The 2021 Castiel Cabernet comes entirely from the steep, higher elevation slopes of Howell Mountain AVA, which is perched on the eastern edge of Napa Valley. These vineyards see cooler summertime high temperatures, and slightly lower temperatures during autumn nights than the valley floor, which leads to a longer growing season, the small daily differences become profoundly manifested in the flavor and structure of the resulting wine.
The 2021 Castiel Cabernet Sauvignon shows mulberry, fresh boysenberry, bay leaf and forest floor aromas, with a touch of baked cherry pie and notes of cocoa dust. At entry, the fruit flavors are profound and complex, with juicy black berry fruit dominant, then supported with baking spices, cocoa dust, a nuance of dried leaves and bark. Bright fruit acidity adds lift throughout the palate impression, and the finish is a mixture of nubby, slightly sinew-y tannins, juicy cherry and cola flavors, and fresh raspberries.
Three clones of Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between September 13 and 24, 2021. Each lot was vinified individually and kept separate in barrels until after the first year in oak. The wines were blended, then returned to their barrels, for an additional eight months prior to bottling in May 2023. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration. 332 cases produced. | Celia Welch for Castiel Estate

Another masterpiece from the talents of Celia Welch, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain comes from a site on full-bodied, concentrated, powerful Mountain Cabernet revealing ample smoked black fruits, notes of graphite, tobacco, spicy wood, and bouquet garni, a dense, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a gorgeous overall profile that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age. It will unquestionably have two decades or more of prime drinking. | 99 points, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com