Description

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. Stags Leap District 2021

98 pts – Wine Spectator

Rich and well-fruited, but with a touch of restraint, as boysenberry, blackberry and cassis notes move slowly and steadily, flanked by suave hints of alder and warm earth and backed by subtle echoes of violet and savory on the finish, with a gorgeous mouthfeel. Drink now through 2040. —James Molesworth

S.L.V., also known as Stag’s Leap Vineyards, is the winery’s first vineyard. Today, this vineyard continues to produce wines with layers of complexity, spicy intensity and excellent structure.

Vineyards & Winemaking

For this wine the primary blocks were 2A, 3A, 1A, 3B and S.L.V. Block 4 – the “grande dame” of the vineyard – which was planted in 1972. These vines along with blocks on the eastern side of S.L.V., characterized by their fire-borne volcanic soils, give this wine its structure and sense of minerality along with concentrated dark fruit flavors and ripe, elegant tannins.

Vintage

The second consecutive year of very dry conditions during winter and spring coupled with challenging weather during bloom, resulted in a reduction in yield and more variability on the size of the clusters. A near perfect summer of classic Napa Valley weather: moderate temperatures during the day and cool sea breezes in the afternoon and evening, resulted in balanced structure. Early September saw a mini heat wave that pushed ripeness along, then a return to beautiful weather for the remainder of harvest. The 2021 vintage is one of the highest quality we’ve seen in the last decade.