2021 Macdonald, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 1×1.5L

Vinous 96-98

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunner. Blackberry jam, gravel, incense, tobacco and mocha all build effortlessly in the glass. I can’t remember tasting a young MacDonald wine with this much finesse. All the elements are so well balanced. The tannins are there, but they are pretty much buried by the sheer intensity of fruit. The 2021 spent 35-38 days on the skins, a bit on the longer side. One of the recent changes here is earlier blending of the various lots, which could explain the wine’s total sense of harmony. This is also the first vintage done with optical sorting, and that may be why the fruit is so pure. Aging is projected to be 20-22 months in barrel, 60-65% new. [Antonio Galloni, 02/16/2023]

Anticipated maturity: 2029-2043