Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

California

FAY Estate-Grown Cabernet Sauvignon

Stags Leap District

$145 USD

Release Price

Drink Window

14.5%

ABV

3.79

pH

5.3

TA

RS

Nose

Fragrant nose of ripe blackberry and raspberry along with notes of sweet fig, cinnamon and violet.

Palate

The palate is elegant with silky tannins and a core of rich fruit with a hint of crème brulee. The wine finishes with a lingering berry pie character.

Growing Conditions

FAY vineyard remains one of the great Napa Valley vineyards, producing fruit with an abundance of supple red and black berry character, voluptuous perfume and a luscious, fine-grained texture. Almost three quarters of the Cabernet Sauvignon for the 2014 blend comes from blocks in the lower and middle sections of the FAY vineyard, which give the wine its classic red-fruit tones and aromatic top notes. The balance was sourced from the upper section (eastern blocks) of FAY, which tends to be more powerful and lends structure to the wine. When the various lots are blended and aged in French oak barrels, the resulting wine gives us the classic expression that is a hallmark of our estate-grown Cabernet
Sauvignon, “an iron fist in a velvet glove.”

2014 was the third in a string of excellent vintages in Napa Valley. After a bonedry winter and several years of drought conditions, much needed rain arrived in March that filled the soils with moisture. The rain fell at the perfect time and changed the direction of the growing season. In January, the winery team was strategizing to farm for small canopies, tannic fruit and low yields due to the drought. With the March rains, however, the focus in the vineyards shifted to controlling crop size and managing vine vigor. While 2014 was a warm year, there were no extreme heat events. Daytime highs were average yet evenings weren’t as cool as normal, giving the vines an ideal growing climate. This allowed the grape varietals to ripen one after another, so grapes were picked and brought into the winery when they were ready. The resulting wines are of extremely high quality with ripe fruit flavors (at lower sugar levels), elegant tannins and great balance.

Winemaking

Fermentation in a 100% stainless steel tank.

Aging

21 months 90% new French oak.

Food Pairing

Try pairing this estategrown Cabernet with prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin, roast chicken with fresh herbs, or hearty pasta.

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