Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Almost sure to raise controversy with its involving aromas of leather, roasted coffee, scorched chocolate and herbs, this unique offering smacks ever so faintly of Syrah and may not fit the fruity Cabernet model, but its complexity is beyond any argument. It is smooth and supple in feel with plenty of palatal weight and a fine sense of polish, and its neatly fit spine of firm structural tannins is precisely the stuff of fine Cabernet. A few years of age should make a good thing better, and it has room enough for ten years of growth. Score - 90. (Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines, April 2009)