Canadian Cliff Lede established his eponymous sixty acre wine estate in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley in 2002. The grapes for his 2017 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon came from their hillside Poetry Vineyard and the Twin Peaks Vineyard which surrounds the winery. Its color is a dense, almost opaque dark ruby. Aromas of huckleberry, blackberry cherry, cassis, dried herbs complex prepare the way for the flavorful mélange of concentrated dark fruits berries, cherries, savory, dried herbs, dried cocoa, and orange zest, finishing with smooth as silk tannins. It needs time to open to reveal all of those luscious aromas and flavors. Spend a little time savoring the wine before enjoying it with grilled lamb chops.
Cliff Lede, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
By Rebecca Murphy