Winemaker Notes
It’s hard to believe, but this vintage is showing even more intensity than their first vintage. Perhaps the intense character is due to the blend of mountain and valley grapes they source from partner Leslie Rudd’s fabulous Napa Valley vineyards. They are ripened to perfection; and this wine is about as close to perfection as you can achieve.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is sourced from vineyards in Mount Veeder and Oakville planted by the late Leslie Rudd. Tannic, it is layered in black licorice, black pepper and high-toned red fruit. Structured and powerfully full bodied, it retains underlying freshness that keeps it balanced and complex.
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.