Colgin "Cariad" Napa Valley 2021 (750ml)
Product price
Description
A Bordeaux-style red grown high on Pritchard Hill, above Lake Hennessey, this 2021 from Colgin Cellars leans on Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) but gives real weight to Cabernet Franc (22%), with Merlot and Petit Verdot filling out the frame. The estate parcel sits on rugged, wooded terrain, its soils a mix of weathered volcanic lava, reddish clays, and broken igneous rock that drain well and push the vines. That mountain pedigree shows in the wine, which reads more like classed-growth Bordeaux than the plush Napa stereotype.
Silky dark berry fruit sits at the center, threaded with exotic spice, cedar, graphite, and a savory hint of smoked tobacco and bouquet garni. It is massively concentrated yet carries itself with an almost effortless poise, a deep and layered mid-palate giving way to polished tannins and a long, composed finish. There is upfront appeal here thanks to the balance and texture, but the structure suggests it will reward patience and hold for decades.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Color | Red |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Napa Valley |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend Red |
| Producer | Colgin Cellars |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
The 2021 Cariad is nothing short of a seamless, bold, and captivating masterpiece. It carries an effortless suavity and precision, with silky dark berry fruit, exotic spice, and deep cedarwood complexity, all woven into a powerful and finessed structure. This wine embodies the very best of Napa Valley, offering impressive density, levity, and an opulent yet balanced tension. It’s the kind of wine that transcends vintages, showcasing depth and refinement, placing it among the greatest Napa Cabernets of the past decade. Simply flawless. 56% Cabernet, 22% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. (Colgin’s inaugural release was the 1992 Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1998, Ann Colgin acquired a 125-acre parcel on Pritchard Hill overlooking Lake Hennessey, planting 20 acres and establishing the estate winery. The site is a sprawling, rugged landscape of woodlands and steep terrain, with soils composed of weathered volcanic lava flow, well-drained reddish clays, and weathered igneous rock. The vineyard is divided into 24 blocks and planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Syrah.)
The 2021 Cariad is another First Growth Bordeaux look-alike from Colgin. Darker currants, smoked tobacco, graphite, bouquet garni, and some exotic, meaty notions dominate the bouquet, and it's massively concentrated on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, polished tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It actually has some upfront appeal due to its incredible balance and texture, yet smart money will still hide these for 5-7 years. It will have 30+ years of overall longevity. (Jeb Dunnuck, December 2023)
Colgin's 2021 Cariad is explosive, effusive and all charm. All the elements are so well put together. Deep, sweet floral and savory spice nuances lift a core of red/purplish fruit, all wrapped together with broad, chocolatey tannins. Elegant, vivid and impeccably balanced, the 2021 has a brilliant future. It will be interesting to see where this goes over time.