2019 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23
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The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23, the estate's top wine, is seriously impressive. It offers a combination of fruit intensity and structure, with an extra sheen of new oak relative to the other Cabernets that works quite well. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, white pepper, gravel and rose petal are nicely dialed up, adding palpable exotic flair.
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James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
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Coming from a selection from two estate vineyards, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 sports a deep purple hue to go with a brilliant bouquet of pure blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, black raspberries) as well as violets, lead pencil shavings, and chocolaty nuances. Concentrated, powerful, and full-bodied on the palate, it's a structured, tannic wine delivering ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, perfectly integrated oak, and one heck of a great finish. It's probably going to be one of the longest lived 2019s out there. Do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years, and it will evolve for decades. Bravo!
Blackberry concentrate, tapenade, sandalwood and spices, together with a lift of violets,oyster shell and graphite to the nose. Very concentrated and plush on the palate, with a full body and plenty of fine, resolved tannins clinging to the dark fruit. Very youthful and primary. Needs a few more years to deliver real complexity. Better from 2025.
Approximately 10% of the wine that went into the 2019 Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon was barrel fermented, so expect experimentation in that area to continue. The wine is a terrific example of this cuvée, offering tantalizing floral aromas set against a backdrop of ripe cherries and black cherries. It's medium to full-bodied, intense, rich and ripe, yet still silky and elegant, with a vibrant, mouthwatering finish.
About the producer
Warren Winiarski founded Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 1970 when he purchased the Stag’s Leap Vineyard in Napa’s Stags Leap District. The 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon – only the second vintage – won the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting, rocketing the estate to fame.