Teeter-Totter Napa spotlight
A tasting film of the 2021 Teeter-Totter Napa Valley Cabernet, Benoit Touquette's Rutherford-led blend, the same wine as this bottle.
2021 Teeter-Totter Cabernet, Napa Valley (94JS/93JD)
Benoit Touquette's Rutherford Cabernet with Charbono, Zin, and Petite Sirah, James Suckling 94, a 2021 you can open at sixty dollars.
The 2021 Napa Teeter-Totter is 85 percent Cabernet with 5 percent each Charbono, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah, mostly Rutherford fruit, 65 percent new French oak: blackberry, blueberry, crushed stone, lavender, currant, and baking chocolate, now $60.
Serious Napa Cabernet with a few extra grapes, not a leftover blend
Mostly Rutherford. 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, then 5 percent each Charbono, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah, raised in 65 percent new French oak. James Suckling 94: blackberry and blueberry, crushed stone, lavender, medium body, velvety tannin, juicy and crunchy, a serious Napa Cabernet. Jeb Dunnuck 93: classic currant, baking chocolate, spice, medium to full, ripe tannin, outstanding length, drink over the coming decade. 14.8% alcohol. This is the bottle that puts Touquette's Napa language on a table at sixty dollars.
The house
Touquette's Teeter-Totter Napa bottling is the Rutherford argument: Cabernet first, a few extra grapes for color and spice.
The wine
85% Cabernet Sauvignon. 65% new French oak. 14.8% ABV. Blackberry, stone, lavender, currant, chocolate.
The scores
James Suckling 94. Jeb Dunnuck 93. California Wine Advisors 96.
The drinker
Blackberry and lavender first. Decant 30 minutes. Serve 60 to 64 F. Ribeye or lamb.
Blackberry and stone, then lavender, currant, and chocolate
Suckling found blackberry and blueberry with crushed stone and lavender, medium body, velvety tannin, juicy and crunchy. Dunnuck found classic currant fruits, baking chocolate, and spice, medium to full, ripe tannin, beautiful balance, outstanding length. The house drinks as serious Napa Cabernet with Petite Sirah and Charbono in the blend.
A structured Napa Cabernet year. Touquette kept this Rutherford-led blend juicy and crunchy instead of heavy. Dunnuck's window runs about a decade.
Blackberry, blueberry, currant, crushed stone, lavender, baking chocolate, spice.
Medium to full, 14.8% ABV, velvety tannin, 65% new French oak.
Juicy, crunchy, long. Decant 30 minutes. Serve 60 to 64 F.
Rutherford Cabernet, then Charbono, Zin, and Petite Sirah in the mix
Dunnuck recorded 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with 5 percent each Charbono, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah, 65 percent new French oak, mostly Rutherford fruit. Petite Sirah is the color and structure tool. Charbono and Zin keep the mid-palate interesting. The point is Napa Cabernet with a few extra grapes, not a leftover blend.
14.8% alcohol. Drink now through about 2033. Thirty minutes of air is a starting point.
Serve 60 to 64 F. Ribeye or rosemary lamb.
The Napa seesaw from a French cellar hand
Teeter-Totter Napa is Touquette showing Rutherford Cabernet without a cult waiting list.
Touquette learned Bordeaux structure and Napa fruit. This bottling is that mix: currant and chocolate, then crushed stone and lavender.
The extra grapes are not a gimmick. Petite Sirah, Charbono, and Zin are how the 2021 stays juicy instead of severe.
Sixty dollars against a $65 typical retail. James Suckling 94.
Ribeye, lamb, and Rutherford tannin
This Napa Cabernet wants browned beef and herb. Ribeye echoes chocolate. Lamb takes lavender and spice.
Two plates. One butter-basted ribeye. One rosemary garlic lamb chop. Both can take velvety Napa tannin.
Decant 30 minutes. Serve 60 to 64 F. Wide Cabernet bowls.
Butter-Basted Ribeye
A hard crust, butter, and thyme. Teeter-Totter Napa's steakhouse landing.
Why it works: Fat and char cushion Cabernet tannin while browned beef pulls blackberry, chocolate, and currant through the glass.
View Recipe for butter-basted ribeye (opens in a new tab)
Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops
Herb-crusted lamb for lavender, spice, and the 2021's velvety close.
Why it works: Lamb fat rounds the tannin. Rosemary echoes crushed stone and the floral line.
View Recipe for rosemary garlic lamb chops (opens in a new tab)Put this Teeter-Totter Napa Cabernet in the cart
Benoit Touquette, Rutherford, James Suckling 94. Sixty dollars.
Put it in the cart. This is the Napa Teeter-Totter for a table that wants serious Cabernet without a cult ticket.
