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2020 Stags' Leap Ne Cede Malis Estate Grown Stags Leap District Petite Sirah

2020 Stags' Leap Ne Cede Malis Estate Grown Stags Leap District Petite Sirah

2020 Stags' Leap Ne Cede Malis Estate Grown Stags Leap District Petite Sirah

Tasting Notes

From start to finish the 2020 Ne Cede Malis is elegant offering incredible complexity and concentration. You are welcomed on the nose by bold dark berry fruits accompanied by a delightful minty freshness reminiscent of creamy mints. Bright raspberries dance with herbal undertones and a hint of camphor, evoking the essence of soothing lip balms. The taste is a symphony of ripe fruits, blending red and brown notes with a luxurious toasting quality. Soft raisins add depth while maintaining a refreshing cranberry-like tartness, reminiscent of sour cherries. Oak asserts its presence, introducing flavors of toasted oak and dark chocolate that linger on the tongue and leave a pleasant tingle. The wine's tannins are velvety and chewy, providing a myrrh-like earthiness that adds complexity and depth to the overall experience

Technical Information

Varietal Petite Sirah
Vintage 2020
Volume 750mL
Appellation Napa Valley
Blend 91% Petite Sirah, 9% Other Mixed Vartietals
Oak Treatment 14 months in 48% New American oak barrels
Alcohol % 15%

Scores & Accolades

  • 96
    "Lots of polished dark fruits and fruit cake with purple flowers followed by dark chocolate, vanilla and a hint of eucalyptus. Full-bodied, velvety juicy tannins with soft acidity. Racy and energetic yet it shows beautiful finesse and drinkability. Sound and harmonious. Made from 85% petite sirah with 15% other mixed varietals from a five-acre vineyard planted in 1929. Drink or hold.” —James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Winemaking

Taking a minimalist approach, our winemakers like to say that they “guide” rather than “make” Ne Cede Malis. The carefully tended, head-trained vines in this 5-acre single block include Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mourvedre, Grenache, Peloursin, Syrah, Muscat, and Sauvignon Blanc, among others. After hand-picking, the grapes were co-fermented, undergoing a short maceration prior to aging in American oak barrels (48% new) for 14 months. The oak’s spiciness is easily handled by this powerful wine, enhancing it strength and depth.

Vintage

The 2020 season will be remembered for factors beyond the typical harvest season. It was a warm, dry winter and the rain and cooler weather didn’t arrive until the end of March. While the mild spring season was a great early start, summer brought very cool mornings and very warm days. Then harvest was interrupted by wildfires across California, which came as grapes started to be picked, and we were very fortunate that none of our vineyards were in the areas of the active fires. The white wine harvest started in mid to late August while the red wine harvest was smaller yielding and proved to be one of the most challenging in history, but our winemakers remained optimistic and very complimentary of the high quality achieved.

Vineyard

“Ne cede malis,” Latin for “Don’t give in to misfortune,” is the family motto of Stags’ Leap Founder Horace Chase. Sourced from the oldest block on our estate with vines planted in 1929, the wine is predominantly Petite Sirah with small amounts of at least 15 other varietals. Year after year this gracefully aging block produces a small lot of wine – a truly unique field blend that simply could not be produced anywhere else.