2007 Stag's Leap Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

So it's Sunday evening, time for my traditional Sunday dinner, and tonight for the wine selection I added a twist.  I requested from my Facebook and Twitter friends to look in My Cellar and make suggestions as to which wine I should open with the marinading New York strips I am planning on grilling.  So if you don't follow me on Twitter, you should or you'll miss out on fun stuff like this!  And the result, as me opening a 2007 Stag's Leap Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, from a stellar recent vintage!

The color of the wine is a deep, opaque purple at the center, transitioning to a bright garnet around the edges.  The nose is a subdued combination of blackberry, anise, dark chocolate and a touch of oak.  The taste is complex and brooding, with just a hint of dark fruit at the outset, transitioning into some pepper and spice and a bit of limestone midpalate.  The finish is exceptionally dry, supported by some nice structure in the tannins making it last a good 30 seconds.  It's just surprising how dry this wine is, so often today Cabernet Sauvignons are jammy fruitbombs, but this one is subtle, quite reminiscent of the exceedingly dry Bordeaux I've enjoyed in Paris nearly two decades ago.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, as it's just a great example of an old school, classic Napa Valley Cab, and although this one probably cost me upwards of $40, it's certainly worthy of a special occasion like a Sunday dinner!  Tonight, as I mentioned earlier, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip, which I marinaded with a bit of port instead of the usual red wine (that made for a much more woodsy, rustic flavor), some wonderful grilled asparagus and purple carrots, and a baked potato, what a classic steakhouse meal at home (I must say, the service wasn't as good!).  Cheers!