Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 2022 Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Double Magnum 3 Liter

On May 24, 1976, a bottle of 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon placed first among the red wines in Steven Spurrier's Paris tasting — the Judgment of Paris, the blind competition in which French experts tasted California wines against the finest Bordeaux in the world and, to their visible astonishment, ranked a Napa Valley Cabernet above Mouton Rothschild, Haut-Brion, and Montrose. The cellar master of Mouton reportedly said afterward: "It will not happen again." It has happened many times since. But it happened first at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

Warren Winiarski built the distillery on a singular belief: that Napa Valley could produce Cabernet Sauvignon of genuinely world-class quality if the winemaking was disciplined enough, the fruit selection exacting enough, and the ambition sufficiently serious. The Paris tasting confirmed it. Winiarski spent the next four decades producing wines that maintained and deepened the reputation that the 1973 built. In 2007, he sold the winery to a joint venture between Marchesi Antinori — the 26-generation Florentine wine dynasty whose 2023 Tignanello is elsewhere in the Blackwell's section — and Château Ste. Michelle of Washington State. The families that produced the wine that changed the history of Italian wine and the wine that changed the history of Napa Valley now share a single cellar in the Stags Leap District.

Artemis is named for the Greek goddess of the hunt — specifically representing the distillery's "hunt for the finest grapes from Napa Valley," combining estate-grown fruit with the finest sourced Napa parcels to produce a wine that expresses the regional character of Napa Valley with the signature style of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. The 2022 received 94 Points from Decanter — "a cool, slightly restrained expression gives an elegant spin to this dark-fruited, well-balanced and savory wine — black cherries and blueberries, cocoa and graphite, tobacco leaves and iron flavors — full-bodied but not heavy — a terrific introduction to the range." James Suckling awarded 93 Points — "violet lift to the nose, ripe blackberries, chocolate and sweet spices — rich and full-bodied, dense yet creamy tannins adhering to the dark fruit — fleshy and polished, with a pretty finish."

In a 3-liter double magnum. The format that gives this wine time.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was founded by Warren Winiarski in 1972 in the Stags Leap District — the eastern Napa Valley sub-appellation whose distinctive iron-rich volcanic soils, afternoon shade from the Vaca Mountains, and specific microclimate produce Cabernet Sauvignon of characteristically elegant structure, refined tannins, and the iron and graphite mineral quality that both the Decanter review and multiple independent tasters have consistently identified as the most specifically Stags Leap-distinctive secondary flavor quality. The 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. that won the 1976 Judgment of Paris remains the most historically significant wine in Napa Valley history.

The Artemis is the most broadly accessible and the most Napa-Valley-regional expression in the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars range — positioned above the Karia Chardonnay and the NeoBeckstein entry expressions but below the single-vineyard S.L.V. and Fay Cabernets and the flagship Cask 23 at the top of the range. The 2022 blend is the most specific and the most precisely documented in recent Artemis history: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, and 0.5% Petit Verdot — a near-pure Cabernet Sauvignon expression whose tiny Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot additions contribute aromatic freshness and structural depth without diluting the Cabernet's primary identity. Approximately three-quarters of the blend comes from Atlas Peak — the high-elevation Napa Valley sub-appellation where Marchesi Antinori's substantial vineyard holding provides the most specifically elevated and the most structurally distinguished component of the Artemis blend.

The 2022 growing season began with late June rain that increased mildew pressure before average summer temperatures provided good growing conditions through July. A nine-day heat wave immediately before harvest — with record temperatures — compressed the final ripening period dramatically, producing the riper flavors and softer acid structures that the winemaking team describes as the vintage's most characteristic quality. Despite the heat pressure, careful attention to harvest timing brought in exceptional fruit. The wine aged for 15 months in 55% new French oak and 45% older French oak barrels — the new oak proportion providing generous vanilla, cedar, and caramel integration without the heavier extraction that higher new-oak percentages would produce. Certified organic. The 3-liter double magnum format — four standard bottles — provides the most gradual, the most even, and the most specifically graceful aging available for a wine whose Decanter reviewer specifically noted approachability alongside genuine quality.

Critics Reviews

Decanter — 94 Points:
"A cool, slightly restrained expression gives an elegant spin to this dark-fruited, well-balanced and savory wine. Black cherries and blueberries, cocoa and graphite, tobacco leaves and iron flavors. Full-bodied but not heavy. The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis is a terrific introduction to the range."

James Suckling — 93 Points:
"The violet lift to the nose is knitting well with the ripe blackberries, chocolate and sweet spices. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, with dense yet creamy tannins adhering to the dark fruit. Fleshy and polished, with a pretty finish. A solid effort for the vintage."

