Drinking the 1997 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Fay Cabernet Sauvignon
You might have heard of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. They are the winery that humbled the French in the famous “Judgment of Paris” tasting of 1976, not to be confused with the actual Judgment of Paris, which has been depicted on numerous occasions through oil and canvas. SLWC, as they call themselves, are also not to be confused with Stags’ Leap Winery. I know I have been guilty of confusing the two wineries in the past, so let me be clear up front: I’m quite sure I drank a bottle of wine from the venerable Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Yes, upon reflection, I’m totally sure.
So, allow me to share a few details about SLWC. They are best known for their trio of standout Cabernet Sauvignon releases:
- Fay - sourced from the Fay estate vineyard, usually about $80-100/bottle at release
- S.L.V. - sourced from the S.L.V. estate vineyard, usually about $100-$110/bottle at release (the 1973 release, priced at $6 originally, won big at the Judgment of Paris tasting)
- Cask 23 - sourced from the S.L.V. estate vineyard with a focus on a specific old block of vines (Block 4), usually about $150-$175/bottle at release
SLWC also make Artemis (a less expensive Cabernet), a Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay white wines. Their historical portfolio is heavy on the reds, however, as the white wines are a more recent development that hinged in part on the Arcadia vineyard (which came online, so to speak, with the first Chardonnay crop in 1998). You can learn more about the history of SLWC and their wines here.
Growing up in the Seattle area, I heard about SLWC wines fairly often. I do not believe I ever got to try one, although I do remember visiting their winery when I was about 14 years old. At least, I think I visited this winery. I know I visited either SLWC or SLW. I’d like to think I visited SLWC since I’m writing a review of their Fay release.
Anyway, if you grew up on the West Coast during the 1980s and 1990s, you were bombarded with California wines. As a kid, I went to many wine stores with my dad, looking for new additions to his own collection. And even as a kid, SLWC wines always stood out to me because of their international reputation that resulted from the 1976 Paris tasting event. People spoke highly of them whenever we saw SLWC wines in the stores. It’s sad, looking back, because I would bet that their Cask 23 and S.L.V. wines cost about $20-$40/bottle in the 1980s. And to think, I wasted all that money on Kevin Maas baseball cards instead of wine!
In any case, I have been interested in SLWC wines for quite a long time, and I think this 1997 Fay was my first opportunity to taste one. The 1997 Fay features mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (nearly 95%), with about 5% Merlot and a dash of Petit Verdot in the blend. More details on this wine are available here. When we sat down to drink this wine, we allowed it to decant for well over an hour before consumption, and we had steak and/or Copper River salmon with it. So the food pairing was terrific. As for the wine, here are my notes:
- Aroma: Fruity velvet, very smooth blueberry and oak bouquet. A wonderful, promising aroma!
- Flavor: At first, lots of deep jammy fruit flavors focused on blackberry and black currant, perfectly smooth with flawlessly integrated tannins and acid. Evolved into a peppery, spicy wine that closed out on a prolonged oaky, fruity note. 30-40 second finish on the palate.
- General impression: Expressive, complex, and well worth the money. An incredibly indulgent wine, one that I’d like to try again someday.
If I had to sum up this experience, I’d simply say, “Wow!” SLWC Fay is a great wine, and certainly an exceptional pairing with beef tenderloin or salmon. Speaking of salmon, the wood-fired oven at The Met definitely imparted a woody, smoky flavor to the fish that only boosted the flavor profile of the wine.