Tasting History: The Evolution Of Stags Leap Wine Cellars, And An Auction Of Its Legacy Collection – Forbes

There are some wines whose reputations are so well-established that they exist in the realm of the iconic. Exploring them through the lens of a number of vintagesboth older and more modernis an important exercise: It allows us to work through the reputation thats built up over the decades and hope to understand what has made them so special in the first place. Back in the summer of 2020, I explored a deep vertical of the Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and wrote about it here. Next month, Ill be doing the same with the great Chappellet Pritchard Hill, and have another on Chateau Montelena coming up, too. Today, however, I want to look at Stags Leap Wine Cellars, specifically their S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine thats as inextricably tied to the history of Napa Valley as any.

It was their 1973, after all, that won the red-wine category at the Judgment of Paris, the 1976 wine tasting competition that pitted the best of California against the top wines of Franceand that, famously, was swept by the Americans. (The winner among the white wines was the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973; that legendary producer, as I mentioned, will also be the focus of an upcoming deep dive.) Ever since, the Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. has been considered a benchmark among Napa Valley Cabs.

And with good reason: Over the course of a remarkable six-vintage tasting that I attended this past October at Stags Leap Wine Cellarsit was part of the activities around the Judgment of Napa that I covered here late last yearI was beyond impressed with the expressiveness, longevity, accuracy, and flat-out deliciousness of these wines. The vertical was led by winemaker Marcus Notaro, who has been at the helm since 2013, and the wines ranged from the magnificently age-worthy 2018 all the way back to the floral, savory, haunting 1987.

The Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon is a legend among Napa Cabs, often capable of ... [+] aging gracefully for decades.

On March 10ththough online bidding for the Heritage Auctions Signature Fine and Rare Wine Auction starts today, February 18thconsumers will have the chance to acquire wines from a stunning selection of approximately 4,000 bottles pulled from more than 40 vintages, part of what Stags Leap Wine Cellars calls their Legacy Collection. Wine from between 1972 and 2017 will be represented, including, according to their press materials, Almost all the vintages Stags Leap Wine Cellars has ever made of its Estate-Grown Cabernet Sauvignons (FAY, S.L.V. and CASK 23), as well as ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon and the Napa Valley Merlot. Some of the highlights of this auction include CASK 23 from 1979 to 2017; S.L.V. from 1972 to 2017; FAY from 1990 to 2017; ARTEMIS from 2001 to 2015; and Napa Valley Merlot from 1977 to 2005. Lots will include 12 bottles of 750ml, six 1.5L magnums and a handful of 6L, 12L and 18L wines.

In other words, this is an unprecedented opportunity to acquire and experience some of the most important wines that have been produced in Napa Valley in the past several decades. In addition, one of the most historically important bottles in modern American history will be on the block: One bottle of the 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon, the red that was judged to be the the best at the now-famous Judgment of Paris in 1976, topping such icons as Chteaux Haut-Brion, Mouton Rothschild, and more. This wine is so special, the press materials note, that the Smithsonian Institutes NationalMuseum of American History has a bottle in its permanent collection. And because all of the bottles up for auction come directly from the cellars at Stags Leap, their provenance cant be questioned.

These caves at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars hold highly sought-after wines.

When I personally had the opportunity to taste through a vertical of S.L.V. last autumn, it was an opportunity to not just savor some fantastic wines, but also to contextualize them each in relation to one another, and to their neighbors. There are countless benefits to tasting through multiple decades of a single wine, not least of which is the ability to understand how a particular vineyard site expresses itself over the years and through all kinds of vintage conditions, as well as how the guiding philosophy of a particular producer does or does not change over the years and decades. In the case of this wine, experiencing these specific vintages accomplished both with exuberance and profundity.

