Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Fay Hillside Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
Happy Birthday Christina & Hedy.
Dark fruits and dark roasted expresso. Like velvet on the palate
Happy Birthday Christina & Hedy.
Dark fruits and dark roasted expresso. Like velvet on the palate
On the nose, candied red floral fruits of; boysenberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, black raspberries & blueberries hues. Sweet vanillin, slight liqueur notes, clove, touch of nutmeg, cinnamon, fruit tea, mixed berry cola, light soft spice, warm toast, loamy dry top soil & clay, soft volcanic crushed minerals, hint of rubber toy & dark red, blue florals with violets.
The body is medium stretching to full. Tannins are round, dusty, slightly sticky and 55-60% resolved. The structure, tension, length and balance are in the first stages of hitting its stride. The palate shows the same candied red floral fruits of; boysenberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, black raspberries & blueberries hues. Sweet vanillin, slight liqueur notes, warm toast, clove, touch of nutmeg, cinnamon, dark chocolate, mocha, fruit tea, mixed berry cola, the spice is darker & has a nice medium intensity that show heat on the long set, graphite, Montecristo cigar, expresso coffee, loamy dry top soil & clay, soft volcanic crushed minerals, hint of rubber toy & dark red, blue florals with violets. The acidity is round and nicely done. The finish is well balanced, rich and lasts minutes. The 08 Fay Hillside really started to excel after two hours in the decanter.
Photos of, their patio showing nicely at twilight, Tasting room & Estate vines, the pendulum balls that never stops swinging in the cellars and if memory serves me well, their Fay Vineyard.
On the nose, candied red floral fruits of; boysenberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, black raspberries & blueberries hues. Sweet vanillin, slight liqueur notes, clove, touch of nutmeg, cinnamon, fruit tea, mixed berry cola, light soft spice, warm toast, loamy dry top soil & clay, soft volcanic crushed minerals, hint of rubber toy & dark red, blue florals with violets.
The body is medium stretching to full. Tannins are round, dusty, slightly sticky and 55-60% resolved. The structure, tension, length and balance are in the first stages of hitting its stride. The palate shows the same candied red floral fruits of; boysenberries, strawberries, dark cherries, plum, black raspberries & blueberries hues. Sweet vanillin, slight liqueur notes, warm toast, clove, touch of nutmeg, cinnamon, dark chocolate, mocha, fruit tea, mixed berry cola, the spice is darker & has a nice medium intensity that show heat on the long set, graphite, Montecristo cigar, expresso coffee, loamy dry top soil & clay, soft volcanic crushed minerals, hint of rubber toy & dark red, blue florals with violets. The acidity is round and nicely done. The finish is well balanced, rich and lasts minutes. The 08 Fay Hillside really started to excel after two hours in the decanter.
Photos of, their patio showing nicely at twilight, Tasting room & Estate vines, the pendulum balls that never stops swinging in the cellars and if memory serves me well, their Fay Vineyard.
Soft and elegant at an early stage. Indicative of a lot of well made 12's. Well ripened black raspberries, dark cherries, blackberries leads to a touch of blueberries and strawberries into the mid palate. Violets, soft understated baking spices, thinned black tea, minimal soft powdery dry minerals and earth. Finishes in ripe floral fruit.
Soft and elegant at an early stage. Indicative of a lot of well made 12's. Well ripened black raspberries, dark cherries, blackberries leads to a touch of blueberries and strawberries into the mid palate. Violets, soft understated baking spices, thinned black tea, minimal soft powdery dry minerals and earth. Finishes in ripe floral fruit.
2 people found it helpfulAug 14th, 2016Plums, boysenberries, blueberries and baking spices on the nose. Tannins are nicely resolved and will continue to evolve nicely for another 5-8 years. Fruits are ripe; blackberries, black cherries, boysenberries, blueberries, cherries, stewed strawberries. Lots of melted milk chocolate, light baking spices; light vanilla & cinnamon w/ a whiff of clove, spice-box, soft leather, grilled meats, burnt ambers, saw dust, brown volcanic soil with crushed rocks, dry red flowers, violets, sound acidity w/ a nice elegant but a leaner style finish. Not convinced this wine will get much better going forward but it will certainly evolve and hold a nice drinking stage for another 5 years or so. Decanter for 1 & 1/2 hours. Interesting this wine puts on weight as it sits in the decanter. 💪
Plums, boysenberries, blueberries and baking spices on the nose. Tannins are nicely resolved and will continue to evolve nicely for another 5-8 years. Fruits are ripe; blackberries, black cherries, boysenberries, blueberries, cherries, stewed strawberries. Lots of melted milk chocolate, light baking spices; light vanilla & cinnamon w/ a whiff of clove, spice-box, soft leather, grilled meats, burnt ambers, saw dust, brown volcanic soil with crushed rocks, dry red flowers, violets, sound acidity w/ a nice elegant but a leaner style finish. Not convinced this wine will get much better going forward but it will certainly evolve and hold a nice drinking stage for another 5 years or so. Decanter for 1 & 1/2 hours. Interesting this wine puts on weight as it sits in the decanter. 💪
1 person found it helpfulDec 11th, 2016Nice smooth flavor with rounded ending. Favorite of the Stags Wine Cellar tastings
Nice smooth flavor with rounded ending. Favorite of the Stags Wine Cellar tastings
1 person found it helpfulJul 26th, 2014
Well made but a bit dull. Dumb phase? At this point the wine doesn't even approach its price point. #disappointing
Well made but a bit dull. Dumb phase? At this point the wine doesn't even approach its price point. #disappointing
May 23rd, 2015
Amahhhhhhhzing already just on the nose alone. Graphite, cassis, oak, cedar , sage and even some 5-spice. This 2014 still has amazing tannins hanging on, lush but the right amount of acid still helping to round out the glass. True Napa elegance. 14.1%
Amahhhhhhhzing already just on the nose alone. Graphite, cassis, oak, cedar , sage and even some 5-spice. This 2014 still has amazing tannins hanging on, lush but the right amount of acid still helping to round out the glass. True Napa elegance. 14.1%
Mar 28th, 2022
Quite intense for FAY fruits. Bigger and more meaty, ripe black cherry, baking spices, black pepper. Chocolate finish and subtle oak presence.
Quite intense for FAY fruits. Bigger and more meaty, ripe black cherry, baking spices, black pepper. Chocolate finish and subtle oak presence.
May 8th, 2020