Staglin Family Vineyard
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
Opened for a buddy’s birthday party. What a lovely surprise. Cork was a struggle, but hardly any seepage at all. On a table with a ridiculous amount of bottles, including standouts like ‘95 Opus, ‘85 Freemark Bosche, ‘74 Sterling Merlot, ‘13 Salon.
Pop and poured. Excellent youthful color! Deep ruby, hardly any bricking. Gorgeous aromatics of red and black berries, vanilla pipe tobacco, sweet spices. On the palate, it is wonderfully integrated and layered with stewed red and black fruits, fig, espresso, dusty coco (maybe fading signature Rutherford dust?), and a small bit of tannin at the finish keeping this buttoned-up and well structured. Excellent finish and balance. Held strong all evening. Seems as though this had a toe in the early ‘90s style of more bright Napa cabs and one toe in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s style of starting to increase ripeness…great marriage of the two. Pop and enjoy!
Opened for a buddy’s birthday party. What a lovely surprise. Cork was a struggle, but hardly any seepage at all. On a table with a ridiculous amount of bottles, including standouts like ‘95 Opus, ‘85 Freemark Bosche, ‘74 Sterling Merlot, ‘13 Salon.
Pop and poured. Excellent youthful color! Deep ruby, hardly any bricking. Gorgeous aromatics of red and black berries, vanilla pipe tobacco, sweet spices. On the palate, it is wonderfully integrated and layered with stewed red and black fruits, fig, espresso, dusty coco (maybe fading signature Rutherford dust?), and a small bit of tannin at the finish keeping this buttoned-up and well structured. Excellent finish and balance. Held strong all evening. Seems as though this had a toe in the early ‘90s style of more bright Napa cabs and one toe in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s style of starting to increase ripeness…great marriage of the two. Pop and enjoy!
Flight #2 of our 1997 Retrospective and these were the thoroughbreds. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #4 had great color, had a gorgeous, slightly lifted nose. Developing, the fruit leaned a little more opulent, but only just. Some secondary characteristics beginning to emerge but no signs of fading. There was excellent structure with lovely acid. I called Staglin. A real beauty that’s ready to drink through 2037
Flight #2 of our 1997 Retrospective and these were the thoroughbreds. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #4 had great color, had a gorgeous, slightly lifted nose. Developing, the fruit leaned a little more opulent, but only just. Some secondary characteristics beginning to emerge but no signs of fading. There was excellent structure with lovely acid. I called Staglin. A real beauty that’s ready to drink through 2037
Feb 4th, 2024
Drinking very well. Plenty of fruit and wonderful layers of flavor.
Drinking very well. Plenty of fruit and wonderful layers of flavor.
Dec 27th, 2023
So very good, my son turned 21 and we had held this bottle from release until now. Was it worth it? Damn right it was @Garen Staglin a wonderful example of why I love your Cabernet. So smooth silky tannins aged by time to a perfect balance. Dark rose and stone fruit mixed in with smoke leather and a little earth. This wine just got better and better as it opened. Considering it was his 21st birthday at home in quarantine we couldn’t have asked for more.
So very good, my son turned 21 and we had held this bottle from release until now. Was it worth it? Damn right it was @Garen Staglin a wonderful example of why I love your Cabernet. So smooth silky tannins aged by time to a perfect balance. Dark rose and stone fruit mixed in with smoke leather and a little earth. This wine just got better and better as it opened. Considering it was his 21st birthday at home in quarantine we couldn’t have asked for more.
Jul 12th, 2020
Greatest wine I’ve had this year
Greatest wine I’ve had this year
Apr 15th, 2018
Quite bold and fresh. Soft texture meets intense presentation.
Quite bold and fresh. Soft texture meets intense presentation.
3 people found it helpfulJul 19th, 2015I am biased but damn good. This vintage was very tight at the beginning but now very rewarding. Try it if it’s in your cellar.
I am biased but damn good. This vintage was very tight at the beginning but now very rewarding. Try it if it’s in your cellar.
1 person found it helpfulApr 19th, 2018
Very, very soft tannins. Overripe fruits. Not bad fruit. Concentrated. Round and enjoyable.
Very, very soft tannins. Overripe fruits. Not bad fruit. Concentrated. Round and enjoyable.
1 person found it helpfulMar 24th, 2015Perfect for its age. Cinnamon, mint, bright fruit. 10 years to go.
Perfect for its age. Cinnamon, mint, bright fruit. 10 years to go.
Jun 22nd, 2017