Region: Napa Valley, California

Vintage: 2021

Composition: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot

History: Cliff Lede Vineyards was founded in 2002 by Cliff Lede following the acquisition of 60 acres in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. With a focus on producing wines from estate vineyards, Cliff engaged industry experts to redesign and replant most of the estate. The plantings were so specific to each soil type and exposure that Cliff decided to name each block after some of his favorite rock songs and albums to keep track without having to refer to a clipboard. From “My Generation” to “Dark Side of the Moon,” he created what is known today as the Cliff Lede Vineyard’s “Rock Blocks.” The winemaking team gets creative with this innovation, annually crafting a small-lot Rock Block Series “mash-up” of two or more blocks featured in the tasting room and wine club.

Tasting Notes:

There is an effortlessness and ease to the 2021 Poetry that springs from the continuity and familiarity of its caretakers and the experience of the vines themselves as their roots dig deep into the shallow unforgiving terraces of rock and rhyolitic crevices. Wafts of warm summer mulberries, fractured rock, and violet perfume envelop the glass. Wild blackberry preserves form the flavor on the entry and combine with tantalizing, black truffle, sea salt, and steak au poivre juices. Plush tannin swathes the finish and wraps the tongue in a mineral laden, majestic embrace where the flavors linger long and pleasingly.

95+pts Robert Parker