Vintage Wine Shoppe (confirmed 2022 tasting note):
"Classic blackberry fruit, sagebrush and loamy earth, with tobacco influences. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, with precise, superfine tannins and layers of cherry, blackberry, graphite, and perfumed violets building toward a finish full of energy, drive, and tension. The tannins in this vintage are notably gentle and approachable, making it an excellent candidate for early drinking."

Total Wine (confirmed):
"Sensuous aromas of rich, dark chocolate, black cherries, cassis and espresso immediately rise from the glass. As the wine opens, more subtle notes of violets, nutmeg, and truffles. The aromas carry over to the palate, ending with a layered, polished finish."

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars official 2022 winemaker's notes:
"Inviting aromas of boysenberry, plum, currant, chocolate and baking spice. The rich and creamy entrance leads to a fresh and flavorful mid-palate. Full-bodied with rich fruit flavors and integrated tannins that are persistent and plush."

Woods Wholesale Wine (additional confirmed tasting note):
"Plush, delicious and fruit-drenched wine pairs wonderful black fruit nuances of crème de cassis and black cherries with subtle, layered oak spices of new leather, tobacco and graphite, while a creamy texture makes the texture almost irresistible."

CellarTracker community — 91.2/100 (25 reviews):
"Go-to crowd pleasing Napa valley bottle. Super solid crowd pleaser of a cab."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Deep ruby with plum highlights — the 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and Atlas Peak origin producing a color of genuine depth and warmth. The nose opens with the violet lift that James Suckling identified most specifically as the 2022's most immediately distinctive quality — the Cabernet Franc's most delicate and the most precisely floral contribution knitting beautifully with the Cabernet Sauvignon's dark fruit core. Ripe blackberries and black cherries follow with vivid dark fruit warmth. Boysenberry, plum, currant, and crème de cassis add further dark fruit concentration — the Atlas Peak elevation and the heat wave harvest producing particularly ripe and particularly fruit-forward primary aromatics. Chocolate and baking spice add the most specifically dessert-adjacent and the most immediately appealing secondary warmth. Dark chocolate, cassis, and espresso add the deepest and the most complex secondary aromatics. Tobacco and graphite add the most specifically and the most classically Stags Leap-distinctive secondary quality — the iron-rich volcanic soils' most enduring aromatic contribution to every expression produced from this appellation. Sagebrush and loamy earth add the most specifically Napa Valley secondary terroir dimension.

Palate
Rich, creamy, full-bodied, and fleshy — the most consistent and the most broadly confirmed palate characterization across every reviewer. The entry is rich and creamy as the official winemaker's notes specifically promise — the 15 months of French oak integration at 55% new having deposited the warm vanilla and caramel compounds that soften the Cabernet's entry without diminishing its concentration. Dense yet creamy tannins adhere to the dark fruit in the Suckling characterization's most accurate description — present and structural but genuinely supple and approachable, the 2022 vintage's most commercially welcoming quality. Layers of cherry, blackberry, graphite, and perfumed violets build through the mid-palate in the Vintage Wine Shoppe's most specifically layered and the most architecturally described palate note. Milk chocolate, dark cherry, and boysenberry from the official winemaker's notes carry the most specifically fruit-forward and the most broadly appealing mid-palate flavors. The iron and graphite mineral quality from the Decanter note appears at the structural level — the Stags Leap District's most enduringly characteristic mineral dimension providing the most specifically place-communicating quality beneath the abundant dark fruit.

Finish
Long, energetic, and graphite-driven. A finish full of energy, drive, and tension in the Vintage Wine Shoppe's most dynamic finish characterization — the 2022's most specifically impressive quality, given that the vintage's riper fruit and softer acid structure might suggest a rounder, shorter close. The tension is real: the iron, graphite, and tobacco carrying the close with genuine structure alongside the fruit's persistence. New leather, tobacco, and graphite from the layered oak spice linger most specifically. A savory finish in the Decanter characterization's most enduringly honest quality — the wine resolving into something dry, structured, and genuinely long rather than simply sweet and warm.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

The dark fruit, graphite mineral quality, and creamy tannin structure make Artemis one of the most food-versatile Napa Cabernets in the Blackwell's section:

• Grilled tri-tip — the winery's own most recommended pairing
• Braised short ribs — the dark fruit and tobacco aligning with slow-cooked beef
• Pasta with wild mushrooms and prosciutto — the loamy earth and graphite echoing the mushroom's umami
• Grilled ribeye and prime cuts — the classic Napa Cabernet pairing
• Aged sharp cheddar and hard cheeses
• Dark chocolate preparations