2021 Caravina Cabernet

Ratings

Jeb Dunnuck (Feb. 2024) 93 points
“Made in a slightly more forward style and from designated fruit, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Caravina has a deep ruby/purple hue and offers lots of cassis and black cherry fruit as well as lead pencil shaving, chocolate, and graphite. It hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, remarkable purity, nicely integrated tannins and acidity, and a great finish. It needs 2-3 years but will be a 20+ year wine.”

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Dec. 2023) 95 points
“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Caravina is stellar. Dark, savory and structured, the 2021 captures the essence of the house style. The balance of fruit, intensity, acid and tannin is masterful. Black fruit, graphite, dried herbs, spice and tobacco infuse the palate with notable depth. This is an especially serious Caravina that overdelivers big time. Don’t miss it. It saw 20 months in 40% new oak barrels.”

Vineyard Notes

Seavey’s 23^rd vintage of single-vineyard estate Caravina Cabernet comes entirely from grapes grown on the steep hillside blocks of our estate, which we have been farming for over forty years. 2021 was a second intense year of drought in Napa Valleyfollowing on the heels of the drought and wildfres of 2020. The growing season began early, and vines struggled to grow, producing our smallest yield on record. The resultant grapes were etremely small and concentrated, leading to a wonderful richness in the wines. Our Caravina Cabernet grapes were all harvested before the end of September in this early season.

Production Notes

Following classic Bordeaux methods, we separately harvest and vinify each vineyard block. In the cool of the night in September 2021, these grapes were harvested by-hand and then promptly de-stemmed, rigorously sorted, and gently transferred into fermentation tanks to carefully manage the tannins and resulting wine texture. Following a shorter than usual fermentation, the grapes were drained off the skins. The wine was then aged in French oak barrels (40% new) for 20 months before bottling in June 2023.

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100% ESTATE GROWN, PRODUCED & BOTTLED, NAPA VALLEY AVA