Cliff Lede 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Stag's Leap District Napa Valley Red Wine

Cliff Lede

Black currant and citrus blossom aromas develop into plum, espresso, and allspice. Fine-grained tannins and a full, rich mid-palate expand through the finish with semi-sweet chocolate, balanced by fresh minerality. This is a well-balanced and elegant wine that will evolve for the next 20 years.

Wine Advocate

Robert Parker 91 Drink: 2010 - 2025
The least expensive cuvee, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap, exhibits a deep plum/ruby/purple color along with a sweet perfume of cedar, black currants, flowers and a subtle hint of toast. Medium to full-bodied with beautiful density, ripeness, elegance and balance, it should drink well for 15+ years.

Type	Red
Varietal	75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
Vintage	2008
Bottle size	750mL
Alcohol content	15.1%
Appellation	California – Napa Valley - Stag's Leap District
Wine Advocate	91
Wine Enthusiast	--
Wine Spectator	--
Other	n/a

The Vineyards

The valley floor vineyard that encircles our winery is known as the Twin Peaks Ranch. More varied in soil type than our hillside property, we farm small bespoke blocks comprised of a selection of root stocks, clonal selections and varietals. This property forms the backbone of the Cliff Lede Cabernet program.

The steep, southwest-facing hillside portion of the property is known as the Poetry Vineyard. Reaching from the highest elevation of the Stags Leap Appellation down to the valley floor, this is a high exposure site. These blocks boast a gritty combination of shallow soils atop fractured shales with low-yielding old vines of Cabernet Sauvignon.

We are in the midst of a long term and comprehensive replanting of our property. When we brought David Abreu on to farm, we were confident that he would be able to coax excellence from the land. His efforts have had a dramatic effect on these vines…each vintage brings continued advances in fruit quality.