This wine opens with generous aromas of bright raspberry, sandalwood, vanilla and anise along with the signature bright cherry note of the vineyard. The aromas are followed by an alluring mix of red cherry, blueberry and tangerine that envelop the palate with nuances of vanilla and spice from careful aging in French oak barrels. The palate is lush with ripe tannins, balanced acidity and a persistent berry/cherry finish.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Founded in 1970 by the Warren Winiarski family, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is considered a Napa Valley first growth producing world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignon from its historic vineyards. The winery first brought international recognition to California winemaking and the Napa Valley when its 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon won the now famous 1976 Paris Tasting (also known as the “Judgment of Paris”) by besting some of the most celebrated wines of Bordeaux. Their three estate-grown.. read more
Wine Advocate #198 Dec 2011 - Antonio Galloni - The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Estate is a striking, radiant wine graced with layers of dark red fruit, flowers, spices and menthol. It is a generous, open wine with great depth and polish in its textured personality. The oak is a bit prominent in this vintage, yet the 2009 is a huge improvement over the 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021.
Tasted Apr 2012 - First vintage made entirely by the Ch Ste Michelle team. Very cool nose. Tight and rather ungenerous. Alluvial.
Issue Nov 15, 2012 - Ripe and supple, with generous black cherry and plum fruit that's fleshy and graceful in a medium-weight style. Drink now through 2020. 3,300 cases made. –JL
May 12 by Stephen Tanzer - Good red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, black cherry, shoe polish and herbs. A step up from the Artemis in fruit sweetness and texture but still a wine of moderate depth. Suaver than the Artemis but doesn't have quite the supporting middle for its slightly green tannins.
So upfront in spectacularly ripe raspberry, cherry and mocha flavors, it’s hard to keep from draining the bottle now. This shows the classic tannins of Stags Leap, soft and sweet but potent. Drink it now and enjoy for sheer opulence, but you might be missing out on something really special around 2016. — S.H. (4/1/2012)
FAY vineyard remains one 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. Nearly three quarters of the Cabernet Sauvignon for the 2009 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.”
