The Best Red Wines to Drink in 2021

1) 2019 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Today, Caymus Cabernet is one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated wines. Made from grapes farmed in 8 of Napa Valley’s 16 appellations, the wine has a signature style that is dark in color, with rich fruit and ripe tannins – as approachable in youth as it is in maturity. Chuck Wagner continues to make two world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignons – Caymus Napa Valley and Caymus Special Selection. Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is the only wine in the world to be honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year” for the 1984 and 1990 vintages.

 

2) 2017 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon As stewards of a vineyard that was first planted in 1882, we believe that great wines are not made in a single vintage. They are a concrescence of the wisdom and experience handed down from previous generations and past growing seasons. In years that are challenging, this wealth of historical knowledge elevates our wines. In spectacular vintages like 2017, the results are profound and the 2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception. It is a beautiful wine that unfurls with dynamic energy and a commanding terroir-driven sophistication that promises decades of evolution ahead. The warmth of the growing season has added a luxurious undercurrent of power and gravitas, while our intuitive approach to vineyard and canopy management has ensured the wine retains its balance, freshness and verve.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (100/100)
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is still very tight and youthful, slowly unfurling to reveal a multifaceted wine with tons of black, blue and red fruit sparks plums, cherries, black currants and red currants with dark chocolate, cedar chest, black tea and red roses in the background plus wafts of pencil lead and prosciutto. Medium-bodied and firmly textured by superbly ripe, grainy tannins, it has a fantastic core of intense, complex layers, finishing on an edifying mineral note.

Jeb Dunnuck (100/100)
A perfect wine is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, which is a classic blend from this incredible estate. Sporting a deep purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of ultra-pure creme de cassis, blueberries, camphor, scorched earth, and licorice, with subtle background oak, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, deep, powerful texture that carries sweet tannins and blockbuster length. With a stacked mid-palate, straight-up awesome purity of fruit, and a huge finish, it’s as classic and brilliant as it gets. Reminding me of the 2013 with its pure yet backward style, give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Hats off to the team at Spottswoode for this legend in the making!

3) 2016 Duckhorn The Discussion

The gorgeous nose of this wine immediately evokes thoughts of ripe black cherry and juicy wild blueberry. As it opens up, tantalizing layers of espresso, vanilla, star anise, cocoa powder and sweet baking spices are revealed. On the bright, juicy palate, layers of brambly fruit and pomegranate mingle with subtle savory accents and hints of bittersweet chocolate and cardamom. The tannin’s are silky and supple, adding plushness and weight to the luxurious flavors that build in density on the mid-palate, before gliding to a long, resonant finish. Varietal Content: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot.

4) 2018 Dominus Napanook

Known for its complexity and balance, Dominus demonstrates the potential of a wine produce on exception terroir. Structured, seamless and perfectly integrated, Dominus is an elegant wine that improves with age.

We recommend decanting the wine prior to serving, to allow it to develop its full potential, particularly when serving young Dominus wines.

James Suckling (97/100)
Gorgeous aromas of plums and currants with some wet earth, mushroom, bark and incense undertones. Woody. Medium-to full-bodied with such beautiful depth and length. So subtle and long. Fabulous harmony. One of the best I have ever tasted. Drink or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck (94/100)
The 2018 Napanook showed incredibly well, with fabulous crème de cassis, spring flowers, graphite, and green tobacco aromas and flavors. With terrific ripeness, medium to full body, and ripe, yet polished tannins, this beauty should be snatched up by savvy readers. It should evolve for 15 years or more. The blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 20% new French oak.

In the late 1960s, while attending the University of California at Davis, Christian Moueix fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France, Moueix returned home in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, including Chateaux Petrus, La Fleur-Petrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in Saint Emilion.

His love of Napa Valley lingered and in 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook vineyard, a 124-acre site west of Yountville that had been the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines of the 1940s and 1950s. In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership to develop the vineyard and, in 1995, became its sole owner. He chose the name ‘Dominus’ or ‘Lord of the Estate’ in Latin to underscore his longstanding commitment to stewardship of the land.

One of Napa Valley’s most historic sub-appellations, Yountville spreads through some of the valley’s ideal cooler sites and enjoys success with a handful of different and significant grape varieties.

5) 2018 Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon

Prepare to be dazzled by this wine, with its harmonious integration of decadent fruit, refined structure, and exotic spice components. In the glass, the wine possesses a dark plum-purple hue. Intriguing aromatic notes of Mexican chocolate, nutmeg, brambly fruit, spearmint, and violets swell from the glass in concert. Upon entry, the mouthfeel is voluptuous, sleek, and inviting, while also exhibiting a silky tannin profile to provide a complex framework. Rich palate notes suggest black currant, blackberry reduction, leather, crushed rock, and allspice.

Jeb Dunnuck (95/100)
Readers looking to get a taste of the impeccable quality and style from Schrader at a more affordable price point would do well to check out the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Double Diamond. Coming all from Oakville, it has a classic Cabernet nose of black and blue fruits, green tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and chocolate. It’s not over the top and has beautiful varietal character as well as medium to full body, ripe yet present tannins, good overall freshness, and a great finish. This is beautifully done and well worth a case purchase. I’d lean toward drinking bottles over the coming 10-12 years, but I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve longer. It’s a candidate for the best Napa Cabernet under $100.

James Suckling (94/100)
An elegant, fruit-driven cabernet sauvignon with notes of red fruit and spices. Fresh herbs, such as thyme. It’s full-bodied and well balanced. The texture is pleasant and smooth with elegant tannins. The finish is long and flavorful.

In 2001, Fred Schrader created Double Diamond to make fine-quality Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that could be enjoyed every day without breaking the bank. This character-driven expression of America’s premier wine region is crafted by Thomas Rivers Brown in the Schrader Cellars tradition of excellence which has earned an unprecedented record of twenty-seven 100-point scores from the world’s most respected critics. Double Diamond’s new label, as fabulous as the wine inside, was created by Carol Schrader. In fact, Carol met Fred when she was designing the original label back in the early 2000s.

Now, Fred and Carol are able to fulfill their dream of bringing Double Diamond to an even broader spectrum of fine wine lovers. This 2016 wine, crafted from the renowned vineyards of the Oakville AVA, is just the beginning of the new Double Diamond.