Stags Leap

History of Stags’ Leap

Located on the old Silverado Trail, a former horse trail that ran through the Napa Valley, the Stags’ Leap viticultural area is world famous for top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon based wine. The name apparently derives from an old Wappo Indian legend that an enormous stag once eluded hunters when he leapt from one mountain peak to another. The Stags’ Leap district is all about the soil, with vineyards planted on the ancient remains of an extinct volcano. This poor eroded volcanic soil stresses the vines which produces a low yield of highly concentrated grapes with a combination of power and intensity and a certain recognizable softness and elegance. This is, in fact, the trademark of Stags’ Leap wines. Stags’ Leap was the first AVA in Napa to be so designated solely because of the nature of the soil. The Stags’ Leap AVA contains 2700 acres with 1300 acres currently under grape cultivation. The area has been making wine since 1863 when the winery was established, but was largely forgotten during Prohibition until in 1961 when Nathan Fay planted Cabernet Sauvignon on his property which became the Fay Vineyard. Fay sold these grapes to Heitz cellars who produced a Cabernet Sauvignon based wine called Heitz Cellars “Fay Vineyard.” The original Stags’ Leap Winery is still in business and should not be confused with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which is discussed below.

The Paris Tasting of 1976

Stags' Leap rose to international prominence when a Cabernet Sauvignon made by Warren Winiarski of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was chosen as the best red wine among a host of top French Bordeaux wines. This was quite a feat considering this was Winiarski’s first vintage and the vines were only three years old. The blind tasting was held in Paris and intended to be a challenge to the supremacy of French wine. Apparently, the tasters initially refused to accept that the wine they had chosen was in fact Californian and insisted what they were tasting was French wine. The tasters were all respected French wine authorities and the tasting became an extremely controversial issue still discussed and argued over today. This shocking outcome effectively legitimatized California wine and Stags’ Leap has been a prestigious name ever since.

Grapes and Styles of Wine

Stags’ Leap is all about Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, Petite Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot, Grenache and Syrah are planted as well. Usually Merlot, Malbec, Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc are used to blend with the Cabernet Sauvignon based wines. Some Sauvignon Blanc is also planted and is commonly sold to winemakers outside the area to blend with their own wines. Most, if not all, of the red wines are Bordeaux style blends.

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