2022 Poetry Stags Leap District

Cliff Lede's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is firm, structured, intensely concentrated and definitely impressive, but it's not delicious—at least, not yet—finishing with layers of dusty tannins. To judge from its alluring scents of black cherries, allspice and cassis, this full-bodied wine has tons of potential, but it will likely need a decade of cellaring to really hit its stride. Will today's consumers have the patience required?

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is superb. Inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, chocolate, lavender, plum and cloves saturate the palate. Opulent and full-throttle to the core, the 2022 possesses tremendous fruit intensity, backed by the imposing structure that is typical of this site in Stags Leap. The balance here is exceptional. This is a very good wine for the year.