2004 Cliff Lede Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District
available
"A selection of the best parcels, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is a winner. Much less evolved and built for the longer haul, it possesses plenty of black currant fruit, a rich, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long, opulent finish. Complex and exceptionally pure with stunning balance, it is a quintessential example of Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon. Close to full maturity, it promises to be even better in 2-3 years, and last for two decades." 96 points. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2014
Wine Specs
Vintage
2004
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Stags Leap District
Bottling Date
December 2006
Alcohol %
14.8
Robert Parker
96
Wine Advocate
96
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
The Poetry Vineyard is the easternmost of our two estate Stags Leap District vineyards, located just a stone’s throw from the winery and the Twin Peaks estate vineyard. The vineyard sits on a steep west-facing high-exposure hillside below the luxurious Poetry Inn. Reaching from the highest elevation of the Stags Leap District Appellation down almost to the valley floor, this vineyard’s heart and soul are a gritty combination of shallow soils atop fractured shales and low-yielding old vines of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Production Notes
Hand harvested into small thirty-five pound boxes, the grapes were destemmed to tank for a two to five day, pre-fermentation cold soak. Selected lots underwent extended maceration to further develop the tannin structure. The free run was separated from the press wine and racked into thin-stave French chateau style oak barrels (eighty-nine percent of which were new), where the wine was aged for twenty-four months.
Winemaker Notes
High-toned aromas of blueberry pie, anise, dark chocolate ganache, baking spice, and an array of various floral notes overlay a thick layer of graphite, mineral, and even some wet clay. The palate is presented with a succession of intense dried currant, cherry compote, and tea notes, gently evolving into a bouquet of candied flowers. Built with a fine, soft, prolonged tannin structure, this wine elegantly and gradually concludes with a pleasant lingering citrus-oil acidity and a long finish.