Chappelet

In 1967 Donn Chappellet set out to make a wine that could stand alongside the great First Growths, and chose Pritchard Hill to do it. The family still owns the estate. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate has described the wines coming off this showcase site as some of the most exciting Cabernets in Napa.

Mountain fruit is the whole point here. The elevation and the thin hillside soils produce wines with more structure and a longer life than valley-floor Cabernet, which is why Chappellet bottles are collected rather than drunk young. Cabernet Sauvignon leads, with a well-regarded Chenin Blanc alongside it, a variety almost nobody else in Napa still takes seriously. Land stewardship is a formal programme. Michael scores it a straight 8 across ambiance, wine and staff, one of the most consistent results in the collection. Visits are by appointment on 707-286-4219. A serious inclusion on a Napa Cabernet tour.