2021 Cervantes Blacktail Red Wine Napa Valley

Name: 2021 Cervantes Blacktail Red Wine Napa Valley
Brand: Cervantes Family Vineyards
Availability: InStock

Blacktail grew out of our ongoing journey in, through, and around the land that makes up our eponymous ranch in the corner of Pope Valley, in the far reaches of the Napa Valley. The character of the land is rugged, wild, stunningly beautiful, and unlike anything we know in Napa. The goal from the beginning has been to create something wholly new and unique—a wine that is rich and complex, just like this landscape. The journey has led us to plant varieties that are less tried, and to blend a wine that stands alone.

The 2021 Blacktail is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 11% Petite Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. The winemaking and eleváge are very similar to that of our Cabernet Sauvignon bottling; however, the expression is completely different. This is a multi-layered, dark, highly faceted wine that tells a rich story. Black fruits, toasty notes, baking spice, and savory tones all add to the wine’s complexity. It is intense on the palate, even with its great sense of balance at the core. With this level of density, it should age well for decades, and will continue to reveal layers as it opens in the bottle.

ANDY ERICKSON | WINEMAKER

2021

Vintage notes

After the wildfires, the 2021 Harvest was a blessing in many ways, but not without challenges. The vintage was marked by winter and spring drought. Rainfall was less than one-third of the annual average in Northern California, making the growing season stressful for most growers, even those with access to water like us. The fact is that the soils need the rain to fully recharge and feed the vines. The result was small fruit and low yields in the vineyards.

The good news. Weather-wise, it was an excellent year. Spring was mild, summer was warm but moderate, and fall gave a longer period for the grapes to mature.The great news is the resulting crop had small berries with ripe tannins and great concentration. Winemakers are claiming the best vintage in recent memory.Definitely, 2021 is a high-quality vintage.

Presenting these wines after skipping a vintage means a lot to us. The battles,lessons, and experiences over this period are valuable to us and were rewarded with a beautiful vintage. Sometimes, stress pays off to excel. 2021 is an outstanding vintage, solid and well-structured, producing wines that will age over 30 years or more. We hope you love these wines as much as we do. It has been a pleasure crafting them.

Safe journeys,
XAVIER CERVANTES | PROPRIETOR

Blacktail Proprietary Red Wine

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