Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23

Napa royalty at its finest. Impressive fruit remains with balanced tannins, acidity is hitting its stride. Cassis, leather, tobacco are primary flavours - silky on the palette. Nose differs slightly, a little more fruit but very clean. Not as much tertiary flavour development as expected given the age, very happy this is the case. Not sure this gets any better! 1hr decant & rebottled for 2.5hrs before serving.

1995 vintage

Deep red at the core, becoming translucent as it moves to the edges. Deep berry and chocolate aromas. Smooth and polished on the palate, black cherries, tobacco, dark chocolate. Polished tannins, nice acidity, great balance. Brighter, juicier, more red-fruited with air. Finishes long and sweet, blackberries, cedar. Lovely, mature Cab. I'd recommend a gentle decant just before service. Drink next 3 to 4 years.

1995 vintage

Post-Tasting Bordeaux and Stag's Leap Dinner (Portofino - Chicago IL) : Really identical to the bottle from the tasting. Complex and layered, this came across as a Cabernet-driven blend, seeming to show some leather, horsey notes, and meaty spice along with rich black plum and cherry. A dead ringer for a good vintage of Pichon Lalande from this same era.

1995 vintage

Dark red in color with very little bricking. An aromatic nose of flowers and berry fruits. The fruit is smooth on the palate and ripe, cherries, plums, anise. Perfectly resolved tannins, fine acidity and balance. Finishes long with anise and dark fruits. This wine improved with time and air, becoming brighter. Lovely and elegant. No reason to wait but I think it will drink well over the next 4 to 5 years. If you like a brighter profile you might …

1995 vintage

At tasting. Brief note. Pours a deep garnet red in the glass. Nose and palate are powerful yet refined showing feminine red currants and black cherry, blueberry, lovely integrated vanillin oak, baking spice, menthol, and gravel. Midpalate is lush with plenty of dry extract but by no means overdone with judicious acids and a good amount of earthiness that pulls through to balance out the fruit. Finish is long and very pleasurable showcasing the red fruits perfectly. Delicious.

1995 vintage

Great smell and flavor for a 23 year old wine. Perfect match for a beef tenderloin. Wish I had another bottle.

1995 vintage

Solid clean cork, good color, a perfectly pleasant cabernet, not vibrant but true to type with subdued tannins.

1995 vintage

While definitely showing age and low fruit, it still has hints of greatness and improved several minutes after opening.

1995 vintage

Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. Clear deep dark garnet-blood red. Restrained but elegant bouquet of creme de cassis, red cherries, river stones, forest floor, spicy oak. With swirling, notes of green tobacco and roast beef emerge as well. Full body, balanced, smooth, with medium finish. Improved with air.

1995 vintage

The wine shows almost no age on the eye, a dark core with bright ruby red rims. Reminiscent of Bordeaux on the nose showing plums, sour cherries, cassis, graphite, tobacco, roasted coffee, cedar, earthiness, with a touch of vanilla. Velvety textured wine filled with cherries, plums, and blackberries on the attack followed by a mid-palate filled with flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, blueberries, and a touch of acidity that keeps the wine fresh. The finish is long and smooth showing …

1995 vintage

This is the last bottle of a wonderful case of wine. Lively still, it is what Staps Leap District is all about!

1995 vintage

I agree with friejoice. Had it last week with a grilled steak and it was till drinking great. Not going to improve any certainly, but I think there are a few years left here still. Generally, I have found that quality Cab's from Napa can hold up to 20 years if properly stored. Of course, it depends on what you prefer in your Cabs. Personally, I enjoy trying them at all stages as long as they are not corked or …

1995 vintage

Corked

1995 vintage

Spoiled

1995 vintage

This bottle was a survivor. Dragged cross-country a decade ago, and then to Africa, and still chugging along as a lovely drink. Decanted for 35 minutes. Dark purple and translucent in the glass, with wild cherry and black current on the nose. Tannins had mellowed a lot, but were still there underneath and the wine stood up fine to the ostrich steak we had it with. Blueberry and cherry in the mouth. Very enjoyable; wish I had had the foresight …

1995 vintage

Beautiful soft cabernet nose, more subtle than the Ridge wines that preceded it. Bit disappointing on the palate, more "old" than "new" world but lacking a bit of focus and backbone for me. The ladies present loved this wine.

1995 vintage

Napa Valley Vintners Association (Fleming's Steak House) : nose: very well balanced and somewhat refined nose of dark red cherries, leather, sour cranberries, cedar, cassis, bits of pencil lead and dark red fruits. Has a wafting quality out of the glass and a resolved nature that comes with age taste: Great balanced and medium/full feel with good tannins that are backed up by excellent tones of dark red cherries, leather, cedar, bits of spice and cassis. Coming off as mature …

1995 vintage

Stag's Leap vertical 1973 to 2006 (Institute of Directors, London) : Quite a contrast from the '97, lighter, with a high-toned fragrance, the oak going cedary making it taste much older, herbs, nicely integrated - very nice

1995 vintage

showing slight ageing around the edges, slight woodyness on the nose, in the mouth, tasted more developed than previous wines, had good balance but acidity showing through a bit more than anything else, tanins also showed up pretty quickly

1995 vintage

It lost a lot of its tannins and most of the fruit but still good.

1995 vintage

Quite delicious. Plush and full of ripe fruit. Pillowy finish. Definitely in its drinking window. Would serve with a filet mignon rahter than strip steak, as it is texturally soft and feminine.

1995 vintage

Probably popped this one two years or so too late; still hanging together, well-structured; some tannin but nothing hard and not much fruit, starting its decline. Still very enjoyable. A very well-made Cal Cab.

1995 vintage

Having had the two 96 Stags Leap Vineyards (SLV & Fay) less than two months prior this was a special treat. Just a touch richer and deeper than the FAY and SLV individually this wine really does take on qualities of each. To me the Mineral, Tobacco and Sage still stood out most accented with Oak and red cherry. Nice Bottle.

1995 vintage

Probably best to drink this one up soon. Still holds some nice fruit flavors and the nose is quite nice. But the tannins are gone and this was a light year, I think, for CS in Napa Valley.

1995 vintage

Well, I think i should opened this one up a bit sooner. The wine is hard and tannic with a reduced fruit profile. What interesting components existed on the nose faded after about 30 minutes. You do get some light cherry notes, whispers of menthol and hints of vegetal notes. In the mouth it's tough and hard and the astringency continues to build until you swallow. Thankfully short finish of hard tannins.

1995 vintage

What a disappointment, especially for $100. I bought these upon release based on the Spectator's score (hey, I was a newbie - what did I know?!?) and this is the first one I've opened. I recently had a Fay from the same year and as much as that one wasn't much to write home about, this was a real downer. Thin, acidic, almost tart/citrus-y. Although this was clearly a Cab, it was just completely underwhelming and kind of disjointed. I …

1995 vintage

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Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23

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