Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Fay Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

Compared to the classically structured S.L.V., FAY wines are typically more extroverted and voluptuous, and that holds true for this vintage. The nose is filled with cassis, black cherry, and vanilla. But any expectation that this is just another fruity Cabernet is dispelled when your lips touch the glass and you encounter the wine's full statement of cassis ringed by dried cranberry, raspberry and plum, woven through with a ribbon of rich caramel. Taste again, and the cassis switches into a different key as your mouth fills with jammy fruit and anise, followed by a long finish perfumed with sandalwood and spice. FAY has worked its seductive powers yet again. Pair it with a traditional duck civet: duck slowly braised in red wine with shallots and root vegetables.