(February 20, 2024; Yountville, Calif.)—Cliff Lede Vineyards, located in the legendary Stags Leap District, is expanding its Cabernet portfolio following major investments in Napa Valley over the last decade. Building upon a robust range of estate-driven wines, Jason Lede, second-generation vintner and director of communications at Cliff Lede Vineyards, is proud to introduce two new additions to the winery’s offerings —2021 Cliff Lede “Rhythm” Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District (SRP $125) and 2021 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (SRP $80).
As a premier producer of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cliff Lede Vineyards has crafted some of the most critically acclaimed wines from the region, most notably its Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, which has received several 100-point ratings from prominent wine critics over the past decade. “Having recently celebrated 20 years in Napa Valley, our vision is to deepen our roots with a singular focus on Napa Valley,” says President and COO Tony Baldini.
Cliff Lede Vineyards’ Stags Leap District estate encompasses two distinctive vineyards: Poetry and Rhythm, which showcase the winery’s iconic “Rock Blocks”—vineyard blocks that winery founder Cliff Lede named after his favorite songs while replanting the estate in the early 2000s. Extending from the valley floor to some of the highest points of Stags Leap District, the 16-acre hillside Poetry Vineyard derives its uniqueness from western exposure and shallow, volcanic soils atop fractured shale. This vineyard exclusively produces the winery’s flagship “Poetry” Cabernet Sauvignon. Rhythm Vineyard, located on the subtly sloping section of the estate to the west of the Poetry Vineyard, has not been represented by a singular expression, until now. The Lede Family is thrilled to spotlight this unique 37-acre site with the debut of 2021 Cliff Lede “Rhythm” Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District (SRP $125)
“Poetry remains the highest expression of our portfolio, while Rhythm offers a new and exciting perspective. This single-vineyard bottling captures the natural cadence of grape growing and winemaking that we are in tune with on our Stags Leap District estate” says Jason Lede.
Beyond the Stags Leap District, the Lede family has consistently grown investment through their acquisition of prime vineyard land. In 2013, they purchased a 20-acre vineyard in Calistoga at the base of Diamond Mountain, and in 2020 doubled their holdings with the purchase of an 87-acre vineyard in Carneros. Following extensive climate and soil studies, Cliff Lede’s vineyard team led a precise replanting of both vineyards, focusing on a mix of red and white Bordeaux grape varieties. These additional estate vineyards across Napa Valley have provided Director of Winemaking Christopher Tynan with a diverse range of fruit for Cliff Lede’s bottlings, including the new 2021 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (SRP $80).
While Cliff Lede’s Rhythm and Poetry Cabernet Sauvignons provide detailed portraits of the winery’s home in the Stags Leap District, the new Napa Valley-designate Cabernet Sauvignon expresses the nuances of the vintage across the appellation through the stylistic lens of one of the region’s top winemakers. Cliff Lede’s Stags Leap District and Calistoga estate vineyards are the foundation of this wine, with support from valued grower partners in Oakville, Rutherford and Howell Mountain. The result is a powerful yet accessible wine of remarkable depth and complexity—or, as Director of Winemaking Christopher Tynan calls it, “a beautiful sum of its parts.”
“After two decades in Napa Valley, we reflected on how we define our approach to winemaking” notes Jason Lede. “In music, a classic song can be remastered using modern techniques to create a more dynamic and authentic listening experience that still preserves its original essence. Both new additions to our portfolio convey our continued drive to produce exceptional wines through the integration of nature and tradition with technology and innovation—they represent what we consider to be remastered versions of classic Cabernet Sauvignon.” Check here to see and hear more about Cliff Lede’s “Cabernet Remastered.”
About Cliff Lede Vineyards
First established by Cliff Lede in 2002 with the purchase of 60 acres in the Stags Leap District, Cliff Lede Vineyards has become a leading family-owned producer of Bordeaux variety wines with more than 160 acres of estate vineyards across Stags Leap District, Calistoga and Carneros. The 25,000 square foot Howard Backen-designed winery and network of caves provide an ideal home for Cliff Lede’s wine production. Over the last two decades, the winery’s flagship estate bottling, Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, has been awarded multiple 100-point scores across critical publications. Today, the winery is being ushered into its third decade by President and COO Tony Baldini, and next-generation vintner and Director of Communications, Jason Lede. Winemaking is led by Director of Winemaking Christopher Tynan and Winemaker Travis Bullard. The Cliff Lede Vineyards’ tasting room offers a complete Napa Valley lifestyle experience where the best in wine, music, art, architecture and nature intersect. A variety of indoor and outdoor tasting experiences and private tours, including tasting in the newly remodeled Backstage Tasting Lounge, are available with advance reservation, daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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