Stag's Leap Wine Cellars : S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Characteristics and tasting tips for the 2022 S.L.V from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Tasting

Nose
Black fruits, blackcurrant, ripe plums, violet, graphite, dark chocolate and black tea are all fragrances that blend in a broad, expressive nose.

Palate
A broad-textured attack leads to a palate where fresh, deep tannins stretch into a finish with notes of espresso, mocha and black fruits.

Food & wine pairings

Steak Diane, duck confit with roasted figs or even ravioli in arrabiata sauce are refined pairing suggestions with this great Californian wine.

A balanced and aromatic great Californian wine

The Estate

Founded in 1970, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars became, over the vintages, a benchmark among the great wines of Napa Valley. Pioneers, the estate's founders replanted an orchard plot into vines, with a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape then scarcely used locally. This marked the beginning of an unparalleled revolution in American wine history.

A few years later, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars won, blind, the best Cabernet Sauvignon competition at the famous "Judgment of Paris" in 1976, ahead of prestigious French wines. The estate's legend was born.

Since 2007, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars has been under the joint direction of US estate Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and the Antinori family.

The Wine

Also known as Stag's Leap Vineyards, S.L.V is the estate's historic vineyard. Planted in 1970, this terroir gave rise, three years later, to a wine that became emblematic after winning, blind and ahead of prestigious French wines, the best Cabernet Sauvignon competition at the famous "Judgment of Paris" in 1976.

Over the vintages, this great Napa Valley wine is recognized for its complexity, its intense spicy notes, its structure and its significant aging potential.

The S.L.V cuvée is produced from vineyards resulting from a large-scale, progressive replanting program to perpetuate this historic vineyard. This mosaic of terroirs notably includes plots with volcanic soils that impart structure and minerality to the wine, intertwined with intense black fruit notes and elegant tannins. The western section of the vineyard, with its alluvial soils, enhances the wine's fruity and aromatic expression.

Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) and Cabernet Franc (2%).