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2021 Audēre Red Blend

2021 Audēre Red Blend
94 Points The Wine Independent


Audēre (Latin): To Dare! To Venture! Audēre dares the senses to experience the rich harmony between boldness and elegance.

Back by popular demand — and bolder than ever. The 2021 Audēre Red Blend is a showstopper, blending power, elegance, and a touch of flair. With only 248 cases produced, this best-selling favorite (54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 16% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot) was barrel-aged 23 months in 90% new French and Hungarian oak, delivering serious structure, bold extraction, and a full-bodied mouthfeel. Sourced from our Rockwell Ridge estate at the top of Crystal Springs and premium Napa sites like Coombsville, Atlas Peak, and Silverado Bench, it bursts with dark cherry liqueur, black currants, violets, and finishes with mocha crème brûlée decadence. Oh—and yes, the rumors are true: the label glows in the dark.

Retail: $75
Classic Club: $63.75
Elite Club: $59.99
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FOOD PAIRING: Prime sirloin steak, pork tenderloin, lasagna, and Alsatian munster cheeses
MUSIC PAIRING: The Rizzle Sizzle

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$75.00
 
SKU: HERT21ARD7
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Bordeaux Blend
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol %
14.7
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
“The 2021 Audere is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 16% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out with eager-to-please notes of warm cassis, kirsch, and boysenberry preserves followed by suggestions of spice cake and star anise plus a hint of rose oil. The full-bodied palate is jam packed with expressive black fruits framed by velvety tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long and perfumed.” — The Wine Independent, Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Master of Wine), 94 Points
Ratings
"The 2021 ‘Audere’ is a rich and luscious new bottling that delivers offers full-bodied espresso ground flavors alongside mocha, tar and allspice dusted blueberry. Offering plenty of richness and underlying verve, this is a beautiful rendition of this wine that slightly eclipses the 2018 bottling. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Drink 2024-2036." —Owen Bargreen, 94 Points
Awards
"The 2021 Hertelendy 'Audere' Red Wine consists of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, along with a percentage of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It starts off with a wonderful aromatic profile of ripe dark currants and black cherries which are laced with mocha, tobacco, sage, graphite and traces of damp loamy notes. On the palate this is full-bodied with a gorgeous plush texture which is beautifully layered with ripe dark fruits, sweet spices and mocha that expand seamlessly through the finish. This is absolutely outstanding now and should continue to drink beautifully for several years to come." — International Wine Report, 94 Points
Vineyard Notes
"Hertelendy's entry-level wine is the 2021 Proprietary Red Audēre. It's a curated blend of lots that didn't make the cut for inclusion at higher levels, but it's still mighty impressive. Scents of cedar and menthol accent black cherries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is tannic but ripe, with (seemingly) the fruit to match the intensity of the wine's tannic concentration. Powerful and intense, with great length, it's a super bargain this vintage." —Robert Parker Wine Advocate, 93+ Points
Production Notes
"The 2021 Hertelendy Audēre Red Blend is deep ruby and amaranthine in color; the bouquet sports mostly dark fruited aromas of blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry and noted by Ralph, a dark cherry liqueur. There is a pleasing influence from the barrels on this wine in the form of darker baking spices. There are also scents of dark chocolate and rose petals. The palate reveals flavors of dark plum and blackberry. The brightness and youthfulness of the fruit stands out at this age. The tannins are gravelly and grainy. A word like pixelated, a word we first saw used by Master of Wine Vanessa Conlin, is an ideal adjective to describe how these tannins feel. They are energetic, broadly distributed across the palate and their youthful presence outpaces the fruit on the extended finish." — Napa Wine Project