Winemaker Notes
Staglin Family Vineyard winemaking is accomplished to create wines of intense fruit character, with soft, supple tannins that allow the wine to be drunk upon release, but have the capacity to age and become extremely complex over time. Their wines have a long finish, and deep color, characteristic of the grapes from the vineyard.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are 4,000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon from Staglin's Rutherford vineyard. (They are in the process of building caves under the hills adjacent to the vineyard.) This Cabernet includes a touch of Cabernet Franc in its blends, is aged in 100% French oak, and is quickly becoming a classic example of Rutherford Cabernet. The finest Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon to date may be the 1999. It boasts spectacular aromatics (jammy black currants, tobacco, cedar, vanillin) as well as a seamless, concentrated, full-bodied palate with terrific purity, symmetry, and length. The sweet tannin, wood, and alcohol are all beautifully-integrated in this flawless Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.
Range: 92-94 -
Wine Enthusiast
Juicy plum skins and dark earthy flavors are thick and rich in this valley floor Cabernet. The gingersnap and tobacco aromas are very pleasing. The finish is spicy and dry yet supple at the same time.
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.