Cakebread Cellars 2021 Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cakebread Cellars 2021 Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the prestigious Dancing Bear Ranch Estate Vineyard on Howell Mountain. This vineyard, segmented into 24 unique blocks by varietal, sun exposure, soil type, and clone, sits at elevations from 1,400 to 1,900 feet. Its dry, rocky volcanic soils foster vines that yield small, concentrated grapes. Careful management of fermentation and maceration controls tannin extraction, while aging in French oak barrels refines the wine. The final blend showcases a pronounced mountain character with remarkable depth and complexity.

98 points, Jeb Dunnuck

"Lastly, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Dancing Bear Ranch comes from a stunning estate vineyard on Howell Mountain with the plantings dating back to 1999. A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and a splash of Cabernet Franc, aged in 59% new oak, this beauty reminds me of a great Saint-Julien (Leoville Barton?) with its incredible purity and regal, structured style. Crème de cassis, lead pencil, violets, chalky minerality, and chocolaty oak all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, ripe yet perfectly integrated tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It needs air if drinking any time soon and will ideally be given 4-6 years in the cellar. This beauty will have three decades of overall longevity."