With Hart, Jake et al at Pall Mall. Wine was courtesy of Jake.

I’d toured the Stag’s Leap winery a few years back. They were one of the winners at the Judgement of Paris, and are a Napa/Cali wine institution.

In the glass, this was a deep, rich bright ruby, with just a tiny bit of translucence.

On the nose: this was pure Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It does not have the usual eucalyptus lift at the end though: this was a dense dark cherry, red currant, and distinct savory note. I have to say, I was surprised at the restrain with oak? This nose was a solid purity of fruit. There was a vanilla note that was a little stronger than I would like.

Thankfully, 30 mins in the glass and decanter made a HUGE difference. The nose shedded its excess vanilla, and tightened up to become more focused and intense.

On the palate: rich and palette coating. Mid+ acidity. Mid body. Fairly long finish that lingered in my mouth for a while. Slight vanilla after taste. I think this must have quite a hefty amount of alcohol, but it was thankfully quite well integrated.

Overall, I was actually surprised at how much I liked the wine. Can you imagine…. Cali cab showing restrain on the oak? Anyway, lowered the score to 3.9, because the pricing is roughhhhhh. Would be a 4.1 or even a 4.2 if it was in the 160 range.