Stag’s Leap Winery Oakville Cabernet Sauvingon Review

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Oakville Cabernet Sauvingon: What I think

One of the downsides of tasting wines for a living (yes, there really are a few), is that I often need to taste a wine that I’d prefer to lay down for 5 years or more. Like this one. It was too young for my preferences, but it showed signs of classic Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon and I bet it will be an absolute delight in 2029 or later.

I tasted this in April 2023, so if you’re reading this a few years in the future, keep that in mind. The nose was classic blackberry and graphite, with a hint of pyrazine (not quite bell pepper, but something vegetal). It was fairly bright for a Napa Cab, and lighter bodied than I expected, too. I tasted cedar and clove (from the oak) and blackcurrant on the mid-palate. Also notes of plum.

The winery includes this info: "This blend was fermented separately in French oak barrels (25% new) for 19 months and blended just prior to bottling. Custom-toasted, very low impact barrels of new French oak were hand-selected, which supported the wine during maturation but did not impart excessive flavors." I agree that the oak notes are subtle (no vanilla, no chocolate or mocha).

If you’re thinking of taking a trip to Napa, it’s super important to know there is also a Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and these are not the same winery. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was one of the participants who stunned the wine cognoscenti at the fabled Judgement of Paris in 1976. It’s all further complicated by the fact that the AVA (American Viticultural Area) is called Stag’s Leap District! Other excellent wineries in this district include Chimney Rock, Cliff Lede, Clos du Val, Pine Ridge, Shafer, and Silverado.

While Stag’s Leap Winery is certainly not a small production winery, this wine was produced in a relatively small quantity. Stag’s Leap Winery is part of the Treasury Wine Estates portfolio of wine brands.

Last updated: August 3, 2023