2022 Cliff Lede Vineyards "Poetry" Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA (750ml)

WINEMAKER'S NOTES: 

This 2022 Poetry is a study in elegance and vibrancy. On the nose, it opens with ethereal aromas of mulberry, cassis, and red currant, underscored by hints of dried fig, lending a subtle, refined sweetness. As the wine breathes, mineral-driven notes of chalk, talc, and slate emerge, grounding the fruit in a fresh and precise expression. A core of iron and violet flavors and aromas underscores the blend, offering a mouthfeel that feels both powerful and poised. The long finish is polished and integrates seamlessly with the structured yet elegant tannins.

Blend: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc

TASTING NOTES: 

Unfolds in a perfect arc of flavours, beginning with wet slate, graphite, black cherry and dark cassis, building toward a crescendo of wonderfully textured tannins that drive the mid-palate with intensity and precision. Eventually, the structure resolves into a beautifully perfumed finish, revealing red florals, espresso bean and even hints of guava and blood orange. Long and captivating. The blend contains 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot.

- Decanter, 98 pts. 

So intense, layered and deep, this is wrapped up tightly in tannins and destined for a good, long life. The hillside vines on the Cliff Lede property grow in rocky, infertile soil and produce small quantities of wine with density and length. Super blackcurrants, black cherries, minerals and nuances of toast, cocoa and espresso.

- James Suckling, 96 pts. 

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is superb. Inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, chocolate, lavender, plum and cloves saturate the palate. Opulent and full-throttle to the core, the 2022 possesses tremendous fruit intensity, backed by the imposing structure that is typical of this site in Stags Leap. The balance here is exceptional. This is a very good wine for the year.

-  Vinous, 96 pts. 

Cassis, graphite, crushed stone, violets, and purple flowers all soar from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, it shows an elegant, Saint-Julien-like style with fine tannins and beautiful balance. Complex notes of leather and potpourri add nuance to this pure, gorgeous wine that will evolve for 12-15 years. Rating: 95+

- Jeb Dunnuck, 95 pts. 

Aromas and flavors of dark fruits, refreshing cedar, tobacco, and spice braid into a palate of lush texture and fine grained tannins through a very long finish.

- Wine Enthusiast, 94 pts. 

Cliff Lede's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is firm, structured, intensely concentrated and definitely impressive, but it's not delicious—at least, not yet—finishing with layers of dusty tannins. To judge from its alluring scents of black cherries, allspice and cassis, this full-bodied wine has tons of potential, but it will likely need a decade of cellaring to really hit its stride. Will today's consumers have the patience required?
Rating: 94+

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 pts.