2009 Steltzner Vineyards Petit Verdot Stags Leap District

The Stags Leap Waiting List

In early 2012, the PlumpJack Group, founded by California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and billionaire philanthropist Gordon Getty, acquired Dick Steltzner’s 40-acre jewel in the heart of the Stags Leap AVA. “It’s just a quintessential Stags Leap vineyard,” PlumpJack GM John Conover said. While the selling price was never made public, the numbers we overheard at a table-side conversation at the Grill at Meadowood were dizzying.

Just nine months later, PlumpJack would conduct its first harvest off the old Steltzner Vineyard. The 2012 PlumpJack Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve would go on to earn a 96+ rating from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, carrying a $225/bottle price tag.

As for Dick Steltzner, as much as our old friend enjoyed spending his days on the seat of his tractor, he despised life on the road. Not surprisingly then, 33 months after selling Steltzner Vineyards to the PlumpJack Group, Dick decided it was time “to clean out the cellar.” Hence today’s offer of the richest and most finely muscled Stags Leap “closeout” ever to grace a WineAccess page.

The summer of 2009 was mild and dry. An excellent year for Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 was also perfect for late-maturing Petit Verdot. The 2009 Steltzner Stags Leap Petit Verdot is purple-black in color, infused with briary aromas of crushed blackberry bramble, tobacco, and licorice. Showing no sign whatsoever of its 4+ years in bottle, rich and muscular, filled with black-fruit preserves. Just now coming into its own, this perfectly cellared 2009 will age effortlessly for another 7-10 years.

$48/bottle on release in early 2012. Just $19.99 today. 624 bottles are up for grabs.

• ABV 13.80%
• Enjoy right away
• % Petit Verdot