Chappellet, Pritchard Hill - Napa Valley 2019

Decanter.com

96 / 100

byGeorgina Hindlethe9/4/2023

Heady and bold, taut and super tense, the cool nature of the year and the tension from the oak dominates the palate creating compactness but also layers of freshness, flavour and textured nuance. Tannins are supple and well worked and the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit is pristine. Generous, sleek and elegant in a forward, attention-seeking kind of way, lots of spice and minerality; clove, graphite and dark chocolate, with fresh markers too; wet stones, blueberries and vanilla. Confident and full of interest. At 15% you can feel the alcohol, but there's balance to the expression with lots of polish to the long finish. 3.79pH. Ageing 22 months in 100% new French oak.

The Drink Business

98 / 100

byColin Haythe8/30/2023

Opaque at the core. So dense, compact and concentrated, but with no sensation of this having been pushed. A lovely florality – violet and lavender notes radiate from the glass and infuse the mid-palate too, which is, in turn, crystalline and velvety in texture. The oak use is more subtle and subdued, with just a delicate hint of expensive vanilla (a single pod in a glass tube). There’s a note of hoisin and some slightly ferrous mineral elements; crushed rock too – in short, nice terroir characteristics from this single vineyard expression. Above all, though, this is fabulous texturally, with lovely grippy, fine-grained tannins. The wine is built around a tight cool core of intense dark berry fruit. Top Napa in a top vintage.

The Wine Independent

98 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe8/21/2023

The 2019 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, with 5% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. Scents of blackcurrant pastilles, candied violets, chocolate-covered cherries, and clove oil come barreling out of the glass, leading to hints of fragrant soil and cedar chest. The big, rich, full-bodied palate delivers impactful, mouth-coating black fruit with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

99 / 100

byJane Ansonthe7/3/2023

This is a great example of mountain fruit Cabernet, from celebrated winemaker Philip Corallo-Titus and director David Frankie. Glass-staining ruby in colour; intense and concentrated, with inky waves of blueberry and cassis fruits, blocks of bitter black chocolate, velvety tannins that take their time to let the fruit out. This is a tiny production wine from the wonderful 2019 vintage (for me, flying against some of the American critics). Delicious. First time on the Place de Bordeaux, and a standout in the year's wines. 100% new French oak.

Jeb DUNNUCK

98 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe10/3/2022

The flagship from this great estate is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill, which checks in as a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. It has an incredible nose of pure blue fruits as well as flowers, crushed stone, fresh thyme, tobacco, and graphite. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it's nevertheless weightless and light on its feet, with wonderfully integrated acidity, polished tannins, and a great finish. This classic, quintessential Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20, 30, if not 40 years if stored correctly. 3800 cases.
98+

Jamessuckling.com

98 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe12/1/2021

Blackberries, blueberries, black licorice, ink and flowers on the nose. Tar, too. Full-bodied with plush, integrated tannins that are intertwined to pure velvet.

Wine Advocate

99 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe11/1/2021

The medium- to full-bodied palate delivers fantastic intensity and great poise, offering fine-grained, ripe tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.