Winemaker Notes
The spring of 1999 arrived later than normal and flowering occurred during cool weather, reducing crop production. Cluster size, as well as berry size, was smaller than usual in this vineyard, giving even more fruit concentration to an already spectacular site. A mild summer was followed by a warm, relatively dry fall, which allowed the grapes to further develop and mature their tannins before being picked in October.
1999 might have given us the best Stelling Vineyard Cabernet yet. Packed with blackberry, spice, vanilla and chocolate, the wine has a rich, almost coating, middle palate. Classically elegant, with beautiful structure and complexity, the wine's silky tannins marry with the oak, creating layers of interest that continue into a very long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Intense and focused, with complex, concentrated, firmly tannic blackberry, chocolate, currant and cedary oak flavors that firm up nicely on the finish, offering depth and length.
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.