Futo
5500
Stags Leap District, United States
2016
Vintage
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
Approaching Peak: drinkable, but best years are ahead.
The Futo 2016 5500 opened its drinking window in 2023 and in May 2026 sits in the early stage of what promises to be a very long, rewarding development arc. The wine is accessible with extended decanting but reveals its full personality only reluctantly at this stage of its life. The nose, given two hours of air, displays the rose oil and floral aromatics that define the 5500's character, alongside the beginning of tertiary development: dried herb, tobacco, and a whisper of cedar are starting to weave into the primary fruit. On the palate, the powdery tannins have softened from their early density without losing the architectural quality that distinguishes this wine from softer, more approachable Stags Leap expressions. Those opening a bottle now should treat it accordingly: wide decanter, generous time, and the right food pairing. The peak window running from 2028 to 2044 means the wine's best years are still ahead.
The ‘16 5500.
A massively scaled, near-pure Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon of extraordinary floral precision and powdery tannin density, named for its extreme vine-per-hectare density and built for decades of aging.
Drinking window
Tasting note
Futo's 2016 5500 pours an opaque, massively saturated garnet-purple that refuses to let light through to the rim, signaling immediately the extraordinary concentration that Futo achieves from its Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon at yields among the lowest in Napa Valley. On the nose, the 5500 opens with a perfumed, floral-driven bouquet that belies its structural density: rose oil and raspberry preserve arrive first, followed by spring florals before giving way to currants, dark chocolate, black truffle, and a conifer-resin note that adds a distinctive aromatic dimension. There is a paradox at the heart of this wine between its perfumed, almost delicate nose and the massive structure waiting on the palate. Full-bodied and deeply built, the 5500 arrives with very dense, fresh powdery tannins that coat the tongue without roughness, evolving in the glass between perfumed red fruit and pie-crust layering before a mineral core of exceptional precision frames the long finish. The steely backbone of acidity that underpins everything is remarkable in a wine of this scale, a feature that speaks to the Stags Leap District's capacity to produce wines of both power and freshness. This 97-percent Cabernet Sauvignon is among Napa's most compelling single-variety expressions.
The 2016 vintage
The 2016 Stags Leap District vintage was particularly distinguished, with the cool, temperately-paced Napa growing season delivering Cabernet Sauvignon fruit of exceptional balance between concentration and natural freshness. The Stags Leap District benefits from afternoon marine influence from San Pablo Bay to the south, which moderates temperatures and extends the hang time for Cabernet. In 2016, this influence combined with the vintage's natural acidity and complete phenolic ripeness to produce some of the district's most compelling wines in memory: structured and dense without the heaviness that hot vintages can produce, with a freshness and mineral precision that sets these wines apart from their peers in warmer Napa subregions.
About Futo
Futo's 5500 takes its name from the estate's vine density per hectare, a figure that is among the highest in Napa Valley and central to the estate's philosophy of extreme concentration through competition between vines. At 5,500 vines per hectare, each plant produces a fraction of what lower-density vineyards achieve, concentrating all available resources into a small quantity of intensely flavored fruit. The Stags Leap District site contributes a mineral, floral precision that distinguishes the 5500 from Futo's Oakville-dominant Estate Red, and the 97-percent Cabernet Sauvignon composition allows the variety to express itself without dilution from other grapes.
From the cellar: pair with
Dry-aged prime ribeye with truffle butter and bone marrow toast
The intensity and richness of dry-aged beef and bone marrow provide the structural anchor this massively-built 5500 requires, while truffle amplifies the wine's distinctive dark truffle aromatics.
Roasted lamb rack with current jus and rosemary
The currant-forward character of a well-reduced lamb jus mirrors the 5500's cassis and currant register, and the rosemary provides an herbal counterpoint to the wine's conifer-inflected aromatic complexity.
Braised short ribs with wild mushroom ragu
The long-cooked collagen richness of short rib softens the 5500's powdery tannin density, and the mushroom umami amplifies the wine's dark chocolate and black truffle depth.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 17-19C / 63-66F
- Decanting
- Decant for a minimum of two hours, ideally three. The 2016 5500 is tightly structured at ten years old and benefits enormously from extended air exposure. Pour gently into a wide-bodied decanter and allow gradual warming to serving temperature before the first glass.
- Cellar Storage
- 12-14C / 54-57F
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
More from Stags Leap District, United States
Frequently Asked
What does '5500' mean in the wine's name?
5500 refers to the vine density per hectare at Futo's Stags Leap District site, among the highest in Napa Valley. This extreme planting density forces competition between vines, radically reducing yields and concentrating flavor in each berry.
Is the 5500 or the Estate Red the better wine?
They are different expressions rather than hierarchical. The 5500 is more concentrated and structured, emphasizing pure Cabernet Sauvignon power from Stags Leap. The Estate Red is a more complex blend with the added aromatic dimension of Futo's Oakville terroir. Both are exceptional.
When should I open the 2016 5500?
The peak window runs from 2028 to 2044. Opening now with three hours of decanting is possible and rewarding, but waiting two more years will deliver a substantially more generous and expressive wine.
How does the 2016 5500 compare to other Stags Leap District Cabernets?
Futo 5500 is among the most concentrated and structured Stags Leap expressions, distinguished by its extreme vine density, very low yields, and the resulting powdery tannin texture and floral aromatic precision. It sits at the top of the district's quality hierarchy.