Discover the Napa Valley’s famed Stags Leap District by way of its unique Appellation Assortment wines – The San Francisco Examiner
For wine lovers, opening a special bottle can be like a tour of the wine region itself. The nuances of soil, climate and even the personality of the winemaker can be revealed in each glass. The release of this year’s limited Stags Leap District Appellation Collection offers a journey through one of the world’s most renowned Cabernet Sauvignon destinations with 17 different Stags Leap District wines, all from the exceptional 2017 vintage.
This year, Appellation Collection loyalists and buyers also have the opportunity to meet the winemakers and winemakers through a series of interactive virtual tastings so Cabernet Sauvignon enthusiasts can learn more about each of the coveted wines.
“Each of these bottlings stand on their own, but as a collective they tell a complete story of the Stags Leap District and show the distinctive traits of the wines of this region – grace and power, lush texture and lively fruit,” said Nancy Bialek, Executive Director of Hirschen Leap District winemakers. “Our virtual tastings deepen the experience and offer the opportunity to hear directly from our winemakers about this unforgettable vintage.”
The 2017 growing season was beautiful, starting with welcome rains that ended a year-long drought and grapevines drank deep in preparation for summer to come. The summer was mild until August, and then – as if fully aware of the holiday celebrating the hard work that makes America tick – the harvest quickly began after a Labor Day heat surge. A cooling phase shortly before the harvest led to a nice tannin development and wines that are rich, round and very well structured – classic characteristics of the Cabernet Sauvignons in the region. Most of the fruits in the appellation were picked before the forest fires broke out that year, so the wines were safe.
Only 150 sets of the wines are available. Each collection contains 17 bottles of 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, beautifully packaged and ready to ship for the holidays. Featured wineries include Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos du Val Wineries, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Wineries, Odette Estate Winery, Pine Ridge Wineries , Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Wineries, and Silverado Leap Wine Cellars, Stags’ Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards.
“This is a treasured gift for any Cabernet lover and an incredible addition to a wine cellar,” continued Bialek. “It’s a way of traveling bottle by bottle through the district and exploring the terroir that makes the region so recognizable.”
The Stags Leap District is a historic Napa Valley appellation with records of viticulture dating back to the 19th century. The district bordered the Vaca Mountains to the east and the Napa River to the west and was the first AVA (American Viticultural Area) in the United States to be approved due to the specific nature of its soils. The wines have an international reputation for quality and are critically praised for their particularity.
The 2017 Appellation Collection is exclusively available from October 15 to December 15, 2020 and costs $ 1,999 for the 17-bottle set, which comes in two boxes with detailed tasting notes for winemakers. Ground shipping is included. To purchase or register for the virtual tasting series, visit www.stagleapdistrict.com/AppellationCollection.
