Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon (375ML half-bottle) 1998 Front Label
Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon (375ML half-bottle) 1998 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

"...since we purchased [our vineyard] in 1985, 1998 was by far the scariest growing season. Some of the old timers here in the Napa Valley said they never saw a worse season. Those of us on the Valley floor and the benchlands (where we are -- the Rutherford Bench), however, were lucky. There was a very cool summer with rainstorms in the fall, during and just prior to our usual harvest time. Most of us were resigned to a bad vintage. But then, miraculously, the weather changed and we got several warm sunny days, which lasted long enough to ripen our grapes, for those of us who werent in the mountains. The earlier cool weather had worked in our favor because it lengthened the growing period, thereby allowing the flavors to develop fully. Many say the vintage is actually better than the 1997. We are struck by the full velvety middle of the Cabernet and by the approachability of the wine at a young age. It still has the soft tannin structure which will allow it to age well past twenty years."

Professional Ratings

    Image for  content section
    View all products
    Image for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon content section
    View all products

    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.

    POE42317_1998 Item# 42317