Steltzner Vineyard

Dick Steltzner ignored the prevailing wisdom of his time and planted this Stags Leap District vineyard to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1964, using clones he cut from Louis Martini’s vineyard in St. Helena. Nearly everyone thought this area was too cold for Cabernet-until Stags’ Leap Wine Cellars won the 1976 Judgment of Paris. At the rematch 10 years later, the winning red was the 1972 Clos du Val Cabernet-sourced 100% from Dick Steltzner’s vineyard. Today, the next generation tends these storied vines with the help of viticulturalist Jim Barbour.

For decades, the family kept nearly all of this fruit for their own winery. But as they returned to their grower roots, they decided to share a small amount with trusted winemakers like Julien Fayard. Mature and deeply-rooted, these old vines produce elegant, complex fruit with ultra-black aromatics, very soft tannins, and signature Stags Leap earthiness.

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