Stag's Leap Wine Cellars SLV Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (750ML)

S.L.V. stands for Stag’s Leap Vineyards, the winery’s first vineyard, and the 2022 is pure Cabernet Sauvignon from that site. It spent 20 months in 100% new French oak, yet the vintage comes across fresh rather than heavy. Blackberry, cassis and red currant lead, with violet, dried flowers, sweet tobacco and baking spice behind them. The body is medium to full, the texture smooth, and the tannins firm enough to give real structure without crowding the fruit. Bright acidity keeps it lively into a long, mouthwatering finish. Next to the winery’s Fay bottling, it carries a little more density through the mid-palate. Critics see it drinking well into the late 2030s. Open it with a dry-aged rib eye, rosemary lamb chops or aged Gouda.