| Region of production: | Stags Leap District AVA, Napa Valley |
| Winery Location: | Napa |
| Year Established: | 1970 |
Vineyard Holdings
- SLV Vineyard: 15 ha
- Fay Vineyard: 27 ha
- BRV Vineyard
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Fay Vineyard (100% Cabernet) / 1990
- Stag’s Leap Vineyard (100% Cabernet) / 1972
- Cask 23 (100% Cabernet) / 1974
- Artemis (approximately 90% Cabernet, estate and non-estate fruit) / 2003
Average Total Production
- Approximately 1,560,000 bottles
Summary
Warren Winiarski, a University of Chicago professor, purchased a 44-acre plot under the Stags Leap Palisades in 1970, and replanted its vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The plot adjoined Nathan Fay’s namesake vineyard, Winiarski’s favorite source for Cabernet. Winiarksi made the first vintage of Stag’s Leap Vineyard Cabernet in 1972 with André Tchelistcheff’s assistance, and the following year produced the legendary wine that would take top honors among reds in 1976’s „Judgment of Paris“ blind tasting. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and neighbor Stags‘ Leap Winery sued and countersued each other over the name „Stag’s Leap,“ and in 1986 the case reached the California Supreme Court. In the decision both wineries kept their respective names, but placement of the apostrophe (before or after the „s“) was determined by the court. In the end, Winiarski and Carl Doumani, then-owner of Stags‘ Leap, worked together to prevent the creation of the Stags Leap District AVA, unsuccessfully.
The winery continued to add properties to its portfolio: Winiarski purchased Nathan Fay’s vineyard in 1986, and in 1996 he bought the Arcadia Vineyard from Mike Grgich. BRV Vineyard in Oak Knoll was added in 2001. In 2007, Winiarski sold the winery and its vineyards (except Arcadia) to a partnership between Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Antinori family. Winiarski’s name no longer appears on the winery’s website.
In 1996, a bottle of the 1973 SLV Cabernet went on display as a permanent part of the Smithsonian Museum of American History’s collection.
Style & Vinification Techniques
SLV and Fay Vineyard Cabernets are single-vineyard designates, and the Cask 23 is a barrel selection comprised of the best lots from both sources. All three wines typically spend 18-22 months in 80-100% new French oak. The wines were legendary during the 1970s and ’80s, but in the 1990s and 2000s some critics began to question their earthy, brett-influenced character. With the recent ownership change, the winery appears to be striving for a riper, cleaner style of Cabernet.
Producer Website: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars