Robert Craig The Stick Candlestick Ridge Vineyard 2021 750ml is a Howell Mountain estate red from Candlestick Ridge Vineyard, positioned on the mountain’s northern summit. Robert Craig Winery identifies the site at about 2,300 feet, with volcanic tufa and ash-white soils that restrict yields and intensify the fruit. The 2021 blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot, harvested beginning September 10 and bottled at 14.7% ABV.
The winery aged the wine for nine months in French oak, using 20% new barrels and 80% ten-year-old barrels, then bottled it unfined and unfiltered in May 2023. Its wine note describes explosive black mountain fruit with exotic floral and mineral tones, while the vintage brought exceptionally small yields and a long, even growing season. Robert Craig releases The Stick with additional bottle age to encourage integration. The exact producer note records 215 cases made, and this listing is for one 750ml bottle of the 2021 vintage.