2016 SLV Cabernet Franc

VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING

S.L.V., also known as Stag’s Leap Vineyards, is the winery’s first vineyard.  Planted in 1970, this vineyard achieved international fame when three-year-old vines (1st crop) from the 1973 harvest produced a wine that stunned the wine world when it bested some of France’s greatest wines in a 1976 blind tasting known as the “Judgment of Paris.” Today, this history-making vineyard continues to produce wines with layers of complexity, spicy intensity and excellent structure—promising long life and ageability. 

Winemaker Marcus Notaro took out the little bit of Merlot that was planted in S.L.V. and replaced it with Cabernet Franc. Marcus is a big fan of Cabernet Franc and knew it would thrive in S.L.V.  Just like the S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon that won the Paris Tasting, this wine is first crop and was grown in a similar zone in the vineyard.  For first crop, the wine is dense with a rich texture and has inviting dark berry and blueberry notes.   

The wine is 92% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon (Block 2A). The wine underwent a long, cool fermentation in small bins. After fermentation, the wine aged for 21 months in 100% New French oak barrels (Marcel Cadet). 

VINTAGE

Although bud-break in Napa Valley was early in 2016, the season was much cooler than normal.  We didn’t get the usual high heat in July and August, which provided for a longer hang time for the grapes. Overall, quality was high and particularly at our FAY and S.L.V. estate vineyards. The grapes in FAY and S.L.V. ripened uniformly and while yields were a bit lower than average, the flavors were great, and the tannins were soft and supple.  The harvest was smooth and progressed from varietal to varietal with the Sauvignon Blanc coming in first, then the Chardonnay, and time in between to transition to the reds.  In late September, we started bringing in Cabernet Sauvignon from across the valley for our ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon and it was interesting that the grapes – all the way from the cooler Coombsville area up to the warmer parts of St. Helena – ripened at the same time.  We completed the Cabernet harvest in October.   

TASTING NOTES

This inaugural S.L.V. Cabernet Franc has lovely blue fruit aromas with clove, currant, licorice and cherry liqueur notes. The blueberry and currant flavors carry over to the rich and flavorful palate and meld with polished tannins.  The vibrant flavors and great structure of this wine point to long term aging potential.