Winemaking Update

As I pen this message to you, it’s the second week of October and we’re about halfway through harvest 2023. It can be a superstitious time of year at the winery so I won’t go into too much detail — yet — but this vintage has me very excited.

So far, we’re enjoying healthy yields with exceptional balance. Achieving proper sugar levels is rarely an issue in these parts. The bigger challenge is landing on optimal fruit maturity — the phenolics, the acidity, the tannins. The extended hang time we’ve had has been a blessing, creating immense structure and the makings of a great vintage that just wants to be itself. When fruit like this lands on the crush pad, it’s my role to do as little as possible to get in its way. (Ironically, this “do nothing” approach requires the most time and effort and oversight, but it’s my favorite method!)

But we’ll get to the 2023’s in good time. Right now, we’re thrilled to share three remarkable wines in the latest shipment, a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings that really showcases our unique place in the Napa Valley. The first two wines demonstrate the singular nature of our vineyard sites, set within two very distinctive appellations. The third wine is a blend of select lots, allowed to age patiently for more than two years.

The 2021 Stags Crown Cabernet Sauvignon holds a magnifying glass up to a very special corner of the appellation. Our vineyard rests at the northernmost end of the AVA, a seven-acre site at the base of the Vaca Mountains (located at the corner of Yountville Crossroad and the Silverado Trail). It tends to be a bit warmer. Since it is located outside of the “valley within the valley” that is the Southern end of the district, it gets some protection from the gusts coming off of San Pablo Bay. There’s a floral fruit aroma from start to finish with this wine, accented by blueberry scone notes and baking spices.

The 2021 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon shows a lesser-known side of the appellation. While much of the fruit grown here hails from the bench, our vineyard is set up a bit higher, in the foothills of the Mayacamas. Here, the vines are rooted happily in tuff soil, a white calcareous type that helps create the signature “Rutherford dust” flavor in these wines. To me, that iconic element is reminiscent of cocoa powder, both texturally and in terms of flavor profile. See if you can detect it in the 2021, along with compelling notes of red fruit, toasted marshmallow and mocha.

Lastly, a special release otherwise known as the 2019 Cave 7 Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 26 months, this wine will age exceptionally for another decade or two but is drinking very well now. The added time in barrel has afforded it highly-evolved aromatics and spotlights the kind of harmony that can be achieved with an extended aging regimen. I can’t wait to see how it continues to change over time.

We’re married (happily) to harvest at the moment but cannot wait to gather with friends and family and share in these wines. When the 2023’s go to barrel, we’ll take our harvest blinders off and look forward to the approaching holiday season and the many memories that come with it.

Here’s to a generous Fall,

Josh Widaman
Estate Winemaker

Josh Widaman
Estate Winemaker

 Viticulture Update

There’s nothing quite like the energy of harvest. We’re seeing a year’s worth of work show up at the winery in the form of clusters and, in a way, it feels a little like welcoming a new family member. There’s excitement, nervousness, pride, and the lingering thought that what arrives at our winery headquarters will grow up to be a mature wine soon (after a little nurturing).

We hope these wines reflect that unique energy that comes with harvest. It’s maybe the closest thing to time travel we have yet — to uncork a 2021 and smell and taste all the farming and winemaking work that went into that very specific growing season. It’s a pretty amazing phenomenon.

As a viticulturist, I’m especially drawn to this wine shipment. These wines really emphasize the importance of soil and how dirt can dictate certain characteristics within a wine. That could not be more true with the Stags Leap District, the first appellation to be recognized on the merit of its one-of-a-kind soils. This is where Stags Crown Vineyard calls home, in loamy soils not far from the Napa River.

The individuality of this vineyard is impressive, from the radiation of the nearby rocks to the way we train the vines. This year, the temperatures have been lower than normal, but this site is hardly impacted. A big reason is the Double Guyot system we use to train the vines, which clusters set closer to the ground (12-to-18 inches from the soil). At that distance, the clusters are receiving the benefits of the ground heat reflection which helps with uniform ripening and a good balance of acid and flavors. These low-set clusters are no picnic to harvest (in fact, it’s easier to harvest them on our knees, rather than squatting) but it’s always worth the effort. Just ask the 2021 Stags Crown Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rutherford too has its own thing going on. As Josh mentioned, the tuff soil is white and very porous, which helps with drainage. It also results in some subterranean scenes: The root systems of the vines are thin and sprawling, reminiscent of intricate spider webs. We like to think that these roots are at least partially responsible for the well-integrated tannins and subtle hint of dust you get in the Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.

These wines remind us of the big picture — the fact that a good Cab is a sum of its massive parts, from the pruning in winter to the blending in the spring. And there’s no better way to partake in that experience than with your closest crew and a good feast.

Cheers!

Gustavo Aviña
Viticulture Director