2021 Cliff Lede Vineyards Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

In every bottle of the Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, you’ll taste the essence of Napa Valley’s celebrated Poetry Vineyard, a site that’s as breathtaking as it is demanding. Nestled on a steep, southwest-facing hillside in the heart of the Stags Leap District, this vineyard pushes the boundaries of what vines can achieve. Carved into volcanic soils and fractured shale, these high-density plantings of proprietary Cabernet Sauvignon heritage clones produce small, concentrated berries that pack intense flavors.

For Cliff Lede, founder and visionary, this vineyard is a symbol of his commitment to creating wines that embody the rugged beauty of the land. Acquired in 2002 and named the “Poetry Vineyard” after his love of music, this hillside vineyard presents a challenging, high-stress environment where vines must dig deep into the shallow soils. The result? Exceptional grapes that showcase the complexities of their terroir.

With winemaker Christopher Tynan -whose experience includes stints at renowned Colgin Cellars and work with Napa’s elite vineyard teams- at the helm, the Poetry Vineyard’s fruit is transformed into a wine of depth, elegance, and power. Chris brings his expert touch, allowing the vineyard’s unique profile to shine through with minimal intervention. His low-yield, high-focus approach ensures that every cluster expresses the full character of the site.

2021 is looking to be one of the vintages of the decade. Vinous Media blessed this year with a 95-98 point score, and said: "Two thousand twenty-one is a fabulous vintage in Napa Valley. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that production is down sharply, 30-50% in many cases. The wines have tremendous energy as well as finesse. In tasting, the 2021s show some of the savory intensity of other drought vintages – 2013 and 2014 come to mind – but with more aromatic explosiveness and greater inner sweetness."

Aging: 21 months in French oak barrels (74% new)

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. The 2021 Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon is pure indulgence in a glass—a dark, brooding beauty that opens with lush aromas of ripe blackberry, warm mulberries, and a whisper of violets. On the palate, it’s a captivating symphony of wild blackberry preserves layered with earthy black truffle, a sprinkle of sea salt, and a touch of savory steak au poivre. Velvety tannins envelop each sip, leading to a long, mineral-rich finish that’s both powerful and elegantly refined—a wine that’s bound to leave you craving the next pour.

The 2021 Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, is deep garnet-purple in color. The nose is incredibly shut down at this stage, needing patient swirling to unlock expressive notes of Morello cherries, black raspberries, blackcurrant cordial, and redcurrant jelly giving way. ~100 Wine Independent

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. ~99 Decanter

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Cliff Lede and longtime winemaker Chris Tynan. A classic Stags Leap Cabernet, the 2021 races across the palate with dense, inky fruit, crème de cassis, lavender, licorice, chocolate, spice and espresso. Even with all of its natural density, the 2021 is plush, silky and exceptionally beautiful. Most importantly, Tynan has done an admirable job in taming the tannins in this steep, rocky site, which is an impressive feat. I loved it.~98 Vinous Media

This well-balanced and elegant wine shows beautifully integrated black fruits, oak spices and hints of mint and cedar in the aroma, with similarly delicious flavors wrapped in fine-grained tannins for a velvety texture. Blended with small percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it offers finesse and complexity. Best from 2025–2035. ~96 Wine Enthusiast

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry brings more classic Stags Leap freshness and purity, yet it's still a powerful wine. Cassis, black raspberries, crushed stone, spring flower, and leafy herb and tobacco notes all define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, incredibly elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish. While I don t think this matches the grandeur of prior vintages, it's a beautiful example of the purity and finesse, as well as concentration, that makes this vintage so compelling. It will evolve for 20-25 years. ~95 Jeb Dunnuck

There are almost 2,000 cases of the impressive 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from the estate’s steep, rocky Poetry Vineyard. After 21 months in 74% new French oak, it’s marked by scents of mocha and cedar, but they’re beautifully complemented by layers of ripe black cherries and plums. The wine is full-bodied in the mouth, rich and velvety in feel, with a long, elegant finish and a dusting of firm but fine-grained tannins. It should have a long, harmonious evolution. ~95 The Wine Advocate

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