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CASE PRICE = $134.99 per bottle (add 12+ quantity to your basket)

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Notes from the winemaker:
Established in 2002, Cliff Lede Vineyards encompasses sixty acres in the famed Stags Leap District. Owner Cliff Lede, viticulturalist David Abreu, Associate Winemaker Kale Anderson, and consultant Philippe Melka have come together to form an unrivalled team, making the most of this remarkable property.

Vintage
 A dry winter resulted in low soil moisture at the start of the growing cycle. The vines began early growth with a gentle warm spell in March. A sustained spring frost season trimmed yields. Foggy mornings helped to retain the integrity and freshness of the fruit, while classic, warm Napa afternoons carried ripeness toward harvest. Tiny berries the size of wild blueberries and near record low yields produced flavors of remarkable depth and complexity

Vineyard
The Poetry Vineyard, carved into a steep west-facing hillside, reaches from the highest elevations of the Stags Leap District appellation down to the valley floor. This vineyard’s soul is derived from shallow soils atop fractured shale. The small vines develop slowly, and naturally yield small berries due to the stressful nature of the site. Winemaking Grapes were picked in the cool darkness of the early morning hours, and immediately subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered hand sorting process. The fruit was gently delivered to tank by our unique crane system, assuring a high percentage of whole berries. Cold soaks lasted approximately five to eight days and fermentations were managed through a combination of delestage and pumpovers. Extended maceration of two and a half to five weeks ensured exceptional extraction and a fine-tuning of tannin profiles. The components that make up this wine underwent eighteen months of elevage in new French oak.

Analysis Composition: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec

Alcohol: 14.9% Bottling Date: June 2010
Release Date: October 2011
Production: 960 cases

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93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"Ratcheting up the level of elegance and complexity, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry Stags Leap (composed of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot and a tiny bit of Malbec) is very Chateau Margaux-like with its floral notes interwoven with black currants, graphite and toast. With admirable power, finesse and freshness, it is a beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied wine with a layered richness and a long, supple finish. Consume it over the next 15-20+ years." - Robert Parker (Dec 2010)

91 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:
"Good full ruby-red.  Soil-driven aromas of plum, mocha and earth.  Plush and broad, with good floral lift to the black raspberry fruit.  Not the last word in complexity but denser and longer than the Lonely Wizard bottling.  Finishes with suave tannins and earthy minerality." - Josh Raynolds (May/Jun '11)

96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2007 vintage):
"The quintessential expression of an elegant Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry (86% Cabernet Sauvignon) combines elegance with power. Layered and full-bodied with an ethereal lightness as well as touches of oak and tannin, it is gorgeously pure and textured yet strikingly long and intense. Bursting with flavor, but neither heavy nor cloying, give it 3-4 years of cellaring, and enjoy it over the next 25+ years.

As the results attest, owner Cliff Lede, manager David Abreu, and up and coming winemaker Michelle Edwards are all obsessed with high quality. The ubiquitous Michel Rolland is also in the background for blending, consulting, etc. The 2007s appear to be stunning efforts." - Robert Parker (12/2009)

93 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (2007 vintage):
"Bright, deep ruby-red. Superripe aromas of currant, earth and smoky oak, lifted by a floral nuance. Round, seamless and broad without any heaviness; this really spreads out to coat the palate and fill the mouth. A suave wine with a nicely restrained sweetness to its blackberry-dominated flavors. The very smooth finish shows lovely aromatic persistence." - Stephen Tanzer (May/June '10)

91 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine (2007 vintage):
"Smells a bit reduced, but this is quite rich and expressive on the palate. Firm, intense and full-bodied, with layers of cedar, dried currant, mineral, tobacco and espresso, letting the flavors build on the finish, where the tannins are chewy. Drink now through 2020. 975 cases made." –JL (11/15/2010)

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2006 vintage)
"Even better is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry. A 969-case blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest equal parts Merlot and Petit Verdot, this wine has sweet tannins, a big, rich kiss of blackberry and creme de cassis interwoven with subtle smoke, graphite, and loamy soil undertones. The wine has gorgeous purity, full-bodied flavors, elegance, and finesse. Like great cuisine, it offer tremendous intensity of flavor without any sense of heaviness or weight. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

One of the new up-and-coming wineries in Stags Leap is Cliff Lede, run by the proprietor of the same name and his winemaker Michelle Edwards. (None other than superstar David Abreu is the viticulturalist, and this is another place where Michel Rolland makes his semi-annual stop for consulting purposes.) 2006 turned out to be very successful for the wines of Cliff Lede, all displaying the elegance one expects from the Stags Leap region, but with substantial flavors as well as intensity." - Robert Parker (12/2008)

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Smoked and Grilled Foods: Porterhouse, T-Bone Steak , Portobello Mushroom, Lamb Chops