This week was an interesting one. It was also an out of the box week, as I will call it from here on out. That means this wine did not come from my wine subscription box, but instead, was a wine that I went out and purchased on my own.
It was a special week because it was spent in New Orleans, Louisiana. My husband and our dogs traveled there for the Rock and Roll Marathon. It was my husband’s first marathon to participate in and since it was in New Orleans, a city we both enjoy, we decided to stay a few days as well. He requested a celebratory wine to enjoy the evening after the marathon. Since he is a red only type of person, I chose the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
Stag’s Leap is a well-known California vineyard that was established in 1893. Stag’s Leap is most famous for, “The Judgment of Paris.” When in 1976, in a blind wine tasting event held in Paris, their Cabernet was judged the best overall. * The wine world was floored by this outcome. This instance in wine history really solidified California as a reputable wine market.
This wine was from Napa Valley, California and sampled on February 6, 2017. I at first noted that the color was so deep that it was more purple than red. It smelled of blackberries and very rich plums. It was nice though. Not too heavy. With my first taste I smiled. I thought, this bit of earthiness fits New Orleans so well. You can smell the earth everywhere there. The low sea level and amount of rain the city receives lends to this and by itself, was the perfect pairing… Or so I thought until I tried the cheese. The smoky flavor in the smoked cheddar cheese fit just right with the rich fruit flavor in the cabernet. I was worried I would not be able to share with my husband! I also noted that this wine had a perfect smoothness to it. The acidity was low enough that I never tasted any bitterness.
I gave this wine a rating of 5.0 and even looking back at it now, I do not regret it or think it deserves any less than a perfect score. This wine brings back great memories and great tastes.
https://www.cask23.com/our-story/history