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Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
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The pHunction of Science in Winemaking
The definition of enology is the scientific study and making of wine; however, in most California wineries, an enologist is not synonymous with a winemaker. Winemaking duties can range from overseeing vineyards to cellar operations to blending and bottling. An enologist is always focused on the wine itself, analyzing and evaluating it at every stage of development to ensure its soundness and quality before leaving the winery. “Our job is often described as keeping the wine healthy,” says Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Enologist Mark Lucci. “In another industry, we might be considered the quality control department.”
Racking: Decanting on a Large Scale
When most people think about how wine is made, they envision beautiful vineyards, tidy rows of oak barrels, stainless steel tanks, and a winemaker tasting out of a glass or two. If they’ve been to a winery during harvest, they may even think about bins of grapes being tilted into a hopper. But in reality, there is a lot more to making wine than meets the eye. Winemaker Nicki Pruss likens it to building a house.
A Legacy of Winemaking Excellence Continues: The New Mistral Sorting Table
It’s been an exciting past year as we’ve worked alongside our new stewards from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and the Antinori family. We have affirmed our history and celebrated past achievements, but we’ve also started to re-define our future, setting our sights on attaining higher goals and pledging a continued commitment to quality and innovation.
Chardonnay: A Kaleidoscope of Characters
From steely-crisp and Chablis-like to unctuously layered with butter and oak – Chardonnay is known for its chameleon-like quality and ability take on a wide range of characteristics depending on the techniques winemakers use when crafting it.
Common Sense(s)
Because wines are so dynamic – because they constantly change and evolve, particularly when they are young – the sensory evaluation of wine is a critical aspect of the winemaking process. For Winemaker Nicki Pruss, the task requires nearly all of her senses and a good deal of stamina, as she continually evaluates dozens of vineyard lots – kept separate throughout maturity – for color, aromas, flavors and textures. "I look at a wine as a whole entity, then dissect it by its component parts," says Nicki.
Community
“I just wanted to share with you how much a bottle of your wine meant to my family today. About 18 years ago my late husband bought a bottle of 1990 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars "Cask 23" Cabernet Sauvignon. It was signed "to Danny on your 21st birthday." Well today was my sons 21st birthday so we opened, drank, and enjoyed that bottle of wine. It was so special that my son could enjoy a gift from his father even though he is no longer with us. So thank you for producing an amazing bottle of wine that can be enjoyed 21 years later.”
“I visited your winery last year on a trip with friends to Napa Valley and found it very enjoyable. Yesterday a bunch of us did a mini re-enactment of the Paris 1976 wine tasting, with four chardonnays and two cabs. In a blind tasting, we put the '07 Stag's Leap SLV cab up against the French Chateau Montrose (which had scored a 122 vs. Stag's Leap's 127.5 In 1976). The crowd cheered when the Stag's Leap '07 was pulled out of the bag as the winner, having scored 213 points to Montrose's 175. Every person at the tasting picked yours as the better wine. Just wanted you to know that 35 years later you're still beating the French in blind wine tastings!”
Auctions
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Auction Lot Sold for $86,100 At the 19th Annual High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction
- March 30, 2011
The Stag's Leap Wine Cellars live auction lot (Lot 38) sold for an incredible $130,000 at Auction Napa Valley
- Napa Valley, CA - June 3, 2011
Sun Valley Center Wine Auction
- Sun Valley, ID - July 21, 2011