Winemaker Notes
While production was down from the inaugural vintage, the 2015 is certainly not lacking in power or structure. Beautiful, focused aromatics cause this beauty to jump out of the glass. Notes of red cherry and sweet and savory five spice emerge, heightened by a vibrancy and focus that cause you to to continue to peel layers. Signature mountain tannins that are well integrated meet a multi-layered and seamless mid-palate. The finish continues to deliver long after your last taste. Winemaker Martha McClellan and Wesley Steffens continue to collaborate on the crafting of this wine.
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is in the zone today. Gently softened by the passage of time, the 2015 has developed beautifully over the last few years. Dark red cherry/plum fruit, mocha, rose petal and blood orange fill out the layers nicely. Readers should expect an opulent, textured style. More than anything else, the 2015 has aged impeccably for a wine in its price range, showing how strong this vintage was in the right hands.
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Wine Enthusiast
Made by Martha McClellan and Wesley Steffens of Vineyard 7 & 8, this is a tremendous wine for the price, blended with 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, the fruit from two estate vineyards on Spring Mountain as well as a Beckstoffer property on the valley floor. Fruity and floral, it has a densely concentrated palate of cinnamon-toast and vanilla-bean flavor that evolves and delights on the palate.
Editors' Choice
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.