Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association

2017 Tasting Notes

Baldacci Family Vineyards

2017 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Michael Baldacci Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 22 months in 75% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 Black Label perfectly demonstrates the balance between power and finesse. The fruit, both in the aroma and on the palate, is all dark and jammy supported by layers of dark cacao, baking spice and licorice. The tannin structure is gorgeous, and simultaneously shows power and grace. The finish is long and rich. This is one of those wines to enjoy in its youth or set aside in the cellar and relish later.
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Chimney Rock Winery

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Ganymede Vineyard

Winemaker: Elizabeth Vianna Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 18 months in 100% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 Ganymede Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold, rich and elegantly balanced wine. Aromas of black cherry, cassis, mocha, with hints of vanilla and clove create a vibrant aromatic profile. On the palate this wine is full bodied, with a rich and chewy mid-palate and a beautiful silky long finish.
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Cliff Lede Vineyards

2017 Dancing Heart Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Christopher Tynan Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot , 3% Merlot, and 1% MalbecBarrel Age and Type: 21 months in 85% new French oak Tasting Profile: Dancing Heart opens with a perfume of warm black cherries scented with lavender and violets. Mineral and stone aromas sail across the complex bouquet. A spark of intensity in the luscious cassis and raspberry flavors are tinged with savory iron, graphite, and grilled steak juices. Bright and fleshy, the finish carries a dark mix of roasted red peppers, slate, and dried fig flavors.
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Clos Du Val

2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Hirondelle Vineyard

Winemaker: Ted Henry Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 21 months in new 100% French oak Tasting Profile: This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was grown from four of our best blocks of the Hirondelle Estate Vineyard. The wine has deep blackcurrant aromas with a hint of clove. Displaying flavors of blueberry, toast, espresso and fresh cream, there is a long, velvety finish.
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Ilsley Vineyards

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Heather Pyle Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% MalbecBarrel Age and Type: 20 months in 60% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 Ilsley Cabernet Sauvignon is noticeably rich in hue and density of color. The aromas are of ripe plum with dark chocolate, vanilla, pie spice and a hint of wood smoke. The mouth is dense and full on entry with chewy tannins that fill out the wine but don't cause dryness or bitterness. This wine is very rich but smooth and while it is filled out, it is not heavy or flabby.
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Lindstrom Wines

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Celia Welch Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 19 months in 60% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 shows very pretty, perfumed aromas of candied cherries, fresh red raspberries, and blackberry tea. Soft at entry, the mid-palate shows a profound sense of density and strength, but is wrapped in satiny tannins. At the finish, a lovely combination of ripe dark cherries, cocoa powder, chai tea and a touch of sweet earth grab the palate. Hand harvested September 19 through the 28, a total of 275 cases were produced.
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Malk Family Vineyards

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Robbie Meyer Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 18 months in 70% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 is vibrant and beautiful. The product of a warmer growing season, this wine presents wonderful aromas of chocolate, cherries, blackberries, ripe plum and cassis, highlighted with subtle notes of cedar spice and a gravely minerality. The aromatics follow through to the mouthfeel which is rich and velvety. The wine flows broadly across the palate balanced by fine tannins that keep the wine in focus.
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Odette Estate Winery

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Jeff Owens Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 2% Petit VerdotBarrel Age and Type: 20 months in 75% new French oak Tasting Profile: Odette Estate's 2017 is a full bodied wine poised with charisma and energy, carrying notes of wild raspberries, Luxardo cherries, plums, crème de cassis, lilacs, rose petals and potpourri that all marry together seamlessly as they dance across the palate. Multifaceted, layered and vibrant, this thrilling wine brings precision and focus to the long persistent finish.
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Pine Ridge Vineyards

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Michael Beaulac Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdt, 4% Merlot, 2% MalbecBarrel Age and Type: 24 months in 100% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 is notable for bright fruit expression, elegant texture, and silky, age worthy tannins. The profuse, layered aromas are filled with blackberry, bright cherry, and plum, with hints of licorice, freshly-cut rose, and coffee bean. The dark fruit character echoes on the expansive palate, picking up cinnamon, brown sugar, and espresso bean from oak aging in the finish.
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Quixote Winery

