Sloan Estate 2021 Releases
Perched high in the eastern hills of Rutherford, Sloan Estate has, since its inception in 1997, quietly established itself as one of Napa Valley’s most exacting and elite producers. With just 13 acres under vine, and a philosophy rooted in meticulous viticulture and uncompromising cellar work, Sloan has become synonymous with longevity, precision, and depth.
The property was founded by Stuart Sloan, who enlisted the expertise of David Abreu—arguably Napa’s most respected vineyard manager—to shape the land. The vineyards are set at elevations between 875 and 990 feet, planted on a complex mix of volcanic soils and white tufa, which offer both drainage and mineral nuance. This terrain, coupled with the cooling influence of the San Pablo Bay, gives rise to wines of remarkable structure and natural freshness—despite their undeniable power.
Since 2004, the estate has been under the stewardship of Martha McClellan, a winemaker whose CV includes Harlan and Blankiet, and whose signature is one of elegance within strength. Alongside her, Michel Rolland brings his blending finesse, ensuring the wines achieve a polished completeness without compromising the vineyard’s voice. Sloan works only with estate fruit, and yields are kept extremely low to ensure purity and concentration. Each parcel is vinified separately, allowing the team to craft a final blend that speaks to the vintage and site, not to a formula.
The Wines – 2021 Vintage
The 2021 Sloan Proprietary Red is the estate’s flagship wine, comprising Cabernet Sauvignon with supporting roles from Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is unapologetically bold, yet layered and composed—a wine that benefits from cellaring and rewards the patient. With 15.4% ABV, it retains impressive balance, thanks to the site’s natural lift and tannic backbone.
The 2021 Asterisk, often thought of as Sloan’s “second wine,” is a misnomer in quality terms. It is crafted from younger vines and select parcels, yet treated with the same rigour in both vineyard and cellar. The blend, typically dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is more forward and expressive in its youth, with plush fruit, supple tannins, and a slightly earlier drinking window—though still with a good decade-plus of cellar life ahead.
These are not wines of fashion, but of conviction—crafted with the sort of discipline and patience rarely seen, even in Napa’s upper echelon. Sloan remains, quietly and consistently, one of California’s great modern estates.