Regusci Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Regusci Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is a 750ml, 14.7% ABV Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. This vintage earned a 91-point critics score and reflects over eight decades of the Regusci family's stewardship of one of Napa's most storied properties.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.7%  |  Origin: Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California  |  Vintage: 2013  |  Producer: Regusci Winery

Production & Heritage

Regusci Winery sits on ranch land the Regusci family has owned and farmed since 1932, though the property's winemaking roots run far deeper — the original T.L. Grigsby-Occidental Winery was built on-site in 1878 and stands today as one of Napa Valley's best-preserved "ghost wineries." The family reestablished the winery in 1995, drawing on fruit from their estate vineyards in the acclaimed Stags Leap District. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for approximately 22 months in American oak barrels, a program that lends structure and spice while preserving the district's characteristic elegance and dark-fruit intensity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with bright cassis and black cherry before moving into chocolate-covered strawberry and smoked bacon fat. Secondary layers of pencil shavings, wet earth, dried bay leaf, cardamom, and fennel give way to a subtle floral lift.

Taste: On entry, sweet red and dark fruits — blackberry, blackcurrant — coat the palate, followed by mid-palate waves of cigar box, anise seed, and cinnamon baking spice. The mouthfeel is round and rich, carrying loads of dark chocolate into the back palate. All elements feel balanced, polished, and well-integrated for a wine with meaningful depth.

Finish: The finish is generous in length, with dried tobacco, espresso, and lingering dark fruit tannins. A thread of vanilla from the American oak aging carries through to the very end, leaving a warm, spiced impression.

How to Drink Regusci Cabernet 2013

A decade-old Stags Leap Cabernet is best appreciated neat in a large-bowled glass, ideally decanted for 30 to 45 minutes to let the tertiary aromas fully open. Given its mature profile and layered complexity, this wine rewards quiet, focused sipping rather than cocktail use. Pair it with a composed cheese plate or a main course at the dinner table to get the most from each glass.

Best For

• Gifting a serious Napa Valley collector or Cabernet enthusiast
• Cellaring as a library-vintage conversation piece
• Serving as the centerpiece red at a multi-course dinner party
• Commemorating a milestone event with a mature Stags Leap District wine

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Regusci 2013 Cabernet taste like? It leads with ripe blackberry, cassis, and blackcurrant, layered with dark chocolate, baking spices like cinnamon and anise, and a savory cigar-box undercurrent. The mouthfeel is round and polished, with well-resolved tannins expected of a decade-aged Stags Leap Cabernet.

How does Regusci Cabernet compare to Pine Ridge Stags Leap Cabernet? Both are Stags Leap District Cabernets that emphasize the appellation's hallmark elegance over sheer power. Pine Ridge tends toward a more textbook, classically structured style, while Regusci leans into a richer, darker-fruit profile with notable American oak spice from its 22-month barrel program.

Is Regusci 2013 Cabernet good for sipping neat? Absolutely — with over a decade of bottle age, the tannins have softened and the flavors have integrated into a complex, contemplative drinking experience best enjoyed neat or with a brief decant.

Where is Regusci Cabernet made? Regusci Winery is located in the Stags Leap District AVA of Napa Valley, California. The estate occupies a historic ranch the Regusci family has owned since 1932, and the original stone winery on the property dates to 1878.

What foods pair well with Regusci 2013 Cabernet? Grilled ribeye steak complements the wine's dark fruit and smoky oak; braised short ribs echo its rich, spiced mid-palate; aged Gouda or Gruyère highlight the chocolate and vanilla notes; roasted lamb with rosemary mirrors the herbal, savory aromas; and dark chocolate desserts align with the wine's cocoa-driven finish.

What sizes does Regusci Cabernet come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle.

Is Regusci 2013 Cabernet worth the price? Regusci positions as a premium Stags Leap District estate Cabernet, and the 2013 vintage — now a library release with significant bottle age — represents meaningful value for collectors seeking mature, appellation-specific Napa Cabernet at a tier below the district's most limited-production cult labels.

Why Regusci 2013?

The 2013 vintage was widely regarded as an outstanding year across Napa Valley, and this bottling captures the Stags Leap District at its most expressive — dark-fruited yet elegant, powerful yet refined. Its 22-month American oak aging program adds a spice architecture that distinguishes it from the French oak profiles common among neighboring estates. Backed by a 91-point critics score and rooted in a family estate with winemaking infrastructure dating to 1878, the Regusci 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon stands as a genuine piece of Napa Valley history in a glass. For those seeking a mature, drinking-window Stags Leap Cabernet with provenance and complexity, few bottles tell a more compelling story.