2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 reveals more oak on the nose, but is a much deeper, richer, fuller wine than the S.L.V. Dense ruby/purple to the rim, beautiful blackberry and cassis fruit, cedar wood, toast and earth jump from the glass. Full-bodied and layered, but with nothing out of balance, this is probably the strongest Cask 23 since the glory years of the mid-80s. Look for this wine to drink well young, yet age effortlessly for 25 years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Juicy and dense with impressive sweetness and fine tannins but no sickliness. Graphite and lovely dry finish.
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon CASK 23 is the biggest and richest of these wines from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. Broad and expansive on the palate, the 2012 is quite pretty, but stops short of being truly exciting. Blue and black fruits, violets and sweet spices add nuance on the perfumed, generous finish.
The spectacular 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 appears to be the finest Cask 23 since the glory years of the mid-eighties. It boasts a dense purple color, complex notes of spice box, Christmas fruitcake, blackcurrant jam, mulberries and spring flowers, as well as a full-bodied, opulent personality. It is a profound example of this iconic wine that went through a period of mediocrity in the mid- to late-1990s prior to being sold.
About the producer
Warren Winiarski founded Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 1970 when he purchased the Stag’s Leap Vineyard in Napa’s Stags Leap District. The 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon – only the second vintage – won the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting, rocketing the estate to fame.