacco, sagebrush, and some chocolate notes define the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, a ripe, medium to full-bodied, pure, beautifully balanced 2021 offering sweet tannins and just an up-front, satisfying, balanced profile.
90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Blended from numerous sites up and down the valley, Pine Ridge's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts bold black cherries on the nose, accented by hints of scorched coffee and vanilla. There's nary a hint of green to be found in this well-ripened, large-scaled wine that's full-bodied and concentrated, showing ample richness for a wine that retails for $70 or less. No, it may not be terribly long lived, as it clocks in at 15.5% alcohol on the label, but it's fun now and should continue to drink well for at least several years.
