Category: | Red Wines |
Sub-Category: | Red Wines |
Producer: | Bond |
Label Name: | Melbury |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Country: | United States |
Region: | Napa Valley (Melbury vineyard, Pritchard Hill) |
Volume: | 750ml |
ABV: | 14.5% |
Grape(s): | Cabernet Sauvignon (single-vineyard, predominantly 100%) |
Acidity: | 3 |
Tannins: | 4 |
Sweetness: | 1 |
Body: | 5 |
Length: | 5 |
Aroma Intensity: | 5 |
Best Temperature: | 16-18°C |
Awards/Ratings
James Suckling 98; Wine Advocate (Lisa Perrotti-Brown) 98; Decanter 97; Vinous (Antonio Galloni) 96; Jeb Dunnuck 95
Tasting Note
Concentrated black and red fruits (blackberry, cassis, plum) with graphite, violet, pine-needle, truffle and pepper spice. Velvety yet firm grainy tannins, bright freshness and a long, polished, slightly orange-peel-accented finish.
Food Pairing
Western: grilled ribeye, roast leg of lamb, venison, aged hard cheeses. Asian: Korean BBQ (bulgogi/galbi), Sichuan-style beef, Peking duck, char siu or soy-braised short ribs.
Production Method
Small-lot fermentation and extended maceration of Melbury Cabernet; matured ~18–22 months in predominantly new French oak barrels; typically bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Vineyard Info
BOND Estates (founded by Bill Harlan, 1997) sources Melbury from a ~7-acre Pritchard Hill site above Lake Hennessey; known for rocky/sedimentary clay soils and limited-production, terroir-driven Cabernet.