50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 16% Malbec, 13% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc

Food pairings: Ribeye or grilled lamb chops, braised short ribs, roast duck, aged cheeses and mushroom risotto.

Winemaking: Blended from the traditional Bordeaux varieties, including Chappellet's own estate grapes, the Mountain Cuvée builds on six decades of experience crafting mountain-grown wines, with each variety adding its own nuances. It is made for nearer-term enjoyment and vivid, mouth-filling fruit. The 2024 was bottled in March 2026.

Vineyards and terroir: The 2024 vintage began with winter rains that saturated the soils, followed by early budbreak in late March and bloom in early June. Warm summer weather, including several days above 100°F in July, was managed with large canopies, shade cloth and targeted irrigation and drove ripening. The well-balanced vines gave an average-sized crop, and the reds were picked in an early, compact harvest, yielding grapes with exceptional color, complexity and depth.

Family and history: Donn and Molly Chappellet founded the winery on Pritchard Hill, in the mountains above Napa Valley near St. Helena, in 1967, and the family still runs it today. Vice President of Winemaking Phillip Corallo-Titus and winemaker Ry Richards craft the wines.

In the pictures: Phillip Corallo-Titus; Ry Richards; the view from Pritchard Hill over Lake Hennessey; and the barrel room inside the Chappellet winery.