Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Revisited

If you love great Cabernet Sauvignon, you really must visit Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. They are a famous, quintessential Napa Valley premium winery that is especially noted for their wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon. I first visited them around 1975 just before they made such a sensation in the "Paris Tasting of 1976" when their 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from three year old vines scored more points than any other red wine, including some very famous first growth French Bordeauxs such as Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion.  This was a blind tasting with French wine experts, and the results caused a sensation. On the twentieth anniversary of this event in 1996, a bottle of this famous Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon was placed in the Smithsonian Museum.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars building

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was founded in 1970 by Warren Winiarski of Napa who loved the wines produced by Nathan Fay and purchased an adjacent property of 44 acres that had been planted with prune trees and some grape vines.  The 1973 vintage was the first S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon produced.  In 1986, sixteen years after the purchase of the S.L.V. vineyard, Winiarski purchased the adjacent vineyard from Nathan Fay and named it FAY Vineyard in his honor.  This vineyard had been planted with Cabernet Sauvignon in 1961 and was the first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in this area which was designated as Stags Leap District in 1989. In 1990 S.L.V. was placed under a conservation easement with the Napa Count Land Trust, guaranteeing that the land will remain agricultural land in perpetuity.  This was the first arrangement of this kind in Napa Valley.  In 1996 the Arcadia Vineyard near the base of Mount George was acquired for growing Chardonnay.  In 2007 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was sold to a partnership of Saint Michelle Wine Estates and Marchesi Antinori.  Marcos Notaro is the current winemaker.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars entry to wine cave

 During our last review in 2011 we were especially fond of the Stag's Leap 2007 FAY Cabernet Sauvignon, the Stag's Leap 2007 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon and the Stag's Leap 2007 CASK23 Cabernet Sauvignon, and I noted regarding the CASK23, " It combines the best of the FAY and SLV to provide a wine that is both elegant and full of character. This is the type of Cabernet that gives Napa Valley such a great reputation."  These are the flagship wines at Stag's Leap Winery and no wine lover should visit them without trying these three.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars garden

During our most recent visit we were provided with a tour in addition to the tasting and had the great pleasure of having Anna Carminito, the VIP Trade Coordinator, as our host.  A tour at Stag's Leap is well worth while, especially with their amazing wine caves with 34,000 square feet of tunnels that can hold 5,300 barrels of wine.  The cave entrance, called The Arcade, was designed by Javier Barba from Barcelona, and is in itself a work of art.  The center of the cave has the Round Room where a Foucault pendulum is suspended from the ceiling, demonstrating the rotation of the earth.  It is one of only about fifty Foucault pendulums in the world.  The grounds are also lovely, and they are building a new visitor center that will have amazing views and will be open later this year.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars entry to wine caves

Our tasting actually began at the tasting bar prior to the tour.  We were provided with an initial pour of the Stag's Leap 2011 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc that sells for $26.  It was made from 59% Sauvignon Musque (a clonal variant of Sauvignon Blanc) plus 41% Sauvignon Blanc. Most of the fruit came from one of their estate vineyards in Oak Knoll District but 26% was sourced from Rancho Chimiles Vineyard in Wooden Valley, the later giving it some citrus and mineral notes.  76% was aged in previously used French oak barrels and 24% in stainless steel.  It received no malolactic conversion. I got a fairly good nose of melon, pineapple and white peach.  On the palate I got mostly peach in a smooth, creamy presentation that emphasized the fruit but still had some minerality.  Balance was good, and it had a medium length finish.  This was not very French in style, not nearly as crisp and dry, but many people should find its rather fruit forward presentation to be appealing, and it is quite decent for the price.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars front patio

Our second taste came after the tour and was at a tasting table where we could sit and concentrate on the wines.  We chose to sit inside rather than outside because of the wind which would make it difficult to appreciate the aromas of the wines.  This second pour was the Stag's Leap 2012 Karia Chardonnay at $34. It is from grapes from Arcadia Vineyard in Coombsville and Danika Ranch in Oak Knoll.  85% of it was aged in oak with 20% being new oak.  The other 15% was in stainless steel.  It underwent 20% malolactic conversion. I got a good nose of pear, peach and apple with the same on the palate.  It was fairly well balanced with good acidity but a somewhat short finish.  Quite pleasant at this price, so I purchased a bottle to try later.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars tasting room entry