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: B.R. Smith and Philippe Melka Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet FrancBarrel Age and Type: 20 months in 60% new French oak Tasting Profile: Aromas of blackberry and cassis leap from the glass but are balanced by scents of roast beef, black tea and baking spices. This wine has a velvety approach but quickly leads to a well-structured, dense mid palate that softens into finer grained tannins with great length. On the finish cranberry and candied cherry linger tantalizingly before giving way to flavors of currant and cocoa.
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Regusci Winery

2017 'The Elders' Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Bill Nancarrow Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% MerlotBarrel Age and Type: 22 months in 50% French oak, 50% American oak Tasting Profile: The wine opens with aromas of blackberry, raspberry truffe, and dark chocolate. On the palate flavors of clove, allspice, and molasses delight giving way to an elegantly rich, full body. The combination of aging in both French and American oak offers a delicious toasty quality, letting high quality fruit show through. A wine that will age for years to come!
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Shafer Vineyards

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

Winemaker: Elias Fernandez Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 20 months in 100% new French oak (Allier & Tronçais) Tasting Profile: In your glass the wine introduces itself with enticing aromas of red and black fruit, baking spice, dark violets, lavender, wet stone, and cinnamon. The promise of all that delicious complexity is fulfilled with a racy Cabernet Sauvignon full of energy — juicy flavors of red plum, cherry, cassis, black tea, and cola — all beautifully packaged with ripe, bright tannins made for right-now enjoyment as well as long-term aging.
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Silverado Vineyards

2017 SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Jon Emmerich & Elena Franceschi Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 18 months in 47% new French oak Tasting Profile: Aromas of dark cocoa, ripe raspberry with flint and mineral notes open to sweet ripe plum, black cherry, and lightly toasted brioche. Full-bodied, exuberant plum and red cherry fruit flavors are met with cocoa and a hint of anise in an elegant balance along with the oak, acid, and tannin. Supremely focused, but generous with a long finish.
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Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

2017 FAY Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Marcus Notaro Blend: 98.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Cabernet FrancBarrel Age and Type: 21 months in 100% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 FAY has inviting aromas of ripe berries, figs, plums, candied cherries, strawberry preserves, and a touch of jasmine perfume. It has a bright, lively entry and mid-palate, balanced with rich, polished tannins and cherry pie aftertaste. One of Napa's great vineyards, FAY produces fruit with an abundance of supple red and blackberry character and luscious, fine-grained texture.
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Stags' Leap Winery

2017 The Leap Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Christophe Paubert Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% MalbecBarrel Age and Type: 20 months in 60% new French oak Tasting Profile: Capturing the distinctive personality of our estate, this wine offers a dark, seductive, full-bodied character with intense dark berry fruit alongside a plush and creamy texture. A classic Stags Leap Cabernet, offering blackberry, raspberry and black currants, along with subtle baking spice notes of cinnamon, chocolate and espresso, finishing more savory with black olive and chaparral herbs.
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Steltzner Vineyards

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker: Mike Smith Blend: 100% Cabernet SauvignonBarrel Age and Type: 19 months in 85% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 is grown in our iconic pool block vineyard site directly below the Stags Leap palisades. First planted in 1964, the site is ideal for Cabernet. It has well-drained soils and a rocky bench land on the east of Napa Valley. Plum, spice, crème de cassis are preset in this alluring wine. Our favorite part is the beautiful texture, achieved through meticulous care during the growing season, followed by barrel fermentation.
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Taylor Family Vineyards

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Winemaker: Gustavo Brambila Blend: 100% CabernetBarrel Age and Type: 30 months in 100% new French oak Tasting Profile: The 2017 Stags Leap Cabernet is lively and aromatic. It opens with notes of dark cherry and blackberry which make way for violet blossom, graphite, cassis and hints of spiced cigar box. The palate is richly balanced and opulent with silky fruit tannins and a long elegant finish.
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