Winemaker Notes
Pair with Swedish meatballs, chicken cacciatore, eggplant parmesan.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel sample, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color with an earthy/herbal nose of black cherry and blackberry notions plus scents of incense, dusty earth and menthol. Full-bodied, rich and very earthy in the mouth, it offers plush tannins and a long, layered finish.
Range: 93-95 -
Wine Spectator
Fresh, with racy streaks of violet and anise running alongside the pure blueberry, raspberry and cassis flavors. Offers a polished feel through the finish, showing savory-tinged energy and detail, not just sheen. A lovely expression of Cabernet. Best from 2020 through 2035.
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Vinous
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay is a very pretty wine to drink now and over the next decade or so. Succulent red-toned fruit, cedar, pipe tobacco, blood orange, incense, mocha and dried herbs show the gentle signs of aging. There's a bit more ripeness in the 2015 than is common these days, much of that attributable to late-season heat at the very end of ripening.
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Decanter
A very classy wine with beautiful black cherry and cassis fruit, blueberry jam, smoked pepper and a lovely floral, lily aroma. Delightful oak spice on the finish.
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.