Only 1,973 Magnums released!
50th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris Tasting
S.L.V., also known as Stag’s Leap Vineyard, is the winery’s first vineyard. This vineyard achieved international fame after the 1973 vintage stunned the wine world when it bested some of France’s greatest wines in a 1976 blind tasting known as the “Judgment of Paris”. Today, this vineyard continues to produce wines with layers of complexity, spicy intensity and excellent structure. Sourced primarily from Block 4 —the “grande dame” of the vineyard and the last remaining parcel from the estate’s original 1972 plantings
98 Points James Suckling
A classic wine from a great vineyard. So fragrant in pine needles, spearmint and blackcurrant aromas, then layers of violet, cocoa, cedar and bay laurel flavors wrapped in snug tannins. Fresh, firm and well-balanced, with many years of enjoyment ahead. Drinkable now and best from 2033.
97 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Richer and fuller than the Fay Vineyard bottling, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. is loaded with generous notes of mixed red and black cherries. It's not quite full-bodied, but it's expansive on the palate—and somehow it does that without seeming heavy or overwrought. The luscious finish unspools in long, savory waves of mocha, earth and black olives. It's impressive stuff.
96 Points Vinous
The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. is a deep, powerful wine. Black cherry, plum, espresso, menthol and dried herbs infuse the 2022 with tons of aromatic complexity. Beams of tannin confer gravitas to this brooding, imposing young Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2023 offers an intriguing mix of the power that is typical of this site tempered by the restraint of this cold, late-ripening year.
Winemaker Note
The wine leads with dark fruit aromas on the nose intertwined with cocoa, baking spices, cassis, and subtle cedar spice. The palate is rich and firmly structured, revealing gravelly and iron-tinged mineral nuances. Dark chocolate emerges toward the end, carrying through a persistent, well-structured finish.
