FROM THE WINERY
The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon has been our flagship wine for more than three decades. It is a benchmark for the long-lived hillside wines of the Napa Valley; full of structure and aging potential, yet seductively forward in its varietal character. The dry, rocky soils of Pritchard Hill produce small, intensely flavorful grapes. Crop thinning allows for full, even ripening and further elevates flavor complexity.
Growing Season and Harvest For the third year in a row, Mother Nature provided exceptional growing conditions. In fact, our vineyard manager, Dave Pirio, believes that
2012, 2013 and 2014 may be the finest run of growing seasons he has seen in his more than 30 years of farming Pritchard Hill. While 2014 offered lovely temperate, mid-season weather that was ideal for our early ripening varieties, it also brought ample warmth in September and October, ensuring perfect ripeness in our late-ripening grapes. With no threat of rain or significant heat events, the fruit was harvested at an unhurried pace in pristine condition. Overall, our yields were down slightly, resulting in beautiful depth and concentration.
Blend 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc & 4%
Merlot
Tasting Notes Deep and rich, this is a classic expression of hillside Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, offering alluring aromas of boysenberry, black currant and dark chocolate, as well as subtler layers of sweet oak, savory herbs and fresh-roasted coffee. On the palate, ripe fruit and plush, radiant tannins create a velvety mouthfeel and an almost liqueur-like richness that carries through to a long, lingering finish
ABOUT THE CHAPPELLETS
When Molly and Donn Chappellet moved to Pritchard Hill in 1967, they had five children and one on the way. As their vineyards have matured, Molly and Donn’s family has grown, and today includes nine wonderful grandchildren, who can often be found playing in the vineyards as their parents did before them. Recognized as one of the great family-owned and run Napa Valley wineries, the history of Chappellet reflects the passion and commitment of this pioneering family. Through
four decades and three generations, the Chappellets have made Pritchard Hill their home, while also establishing it as one of the world’s most revered winegrowing sites. Today, the second generation of the family works alongside their parents to ensure that the winery and vineyards continue to thrive for generations to come.
PRITCHARD HILL
The
Chappellet family’s romance with Pritchard Hill started more than four decades ago when Donn and Molly Chappellet first glimpsed its magnificent vista of forests and wildflower-filled meadows. Inspired by the notion that Bacchus loves the hills, the Chappellets followed the advice of renowned winemaker André Tchelistcheff and settled on Pritchard Hill’s rocky slopes, becoming the first winery to plant vineyards exclusively on high-elevation hillsides. From these Pritchard Hill vineyards, the Chappellets have been crafting extraordinary, age-worthy wines since 1967.
Pritchard Hill’s rugged terroir has become legendary for producing wines with great intensity and depth—qualities that define the world's finest Cabernet Sauvignons. As a result, Chappellet wines have consistently
received the highest praise from critics, and are sought after by the world's premier collectors.Today, a second generation of the family has joined their parents in embracing the romance of Pritchard Hill. They are passionate about preserving the land and continuing what Donn and Molly began—making extraordinary wines.
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