Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Fay Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
-
Robert
Parker - Decanter
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Try pairing this estate-grown Cabernet with Maitake mushroom risotto, maple-glazed salmon or grilled buffalo burgers with caramelized onion & Havarti cheese.
Blend: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel sample blended of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard is deep purple-black in color and begins just a tad broody, giving way to earth-laced blackcurrants, black cherries and warm plums plus suggestions of unsmoked cigars, charcuterie and tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with energetic black fruits and savory layers, framed by firm, ripe tannins and background freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
Range: 93-96 -
Decanter
Lush plum and damson fruits with a tea leaf note, hints of fresh thyme and charred red meat, and plenty of black pepper spice. Elegant and exciting.
-
Wine & Spirits
Soft, rounded red fruit marks the juicy midpalate of this beautifully made wine that is appealing in its robust weight and power. With tamed tannins, it offers a mix of black cherry, dried herb, graphite and crushed rock around a length of supportive oak.
-
Wine Spectator
Red currant and plum puree flavors stream through, with well-focused structure underneath keeping this moving along as savory, floral and mineral hints kick in on the finish. Very stylish. Drink now through 2035.
-
James Suckling
A fruity red with a lovely balance of currant and dark-berry character to the nose and palate. Medium to full body, medium tannins and a balanced, fruity finish. Drink in 2021.
Other Vintages
2020-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Robert
Parker - Decanter
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator - Decanter
-
Wilfred
Wong -
Jeb
Dunnuck - Decanter
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine &
Spirits
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast - Decanter
-
Wine
Spectator -
Wine &
Spirits
-
James
Suckling
-
Tasting
Panel - Decanter
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker -
Connoisseurs'
Guide
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
-
Connoisseurs'
Guide
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator
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."
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Legend has it that quick and nimble stags would escape the indigenous hunters of southern Napa Valley through the landmark palisades that sit just northeast of the current city of Napa. As a result, the area was given the name, Stags Leap. While its grape-growing history dates back to the mid-1800s, winemaking didn’t really take off until the mid-1970s after a small but pivotal blind tasting called the Judgement of Paris.
When a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won first place against its high-profile Bordeaux contenders, like Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion, international attention to the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley escalated rapidly.
The vineyards in this one-of-a-kind wine growing region receive hot afternoon air reflecting off of its eastern palisade formation. In combination with the cool evening breezes from the San Pablo Bay just south, this becomes an optimal environment for grape growing. While many varieties could thrive here, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate with virtually no others, save for a spot or two of Syrah.
Stags Leap soils—eroded volcanic and old river sediments—encourage well established root systems and result in complex, terroir-driven wines. Stags Leap District reds have a distinct sour cherry and black berry character with baking spice and dried earth aromas, and supple tannins.