Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

The awesome 2019 Cask 23 boasts Fay’s finesse, harnessed to the warmth and weight of S.L.V. It takes some time in the glass to give much away, but with patience it reveals a wonderful, subtle, ripe sweetness alongside beefy heft. While ripe, it is definitely not overripe, and expresses a minty character, so typical of First and Second Growths from Pauillac or Saint-Estèphe. Beautifully complete and balanced, it is powerful, succulent and delicious, with plush-textured tannins. It will be very tempting to start guzzling this soon, but it’s worth waiting a few years at least. Drink 2027-2050+. Originally named after a barrel whose contents was of such exceptional quality that it was bottled as a separate wine, Cask 23 later became a complimentary combination of some of the finest parts of the S.L.V. and Fay vineyards. While all the Stag’s Leap estate wines boast impressive cellaring capability, this ‘Napa First Growth’ in particular requires keeping several years to show its best.