x
  • Country ranking ?

    73
  • Producer ranking ?

    15
  • Decanting time

    -
  • When to drink

  • Food Pairing

    Game

Food Pairing

Game

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

The Story

Cariad, the Welsh word for “love”, is a Bordeaux-style red wine blended from three outstanding vineyards owned and managed by David Abreu. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc from Madrona Ranch are blended with small amounts of fruit from Thorevilos and Howell Mountain, producing a wine of enormous proportions with a classic structure that is the Colgin hallmark: a plethora of vibrant aromas, voluptuous at mid-palate, with impeccabl...

Close

Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

Be the first one to make a 20s tasting note!

Written Notes

The 2021 vintage in Napa Valley is widely considered exceptional, especially for hillside vineyards. A dry winter, low yields, and a warm but steady growing season produced small, thick-skinned berries with superb concentration. Crucially, cool nights and the absence of extreme heat spikes preserved outstanding natural acidity and aromatic definition.

For the Colgin team, whose work in the Oakville hillsides centers on precision and purity, 2021 delivered a vintage of focus, brilliant fruit clarity, and beautifully refined tannins. Cariad—sourced from David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch—excelled, offering a wine of power, elegance, and deep, structural poise.


The Colgin Cariad 2021 is an exceptionally pure and seamlessly layered wine—deeply expressive, impeccably balanced, and lifted by a striking sense of energy. It is one of the most focused and terroir-transparent vintages of Cariad in the last decade.

The nose is beautifully complex, opening with cassis, black cherry, and blueberry skin, interwoven with notes of violet, graphite, and fresh tobacco leaf. As it unfolds, deeper tones of warm sage, black tea, cocoa husk, and crushed volcanic stone emerge, reflecting the density and mineral tension of the Madrona Ranch terroir.

On the palate, the wine is concentrated yet exquisitely polished, with a texture that is both powerful and feather-fine. The tannins are silky, long-grained, and architectural, supporting a core of blackcurrant, plum, and boysenberryinfused with subtle hints of cedar, espresso, and savory herbs.

What defines the 2021 is its precision and lift—a vibrant line of acidity carries the wine across the palate, giving it length, tension, and remarkable freshness. The finish is long, resonant, and mineral-etched, echoing dark fruit, graphite, and floral spice long after the last sip.

A stunning Cariad—complex, poised, and built for longevity, combining the intensity of the vineyard with the finesse of the 2021 vintage. It will evolve magnificently over the next 20–30+ years, gaining depth and aromatic nuance.


  • 97p

So much graphite here with blackcurrants, black olives, black everything. Some orange peel, dried violets and iodine. Volcanic and pumice-like. Amazing aromas. Full-bodied but so tight and polished with crushed stone, iodine and cashmere. Leather undertones. A distinctive masterpiece for the vintage that will age for infinity. Try after 2030.

  • 100p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

St. Helena, Napa Valley

Other wines from this producer

Herb Lamb Cabernet Sauvignon

IX Estate

IX Estate Syrah

Jubilation

Tychson Hill

Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

Insight Member

 

HOW TO USE TASTINGBOOK?

We recommend you to share few minutes for watching the following video instructions of how to use the Tastingbook. This can provide you a comprehensive understanding of all the features you can find from this unique service platform.

This video will help you get started



Taste wines with the Tastingbook


Create Your wine cellar on 'My Wines'



Explore Your tasted wines library



Administrate Your wine world in Your Profile



Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

Insight Member

Please accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Please select a member plan.
  Register