Stags Leap District

Stags Leap District is bounded on the east by an imposing rugged rock outcropping the Stags Leap Palisades and to the west by the gently rolling hills and the Napa River. Stags Leap gets its name from an Indian legend and is one of California Wine Country's oldest legally recognized appellations. Stags Leap is located on the eastern side of the Napa Valley, 5 miles north of the town of Napa and east of the river. The Silverado Trail bisects Stags Leap. Roughly one mile wide by two miles long, the district is about 2,700 acres, half of which are given over to wine grape cultivation.

Soils on the eastern half of the Stags Leap appellation are mainly volcanic. In the lowland area to the west, where a much broader Napa River once ran, old river sediments dominate.

The rock facades of the palisades reflect the heat of the sun onto the vineyards below, causing temperatures to rise quickly. In the evening, the hills of Stags Leap funnel the cool marine air flowing north from San Pablo Bay. The cooling effect of the breeze, along with nighttime drafts off the mountains, result in lower nighttime temperatures. All of these factors together spell great things for the wine grapes of Stags Leap. The signature varietal of the Stags Leap District is Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact it was a Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon that helped to put California Wines and the California Wine Country on the map when it took top prize for a red wine at the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting competition. Other notable varietals of the region include Merlot, Petite Sirah and Sangiovese.