2015 Lindstrom Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2015 Lindstrom Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2015 Lindstrom Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley This Stags Leap District wine shows its heritage in the pronounced dark cherry and mocha notes which dominate both the aromas and the entry, as well as the signature soft tannins juxtaposed against a very solid, substantial mid-palate. The flavor intensity, the concentration in the mid-palate, and the duration of the finish all hint at the very rocky soils upon which these vines are grown.

Despite its concentration, however, the wine shows accessibility and the character of sweet cherries and blueberries at the finish. While this Cabernet will unquestionably age well, even at first release it shows its charm.

Stags Leap Wines

The history of the resort and its owners is rich and colorful. Tales of ghosts, mummies, mischievous monkeys, and “shady” dealings at Stags’ Leap Manor abound. Some are documented, some are passed on by word of mouth, and some are pure speculation.

After decades of being owned by a multitude of owners – via Mexican land grants (Yajome Rancho), homesteading, a bounty award, and patents – the Grigsby family consolidated a 700-acre parcel where the current Stags’ Leap estate resides today. The Grigsbys planted grapes on the land in 1872 and 13 years later they transferred the land to W.W. Thompson and H.H. Harris (Napa County Sheriff). The next year Mr. Harris conveyed his interest in the property to Thompson’s nephew, Horace Blanchard Chase.

In the late 1880s, Horace Chase, an eligible bachelor from Chicago, and Mary Ysabela “Minnie” Mizner, belle of society in the former state capital of Benicia, met at Napa Soda Springs Resort in the hills outside Napa. They fell in love and were married in 1888 at the Benicia home of Minnie’s father who had served as California State Senator for two terms in the 1860s and who later became an ambassador to Latin American countries. Shortly thereafter Horace and his uncle divided their 700 acre tract into two parcels and Horace became sole owner of the northwestern 365 acres.

The Chases were known for their lavish hospitality and, in season, hosted the scions of San Francisco society during an era of great wealth stemming from gold and silver mining. During the winter, the Chases left Stags’ Leap and spent their winters in San Francisco attending opera, theater, receptions, Cotillion Club dances, and hunt balls at the Palace Hotel.