Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
"The Alchemist II"
Napa Valley AVA
Auction 15 | Lot No. 21
Vintage: 2009
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
20 cases produced
Description
This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend
continues our legacy of producing the best
“fire” and “water” terroir-driven wines.
This second edition of The Alchemist builds
on the tradition of alchemy we first offered
at Premiere Napa Valley 2010.
Crafted from our historic estate vineyards,
this wine represents the alchemy between
our FAY and S.L.V. vineyards. Winemaker
Nicki Pruss blended Merlot and Petit Verdot
with Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve finesse,
fruit character, supple tannins and the
signature gracefulness for which Stag’s Leap
Wine Cellars is known.
Although these two vineyards adjoin each
other, the wines they produce express
different aspects of the terroir. S.L.V. soils
are predominantly volcanic in nature and
contribute layered structure, concentration
and spicy intensity—the “fire” elements.
FAY’s soils, more alluvial in makeup, yield the
“water” elements of softness, perfume and
rich berry qualities.
Wine Facts
- Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled
Tasting Chart
| bone dry | very sweet | |
| light body | very full bodied | |
| soft, gentle |
|
very crisp |
| no tannins | heavy tannins | |
 |
Nicki Pruss
Winemaker, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Nicki Pruss was on a very different career path when she was sidetracked by a fascination with wine. After graduating from the University of California in Santa Barbara, the native Californian moved to Chicago. There she graduated Cum Laude from the Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and completed her podiatric surgery residency at Columbus Hospital. She returned home to California as a licensed podiatrist, but in 1995 a 5-month bicycle tour through France, Belgium and Germany changed everything.
She had long been an enthusiastic amateur beer‐maker, but during this European trip she realized that the career she really wanted was in wine. Upon her return to California, Nicki began studying viticulture and winery technology at Napa Valley College and fermenting any grapes she could get her hands on. Professionally, she began as an intern at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 1998 and since that time moved up the winemaking ranks from Lab Technician, to Enologist, to Assistant Winemaker and Associate Winemaker. She was officially named Winemaker in 2005.
Throughout her tenure at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, she has continued to attend seminars and extension courses at the University of California at Davis and through the Napa Valley Grape Growers, ASEV and the Napa Valley Vintners. Much of her practical winemaking and grape-growing education has occurred on the job, working with and learning from the founder of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Renzo Cotarella, Danny Schuster, Jim Lincoln, Michael Silacci and other noted industry professionals. “Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars has been the training ground for many people from around the world,” says Nicki, “and it has been an honor for me to be one of its ‘students.’”
Nicki’s contributions at Stagʹs Leap Wine Cellars have been numerous. She’s been intimately involved with the ARCADIA VINEYARD Chardonnay program since its inception in 1998, helped revitalize the winery’s Sauvignon Blanc program with a style that has been widely successful, and was instrumental in the creation of the ARTEMIS Cabernet program. In addition to crafting the winery’s three Estate Cabernet Sauvignons (FAY, S.L.V., CASK 23) each year, Nicki creates estate red wines that highlight select parcels that are bottled exclusively for the Wine Club. To Nicki, these specialty wines are a way to take club members “on a walk through the vineyard with the winemaker” to experience the unique characteristics that define the winery’s world-class vineyards.
Country born: United States
Education: Certificate in Viticulture and Winery Technology from Napa Valley College, a B.A. in Biological Sciences from UC Santa Barbara, and a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine – Cum Laude from the Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Chicago, IL. I am a member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, the California Enological Research Association, and the Napa Valley Wine Technical Group. I am also a past Board member of the NVWTG
Years in the wine industry: 10-15 years
Winemaking Philosophy:
Site trumps clone, Mother Nature bats last and I am a grape herder. I keep that in mind while at the same time weaving together the technical aspects of science, the artistry of wine and my gut feeling. I enjoy the creative challenge of working with nature to produce world-class wines with balance,elegance and restraint.
The Metz Group
2 Woodland Drive
Dallas PA 18612
570-674-8731
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from The Metz Group :
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provenance Vineyards | 2017 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 23 (2019) | |
| Quixote Winery | 2017 | Petite Sirah | Stags Leap District | La Mancha | 23 (2019) |
| Reynolds Family Winery | 2017 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | 75/25 | 23 (2019) |
| Silverado Vineyards | 2017 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Heritage Clone | 23 (2019) |
| Stags' Leap Winery | 2017 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Audentia | 23 (2019) |
| Tamber Bey | 2017 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 23 (2019) | |
| Far Niente | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 21 (2017) | |
| PureCru Napa Valley | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Clones, Clones, Clones | 21 (2017) |
| Stags' Leap Winery | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | 21 (2017) | |
| William Hill Estate Winery | 2015 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | 21 (2017) | |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Georges de Latour Private Reserve | 16 (2012) |
| Bressler Vineyards | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | 16 (2012) | |
| Black Stallion Estate Winery | 2009 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | Heart & Soul | 15 (2011) |
| Broman Cellars | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | You’ll Think It’s Howell Mountain | 15 (2011) |
| Newton Vineyard | 2009 | Red Wine | Spring Mountain District | Piece of the Puzzle | 15 (2011) |
| Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | The Alchemist II | 15 (2011) |
| Trinchero Napa Valley | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Mountain to Mountain Cuvee | 15 (2011) |
Winery Distribution
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.
Domestic:
- Alaska (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Arizona (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Arkansas (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- California (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Colorado (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Connecticut (Allan S Goodman, Inc.)
- Connecticut (Brescome Barton, Inc.)
- Connecticut (Eder Brothers, Inc.)
- Delaware (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Florida (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Georgia (United Distributors, Inc.)
- Hawaii (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Idaho (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Idaho (TEC Distributing)
- Idaho (C. Stein, Inc. dba CSB)
- Idaho (S & C Importers and Distributors, Inc.)
- Illinois (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Indiana (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Iowa (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Kansas (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Kentucky (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Louisiana (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Maryland (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Minnesota (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Mississippi (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Missouri (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Montana (Blue Rock Distributing Company)
- Montana (Briggs Distributing )
- Montana (Bronken's Good Time Company)
- Montana (Gusto Distributing Co.)
- Montana (Lehrkind's Incorporated)
- Nebraska (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Nevada (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- New Hampshire (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- New Mexico (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- New York (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- North Dakota (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Ohio (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Oklahoma (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Oregon (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Pennsylvania (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- South Carolina (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- South Dakota (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Texas (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Utah (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Washington (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)
- Wyoming (Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits)