Stag`s Leap Wine Cellars

Although the Cask 23 bottling has been deservedly garnering most of the attention and accolades, the wine that genuinely nabbed the world’s interest was the 1973 SLV. This wine won the famous 1976 Paris wine tasting, by a nose, literally (half a point), over 1970 Mouton Rothschild. The blind tasting was organized by an Englishman, Steven Spurrier while being judged by nine Frenchmen, including the Inspector General of the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine Contrôllée. Consequently, the cards were clearly stacked against the ’73 SLV as it prevailed against 1970 Montrose, 1971 Montebello, 1970 Martha’s and other great wines of the day.

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ house style parries the "water" of alluvial soils, lending plush fruit and an intoxicating perfume, with the "fire" of volcanic rock, providing outstanding structure. These two elements yield a delicious and precocious youth while maintaining an outstanding level of ageability. Cask 23, essentially a blend of especially chosen barrels from the SLV and Fay vineyards, is made only when exceptionally favorable vintage conditions dictate it. Truly one of Napa’s blue chip wines, Cask 23 takes the velvety, complex, earthy Stag’s Leap trademark to a new level.