1978 | Stag's Leap Wine Cellars | Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon

It has brilliant definition and vigor for such a mature wine. The palate exhibits very structured tannin, perfect acidity and again, a very traditional, Bordeaux like austerity.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Tasted at “The Wine Society” with Warren Winiarski. At the Cask 23 vertical this was one of the highlights: very “Pauillac” on the nose: cedar, charcoal and tobacco. It has brilliant definition and vigor for such a mature wine. The palate exhibits very structured tannin, perfect acidity and again, a very traditional, Bordeaux like austerity. Blackberry, tobacco and decayed leaves. Very stylish with some sweet cherry and orange peel on the finish. Just has a swaggering, confidence about it, accompanied by a natural feel. One of the greatest Napa Cabernets I have tasted.

Producer Information

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was founded in the early 1970s by the Winiarski family on land that would eventually become part of the Stags Leap AVA in Napa Valley, California. The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend had its first vintage in 1972, and rose to rapid fame in 1976 when it beat out the likes of Mouton-Rothschild and Haut-Brion at the blind Judgement of Paris tasting that is widely credited with putting California's wine industry on the map. The estate consists of two adjoining vineyards in Napa: the Stag's Leap Vineyard (SLV) and the Fay vineyard in the Stags Leap AVA planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as a small portion of Petit Verdot. The SLV vineyard has volcanic soils and contributes spice and concentration to its grapes, whereas the Fay vineyard is predominantly alluvial and gives a more aromatic character. Stag's Leap's top wine is the Cask 23, a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stag's Leap Vineyard. This wine came about as the 1974 Stag's Leap Cabernet was being blended from different barrels. The winemaker came across a barrel so exceptional that it could not be placed into the blend. Instead, he bottled it on its own and named it Cask 23. Stag's Leap's other premium wines include the single vineyard expressions of SLV and Fay. Stag's Leap Wine Cellar is not to be confused with the nearby producer, Stags' Leap Winery. The two came to legal blows in the 1980s over the Stag's Leap title, but an agreement was reached over the careful placement of the apostrophe. Later, they would team up to fight the proposed Stags Leap District AVA, although that was also settled with the complete omission of the apostrophe from the appellation's name. In 2007, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, including the winery and the SLV and Fay vineyards, was sold for $185 million to Washington's Ste. Michelle Estate and Tuscan producer Marchesi Antinori.

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