Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (75cl, 14.3%)

A full-bodied Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 20 months in French oak, with only 37% of the wine seeing new French oak barrels. Fermented under careful monitoring for optimal maceration and extraction, the wine comes from the Stags Leap District, prized for volcanic soils and a warm, sheltered microclimate. The restrained oak program lets fruit and terroir share centre stage with barrel-derived complexity. Black cherry and black currant arrive first, followed by vanilla, toasted oak, subtle earthiness and hints of grilled sage. The palate is plush with sweet black cherry, plum and riper blackberry, then darker notes of cocoa, espresso and black olive framed by polished, silky tannins. The finish is long and smooth, with cocoa and sage lingering alongside quiet blackberry fruit.