A Vintage to Remember: Napa’s 2021 Vintage and Its Family Vineyards

This episode of Breaking Bread in Napa features a delightful tasting session of the 2021 vintage, a year that has been highly praised with wines scoring up to 97 points. The hosts introduce their guests, Andrea and Chiquita, who share their impressions of wines from the Hess family vineyard and Clos du Val winery. As they taste these wines, they note their evolution from initial tasting to the next day, discovering flavors of blackberry and a smoky earthiness that needed time to fully express themselves. The episode highlights the importance of family-owned vineyards in preserving the unique character of Napa wines against the backdrop of increasing corporate acquisitions.