2016 CELLARIUS I Cabernet Sauvignon
ABOUT CELLARIUS
Andreas Cellarius was a 17th Century Dutch-German scholar and map maker. His 1661 text, the Harmonia Macrocosmica, illustrated the theories and philosophies on the science of stellar and planetary movement that were debated during the Renaissance period. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars owns a set of nine of the engravings. Highly detailed, the artist created works that manage to be both precise in their presentation of the theories of the day, and strikingly beautiful.
VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING
The Cellarius Series seeks to explore Napa Valley through unique perspectives on winemaking. In 2016, the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars winemaking team explores blending the wine early in the fermentation process, and then allowing the wine to age in different barrel types. Cellarius I aged in lightly toasted barrels. The result is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with accented fruit flavors and an elongated, elegant finish.
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
The 2016 Cellarius Series I is crafted from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 51% Johnson vineyard (Calistoga), 24% Shooting Star vineyard (Pope Valley), 18% Battuello (St. Helena), 7% Surber (Calistoga). Cabernet from the Johnson Vineyard in Calistoga has ripe blue and black fruit characters with rich silky tannins. Shooting Star lends dark fruit aromas and power. The Battuello Cabernet provides a solid backbone of complex fruit and rich tannins. Surber Vineyard contributes licorice spice notes and adds complexity to the blend. The wine was blended early (as is done in Bordeaux), right after malolactic fermentation. It was then aged in 100% new French oak, primarily lightly toasted barrels, for 21 months. This is essentially a “reserve” wine.
This Cabernet Sauvignon is youthful with complex aromas of currant, dark chocolate, vanilla, clove spice and plum. The wine has a flavorful entrance with a rich mid-palate. Lingering silky tannins are present on the finish, which is more powerful than some of the other 2016 Cabernets we’ve bottled.
FOOD PAIRINGS
Enjoy with filet mignon with red wine demi-glace, duck confit or grilled Portobello mushrooms tossed in olive oil with fresh rosemary.