The 2022 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful yet polished expression of Chappellet’s mountain vineyards on Pritchard Hill. Despite the challenges of the 2022 Napa vintage, it delivers impressive concentration without becoming overly ripe, combining dark fruit, savory herbs and classic mountain structure.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Rating |
| The Tasting Panel / Somm Journal |
⭐ 97 points |
| Jane Anson |
95 points |
| The Wine Independent |
94 points |
| Jeb Dunnuck |
93 points |
| Wine Enthusiast |
93 points – Editors’ Choice |
| Wine Advocate |
92 points |
| James Suckling |
92 points |
The winery itself highlights the 97-point Tasting Panel score for the 2022 vintage.
Blend
82% Cabernet Sauvignon • 9% Petit Verdot • 7% Malbec • 2% Merlot
Jeb Dunnuck – 93: Cassis and blue/black fruit are joined by spring flowers, crushed stone and pencil-lead character. He praises the balance, beautiful tannins and ability to develop over 10–12 years.
Wine Enthusiast – 93, Editors’ Choice: Mountain herbs and cedar lead into cassis, dark chocolate, graphite and integrated oak spice, finishing juicy and mouthwatering.
Wine Advocate – 92: Shows mocha, cassis and black cherry with substantial concentration, supple tannins and a lingering mocha-toned finish.
James Suckling – 92: Finds plum, cedar and tobacco with mulberry, blackcurrant and mocha. Full-bodied with integrated tannins and bright acidity; he suggests it will be best from 2028.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Blackcurrant, cassis, dark cherry and plum with cedar, mountain sage, tobacco, thyme and toasted oak.
Palate: Full-bodied and concentrated with black cherry, currant, dark chocolate and espresso, balanced by fresh herbs, graphite and barrel spice. Silky yet substantial tannins provide classic mountain Cabernet structure.
Finish: Long, savory and persistent, with dark fruit, mocha, graphite, herbs and spice.
Sommelier’s Take
The 2022 Signature is an excellent introduction to Chappellet’s Pritchard Hill style—powerful and concentrated but fresher and more structured than many plush Napa Cabernets. It is approachable now with decanting but should improve through the 2030s.
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
A killer wine and great value, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature reveals tons of cassis and darker, almost blue fruits intermixed with sappy spring flowers, crushed stone, and lead pencil nuances. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, and 2% Merlot, it's balanced and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 92 Points
Well-priced for the quality, Chappellet's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature serves up bold aromas of mocha, cassis and black cherries. In the mouth, it's full-bodied and packed with flavor, nicely concentrated and framed by supple tannins. It's not overripe—a real risk this vintage—but does have a pronounced mocha note on the lingering finish.
Winemaker Notes
Beautifully dark, complex and concentrated, this wine offers luxurious aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry and plum, layered with hints of cedar, mountain sage, aged tobacco, thyme and toasted oak. The structure is seamless and silky, with a glowing richness that permeates the palate, adding depth and generosity to flavors of black cherry, currant, chocolate and espresso bean, with notions of fresh herbs and barrel spice providing a lovely counterpoint throughout the long, resonating finish.
Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 2% Merlot
