The family is the only Italian producer owning a winery in Napa, where it has been present since 1985. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is considered one of the most important wineries in the area.
NAPA – Marchesi Antinori, one of the oldest family-owned quality wine companies, acquires full ownership of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, becoming the only Italian producer owning a winery in Napa Valley (California), where it has been present since 1985. The announcement was made by Marchesi Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest area and among the top companies in the United States for the production of premium wines. The acquisition comes after 16 years of collaboration with the prestigious American company.
“There are few opportunities like this in a lifetime, where an important and historic reality like Stag’s Leap becomes available,” says Piero Antinori, honorary president of Marchesi Antinori. “I must thank Ste Michelle Wine Estates for giving us this opportunity. It is a source of pride for me and my family to have the chance to fulfill the promise I made to my friend Warren Winiarski 16 years ago: to preserve the legacy and values of such a prestigious company as Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.”
“Over the past 16 years, it has been an honor to partner with the Antinori family, continuing the incredible story of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. We wish the Antinori family the best in continuing this journey in the future,” says Shawn Conway, chief executive officer of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “Our roots – from our foundation, 90 years ago – are in the American Pacific Northwest area, and that is where our company’s future lies. This move allows us to better focus our energy and resources on the part of our business with the greatest growth potential: our portfolio in the Pacific Northwest territory.”
The family is the only Italian producer owning a winery in Napa, where it has been present since 1985. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars confirms Antinori’s strong belief in the potential of this extraordinary terroir. The change of ownership will be effective by the end of June. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is considered one of the most important wineries in the Napa Valley area, California. Founded in 1970 by Warren Winiarski, the estate is now known worldwide primarily for the production of excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. This historic winery became famous after 1976, the year of the so-called “Judgment of Paris,” when a blind tasting was held in Paris, where a panel of 9 French tasters tasted the best Californian Cabernets and Chardonnays, comparing them with some of the best labels from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Against all odds, the Californian wines were declared the winners, considered until then only as a curious novelty in the global wine scene. The first place was awarded to S.L.V. 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap, marking a small revolution in the world of wine. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars produces three Cabernet Sauvignons: CASK 23, S.L.V., and FAY – among the most sought-after Cabernets in the world by collectors. The same classic style is expressed by estate wines such as Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon, Karia Chardonnay, and Aveta Sauvignon Blanc.
