A member of Napa’s legendary Class of 1972, and though their inaugural 1972 vintage won the Judgment of Paris re-match, this 2019 is the Wine Advocate’s top-rated Clos du Val Napa Cabernet yet:
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon includes small proportions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec and was aged 16 months in 44% new French oak. For entry-level Napa, it's a solid effort, marrying ripe cherries and hints of cassis with gentle notes of sage and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, it's soft enough to drink now, yet it shows enough velvety tannins to age at least through 2030. Nicely done.
Suckling’s best ever, too:
This shows lots of ripe dark and blue fruit on the nose, together with some leafy character. Notes of spices, cedar wood and walnuts, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh, juicy-fruit profile. Polished and smooth with an array of succulent berries and blue flowers in the aftertaste. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years. Try after 2024.
A terrific example of one of Stags Leap’s true Cabernet benchmarks, and at the State’s best price.
