Chappellet’s Mountain Cuvée, made from all five Bordeaux varieties, is its big-production wine (20,000 cases), and is a wine to enjoy now. I am sure it will age well for a few years, but there is no reason to hold it because it is showing so well right now. It’s a “can’t miss” wine, because it is so flavorful, and is a great wine-by-the-glass for restaurants. The Mountain Cuvée sums up Chappellet’s appeal: fine wine at reasonable prices. Its aroma is primarily blueberry, which carries into its rich, appealing flavor. Its blend is 43 percent Merlot, 34 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 11 percent Petit Verdot, 7 percent Malbec, and 5 percent Cabernet Franc. For me, I would have liked the wine to be slightly less ripe; on the other hand, its ripeness will make it appealing to many wine drinkers. And its price is great!
Chappellet, Napa Valley (California) 2013
By Ed McCarthy