By Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
2012 Cellarius Series II Hillside

Background
Andreas Cellarius was a 17th-century German scholar and mapmaker. His 1661 text, the Harmonia Macrocosmica, illustrated the theories and philosophies on the science of stellar and planetary movement that were debated during the Renaissance period. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars owns a set of nine of the engravings. Highly detailed, the artist created works that manage to be both precise in their presentation of the theories of the day and strikingly beautiful. The Cellarius Series pays tribute to Andreas Cellarius by seeking to map Napa Valley throughout three unique perspectives on a winemaking theme, and features a different engraving each vintage. In 2012, our winemaking team explored the diverse elevation levels of vineyards in Napa Valley. These wines are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and each comes from a vineyard with significantly different elevation levels - valley floor, hillside, and mountain. The 2012 labels feature Cellarius' Plate 2, which illustrates the scenography of the Ptolemic cosmography.

Source
Primarily sourced from the Johnson Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2012 Cellarius Series II represents classic Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard's soil is forward gravelly loam, which is low in fertility and results in grapes with lean characteristics, firm acidity, and elegant fruit and tannins.

Vineyard Details
Location: Calistoga
Soil: Forward gravelly loam
Rainfall: 46 inches
Harvest Dates: October 17-26, 2012

Wine Details
Winemaker: Marcus Notaro
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: 21 months in 90% new French oak
Acid: 0.51 g/100 mL
pH: 3.85
Release Date: March 2016

Tasting Notes
The wine opens with gorgeous blueberry and red and black currant aromas. The new French oak lends complexity to the palate with nice spice notes. This Cabernet Sauvignon is rich on the finish, with more powerful tannins. Enjoy this hearty wine with rack of lamb with dried sage, BBQ chicken, brisket, or risotto cakes with Fontina cheese.
[Information provided by Stag's Leap Wine Cellars]