Description

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 2018

98 pts – Wine Enthusiast

An exceptional blend of the famous Fay Estate and S.L.V. Estate, this wine dates back to the 1970s and is spectacular in this vintage. Juicy, bright and effusive, it offers a lightness of spice, well-inte- grated oak and a cohesive, silky texture. Structured, it shows dark-berry fruit, a hint of crushed rock and fig, expansive and joyful on the palate. This should age beautifully; enjoy best from 2028 Cellar Selection.

97 pts – Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Like the 2020, the terrific 2018 Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon leans a bit more heavily on the Fay Vineyard (the 2019 includes a bit more S.L.V.). It’s medium to full-bodied, supple, silky and elegant yet still possesses enough richness to evolve for the next two decades. From the stunning, slightly lifted aromas of violets, cherries and cassis, to the long, dusty finish, this exudes class all the way. Best After 2024

95 pts – Wine Spectator

Delivers a lot to like, with a violet thread amid a mix of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry puree flavors, all stitched with light alder, singed vanilla and tobacco notes. Features very light iron and cassis bush notes that curl around the finish, adding subtle tension to the seductive, friendly fruit. Very suave. Best from 2024 through 2040.

the estate collection

From the beginning, the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars vision has been to create wines that speak to the place from which they
come, with distinctive elements of aroma, flavor and texture. These goals are realized in our three limited-production EstateGrown Cabernet Sauvignons – CASK 23, S.L.V. and FAY—which are crafted from vineyards surrounding the winery.

the napa valley collection

The same classic style of the Estate wines is also expressed in the Napa Valley Collection, which consists of three wines: AVETA Sauvignon Blanc; KARIA Chardonnay and ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon.

For these wines, we combine estate-grown fruit with the finest grapes from Napa Valley to express the regional character of Napa Valley with the signature style of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. This approach results in wines of lush fruit flavors balanced by extraordinary structure and elegance. Whereas our Estate wines showcase the distinctive characteristics of each vineyard, the Napa Valley Collection demonstrates how astute grape selection and skillful blending can create a wine that represents the sum of Napa Valley’s best parts.

In a fresh approach for this collection, we began to introduce proprietary names in 2003 with the inaugural release of the 2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which we named ARTEMIS. The wine is named for the Greek goddess of the fields and the hunt who is often depicted with a stag and a silver bow. As a companion to the ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery released the 2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay with the proprietary name KARIA, in the fall of 2006. The name KARIA (kar-ee-ah) is derived from a Greek word meaning graceful, and it is the very character that we seek most in this wine. With the 2013 vintage (which released in 2014), we gave our Sauvignon Blanc the name AVETA in
honor of a water goddess.

points of distinction

There are two wineries in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District that share similar names. As this is often a point of confusion, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars has taken steps to help wine lovers differentiate between the wineries. The Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars wines are labeled with proprietary names for most of its iconic wines (AVETA, KARIA, ARTEMIS, ARCADIA VINEYARD, FAY, S.L.V. and CASK 23). And, beginning with the 2009 vintage reds and 2010 vintage whites, the labels carry a seal saying, “Estate Winner—Paris Tasting 1976” to assure consumers they are purchasing a wine from the famed winery that produced the Cabernet Sauvignon that helped put Napa Valley and California on the world wine map in the 1970s

TASTING NOTES

The 2016 CASK 23 opens with aromas of boysenberry, black cherry, mocha and black licorice. The wine is rich and opulent on the palate with crushed mixed berry and spice flavors that are supported by ample, yet plush, tannins. Great presence and persistence.

Winemaker Notes

WINE ANALYSIS

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: 20 months, 100% new French oak
Alcohol: 14.5%
TA: 0.53 g/100 mL
F: 100% stainless steel tank