2021 William & Mary Cabernet Sauvignon - Shifflett Ranch

2021 William & Mary Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon, Shifflett Ranch

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
92 cases produced
14.5% alcohol

$125/btl

'Lots of varietal notes of cassis, tobacco, damp earth, and minty herbs emerge from the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Shifflett Vineyard, a medium to full-bodied 2021 that has a great mid-palate as well as incredibly polished tannins. I'd wager it's up with the finest wines coming out of Oak Knoll today.'  94-96 pts, Jeb Dunnuck - Feb. 2023

I distinctly remember watching the truck being unloaded, the white half-ton bins being sorted by varietal. There were only four boxes labeled 'Shifflett Cabernet' and my worst fears were confirmed, we were light this year, even more so than I had feared.

For those of you in this first wave, if you have taken an early look at the 2018's & 2019's, you'll have a great baseline for this one. To me, it takes the focus and density of the 2019 and wraps some of the fruit from 2018 around it like a blanket (this makes sense in my head, I swear). The tannins are ripe and somewhat plentiful, making this a candidate to be forgotten about for a little while it finishes coming together.