1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23
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Tasting notes
(13.5% alcohol): Bright, healthy dark red. Burnished woodsmoke, plum and cedar on the mellow, inviting nose, plus a hint of darker berries. Wonderfully fine-grained, concentrated and suave, showing flavors similar to the aromas, along with strong soil tones and an element of tobacco leaf. Boasts excellent inner-mouth lift and a long, smoothly tannic finish. A lovely showing and perfect right now--not to mention a superb example of its appellation. Incidentally, this was the first year in which Michael Silacci (in charge of winemaking at Opus One since 2004) was involved at Stag's Leap.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Surprisingly, the 1995 Cask 23 Proprietary Red Wine is light, acidic, and excessively polite. The tart acid that is so much an annoying component of these 1995s is present in the Cask 23, giving it a lean, clipped and compact feel on the palate. I do not believe this is what fans of Stags Leap Wine Cellars have come to expect. Nevertheless, the spicy, coffee, herb, cedary, redcurrant nose offers promise. There is good depth, but much of it is shielded by the wine's tart veneer. This wine should turn out to be graceful and elegant, but I am concerned about the textural deficiencies. (Tasted in barrel.) Stags Leap Wine Cellars' red wines have always been among my favorites, but I was surprised by the pronounced level of tart acidity found in the 1995s. High acidity, together with a low PH, causes a wine's texture to become compressed. The result is a wine that tastes too compact and lean. The 1995s possess excellent to outstanding raw materials, but does this vintage (the 1994s are also high in acidity) signal a change in the winemaking philosophy at Stag's Leap? I hope not. Tel. (707) 944-2020
About the producer
Warren Winiarski founded Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 1970 when he purchased the Stag’s Leap Vineyard in Napa’s Stags Leap District. The 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon – only the second vintage – won the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting, rocketing the estate to fame.