1999 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Estate 'Cask 23' Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA -1.5L Magnum

Winemaker Notes
Wine ~ This is not a wine for the faint of heart. Open this wine when you have a very long evening to savor its magnificent journey along a sensual path of great beauty. The fiery and intense elements of S.L.V. are softened by the gentle roundness of FAY. Aromas of cassis, wild strawberry, raspberry and black cherry come alive. Trailing notes of wet leather, black and white pepper, vanilla and roasted almonds rest gently on a bed of dried violets. A red fruit entry transforms itself into silky plumminess. Power and finesse rest on a firm yet discreet structure of fruit and oak tannins. The sensation lingers, reverberating like the memory of a great piece of music. Serve with a richly sauced loin of venison accompanied by slow-cooked butternut squash, or wild mushrooms in a cabernet reduction over creamy polenta.

Press

Rated 96 Points Connoisseurs' Guide.

How do you spell controversial? With one of the few split scores ever given by Connoisseurs' Guide. Most tasters loved the power, loved the tightly focused black cherry, slightly dried currant fruit, loved the boldness and the way there is a sense of polish developing in the background, loved the structure that promises to keep the wine going for a couple of decades yet. The dissenting voice questions whether the higher alcohol and the slight bit of stalkiness at the edges will eat into the wine's aging potential. It is still a baby and we are going to wait the better part of the next decade before opening our next bottle.