Chappellet 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon "Signature Reserve" Napa Valley

The Chappellet 2022 “Signature Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t storm in—it settles. Deep garnet in the glass, aromas drift upward: cassis, dark cherry, cedar smoke, and mountain sage. Beneath them, whispers of thyme, aged tobacco, and barrel spice suggest place, not polish. 

On the palate, the wine moves with composed authority. Ripe plum and blackcurrant spread across the mid-palate, softened by chocolate and espresso notes. But it’s tension that holds attention: satiny tannins brush the finish, while slate and anise keep richness from wandering off.

That tension comes from land and lineage. Grown in Chappellet’s rocky, dry soils on Pritchard Hill—Napa’s cool ridge-high zone—the vines yield intensely flavored grapes shaped by altitude and minerality. This is the site that made Chappellet a benchmark, and the 2022 “Signature” is carved from that heritage.

2022 was a test in balance. Record winter rainfall gave way to a dry spring; summer passed in rhythm until a late heatwave. The team responded block by block, ensuring harvest spanned early September to mid-October and captured both ripeness and freshness.

Winemaking here is measured restraint. The blend—82% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Merlot filling out texture—was handled with finesse. Native ferment, generous hang-time, and aging in French oak layering structure, not show.

This is not Cabernet seeking applause. It’s Cab built for room memory, long meals, and evenings that ask you to listen. Open with grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or simply in quiet company.

Chappellet 2022 “Signature Reserve”—temperature through tannin, depth that doesn’t shout, Napa’s ridge held in balance.