Winemaker Notes
Truly exemplary of the winery’s ability to combine power and grace, the 2020 Investor is layered, nuanced, and inviting, with alluring notes of juicy black cherry, blackcurrant, crushed blueberry, and dark plum, alongside notes of allspice, caramel, and clove. The fruit character is supported by black pepper spice, anise seed, and floral potpourri, interwoven with hints of fresh thyme, wild lavender, and sage. The well-structured mouthfeel is plush and harmonious with velvety-rich tannins that coat the palate, Finishing with a core of fresh acidity and brightness.
Certain to enliven any celebratory occasion, the wine pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes.
Blend: 40% Merlot, 30% Petite Sirah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon,10% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Red blends of this type rarely shine as brightly. This ultra concentrated and smooth-textured blend including Merlot, Petite Sirah and Malbec is inky dark in color, luxurious, aromatic of blueberries, black currants and mint followed by oak spices and dark chocolate on the palate. Creamy in texture, it is laden in massive but melted tannins.
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James Suckling
An open and delicious red with red fruit, plum and walnut aromas and flavors. Sage and thyme. Full-bodied with chewy tannins, yet it’s juicy and delicious. Dark chocolate at the end. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A wine that captures both sides of the Stags' Leap Winery legacy, the 2020 The Investor Red Wine is a blend of Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec aged in French oak, 35% new) and Petite Sirah (aged in American oak, 24% new). Framed by vanilla and cedar, the nose imparts notions of black cherries and blueberries. I didn't find any herbaceous notes here, but there's plenty of richness and concentration in this medium to full-bodied effort that finishes velvety and long.
A fashionable country resort in the mid-twentieth century, popular with Hollywood due to its 1892 stone Manor House and historic gardens, legends of bootleggers and gangsters, ghosts and gypsies, Stags' Leap has been home to three major family groups up through the modern revitalization of the winery that began in the 1970s.
Stags Leap Manor, as it was called in the 1920s, was known as one of the prominent country retreats in the Napa Valley at a time when resort and spa business was big. In addition to lodging and dining, amenities included lawn tennis, swimming, horseback riding, children's activities, golf, music, cards, a library, and Napa Valley wines and liquors (prior to and after Prohibition).
An intimate valley within the greater Napa Valley, Stags Leap is a place of natural beauty, storied buildings and gardens, a lively history, and a reputation for elegant wines showing finesse and intensity.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.