Third up was the Stag's Leap 2012 Arcadia Vineyard Chardonnay at $50.  I could only find production notes on the 2011 but assume this is 100% Chardonnay, that it saw minimal malolactic conversion and a restrained amount of new French oak.  I got a really good nose of pear and peach with some floral notes.  It was very nicely balanced with mostly white peach, apple, pear and some lemon and vanilla with good, well integrated acid.  It had a medium plus length finish, better than the Karia, but then it is also 30% more in price.  I found it very appealing, somewhat French in style, and purchased some.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars border between
FAY (left of row of trees) and S.L.V. vineyards


We moved on to the red wines next with the Stag's Leap 2010 Napa Valley Merlot at $45.  This is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Merlot came mostly from their Danika Ranch in Oak Knoll District and the Cab came from their FAY and S.L.V. Vineyards. The wine was aged for 17 months in French oak with 26% new oak.  I got a good nose of red cherry with some spices.  On the palate it was very nicely balanced with red cherry and spice, chewy tannins and a medium length finish.  The structure was quite decent for a Merlot, probably due mostly to the additional Cab.  A very pleasant and drinkable Merlot.


Stag's Leap Wine Cellars FAY Vineyard

The Stag's Leap 2011 Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon at $55 was next.  It is 86%  Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot and was sourced from various Napa Valley vineyards, although our host informed us that FAY and S.L.V. Vineyard Cab grapes also go into the Artemis.  It was aged for 16 months in French oak with 35% new oak.  It had a good aroma of red cherry, cranberry and spice.  On the palate I got a well balanced, medium bodied presentation of mostly red cherry, cranberry and spices with soft tannins and a medium length finish with some cranberry lingering on.  It was very drinkable now but should age nicely.  Very pleasant and accessible.  My friend really liked it and purchased some.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. Vineyard
with mustard blooms

Their three signature Cabernets were next, beginning with the Stag's Leap 2010 FAY Cabernet Sauvignon at $110.  This 100% Cab saw 19 months in French oak with 89% of that being new oak.  It began with a very fragrant aroma of black cherry, black currant and savory spice.  On the palate it was full bodied and lush with red cherry, toasty oak, tobacco, vanilla, with hints of cedar and savory and a medium length finish.  A really nice Cab with a unique sense of terroir or origin; no wonder it was rated 93 points by the well known critic, Antonio Galloni.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars back patio

We were able to compare the FAY to the Stag's Leap 2010 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon that retails at $125.  This is also 100% Cabernet and was aged for 21 months in French oak with 94% new oak.  It did not have the great aroma of the FAY, but still had a good nose of blackberry, toasted oak and coffee.  On the palate it was all black fruit with much more minerality than the FAY, also with bolder tannins and more structure.  The finish was very nice and longer than the FAY.  Although quite drinkable now (for me) I'd say this is the one to lay away and the FAY is the one to drink immediately.  Antonio Galloni rated this one at 94 points, and it is a matter of personal preference whether you prefer the FAY or S.L.V. I loved both of them.  It is really interesting to taste the FAY and S.L.V. side by side because the vineyards are right next to each other, are made into 100% Cab by the same winemaker and yet they are so different.  The S.L.V. and the FAY both have their individual personalities that make them unique from other Cabs.  It is a good example of why some people, such as myself, find terroir so interesting and appealing.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars garden

Their flagship CASK 23 Cabernet was our last pour, although we still had glasses of the other Cabs for comparison.  This was the Stag's Leap 2010 CASK 23 Cabernet Sauvignon at $225.  Back in 1974 when the famous Andre Tchelistcheff was assisting them, some blocks from the S.L.V. vineyard were so exceptional that they decided to bottle them separately from the rest of the Cab.  The cask they used from Heitz Vineyard had Cask 23 marked on it, and that was the origin of the name.  Now each year they take the very best grapes from FAY Vineyard and S.L.V. Vineyard and make the CASK 23.  (But some years, such as in 2011, they make no CASK 23.)  Each lot was vinified and aged separately in small French oak barrels for 21 months, using 90% new French oak. The final blend in 2010 was 56.8% FAY and 43.2% S.L.V.  The CASK 23 is one of the most famous wines in Napa Valley, and in some years I thought it was head and shoulders better than the FAY or S.L.V.  But you can buy both a bottle of the FAY and the S.L.V. for the price of one bottle of the CASK 23, and this is one of those years I'd probably opt for the two bottles over the one.  The CASK 23 is still wonderful, of course.  Perhaps the S.L.V. and FAY are simply getting better.  This CASK 23 had a good aroma of cherry and sage, but I slightly preferred the aroma of the FAY.  On the palate I got deep, lush cherry and blackberry with sage, savory, oak, coffee, and chocolate.  It was well balanced and well structured.  Finish was medium plus, about the same as the S.L.V.  I liked the overall balance better than the FAY or S.L.V., but I think all three Cabs are different and exceptionally good.  Try them side by side and see how they taste to you.  Remember it will vary from year to year, and the same vintage also changes with time. One thing that never varies is that I find that with every vintage all three of these Cabs are always wonderful.


