James rated some terrific quality, under-the-radar wines last week in California – a newly released old-vine Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon from a tiny producer called Grace Family Vineyards and chardonnays and pinot noirs from a Russian River family-owned winery that is a favorite within U.S. sommelier circles – not to mention two solid wines from Chile’s Errazuriz winery during his recent trip to South America.
The Grace Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley St. Helena Cornelius Grove 2021 comes from amazing old vines, some about 70 years old, planted at low density in hillsides on the west side of St. Helena. There’s a feeling of forgottenness, James said, when he walked part of the vineyards last year and gazed at the magnificence rows of the old vines. It’s part of the Heath Canyon Ranch, which apparently has been farmed by the Corbet Family since the early 1900s. The vineyard is owned by the Green family who reside in Paris while the winemaking is overseen by Napa's star Helen Keplinger.
The 2021 hillside cab is literally history in the glass and shows the unique microclimate of the hillside area. It also highlights the greatness of the 2021 vintage for Napa Valley cabernet, exhibiting an exquisite balance of intense fruit and sublime tannin quality. It’s all about great tannins in the best reds of 2021 in Napa.