Today we share one of the brilliant houses of Napa. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is one of the famed winners from the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was initially founded in 1970 and today the vineyard team is led by Guillermo Perez who works alongside head winemaker Marcus Notaro.
Notaro comes from an Italian family that had wine around the dinner table. He decided to work initially in the industry as a tour guide at Chateau Ste. Michelle. He formerly was winemaker at Col Solare before taking over as head winemaker at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. The wines show excellent poise and depth. I love the 2021 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which has plenty of of power and poise and is seamless throughout the drinking experience. This is great stuff from this warm vintage. Learn more about this famed site at https://www.stagsleapwinecellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the latest by Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
2021 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Soda Canyon Ranch (Atlas Peak), Moore Ranch (Hills East of St. Helena), and SLV Vineyards, the 2021 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows off violets, tar and tobacco leaf on the nose with heady dark fruits. The palate is rich and refined with great structure and underlying tension — loaded with great loamy and rocky soil character. This is powerful without coming off overly fruity. Drink 2026-2044- 95
2017 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A great wine to enjoy now, the 2017 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon is soft and approachable on the mouth. A delicious melange of red and dark fruits greets you on the palate, with milk chocolate and anise seed accents. Enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2036- 93
2016 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Another sensational bottling, the 2016 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Cellarius Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon still has a long way to go in the cellar. Red and dark rose petals collide with wet gravel, mocha, and scorched earthy accents on the nose. The palate is fresh and lithe with a polished texture and good sense of length. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2026-2038- 93
2021 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Coming from a sunny site with rocky, red volcanic soil, the 2021 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon has a touch of Cabernet Franc blended in. Inky in the glass, this offers gorgeous black tea and Middle Eastern spice aromatics in the glass, alongside boysenberry compote and hints of pencil lead. The palate is refined and elegant with a seamless mouthfeel and great sense of underlying tension, as salty and rocky soils add to the nuance. A beautiful wine from a great vintage, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 95
2020 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A delicious wine from a tough vintage, the 2020 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows off medium bodied dark fruits with graphite and creosote notes. Enjoy now. Drink 2026-2030- 90
2019 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Chase Creek’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Chase Creek’ comes from an offshoot of the Napa River, which flows along the western edge of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. and FAY vineyards. This is seamless and impeccably balanced on the mouth. Creme de violette and cassis flavors all combine with dark chocolate shavings, graphite, espresso grounds and shades of loamy soils on the palate. A totally dazzling bottling with terrific tension and opulence, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2026-2041- 95