Red Wine Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Fay Cabernet Sauvignon 2015. Decant 2 hours before serving. Stag’s Leap is synonymous with exceptional Napa Cabernet thanks to Warren Winiarski who gave up an academic career to study winemaking under Robert Mondavi. In 1976 Winiarski’s young project became world-famous after the Judgement of Paris tasting. A panel of respected French wine critics voted his Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 to first place, above many top Bordeaux producers like Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. Winiarski purchased the Fay vineyard in 1986 and experimented with how to grow Cabernet, trialing a variety of clones and root stocks as well as row orientations and trellis techniques. This helps create a wine with an especially complex flavour profile. Thanks to the silty, weathered soils, this single vineyard Cab boasts silky tannins, bright berry fruit, and a distinctive aromatic character. Cassis, boysenberry, and sweet cherry pie notes dominate on the nose, while the palate has a solid core of blackberry, blueberry and wild berry flavours. The finish is long and refined, with hints of woodsmoke and spice from the 20 months of oak barrel ageing. The chief winemaker at SLV, Marcus Notaro, describes this wine as an iron fist in a velvet glove, with robust tannins and a powerful structure overlaid with plenty of rich, soft fruit.
2015
Red Wine Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Fay Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Red Wine Stefano Accordini Amarone Fornetto 2015. Decanting time: 2 hours The classic, renowned Valpolicella tradition from Stefano Accordini is hard to ignore, and the Amarone Fornetto has proven to be among the north-eastern region of Veneto’s most prestigious and internationally recognized wines. The result of this tradition and dedication to quality has ensured that the wine is always a major player, regardless of the vintage, while simultaneously raising the visibility and influence of region’s status within the competitive world of wine. An intentional and balanced blend of Molinara, Rondinella and Corvina grapes, this Amarone is critically distinguished by its bold and ripe flavours. The air drying of the grapes, an age old process known simply as appassimento,” is just one example of the traditional approaches used to curate this world-class wine. Its ruby red coloring is accented by violet hues that flows effortlessly into the light hints of dried fruits. The taste of alcohol and sugar is present on the palate, but never reaches the point of being overwhelming as it balances into a fine relationship with it’s level of acidity. A soft and round mouthfeel, this vintage in particular presents an uncontestable level of sophistication. This dry and rich red wine is best enjoyed with beef, soft and mild cheese, as well as seafood such as tuna, salmon or shellfish. The full-bodied nature of this distinguishable wine along with its strong flavours make it perfectly suited to those collectors invested in the art and patience of wine aging.
2015
Red Wine St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon 2015. Lovers of big Napa Cabernets will enjoy this magnificent bottle which is equally at home resting in the cellar for another 10 years or being enjoyed now alongside a prime steak or hearty beef stew. On the nose there are decadent hints of crushed blackberries, cassis and dark plum while the first sip reveals firm tannins, a well-built structure and a generous full body with a very long finish. In the winery the young wine is aged in French oak barrels for 19 months to soften the tannins and add subtle oaky notes to the flavour profile. Typically the winery then blends in small quantities of Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Merlot along with the Cabernet to add complexity, with the exact proportions varying from vintage to vintage. The wine is then bottled and held for a few more months before release. Founded in 1982, St. Supery is set in the heart of Napa in the famous Rutherford sub-region. The estate takes sustainability very seriously and is certified under both the Napa Green Land and Napa Green Winery which impose stringent regulations and criteria aimed at protecting the natural environment.
2015