98 The Tasting Panel

This year is a milestone for Chappellet: It’s the 50th anniversary vintage from Pritchard Hill as well as the 20th vintage of Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine personifies the beauty of mountain fruit grown on steep, well-drained, rocky slopes; the low yields exhibit a remarkable concentration of fruit and, no doubt, the ability to age for years to come. With 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec blended in, the wine aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. It performs a slow dance, its beauty, elegance, and structure evolving with each sip. The saturation of blue and black fruit and the presence of lilac, mulberry, dates, and spiced sandalwood are inspiring. Deep notes of coffee and chocolate wash over the finish.

96 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

“Deep garnet purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, warm cassis, chocolate pie and blackberry preserves notes plus nuances of wild sage, forest floor and tobacco. Medium to full bodied, the palate is elegantly played and refreshing with velvety tannins and a long mineral tinged finish.” 96 Points: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume. -Lisa Perrotti Brown, October 2019

95 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

“The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is a positively stellar wine in this challenging year. Creme de cassis, licorice, lavender, chocolate, spice and espresso all run through the 2017. This is an especially inky, flamboyant style for Chappellet, but all the elements come together very nicely. 2022-2032.” 95 Points: Outstanding. A wine of remarkable personality and breed that is well worth seeking out -Antonio Galloni, January 2020