Stag's Leap Wine Cellars tasting room in wine caves

I can't imagine any serious wine drinker visiting Napa Valley and not going to Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.  The wine is simply too wonderful and the winery much too historic to be missed.  When you also consider the lovely grounds and wine caves, you have a winery that is one that every serious wine lover should visit at least once.  They are open to the public without an appointment.  At the time of this visit the tastings were $15 for the Napa Valley Collection Tasting Flight and $30 for the Estate Collection Tasting Flight.  I recommend the Estate Flight or else both flights. You should inquire about a tasting fee waiver with minimum purchase.  They are also in the Napa Neighbor Program. Please see Tours and Tastings for current information.  

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars entry sign
Note the spelling

Note: "Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars" should not be confused with "Stags’ Leap Winery" (apostrophe after the "s" rather than before it and called Winery rather than Wine Cellars) where they produce very nice Petite Sirahs.  Also note that this AVA (American Viticultural Area) is spelled "Stags Leap" District with no apostrophe.  If there is no apostrophe it is a reference to the District.  If the apostrophe is before the s, then it is the historic Cabernet place.  If the apostrophe is after the s, you will find some very good Petite Sirah and other wines. I sometimes see the District name misspelled with the addition of an apostrophe, however.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars statue
near front entry

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
5766 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 944-2020
Date of this review: March 11, 2014
Date of previous review: March 2, 2011


Stag's Leap Wine Cellars "Hands of Time"
A small portion of the wall that has many hands
of winemakers and others who have had major
roles in the history of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars garden
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Foucault pendulum
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars fountain


Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Summers Estate Wines Revisited

Summers Estate Wines,  just off Highway 128 a few miles north of the town of Calistoga, is a delightful, friendly, unpretentious family winery that we visit often and highly recommend! They have some very reasonably priced premium wines and, as of this date, you may taste five of them for only $15. They are also in the Napa Neighbor Program, and you should inquire about tasting fee waivers with minimum purchases.  They are open to the public without an appointment but special tastings and tours may be arranged by appointment.

Summers Estate Wines entry sign
Summers Estate Wines tasting building

Some wine lovers seem to attend less to those wineries north of Calistoga, but this is a mistake.  Calistoga wineries offer some wonderful wines, often at comparatively reasonable prices at small wineries that are often not as crowded as many Napa Valley wineries.  They are noted more for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and other red wines that do well with more heat, but some of these wineries source Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and other varietals from Carneros and cooler districts of Napa Valley or from Sonoma Valley.  Summers Estate Wines is one of our favorite wineries in Calistoga and well worth a visit.  In fact, on warmer days (usually May-October) it would make good sense to start tasting in Calistoga and work your way down Napa Valley so that you end up in Carneros toward the end of the day when the temperatures rise.

Summers Estate Wines vineyard

The story Summers Estate Wines began in 1987 when Jim and Beth Summers purchased 28 acres of vineyard in Knights Valley which is located 8.6 miles northwest of Calistoga, slightly into Sonoma County. They initially sold all of their grapes to other wineries until a larger than usual production in 1993 allowed them to produce their first Summers Ranch Merlot. In 1996 they expanded by purchasing San Pietra Vara, a winery and tasting room north of Calistoga near Highway 128 and Tubbs Lane, thus adding 25 acres.  This Napa Valley vineyard is called Villa Andriana Vineyard, named after Jim's daughter, with the property itself named Summers Estate Wines.  22 acres of Zinfandel, Charbono and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown there, with the Zin vines being over forty years old.  In addition to the winery and tasting room, they have a bocce ball court, picnic area and entertainment center.  Their vineyard manager and winemaker over the past 18 years has been Ignacio Blancas who also replanted most of their vineyards.

Summers Estate Wines tasting bar

Our last review of Summers was March 4, 2011.  Of course we have visited them since then.  During that visit we loved the Summers 2007 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at $70. Some of this wonderful Cab is still available at the winery.  We were also very fond of the Summers 2008 Charbono and the Summers 2008 Zinfandel.  I noted that the wines were very reasonably priced for Napa Valley premium wines.

