Winemaker Notes
The story of CASK 23 began during the harvest of 1974. Back then, the winery enlisted the help of celebrated winemaker André Tchelistcheff. As he tasted through various lots of new wines from that year, one lot from S.L.V. was so beautiful and deliciously distinct the winery decided it should be bottled separately. It was named CASK 23 for the large wooden cask in which it was aged. Today, the wine is a blend of the most distinctive fruit from the S.L.V and FAY vineyards, resulting in a wine of extraordinary depth and richness balanced by restraint. Over the years, CASK 23 has become one of the most highly regarded and collected wines worldwide.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 reveals more oak on the nose, but is a much deeper, richer, fuller wine than the S.L.V. Dense ruby/purple to the rim, beautiful blackberry and cassis fruit, cedar wood, toast and earth jump from the glass. Full-bodied and layered, but with nothing out of balance, this is probably the strongest Cask 23 since the glory years of the mid-80s. Look for this wine to drink well young, yet age effortlessly for 25 years.
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Decanter
The best Cask 23 in recent memory, with inviting perfume, mouth-coating texture, intense black fruit and layers of graphite, cedar and firm yet elegant tannins.
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Wine Enthusiast
Thick and dense, with managed tannins and a nest of oak, this marquee wine offers classic insight into the Napa Valley. It's weighty and somewhat smoky, with a lurking sense of minerality and balance. A powerful grip gives way on the lengthy finish to satisfying end notes of coffee and toffee. Editors' Choice.
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Wine Spectator
Deftly balanced and well-proportioned, exhibiting a mix of complex currant, blackberry, black licorice and dried herb flavors. Ends impressively, with a subtle, expansive aftertaste that probes the nuances of Cabernet. Drink now through 2028. Editor's Choice
Considered one of the "first growths" of Napa Valley, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars produces renowned Cabernet Sauvignon from its historic Stags Leap District estate vineyards. Learn about Stags Leap history and estate-grown wines.
History of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was founded in 1970 with the purchase of a 40 acre property in the now famed Stag’s Leap District AVA in Napa Valley. The winery brought international recognition to California winemaking and the Napa Valley region when their 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon won the 1976 Paris Tasting, also known as the "Judgement of Paris."
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Estate-Grown Cabernet Sauvignon
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars' three estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignons - CASK 23, S.L.V. and Fay - are among the most highly regarded and collected Cabernet Sauvignons worldwide. The Cabernet wines are fashioned to express richness balanced by elegant restraint, an approach often described as "an iron fist in a velvet glove."
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.