FAY Hillside Blocks 10A/12A
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
Stags Leap District
From the 26 main Cabernet Sauvignon blocks within the FAY Vineyard, winemaker Marcus Notaro selected blocks 10A and 12A to create this FAY Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes for this wine are from the highest blocks on the hill, those that typically contribute to CASK 23 each year. The blocks are closest to the Stags Leap Palisades and its volcanic soils. We call these the “power blocks” as they are the backbone of the FAY Vineyard. The clusters are very loose with lots of air flow around each berry and the yields are low. The small berries give the wine intense flavors, deep saturation and great grip with the signature perfume expression of FAY. The FAY Vineyard is where the story of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars began. Established by pioneering grapegrower Nathan Fay in 1961, it was the first planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in what is now the Stags Leap District. For more than 30 years, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars has produced a single-vineyard FAY Cabernet Sauvignon. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon offers the signature perfume expression of FAY with a rich and dense structure. Your wine is aging for 21 months in 100% new French oak barrels.
Winemaker, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Marcus Notaro joined Stag's Leap Wine Cellars in May 2013 as Winemaker, bringing with him close to two decades of expertise and passion for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. Marcus was previously making red wines in Washington state since 1995 and was the winemaker for Col Solare, a prestigious winery located in the Red Mountain appellation of Washington State. Col Solare is a partnership between Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Marchesi Antinori of Italy.
Marcus loves the complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon, saying, "It can make a rich, powerful wine without being heavy while truly expressing where it was grown." This passion is what drew Marcus to Napa Valley and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. His understanding of the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars signature wine style -- one of elegance and balance, ripeness and restraint -- and his ability to express both the terroir of the vineyard and the true varietal character of the grape, make him ideally suited for continuing the winemaking legacy at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.
Country born: United States
Education: While working at Col Solare, Marcus Notaro developed a strong rapport with the Antinori vineyard and winemaking teams during frequent travels to the Antinori estates in Tuscany. That experience fostered an international winemaking perspective that he has brought to his new role at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Winemaking Philosophy:
Everything begins in the vineyard and then it all comes together in the cellar. You need to do what the vineyard and the vintage tell you.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Contact: Jennifer Scott
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