Summers Estate Wines fireplace

During our visit this time we were able to watch in the distance the "Old Faithful Geyser of California" spouting off, with the Summer's vineyards and mustard in the foreground.  Calistoga wineries tend to be more rural and unpretentious, reminiscent of Napa Valley thirty or forty years ago, and Summers epitomizes such wineries.  We always enjoy our visits and owe our thanks this time to Melissa who was our friendly, helpful, down to earth, and informative host.

Summers Estate Wines tasting table

The first tasting was the Summers Estate 2012 Stuhlmuller Reserve Chardonnay at $32.  This was awarded 92 points by the reputable Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast.  The grapes were grown at the famous Stuhlmuller Vineyards in Alexander Valley near Russian River in Sonoma Valley.  It is 100% Chardonnay and was aged for eight months in French oak, with 40% of this new oak.  It received about 30% malolactic conversion.  690 cases were produced.  It had an excellent aroma of apple, pear and lemon with mineral notes.  On the palate it was smooth and well balanced with apple, pear and tropical fruits.  It was somewhat soft and buttery, but not excessively so by any means.  Finish was medium length and soft with some lingering pineapple and lemon cream.  If you find some Chards too rich and buttery and others a bit too acidic and austere, this one might be exactly what you are looking for. You can drink this by itself or pair it with lobster, scallops, cream sauces, soft cheeses or any number of dishes. A very good Chardonnay at an excellent price!

Summers Estate vineyard view

The second pour was their well known Charbono, the Summers Estate 2011 Villa Andriana Vineyard Charbono at $32. Charbono is a full bodied Italian red varietal that is uncommon in Napa Valley.  (Only 80 acres of it are planted in all of California.)  This one is 100% Charbono and was aged for 18 months in half American oak and half French oak with 50% being new oak.  1,500 cases were produced.  It was a lovely light purple in color with a good, pleasantly aroma of fresh cherries and toasted oak.  On the palate I got blackberry and cherry with firm tannins, bright acid and a medium length finish.  It is perfectly drinkable now but should continue to improve with age.  We always like their Charbono, and it sells out quickly so we always purchase some when it is in stock.

Summers Estate Wines patio

Next was the Summers Estate 2010 Knights Valley Reserve Merlot at $34.  This is 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Syrah and was aged for twenty months in French oak with 50% new oak.  800 cases were produced.  After a good aroma of cherry and raspberry I got cherry, plum, cranberry and spices with good structure and a long finish.  It was nicely balanced with a rich texture, firm tannins and a layered and interesting presentation.  Very nice.

Summers Estate Wines tasting room

The fourth pour was the Summers Estate 2010 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $38.  This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 19 months in French oak, 60% of this being new oak.  2,000 cases were produced.  A lovely garnet in color, it began with a good aroma of raspberries and cracked pepper.  On the palate I got mostly black cherry and blackberry with very interesting baking spices and black pepper, with a full mouthfeel and a medium length finish.  Very nice, especially at this price point.

Summers Estate Wines vineyard

Our favorite, though, was next, the Summers Estate 2010 Calistoga Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon at $59.  Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast gave this 92 points.  This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged 22 months in French oak with 60% of this new oak  500 cases were produced. It was deep ruby to purple in color and had a good nose of blackberries, black currant and toasted oak.  On the palate it was very full bodied with bold but balanced tannins, blackberry, black currant, mocha and toasted oak.  Finish was medium length.  A Napa Valley Cabernet of this quality usually sells for more.  This Cab should age very nicely and become even more interesting over the years.  Exceptionally nice and highly recommended!

Summers Estate outdoor patio

We did not try the Summer's Zinfandel this time but have always liked theirs.  I later noticed they had a Summers Estate 2007 Checkmate Bordeaux Style Blend that was awarded 94 points by the Wine Enthusiast.  I have not tasted this but imagine it is exceptional.  I can strongly recommend the above 2010 Reserve Cab and their 2007 Diamond Mountain Cab, the later still available at $70 and outstanding.  And of course you must try the Charbono.  A very pleasant surprise this time was their 2012 Stuhlmuller Reserve Chardonnay which should not be overlooked.  We highly recommend that you visit Summers Estate Winery. Be sure to also check out their wine club for some excellent premium wine bargains.
 
Summers Estate vineyard

1171 Tubbs Ln
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-5508
Date of revisit:  March 4, 2014
Date of last review: November 23, 2011 Previous review

Current information regarding visits and fees:  Current visiting information

Summers Estate bocce ball court
Summers Estate Wines wine labels
Summers Estate Wines entrance to bocce ball court
Summers Estate courtyard
Summers Estate Wines art work