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2019 Stags' Leap Winemakers Muse Napa Valley Touriga Nacional & Tannat

2019 Stags' Leap Winemakers Muse Napa Valley Touriga Nacional & Tannat

2019 Stags' Leap Winemakers Muse Napa Valley Touriga Nacional & Tannat

Tasting Notes

Tasting Notes

This exotic expression of “the Muse” is dark and powerfully rich. A beautiful expression of Touriga, this wine bursts with fragrant aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, violet, and wild sage. The Tannat contributes a plush, dark, dense character, full of grippy tannins. The palate opens with a fresh, well-balanced structure, saturated layers of dark plum, blackberry compote, anise, and lilac. The integrated tannins and subtle oak spice provide a velvety soft mouthfeel finishing with lifted savory notes and lively acidity, creating a supple and elegant red with tons of power and finesse. Not often seen in the Napa Valley this Touriga Tannat will certainly be a delightful discovery for many. Perfect to pair with grilled meats and hearty dishes, but also pleasing by the glass on its own. Allow the wine to breathe in a decanter or large Bordeaux glass for optimal pleasure, or laydown to enjoy and watch it evolve over the years to come.

Technical Information

Varietal Red Wine
Vintage 2019
Volume 750mL
Appellation Napa Valley
Blend 58% Touriga Nacional & 42% Tannat
Oak Treatment 100% French oak barrels (17% new) for 18 months
Alcohol % 14.2%
Enclosure Type Cork
Case Production 571

Winemaking

Winemaking

Our winemaking team practiced simple methods to highlight the Touriga and Tannat’s unique characteristics in this wine to bring forward the pleasing aromatics, color and tannin profile, which these varietals are known for. The grapes for this wine undergo a brief maceration period (much shorter than the usual two weeks because of the innate structure and power within Touriga & Tannat), designed to gently extract flavor, color and tannin from the skins. The wine was aged in French Oak barrels (17% new) for 18 months to enhance the layers and complexity of the wine, as well as contribute a light spiced note. Then, the wine is bottled for further maturation in bottle to create the perfect balance and harmony for this vintage of the winemaker’s muse.

Christophe Paubert - Winemaker

For Christophe Paubert, Winemaker and General Manager at Stags’ Leap Winery, the identity of a wine is found through the terroir. Christophe’s career has spanned the industry from sales to winemaking, and his impressive background includes positions at Chateau d’Yquem and Gruaud-Larose as well as projects in Chile, Spain and Washington State. But it was the terroir of Stags’ Leap that drew him to California.

Vintage

Vintage

The 2019 harvest started one to two weeks later than previous years, mostly due to February rains, but because the vines were in their winter dormancy, it did not affect the 2019 crop. Spring continued to be wet with some rain during flowering, followed by cool temperatures that allowed the grapes to mature gradually. Most grapes ripened at lower sugars, thanks to the extended, cool growing season, and winemakers were pleased with the full flavors, fresh acidity, and superb balance of the 2019 fruit. The resulting crop showed a modest yield with a slightly more compact structure and extract than in previous years.

Vineyard

Napa Valley AVA

Napa Valley

Vineyards

The Touriga is sourced from our estate vineyards located near Calistoga in the northern most area of Napa Valley. Here, dramatic diurnal temperature swings achieve hot days and very cool evenings. There is a wide range of soil types in this vineyard and is home to several diverse vine plantings including Touriga, Tempranillio, Charbono, Marsanne and many more. The Tannat was also sourced from estate vineyards, but from the heart of Napa Valley, in Yountville. Here the alluvial fan soils encourage the vines to root deeply to find water. A few feet of topsoil cover a defined bed of cobblestones mixed with gravel, which provide enough stress to keep the grapes desirably small. The grapes achieve exceptionally thick and flavorful skins, which yield a rich, highly extracted wine.

Winemaker Christophe Paubert

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