This vibrant wine offers a pleasing tropical nose of orange blossom, grapefruit, lychee and peach. On the palate the wine has a juicy, fruit driven entry with lively acidity and flavors of guava, honeyed tangerine, juicy Comice pear, Kaffir lime and a mineral edge. The citrus notes mingle with sandalwood spice and linger on the energetic 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 #192 Dec 2010 - Robert Parker - The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (blended with 20% of the Musque clone and 6% Semillon) is not put through malolactic, and is aged in stainless steel as well as neutral oak. It reveals lots of honeyed citrus, melon and fig-like fruit. Delicate yet intense with loads of fruit, medium body and a long finish, it should be drunk over the next year.
Tasted April 2012 - Minerally nose and racy refreshment. Then a bit sweet and a tad simple on the palate.
Issue Aug 31, 2012 - Plenty of fresh yellow apple and melon flavors are smooth, round and very appealing, with juicy highlights and notes of Meyer lemon on the finish. Drink now. . –MW
May '12 by Stephen Tanzer - Very pale bright yellow. Bracing aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit, fresh herbs and minerals. Supple and dry, with flavors of citrus peel, licorice, minerals, flowers and white pepper complemented by an intriguing umami saltiness. This fairly austere, sake-like sauvignon nicely melts into the palate on the back end.
There’s an intense purity to this Sauvignon Blanc that makes it particularly refined and elegant. In fact, this is Stag’s Leap’s best in many years. It has a translucency that lets you taste the minerally soil from which it comes, alongside immaculate citrus fruit, gooseberry and dried herb flavors. — S.H. (9/1/2012)
The sun-kissed blocks of the Solari Vineyard in Calistoga, the northernmost vineyard used in this blend, contribute a range of tropical fruit flavors and pure Sauvignon character. Our estate vineyard, B.R.V., located adjacent to the Napa River in the Oak Knoll District, adds spicy peach, guava and floral notes to the mix. Just over the hill in the warm and clear reaches of Wooden Valley, our long-time grower Terry Wilson farms Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Musque and Semillon at Rancho chimiles.The Chimiles Sauvignon grapes lend racy citrus and mineral notes to the wine and the Semillon adds a hint of melon. Winemaker Nicki Pruss fermented the juice from the vineyards in a mix of older French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. The wine remained in contact with the spent yeast cells for six months, rounding out the texture. The 6% Semillon adds a layer of luscious melon.
