Stag's Leap Wine Cellars "CASK 23" Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California)

About the Winery:
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, notably known for being the winery that won the Cabernet Sauvignon competition in the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris, was founded in 1970, and is considered a Napa Valley first-growth estate.

"Our signature style has often been described as “an iron fist in a velvet glove,” a reference to the artful balance between ripeness and restraint, softness and structure, that yields Napa Valley wines of exceptional beauty and long life. Achieving that style requires a level of attention to detail found only among the world’s best and most dedicated wine producers."

About this Wine

The story of CASK 23 began during the harvest of 1974. Back then, the winery enlisted the help of celebrated winemaker André Tchelistcheff. As he tasted through various lots of new wines from that year, one lot from S.L.V. was so beautiful and deliciously distinct the winery decided it should be bottled separately. It was named CASK 23 for the large wooden cask in which it was aged. Today, the wine is a blend of the most distinctive fruit from the S.L.V and FAY vineyards, resulting in a wine of extraordinary depth and richness balanced by restraint. Over the years, CASK 23 has become one of the most highly regarded and collected wines worldwide.

Vineyards & Winemaking:
Much of S.L.V. has been replanted, but the vines in Block 4 from the original planting in 1972 still stand, and they continue to produce fruit of exquisite character. Over the years, we’ve identifi ed other blocks and sub-blocks of our estate vineyards that consistently yield fruit of exceptional quality, but the choice of which grapes go into CASK 23 is far from automatic. We pick and vinify in small lots, then carefully monitor each lot’s development to determine which ones live up to their full potential. The fruit from S.L.V., with its volcanic soils, contribute complex structure, concentration, and spicy intensity, while the alluvial soils of FAY yield fruit with lush perfume and rich berry fl avors. When blended together, the intense “fi re”-like qualities of S.L.V. and the supple, “water”-like characteristics of FAY create a wine of classic elegance, structure, and age-ability.

Vintage:With its excellent quality and abundant crop size, the 2005 vintage has the potential to be among the best of the decade. Heavy rainfall after bud break and during fruit set made for a nervous start to the growing season. Fortunately, temperatures rose following bloom and remained moderate throughout the summer. The late spring rains and moderate temperatures reduced the need for irrigation, and some of our blocks were dry farmed throughout the season. In September, warmer weather arrived with an Indian summer that provided ideal conditions for the fi nal push to ripeness.

Tasting Notes:A classic example of tremendous power and great finesse. The wine presents a symphony of aromas from sweet black fruit to cigar box, from savory spices of clove, allspice and licorice to dried herbs and flowers, even a touch of minerality. This complexity carries over to the palate with fl avors that are reminiscent of spiced chutney. The bold fl avors are wrapped in a blanket of supple tannins and persist through an extraordinarily long fi nish. It’s a wine sure to enhance any dining experience. Savor it alongside venison chops with blackberry compote, bacon-wrapped quail, or a selection of aged artisan cheeses.

Technical Information

Harvest Dates: Sept. 26 – Oct. 20, 2005
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.67
TA: 0.57 g / 100 mL
Barrel Aging: 24 months; 58% new French oak
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Stags Leap District, Napa Valley (100% estate)
Release Date: November 2008

Ratings & Reviews

Wine Spectator:
"Offers a glimpse of ripe, fleshy currant and black cherry fruit before turning drier and herbal, ending with a touch of leather and spice..." - James Laube (November 2008)