By Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
2020 Distinguished Vineyards - Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyards

Background
We are fortunate to source grapes from some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon growers in the Napa Valley. To honor the vineyards that stand out, each year we produce the Distinguished Vineyards wines. In 2020, we chose Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyards on Atlas Peak as one of those vineyards.

Vineyards
The Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyards are set high up on Atlas Peak in Napa Valley. The vineyard is on a very steep slope with rocky, red volcanic soil that receives great sunlight exposure, yielding small berries that produce an intense wine with a very distinct personality. The vineyard is owned by the Thornberry Family and is one of the most unique sites from which we source grapes.

Vintage Details
A dry, hot growing season, coupled with a global pandemic and multiple wildfires, made 2020 a year we won't forget. Due to the dry winter, we started more tillage than normal in February to preserve soil moisture and reduce competition. Rain right at bloom interrupted fruit set and provided a "natural fruit thinning," bringing the crop into balance relative to the dry soil conditions. We were excited at the heart of the growing season, as vines were in balance, and the timing of impactful viticulture practices (leafing, crop adjustment, etc.) was nearly perfect. Several heat events, including a three-day heat spike over Labor Day weekend, led to an early harvest. This was the year of the LNU Complex Wildfire and the Glass Fire Complex. As we do with every vintage, we taste grapes daily in the vineyards and back up our tastings with lab analysis. We are fortunate to have ready access to our own lab, as well as the tools necessary to make informed decisions about picking, winemaking, and bottling, ensuring overall wine quality. The warm weather during this vintage produced wines with a riper character. We are very pleased with the resulting wines from the 2020 vintage (although there won't be as many bottles) to carry our legacy forward.

Wine Details
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Date: October 6, 2020
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: 18 months in 100% new French oak
Alcohol: 15.00%
pH: 3.96
Titratable Acidity: 0.50 g/100ml
Release Date: March 2024
Winemaker: Marcus Notaro

Tasting Notes
This Cabernet Sauvignon offers ripe dark fruits, tobacco, mocha, and ripe plums. The nose is filled with these aromas, along with hints of cedar and clove. The wine is full-bodied, with rich, ripe tannins in the mouthfeel, notes of cedar, sage, and dark chocolate, and a lingering finish that coats your mouth with lively berry and spice flavors. Enjoy with grilled flat-iron steak, speck-and-sage-wrapped pork tenderloin, or creamy mushroom risotto.
[Information provided by Votto Vines]

Wine: 2020 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Score/Rating: 90
Suggested Drinking Window: Drink 2026 - 2030
Review Date: 02/17/2026
Reviewed By: Owen Bargreen
Tasting Notes: A delicious wine from a tough vintage, the 2020 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ‘Soda Canyon Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows off medium bodied dark fruits with graphite and creosote notes. Enjoy now.