Stags Leap District AVA
# Stags Leap District AVA

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. Today, the Stags Leap District is home to twenty different wineries.

## History

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. 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.

## 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:

* Baldacci Family Vineyards
* Chimney Rock Winery
* Cliff Lede Vineyards
* Clos Du Val
* Malk Family Vineyards
* Ilsley Vineyards
* Pine Ridge Vineyards
* Regusci Winery
* Shafer Vineyards
* Silverado Vineyards
* Stags' Leap Winery
* Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
* Steltzner Vineyards
* Taylor Family Vineyards
