Stags Leap CA - Napa Valley Wine Appellation

Hillside Stags Leap / Gourmet Girl

Your guide to the best of Stags Leap

Stags Leap, like most of Napa Valley, began growing grapes in the mid 1800s. The first winery, Occidental Winery, was established in 1871 by Terrill L. Grigsby. Things continued to grow until those two famous killers of Napa Valley wine. Phylloxera and prohibition. A quiet renaissance began in 1961 and that is where things began to build steam. The turning point would be in 1976 when a blind tasting in France awarded first place to Stags Leap Wine Cellars over some of the most prestigious wineries in France. 10 years later, another blind taste test awarded first place to yet another Stag’s Leap winery, Clos Du Val for their 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon and Stag’s Leap isn’t finished yet. Winemaking is stronger than ever in this Napa Valley appellation.


Host an Oscar Party at Home - Peil throws an Oscar Night party every year and has plenty of recommendations for foods that echo the movie nominees. He's planning football-inspired Candlestick Prawns to honor Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side," this year, and grilled German sausages with sweet and sour cabbage to complement "Inglourious Basterds." Apple strudel would also work nicely for "Inglourious." Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar chef Janine Falvo and sommelier Chris Sawyer, who do a cinematic menu for the annual Sonoma Valley Film Festival, suggest riffing on the "The Blind Side" with a Maryland-style Blue Crab Dip (although if you use Dungeness, Falvo promises not to rat you out to Baltimore residents who are blue crab fanatics). The movie is set in the South, but the main character is drafted into the NFL by the Baltimore Ravens. Pair the rich dip with Old Bay potato chips, and a crisp Ravenswood gewurztraminer. "Heavy dramas often require pairings with powerful wines," says Sawyer, turning his attention to "Precious." "Much like the success of 'Precious,' the Stags' Leap 2006 comes out of nowhere and quickly emerges as a complex and powerful wine with aromatic notes of violet and lavender and deep flavors that leave a lasting impression . . . More from Mercury News

Host an Oscar Party at Home - Peil throws an Oscar Night party every year and has plenty of recommendations for foods that echo the movie nominees. He's planning football-inspired Candlestick Prawns to honor Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side," this year, and grilled German sausages with sweet and sour cabbage to complement "Inglourious Basterds." Apple strudel would also work nicely for "Inglourious."

Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar chef Janine Falvo and sommelier Chris Sawyer, who do a cinematic menu for the annual Sonoma Valley Film Festival, suggest riffing on the "The Blind Side" with a Maryland-style Blue Crab Dip (although if you use Dungeness, Falvo promises not to rat you out to Baltimore residents who are blue crab fanatics). The movie is set in the South, but the main character is drafted into the NFL by the Baltimore Ravens. Pair the rich dip with Old Bay potato chips, and a crisp Ravenswood gewurztraminer.

"Heavy dramas often require pairings with powerful wines," says Sawyer, turning his attention to "Precious." "Much like the success of 'Precious,' the Stags' Leap 2006 comes out of nowhere and quickly emerges as a complex and powerful wine with aromatic notes of violet and lavender and deep flavors that leave a lasting impression . . . More from Mercury News