2013 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stardust Heaven
"These go to Eleven"
Last of the two Cabs we received from Cliff Lede. Bright ruby red, more so than the SLD Cabernet. Some heat on the nose with dark black berries and graphite. Heavy tannins (8.5/10) and full bodied. Very tight and dark to start and needs time to fully open up. Some red cherries and cinnamon on day one. Day two added some complexity with black cherries, dark baking spices, pencil shavings and even more darker fruits. A ton of tannins on day two still. Insanely long finish with some vegetal notes and slight bitterness. Would love to try this again in a few years.
Besides having some vineyard specific and AVA specific bottlings, Cliff Lede Vineyards has a bottling every year known as their "Rock Block" bottling. The "Rock Block" bottlings are annually crafted small-lot wines that usually combine the fruit from two or more blocks and have very creative names made from the blocks used. In 2013 this was "Stardust Heaven". "Stardust Heaven" is made up of two specific blocks located on the east of the Silverado Trail both in the Poetry Vineyard. These two blocks are "Ziggy Stardust", named after a song by David Bowie, and "Stairway to Heaven", named after a song by Led Zeppelin. There are a total of 46 blocks all named after some of Cliff Lede's favorite rock songs and albums. Another fun fact about the "Rock Block" bottlings is that "These go to eleven". Which is a reference to an American rock music mockumentary film called "This is Spinal Tap", where the amplifier knobs all go to eleven because it is 'one louder than ten'. Basically this is a metaphor talking about the power in these "Rock Block" bottlings making them staples in Cliff Lede Vineyards portfolio. All the fruit was hand harvested and placed in twenty-five pound bins to minimize crushing before being subjected to their vigorous three-tied sorting system which is finished with individual berry hand sorting. After the best grapes were selected they are delivered into small specially designed truncated tanks via gravity. All fruit is cold soaked for around five days before fermentation that was assisted by a combination of pumpovers and délestage (rack and returns). Additionally this bottling went through an extended maceration ranging for up to six weeks. This is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged for eighteen months in 80% new French oak barrels. 1,321 cases produced and 14.9% alcohol.
2018 till 2038.
Price Point:
$$$ - Sample provided by the Estate. For sale from the Estate for $110.00.