The TraderJoe’s Platinum Reserve Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is a $17.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive.
The Story
The back label mentions that this wine was cellared and bottled by Isolated Cellars, Napa. They are the Negociant (according to Google Ai)arm of Navigator Wine, formerly Precept.
A negociant is a wine company that purchases surplus wine from a wine company and sells it under its own label. The initial winery’s identity is kept secret. They can simply relabel a wine or purchase wine from several wineries and blend their own wine. There are several possible ways for a negotiant to obtain and sell wine.
Stags Leap District is a very high-end Napa AVA; it is not large, just 14 or 15 wineries and fewer than 10 growers. A Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon won the Judgment of Paris competition in 1976.
As a store brand and a negociant wine, there are no production tasting notes for the TraderJoe’s Platinum Reserve Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, but Tjs Fearless Flyer says this wine could be cellared for a year or two.
Wine that is cellar-worthy is produced differently from the majority of value-priced wine.
Most value wines are made to drink now; they are at their finest when released, and additional aging does not offer improvement.
Cellar-worthy wines have a longer and more extensive oak barrel program, it is made with more complex methods to bring out subtle flavors and structure. Some details occur only with time. This Stags Leap District Cabernet seems to be made to cellar for a time. That suggests a more expensive wine that has fallen into Trader Joe’s territory.
No Stags Leap District wine was ever made to be valued priced; these wines can fetch a top price.
The alcohol content is 14.5%
The TraderJoe’s Platinum Reserve Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 Tasting Notes
The color is almost black with raspberry underneath. The nose is blackberry, with oak spice, burnt chocolate, plum, a little vanilla, and exotic spice. The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is rich, dark, and complex.
This Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like extracted blackberry, molasses, a shot of spice, blueberry, and some herbs, tart cranberry, with vanilla and dusty tannins.
The acidity gives this Cab Sauv good structure and length.
The Summary
- The TraderJoe’s Platinum Reserve Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is a huge bargain at $17.99.
- This isn’t a value Cabernet; we are drinking wine, and this could easily sell for well above $25.
