At 22 years from vintage, expect dried blackcurrant, dark cherry, cedar, tobacco, leather, and forest floor with softened, integrated tannins. The 2003 Napa vintage was warm and produced ripe, age-worthy wines.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant
- Region
- USA / California / Napa Valley / Stags Leap District
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, age-worthy, historic, structured
The producer
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (with the apostrophe before the second "s") was founded by Warren Winiarski in 1970. The estate is historically important — its 1973 SLV Cabernet won the red wine category at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, beating Bordeaux first growths and putting California on the global wine map. SLV is the original estate vineyard.
What critics say
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars SLV is one of the most historically significant California Cabernets. Across decades it has consistently received strong reviews as a benchmark Stags Leap District wine.
Pairing
Slow-roasted lamb, ribeye with rosemary, mushroom-forward dishes, aged hard cheeses