I found the S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon, across vintages, to be appealing in their youth and have the ability to age with grace. Theres an old clich that says you should never meet your heroes, because disappointment often ensues. In the case of this particular winecertainly a hero in the American wine firmamenttasting through these incredible vintages had the opposite effect: If anything. it raised my level of respect. I had been fortunate enough to enjoy a glass or three of older S.L.V. over the years, but considering these half-dozen wines side by side threw everything that makes it so extraordinary into shimmeringly sharp relief. Here are my impressions.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

All of the generosity and grace Ive come to expect of this spectacular vintage is on display here, with cassis and crushed blueberry aromas joined by a subtly floral lift before rich, energetic flavors of cassis, blueberries, vanilla, caramel, cedar, and cafe mocha. The long, mineral-flecked finish is ever-so-subtly lifted with the suggestion of candied violets. Enjoy this one now with air, or lay it down for the next 30 years.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

The ripe, rich nose here is more exuberantly spiced than the 2018: Allspice, star anise, and clove dust brambly berry aromas and set the stage for a palate layered with blackberries, cherries and cherry pits, woodsy spices, cigar tobacco, and a hint of brown sugar. At more than six years of age, this is really starting to resolve nicely, and promises to keep on deepening for the next 20 years.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

The spice and energy of the Stags Leap Vineyard shimmers through on this wonderfully subtle expression, the flamed orange oils, cedar, and tea framed by slightly more savory tannins that will benefit from a bit more time, or a good stint in the decanter. With air, the wine gains weight, texture, and lift, as well as notes of cocoa powder, sappy cherries, black currants, and flowers, all of it riding through the graphite-kissed finish. If you can wait, this wine will continue to offer greater and greater rewards through the early-2050s.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Too often, its tempting to hold onto a wine until the end of the recommended drinking window provided by whatever review youre referencing. But thats not necessarily a good idea unless you prefer fully mature wines. Deciding when to pop the cork from an older bottle is just as much about personal preference as it is about the potential longevity of a particular vintage. I kept on think about that while savoring this 2003, a wine that, while it certainly has another 15 years of life in it, is drinking so brilliantly right now that I wouldnt recommend waiting. Its at a beguiling phase of evolution nearly 18 years on, with a concentrated yet silky palate that carries notes of blackberries and brandied cherries as well as more balsamic notes, singed sage, cigar tobacco, and a floral and cedar lift hovering above it all. The fruit is still singing yet the more mature characteristics have really come through, making this a fantastically balanced, uniquely delicious wine right now.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 1993

This is starting to approach its fullest aromatic expression of maturity, the black plums anchored by scorched earth and licorice before flavors of brambly berries, currants, cocoa powder, pencil shavings, and a deep cut of mineral. The tannins, while mature, are still surprisingly present, and the core of acidity keeps every sip fresh and vibrant. This is another S.L.V. that can certainly age a bit more, but that is so balanced and long right now that, if I had a bottle in my collection, Id consider opening it in the short-term.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 1987

This is wonderfully generous as soon as you smell it, with wild strawberries, graham crackers, and flowers shimmering with a hint of camphor. That lift serves as a beguiling counterpoint to the fabulously generous palate, whose plums and sappy cherries are both impeccably spiced and anchored by a serious tug of umamimeat, soy saucethat, as the finish resolves, finds a counterpoint in the subtle lift of springtime flowers. The acid is still so fresh and balanced here! This wine, even at close to 35 years after the grapes were harvested, is a true testament to the vineyard, to the winery, and to the ability of the best producers to produce wines that stand the test of time, and that stand as testaments to the greatness that animates them.

After the formal vertical tasting, I also had the opportunity to enjoy the Stags Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 from a five-liter bottle. Larger-format wines tend to age far slower than wines in standard 750ml bottles, but far fewer of them are generally made. This, then, was a rare opportunityand a thoroughly profound one when I took my first sip: The wine rolled over the tongue with expansive, expressive fruit, despite its age. Precise notes of cedar and cocoa powder flashed through flavors of cassis and candied violets, all of it carried along by balanced, brilliant tannins.

Large-format bottlings, like these from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, tend to age far more slowly than ... [+] their standard 750ml counterparts.

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Tasting History: The Evolution Of Stags Leap Wine Cellars, And An Auction Of Its Legacy Collection - Forbes