Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

Wine ~ This is not a wine for the faint of heart. Who said 1998 was a weak vintage? Open this wine when you have a very long evening to savor its magnificent journey along a sensual path of great beauty. The fiery and intense elements of S.L.V. are softened by the gentle roundness of FAY. Aromas of cassis, wild strawberry, raspberry and black cherry come alive. Trailing notes of wet leather, black and white pepper, vanilla and roasted almonds rest gently on a bed of dried violets. A red fruit entry transforms itself into silky plumminess. Power and finesse rest on a firm yet discreet structure of fruit and oak tannins. The sensation lingers, reverberating like the memory of a great piece of music. Serve with a richly sauced loin of venison accompanied by slow-cooked butternut squash, or wild mushrooms in a cabernet reduction over creamy polenta.

"What a great success. Oozes with black-currant jam and cassis and a dash of black pepper. Flamboyant oak adds a perfume of vanilla and smoke. Fleshy, long and full, this beautiful wine is not a monster, but it coats the palate with spicy flavors that epitomize class and style."

-Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Wines of 2002