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, 2024A good amount of tobacco and pepper spice along with fresh plowed earth dark berry fruit and still has tannins
A good amount of tobacco and pepper spice along with fresh plowed earth dark berry fruit and still has tannins
Nov 9th, 2014
40th bday for a Cali can lover. Hint of eucalyptus, so smooth with refinement, and pure love in a glass.
40th bday for a Cali can lover. Hint of eucalyptus, so smooth with refinement, and pure love in a glass.
Sep 30th, 2014
Well kept and stored bottle that was beautiful. Mellow but with all its parts staying together.
Well kept and stored bottle that was beautiful. Mellow but with all its parts staying together.
Jun 10th, 2022
Hitting on all cylinders right now. Rich and deep flavors, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, black pepper, violet, and dirt. Still very fresh, with soft, soft tannins. Very satisfying.
Hitting on all cylinders right now. Rich and deep flavors, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, black pepper, violet, and dirt. Still very fresh, with soft, soft tannins. Very satisfying.
Nov 25th, 2021
Well balanced, rich, structured and a long finish!
Well balanced, rich, structured and a long finish!
Feb 26th, 2018
Big wine dinner we started with this. Dud! The nose was beautiful and it had a deep purple color and then when it hit your lips .. blah. Not corked just not much there. No fruit no structure. I have had two bottles and both have been the same.
Big wine dinner we started with this. Dud! The nose was beautiful and it had a deep purple color and then when it hit your lips .. blah. Not corked just not much there. No fruit no structure. I have had two bottles and both have been the same.
Dec 30th, 2017