Perched above the fog line in the rugged Mt. Veeder appellation, the Pulido-Walker Estate Vineyard offers sweeping Napa Valley views from its 115-acre site in the Mayacamas range. After years of studying its unique microclimates and soils, 15 select acres were planted with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Chardonnay. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown divided the vineyard into 18 micro-blocks, grafting 20,934 vines on five rootstocks with heritage clones of Cabernet and Chardonnay. With precise spacing and full control over farming and harvest, Thomas crafts wines of exceptional character and harmony. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon displays the positive side of a classic California drought vintage with immense concentration, the result of the tiny berry size. It was aged in 85% new French oak for 20 months. The finished wine is structured, though displaying a sense of finesse. While drinking beautifully now, the wine will also age for a decade to come.

The 2021 Pulido- Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon leans closer to the structured profile of the 2018 vintage than the 2019. With a tannin-forward impression, careful cellar management during fermentation ensured balanced tannins, reflecting the precision required throughout the growing season. "As we’ve come to expect, this wine is more black-fruited, with blue and purple elements but no red fruit qualities to speak of. Its structure and finesse make this a Cabernet Sauvignon to lay down for a few years while the tannins smooth out. We think five years should be plenty to soften everything and reward the patient with a seamless, nuanced and savory Pulido-Walker Mt. Veeder Estate offering that may be our finest yet.” -Thomas Rivers-Brown