2019 Winemaker Series Red Blend
ABOUT WINEMAKERS SERIES
Our Winemaker Series allows winemaker Marcus Notaro to select interesting lots and create unique blends. This is like taking a walk through the vineyard, experiencing the unique characteristics that define Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ world-class vineyards. These wines often spend more time in barrel and offer a great juxtaposition to our classic Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars offerings.
VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING
Our Winemaker Series highlights special lots of wine that demonstrate distinctive character. These limited bottlings are hand-selected by our winemaker and showcase the very best of Napa Valley’s finest growers. This Red Blend showcases how skillful blending creates a lively, complex wine that equally expresses our winemaker’s perspective and the vineyards’ characteristics.
VINTAGE
Spring in Napa Valley was wet with significant rain that increased canopy growth and caused some shatter during bloom in the vineyards. Our vineyard team worked diligently to balance canopies and fruit load, and to expose the fruit to the sun at the right time. Following this wet and cool start to the year that resulted in a lot of vigor, the summer gave way to near ideal growing conditions. Like 2018, a long growing season allowed for grapes to reach optimal ripeness. Yields were less than 2018 and harvest was later than usual. The main challenge this harvest was powering wineries with generators, as the power company shut off electricity to mitigate any potential fires due to high winds. Fires in upper Sonoma did not affect northern Napa Valley vineyards, and winds kept smoke out of the valley. Overall quality is quite high, and Cabernet has beautiful dark fruit aromas, nice complexity, and more richness than 2018.
TASTING NOTES
The nose of this wine has a vibrant and playful side with red licorice and the sweet-tart fragrances of boysenberry and cherry, contributing a lively fruit profile. It’s nicely woven with savory notes of cigar box and tobacco. These earthy, woody scents are complemented by the aromatic warmth of cedar and a hint of spices, perhaps clove or cinnamon, adding layers of richness.
On the palate, the wine delivers a bright and lively mouthfeel with a rich structure that balances the intensity of its flavors. The wine's bright acidity provides a refreshing lift, preventing it from feeling overly heavy. Its polished, powerful, earthy tannins give it a firm yet smooth texture, suggesting a potential for aging that will only enhance its already impressive qualities.