Drinking Better with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars: How Napa’s Iconic Winery is Shaping the Future of Wine

I was drawn to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars because it’s one of Napa Valley’s most iconic wineries, with a history that truly changed how the world views California wine. The combination of the estate’s legacy, its terroir, and the character of its Cabernet Sauvignon was irresistible. I’ve always loved working with Cabernet because it can make a wine that is powerful yet elegant, rich but not heavy, and always expressive of where it’s grown.

Over the years, my approach has evolved as I’ve gotten to know the estate vineyards more deeply—especially S.L.V. and FAY. With each vintage, I learn something new about how Cabernet Sauvignon expresses itself in Napa Valley's unique microclimates. 

At the end of the day, my philosophy is that everything begins in the vineyard. My job is to listen to what the vineyard and vintage are telling me and then bring that story to life in the cellar.

That victory isn’t just about looking back; it’s about holding ourselves to that same standard every vintage. We do that by making sure our vineyards are healthy and producing the very best fruit possible. Once we understand what the vines have given us, we can shape the winemaking to honor that fruit.

You can see the legacy most clearly in our S.L.V. -- or Stag’s Leap Vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the vineyard that produced the Judgment of Paris winning wine, and we’re still crafting single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon that still resonates with modern wine lovers today. Every year, we make small adjustments in the cellar to stay in step with evolving tastes, but the foundation remains the same: wines of balance, structure, and timeless character.

When people come into our tasting room, it is always interesting to see which wine they gravitate towards more – our S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon, or our FAY Cabernet Sauvignon. Although S.L.V. and FAY sit side by side on our estate, they couldn’t be more different. S.L.V. is rooted in volcanic soils formed from ancient ash and lava flows, and that geology produces wines that are powerful and structured with layers of dark fruit and elegant tannins. Just across the way, FAY sits on alluvial soils left by water deposits, which yield a very different style—softer, more supple tannins and flavors of red and blue fruit. I like to say that FAY has a softer side while S.L.V. has more concentrated power, and people can really taste that difference when they compare the two wines side by side. 

Both vineyards are such an important part of our history – S.L.V. produced the Cabernet that triumphed in the Judgment of Paris, while FAY Vineyard, which became part of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 1986, was first planted in 1961 by grape growing pioneer Nathan Fay. That vineyard was the first Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley planted south of Rutherford. It was considered too cold for Cabernet to ripen fully, but Nathan saw the true potential of the area that is now the Stags Leap District AVA. These vineyards don’t simply influence my winemaking decisions – they make the decisions for me. I simply enhance what the fruit has already given me.

Consumers are simply searching for a wine that has clean qualities from start to finish, and we can understand why – the benefits of growing with organic nutrition apply to all living things, human or vine. We are proud to bottle wines from our vineyards that are organic, free of chemicals and pesticides produced both sustainably and ethically, while still upholding the quality and structure that we are known for. 

Our Vineyard Manager, Guillermo Perez, inspired us to start farming organically in 2022, which led to our remarkable transformation into one of just four Regenerative Organic Certified wineries here in Napa Valley. 

Healthy vines are the foundation of resilience. They’re better able to withstand challenging weather events, particularly close to harvest. Just last vintage (2024), we experienced an unexpected and prolonged heatwave in early October. Most of our estate grapes had already been harvested, but I’d held back a couple of small Cabernet Sauvignon blocks in FAY Vineyard, waiting for just a bit more flavor development. As the heat persisted, I worried I’d made the wrong call—that the grapes would shrivel and Guillermo [our vineyard manager] would remind me I should have picked earlier.

One evening, I couldn’t stand the anticipation any longer. I drove up to the vineyard with my daughter and our dog, flashlight in hand, bracing myself for disappointment. To my surprise—and relief—the vines were still strong, the fruit perfectly intact. We harvested the next morning, in cooler weather, and the result was a beautiful wine thanks to the vines’ ability to persevere in the heat due to their health.

Our sustainable practices are really at the heart of what gives the wines their character. Healthy soils and balanced vines produce grapes with more vivid flavors, more natural acidity, and better structure. When that fruit comes into the cellar, the winemaking is more about refining than correcting. That’s where the Old World and New World come together—you get wines that have the elegance and balance reminiscent of Old World styles, but also the vibrancy, clarity, and energy that people love about Napa Valley.

A visit to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is simply a must when enjoying Napa Valley, with our tasting experiences designed to give visitors a look into our historical vineyard and wines. Our signature wine tasting gives guests a glimpse into the depths of both our S.L.V. and FAY Vineyards, while the Estate Experience and Exploration of FAY offer tours of the wine caves and property, plus seasonal food pairings curated by our culinary team. Our goal is to continue to create experiences that bring guests closer to the heart of the winery, becoming a part of our storied history. Looking ahead, especially as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, we hope to introduce new experiences that will include some very special library pours.

May 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris. While we will be organizing different tasting experiences, events, and more for people to learn about the history of this moment in wine and celebrate it with us, I am excited to take some time to really reflect on the past 50 years of winemaking at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, and shape the foundation of what the next 50 years will look like.

I’d open a bottle of 2016 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon and pair it with one of my favorite homemade pizzas, shared with my wife and kids at home. One we love is topped with homegrown eggplant, morel mushrooms, and Iberico ham—it’s a perfect match for the wine, especially when enjoyed outside on a warm summer evening as the sea breezes start to cool the Napa Valley. With roots in Connecticut, our family has a tradition of making pizza in our backyard oven. It can get pretty competitive when it comes to whose dough reigns supreme!

Just as family traditions evolve over time, Marcus notes, so do the wines themselves.

Wines from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars really start to hit their stride after about seven years. They retain their youthful vibrancy, but the edges soften, and layers of complexity begin to emerge. A 2016 S.L.V. is right in that sweet spot now. Looking deeper into the library, vintages like 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1999 are truly in their peak—refined, elegant, and a joy to savor at the end of a memorable meal, whether alongside hearty cheeses or simply on their own.

I hope they experience balance—balance between richness and elegance, structure and approachability, place and time. That’s the hallmark of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. From the first sip, I want the wine to tell its story: where it was grown, the character of the vintage, and the care that went into it. More than anything, I hope it sparks a moment—whether that’s a conversation, a celebration, or simply a pause to enjoy the beauty in the glass.