Winery - Chappellet
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Lots of sweet oak in the nose, with raspberry and cherry fruit. Jammy and inviting, with great depth of flavor. Rich and spicy, and fairly complex. A light-bodied wine that defines the soft, beguiling style of Sangiovese in California.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Inviting aromas of apple fruit and lusty, appealing buttery, toasty oak. Handsome blend of apple, peach, pear and vanilla flavors on the well-rounded palate. Finish displays an engaging perfume with spicy accents.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
. Initially the ripe pineapple aromas seem a bit muted, but on the palate the pineapple comes through strong and shaded with dried apricots. A long, moderately acidic finish caps off a very enjoyable dessert wine.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is one of the softer Chappellet Cabs, and whether it’s because of the hot vintage or a change in winemaking, it’s not in the same league as the ’02 and ’03. Tastes like a melted chocolate bar, with a squeeze of crème de cassis and licorice, and of course new toasted oak. Just too soft. Drink now.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Ripe in pineapples and pears, creamy and well-oaked, this is a pretty good Chard, with a dried herb edge to the fruit. It finishes with a soft, peaty earthiness.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Coming off a string of great vintages, Chappellet’s ’04 Merlot isn’t quite in the same league, and the reason has got to be the heat of the vintage, which caused an unusually early harvest. The wine is fruit-forward in cherries and blackberries, very soft and a little simple, but quite delicious and dry. Drink now.
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Chappellet Merlot - 2004
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
What a great job Chappellet does. It’s a brand that’s sometimes overlooked in favor of the new kids, but really deserves recognition. This is a stunningly rich, balanced Merlot, long in cherry, cocoa and oak flavors, yet complexed with fine tannins and rich acidity. It validates the old adage that, in California, Merlot is the soft Cabernet.
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Chappellet Merlot - 2003
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A winning wine that displays a vibrantly fragrant tangerine, citrus and herb-butter bouquet. It opens to a full, dense tropical-fruit palate and shows an almost seamless texture. Tangy oak plays off the lingering fruit nuances on this bottling’s lengthy, luxurious finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is a stunning Cabernet, but it’s too young to drink now. The tannins are simply too big. You could decant it, even overnight, but better to let it age naturally for four or five years. Tremendous in black currant and chocolate flavors, it’s fully dry, and offset with crisp acidity. Has all the class and elegance of the best Napa Cabs.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
You can call this Chappellet’s everyday claret, but that’s an insult to a wine of this quality. It shows classic Napa structure, with firm tannins and rich acidity, and a deep core of black cherry, black currant and oak flavors. It’s delicious now, and should develop for a couple of years.
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