The FAY vineyard is where the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars story began. Established by pioneering grape grower Nathan Fay in 1961, it was the first planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in what is now the Stags Leap District.
FAY Vineyard remains one the great Napa Valley vineyards, producing fruit with an abundance of supple red and black berry character, voluptuous perfume and a luscious, fine-grained texture. The grapes were mainly sourced from Blocks 4, 6, 3, 5C, 8A, 8B, 1 and 10A, which combined, give the wine its classic red-fruit tones and aromatic top notes and structure.
The 2021 Fay Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon offers fragrant and generous aromas with notes of boysenberry, Bing cherries, strawberry preserves, a touch of spice, cookie dough, and subtle floral notes. This wine exhibits a youthful, vibrant mouthfeel with a savory coating and lasting finish. Tannins are silky and persistent with lasting berry notes. Try pairing this estate-grown Cabernet with Maitake mushroom risotto, maple-glazed salmon or grilled buffalo burgers with caramelized onion & Havarti cheese.
99 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Fay Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has always been on my short list of top wines made in the world. The 2021, from an outstanding growing season, is one of the winery's best! This wine excels with aromas and flavors of bright fruit, aromas of blackberries and hints of earth and oaky notes. Invite your wine buds, add a prime rib, and enjoy. (Tasted: March 2, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
98 Wine Enthusiast Savory, generous and impressive, this icon of a wine from the famed Fay vineyard flows through the mouth with flavors of cedar, sage and thyme. Richly flavored, concentrated and mouthwatering, this is a wine to savor. An impressive balance of succulent tannins and juicy acidity bring energy and great length.
96 James Suckling This is tight, concentrated and youthful, harnessing power in a polished package. It goes deep in black fruit, espresso beans and 90% cacao flavors. Intricately woven with fine-grained tannins and a full body for a focused, linear expression that will carry it for decades to come.
95 Wine Spectator Rich and caressing, with a lovely gilding of violet to its core of anise, boysenberry, blackberry and mulberry notes. The long, polished finish shows a suave kiss of toast. This gorgeous red is aimed at the hedonist crowd.
95 Decanter The 2021 Fay is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 21 months, in 100% new French oak. It is a glass-staining ruby-purple. It has explosive aromatics of violets, earth, sweet cedar, black olive, espresso bean, black licorice, and dried fennel. It is full-bodied with gritty, granular tannins. The plush black and blue fruit character is laced with brown baking spices and marjoram. A chalky mineral intensity builds in this powerful wine, which boasts plenty of intrigue and the refreshing, savory qualities of the 2021 vintage.
94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard boasts oodles of red-berried fruit accented by complex herbal nuances. The redcurrant and cherry notes lead into a medium to full-bodied palate that's silky in texture, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing long and elegantly.
94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard boasts oodles of red-berried fruit accented by complex herbal nuances. The redcurrant and cherry notes lead into a medium to full-bodied palate that's silky in texture, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing long and elegantly.
97 Jeb Dunnuck The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay comes from a single vineyard in the Stags Leap District and is based on almost 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (there can be a splash of Cabernet Franc) that spent 21 months in new French oak. It's a sensational wine (as are all these 2021s from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars) that has full-bodied richness and depth, flawless overall balance, and complex notes of red and black fruit, crushed stone, spicy oak, iron, and liquid flowers. Concentrated, deep, and layered, with a regal, structured style, it needs to be forgotten for 5-7 years and will keep for 30+ years. Maturity: 2030 - 2052
