PEJU Winery
Peju Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
2021
Vintage
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV
14.8%
Where it is, October 2026
At Peak: inside the peak window (2026-2031), within the full drinking arc.
The source supports the 2021 wine's production and sensory character, while a present-day drinking position remains unreported.
The ‘21 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon.
PEJU's 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon combines 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in French and American oak.
Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) drinking timeline
Storage and bottle condition can shift the experience.
The peak window sits inside the broader full drinking arc.
Tasting note
PEJU's 2021 technical sheet describes a Cabernet Sauvignon-led Napa Valley wine with ripe-fruit aromas, subtle spice, blue-fruit notes, and cocoa. On the palate, the winery names a velvety texture, juicy plum preserve, red fruit, and cedar-box shavings. It describes a creamy mouthfeel and well-integrated silky tannins, ending in a smooth, lingering finish. The wine is listed as 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in French and American oak, with 40% new oak. This tasting account is limited to PEJU's exact 2021 sheet. It does not add a score, cellar assessment, personal bottle observation, or service instruction absent from the source.
The 2021 vintage
PEJU says the 2021 Napa Valley season began with very little rain and marked a second year of drought conditions. According to the technical sheet, the drought produced a more natural crop load and reduced the need for pruning and fruit dropping. The winery says the harvest season was smooth, while yields were low and berries were small and intensely flavored. The sheet lists an October 2021 harvest and a March 2024 release.
About PEJU Winery
PEJU's exact 2021 Cabernet technical sheet says Tony and Herta Peju bought thirty acres of vines in Rutherford in 1983, built the winery, and planted estate vineyards. The document identifies Ariana and Lisa as guiding the business and says all six estate vineyards were certified Fish Friendly Farming in 2019. It also says the Rutherford vineyard is certified organic. Those facts are reproduced only because the winery's own 2021 sheet states them.
From the cellar: pair with
Grilled strip steak with cedar-smoked mushrooms
This is an editorial pairing based on the source's plum, red-fruit, cedar, cocoa, creamy texture, and silky-tannin description.
Braised short ribs with cocoa and black pepper
The source describes ripe fruit, subtle spice, cocoa, and integrated tannins, which provide the structural rationale for this suggestion.
Roasted eggplant with red-pepper and walnut relish
The editorial match follows the sheet's juicy red fruit, spice, cedar, and smooth tannic finish rather than a winery pairing instruction.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- The exact 2021 technical sheet does not publish a serving-temperature instruction.
- Decanting
- The exact 2021 technical sheet does not publish a decanting instruction.
- Cellar Storage
- The exact 2021 technical sheet does not publish a numeric cellar-storage instruction.
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Frequently Asked
What is the composition of PEJU Cabernet Sauvignon 2021?
PEJU lists the 2021 Napa Valley wine as 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The same sheet lists 18 months of aging in French and American oak, with 40% new oak, and an alcohol level of 14.8%.
How does PEJU describe the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon?
The winery names ripe fruit, subtle spice, blue fruit, cocoa, juicy plum preserve, red fruit, cedar-box shavings, a creamy mouthfeel, and well-integrated silky tannins. PEJU describes the finish as smooth and lingering.
What does PEJU report about the 2021 Napa Valley vintage?
PEJU describes very little rain and a second year of drought conditions, followed by low yields and small, intensely flavored berries. The winery says the crop had a more natural load and that the harvest season was smooth, with picking in October 2021.