Napa Cabernet 2022: Top wines from Stags Leap District

The 2022 vintage in Stags Leap District reflects both the elegance and intensity that define this legendary AVA.

The steep, rocky hillsides and alluvial valley floor sites yielded wines that are finely structured yet plush, maintaining the appellation’s signature graceful power, mineral depth and perfume despite the year’s heat challenges.

Notably, winemakers leaned into precision farming and harvest timing, ensuring wines retained freshness, balance and a refined tannic structure, even in the warmest sites.

To read all coverage of the Napa Cabernet 2022 vintage use the code NAPA22 for a 20% discount off an annual Premium subscription

Stylistically, black cherry, cassis and blackberry fruits dominate, often laced with blue fruit lift and red-toned brightness. Many wines showcase graphite, ironstone and crushed volcanic rock notes, giving them drive, tension and a distinctive Stags Leap edge.

Expect incredibly fragrant wines offering up baking spices, spearmint, bay laurel and espresso bean, alongside rose petal, lilac and violet aromatics.

Stags Leap District 2022: The top performing producers

Stags Leap Wine Cellars

Cliff Lede Vineyards

Futo Estate

Realm

Odette

B Cellars

Even the most structured wines show suave, fine-grained tannins that unfold gracefully over time.

However, what is lacking in 2022 is the more firm, robust and compact tannins you’d expect from just about every producer, not to mention a rather muted minerality in favour of more fruit.

Collectors should seek out the wines of Cliff Lede’s Poetry Vineyard, Odette Reserve, Vice Versa Steltzner Old Vines, Amici Hirondelle and FUTO’s ‘5500’ Cabernet Sauvignon – these wines balance power with impeccable structure, ensuring long-haul cellaring potential.

Stags Leap District at a glance

Climate Moderately warm with afternoon marine winds coming north from San Pablo Bay to cool the warmer air radiating off the bare rocks of Stags Leap itself and the surrounding hillsides.

Soils The soils in the Stags Leap District range from volcanic gravel loams on the valley floor to its rocky hillsides, with hard clay subsoils.

Elevation From sea level to about 120m in elevation.

Click here for scores and reviews of all 650+ 2022 Napa Cabernets tasted

Baldacci Brenda’s Vineyard, Clos du Val Yettalil, Chimney Rock’s Clone 7, and Realm Cellars’ Moonracer showcase focused, mineral-laced wines with depth and longevity.

While Chimney Rock’s Arrowhead Vineyard, Ganymede Vineyard, and Tomahawk Vineyard Cabs, along with Cliff Lede’s Rhythm Vineyard Cab and Wild Fantasy, all offer balanced, structured wines with enough density for mid-term aging but plenty of immediate appeal.

Buyers who think of the refined, mineral-driven Cabernet Sauvignons from Stags Leap – especially those from Stags Leap Wine Cellars (Cask 23, S.L.V. and Artemis) will find more fruit-forward wines in 2022.

It’s not a question of whether to buy or not to buy; it’s a question of what to enjoy now and for the next decade, while your more powerful 2021s, 2019s, 2018s, and even 2016s in some cases, continue to slumber.

Cristaldi’s best value picks

Cliff Lede, Wild Fantasy Red Wine

B Cellars, Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Chimney Rock, Clone 4, Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley Cabernet 2022: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Stags Leap District 2022: the top-scoring Cabernets

Related articles

• Napa Cabernet 2022: Vintage report and buyer’s guide
• Napa Valley Cabernet 2022 vintage preview
• Napa Cabernet 2021: Score table