Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon SLD 2006

Cliff Lede (pronounced like lady) Vineyards has gone to great lengths to make amazing wines. Their 60-acre property in Napa’s Stags Leap district has conical tanks with a design inspired by the tanks at Château Latour, and an all-star wine producing team. Renowned viticulturist David Abreu (who’s clients include Colgin and Bryant Family) oversees the vines, maximizing their potential. Winemaker Michelle Edwards, whose resumé includes Peter Michael, J Vineyards and Colgin, takes it from there. Completing the triumvirate is consulting winemaker Michel Rolland, who has had a hand in crafting many of the world’s best wines. It’s a wine “dream team” if we ever saw one. When tasting the 2006 Cliff Lede Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, the attention to detail is evident. An extremely elegant wine, it is slightly lighter in body then a typical Napa Valley Cab. It contains rich fruit, soft but supple tannins, and layers of vanilla, toffee, and sweet tobacco. At $60 a bottle this won’t be your everyday sipper, but it far exceeds many of its competitors in value given the quality.