2021 Cliff Lede 'Poetry' Cabernet Sauvignon

The medium-bodied palate is so tightly wound at this youthful stage, slowly revealing layer upon layer of fragrant black and red fruits with loads of mineral sparks, supported by beautifully fine-grained yet firm tannins and seamless acidity, finishing with epic length and a whole firework display of mineral and floral notes. This is gorgeous.

Cliff Lede's 2021 Poetry is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 6% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, aged 21 months in 74% new oak and sourced entirely from their impressively steep Poetry estate hillside vineyard in the Stags Leap District AVA. The 2021 release of this now-iconic blend proves Poetry is one of Napa Valley's genuine ‘grand cru’ sites. A super-expressive, gorgeously fragrant nose kicks off with mineral qualities like a rush of rocky graphite, blue slate, and crushed stones, coupled with terrifically pure black cherry and black currant fruit laced with tobacco and violet petals. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, the silken, supple quality of the fruit is immediately noticeable—matched by the ripe, silky, and seamless tannins that are present but perfectly integrated. The fruit qualities build with incredible depth and delineation, with currant flavours building until they release on a lengthy finish punctuated by chalky minerals, crisp acidity, and dried floral notes infused with sage and tobacco leaf. Long, pure, laser-focused, and built of the ages.