Stags Leap District AVA

For other uses of Stags Leap including the California wineries with similar names, see Stags Leap.
Stags Leap District AVA
Wine region

A vineyard in the Stags Leap District AVA
Type American Viticultural Area
Year established 1989[1]
Country United States
Part of Napa Valley AVA
Other regions in Napa Valley AVA Atlas Peak AVA, Calistoga AVA, Chiles Valley AVA, Diamond Mountain District AVA, Howell Mountain AVA, Los Carneros AVA, Mt. Veeder AVA, Coombsville AVA, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA, Oakville AVA, Rutherford AVA, Spring Mountain District AVA, St. Helena AVA, Wild Horse Valley AVA, Yountville AVA
Total area 2,700 acres (11 km2)[2]
Size of planted vineyards 1,200 acres (5 km2)[3]
Varietals produced Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Zinfandel
No. of wineries 20[4]

The Stags Leap District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within the Napa Valley AVA 6 miles (9.7 km) north of the city of Napa, California. The Stags Leap District was the first appellation to be designated an AVA based on the unique terroir characteristics of its soil. The soil of this region include loam and clay sediments from the Napa River and volcanic soil deposits left over from erosion of the Vaca Mountains. Like many Napa Valley AVAs, Stags Leap District is particularly known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1976 at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting, the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet from the area that would become this AVA won first place in the red wine category, beating out classified Bordeaux estates.[3] Today, the Stags Leap District[5] is home to twenty different wineries.

History

Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap District.

Grapes were planted in the area that would become the Stags Leap District as early as the 1870s, with the first winery in the area being founded in 1878.[4] Nathan Fay planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon in the area in 1961, on land that would later be purchased by Warren Winiarski for Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.[6]

Winery Association

One of the leading forces in the region is Stags Leap District Winery Association which aims to promote the wines of the AVA and host an annual day-long event called Vineyard to Vintner which allows consumers the opportunity to interact with wineries and taste the regions wine. The following wineries are members:[7]

References

  1. ↑ Code of Federal Regulations. "§ 9.117 Stags Leap District." Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  2. ↑ Stags Leap Winegrowers Association (2007). "Visit the District". Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  3. 1 2 Appellation America (2007). "Stags Leap District (AVA): Appellation Description". Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  4. 1 2 "AVA Spotlight: Stags Leap District". The California Association of Winegrape Growers. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  5. ↑ Napa's Stags Leap District AVA published by novusvinum.com
  6. ↑ Topper, David (7 July 2009). "Stags Leap District AVA". Goose Cross Cellars. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  7. ↑ Jack Heeger "Stags Leap's Vineyard to Vintner event draws national crowd" Napa Valley Register, April 27th, 2006
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