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The three vintages of OV/SL are essentially culled-out lots that are co-fermented together from the Stags Leap as well as the Oakville property. It’s an intriguing idea, and Futo has certainly pulled it off brilliantly. The 2013 Futo OV/SL is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Loads of sweet earth and a dusty, tannic mouthfeel that reminds me of a high-quality St.-Estèphe are offered up in this opaque purple-colored wine, which has plenty of blackcurrant, black cherry, licorice and graphite. It is full-bodied, moderately tannic and, like so many 2013s, it has begin to shut down ever so slightly. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25-30 years.
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The 2013 OV SL is dark, powerful and brooding in style. Black cherry, mocha, licorice, new leather, spice and blackberry jam infuse this dark, muscular wine. There is no shortage of vintage 2013 personality, which means readers should not be in a rush. The bruising tannins need time to soften. Today, the 2013 is not quite as expressive as it has been in the past.
The 2013 Proprietary Red OVSL (77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc) is a small cuvée of 535 cases, and like its bigger brethren, bottled unfined and unfiltered. This is the strongest of the three vintages in that it is a richer, more concentrated wine. I would think it’s hard to cull out such high-quality juice from the other lots, but Futo did it. Silky tannins, stunning blueberry and blackberry fruit with a hint of burning embers are all present in this multidimensional, complex, fleshy and succulent style of wine. Drink it over the next 20+ years.
The 2013 OV SL is simply fabulous. A blend of fruit from both of Tom Futo's estate vineyards, the OV SL expresses all the house signatures in a slightly more mid-weight, accessible style. Wild flowers, graphite, espresso, new leather and dark red stone fruits find plenty of support from a spine of tannin and acidity. All the elements fall into place in a gracious, effortless wine endowed with pure class. The vibrant, finely-sculpted finish speaks to Stags Leap, which makes up about 40% of the blend.