Winemaker Notes
The 2017 vintage offered a wonderfully warm and early growing season and the Malk Family Cabernet Sauvignon is a reflection of that. We can see what are now the beautiful aromatic expressions of the vineyard: the forward, dark fruit of blackberry, ripe current, cedar spice, and chocolate. The mouthfeel is perfectly balanced from entry to finish, exhibiting the true elegance of the wine. The tannins are soft and supple and provide a beautiful framework for the entire wine. The 2017 is simply a more concentrated version of these fantastic attributes. This wine is in excellent condition and is very approachable in its youth, but it will confidently age in the cellar.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
As to the red, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has a darker, chocolate, roasted herb, and graphite-driven bouquet. This gives way to a sweetly fruited, sexy, pleasure bent effort that has soft tannins, medium to full body, outstanding balance, and a great finish. It offers plenty of pleasure and, despite its upfront appeal, I suspect will keep for over a decade.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Legend has it that quick and nimble stags would escape the indigenous hunters of southern Napa Valley through the landmark palisades that sit just northeast of the current city of Napa. As a result, the area was given the name, Stags Leap. While its grape-growing history dates back to the mid-1800s, winemaking didn’t really take off until the mid-1970s after a small but pivotal blind tasting called the Judgement of Paris.
When a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won first place against its high-profile Bordeaux contenders, like Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion, international attention to the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley escalated rapidly.
The vineyards in this one-of-a-kind wine growing region receive hot afternoon air reflecting off of its eastern palisade formation. In combination with the cool evening breezes from the San Pablo Bay just south, this becomes an optimal environment for grape growing. While many varieties could thrive here, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate with virtually no others, save for a spot or two of Syrah.
Stags Leap soils—eroded volcanic and old river sediments—encourage well established root systems and result in complex, terroir-driven wines. Stags Leap District reds have a distinct sour cherry and black berry character with baking spice and dried earth aromas, and supple tannins.