2018 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

Winemaker Notes: The seamless and integrated 2018 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep purple colored love letter to our favored appellation. Its beautiful, scorched earth, blackberry, warm blueberries, cool slate, and dark chocolate aromas envelop the glass and are complexed with ancho chile, cumin, braised meat juices, and new leather notes. There’s a burst of black fruits and spring flowers on the palate followed by exquisitely polished and fine tannin that bring together all the layers in an impressive finish.

Vineyards: Located at the base of Diamond Mountain in the western portion of the Calistoga appellation, our Calistoga estate vineyard has twenty acres of vineyard planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon. The gravelly loam soils are volcanic in origin with alluvial influence made evident by copious amounts of water-rolled gravel and large cobbles. While Calistoga can experience quite hot daytime temperatures, our estate is protected from the afternoon sun by Diamond Mountain to our west. Cool breezes from the Pacific are drawn in by the narrow gap between Napa and Sonoma Counties, further mediating the hot days. The result is powerful, rich Cabernet with balanced acidity.

Winemaking: Hand harvested in the cool dark of night, the fruit was brought to the winery and subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, including our cutting edge optical sorter, with a goal of eliminating less-than-perfect berries. The selected fruit was gently delivered to tank via gravity by our crane system, retaining perfect, whole berries. Cold soaks lasted approximately five days, and fermentations were managed by a combination of délestage and pump overs. Extended maceration, ranging from three to four weeks, fine-tuned tannin profiles, allowing us to build structure and wine complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, 89% of which were new, for twenty-one months.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Wine Enthusiast - "Blended with 13% Merlot and smaller amounts of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this is a focused and youthfully grippy wine, showing a fervor of succulent red- and black-currant and licorice. Thick, rich and intensely structured, it possesses a mineral-like earthiness of crushed rock and enduring structure."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District charges out of the gate with exuberant scents of boysenberries, blackcurrant cordial and warm black plums plus touches of bay leaves, damp soil, pencil shavings and sandalwood. The medium to full-bodied palate is bold, expressive and open for business with bags of juicy black fruit flavors and a velvety texture, finishing with an earthy kick and a burst of freshness."


Vinous - "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District) is another terrific wine in this range. Inky blue fruit, lavender, spice, licorice and new leather all jump out of the glass. Bright acids give the 2018 striking energy that drives through to the long, beautifully persistent finish. Hints of mocha, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco linger."


Jeb Dunnuck - "Readers looking for a classic Cabernet Sauvignon that demonstrates the style of this great vintage should check out the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Cliff Lede Vineyards. Based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and the balance Malbec and Cabernet Franc, it reveals a deep purple color as well as a classic nose of cassis, blueberries, toasted spices, dried tobacco, and chocolate. Showing the vintage’s style on the palate with its medium to full-bodied richness and elegant seamless style, it can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years."

Shop By Region: Stags Leap District, California

Shop By Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon