[Akyung Wine Cellar] 'Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove': Leading the Rise of American Wine

Founded in 1970, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars of Napa Valley
Rising as Napa Valley's Icon After Winning the "Judgment of Paris"
Cabernet Sauvignon: "Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove"?Elegant Yet Bold

Editor's NoteThere is no such thing as identical wine under the sky. Even when grapes grown on the same land are vinified and aged in the same way each year, the result is always different. Wine is a "drink of chance," created through the harmony of humans and nature. Every wine that quietly disappears, leaving behind only a single intense memory, carries an intriguing story. "Akyung Wine Cellar" brings you these stories, each shaped and matured by unique circumstances.

"As wine ages, it develops a beauty and satisfaction that it can never possess in its youth. We sense completeness in this beauty and satisfaction. The reason old wine is so marvelous and moving is that so much of our lives is incomplete." - Warren Winiarski, founder of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Vineyard view of Stags Leap Wine Cellars.

Warren Winiarski also felt that his own life was incomplete. In his mid-30s, Winiarski began teaching at a university and started a family with his chosen partner. On the surface, his life appeared perfectly complete as he steadily pursued a career as a political scientist. However, his heart persistently told him otherwise. Perhaps it was because of his name? Born in 1928 to a Polish family in Chicago, Illinois, his surname means "winery" or "from wine" in Polish. Of course, this was just his name; his family had no connection to wine. His father, though he occasionally made mead (honey wine) as a hobby, was actually in the carriage business, unrelated to wine.

He did not grow up dreaming of becoming a winemaker. With a strong interest in the humanities, he studied political science at the University of Chicago's graduate school. He later studied abroad in Italy, researching Machiavelli and other political theorists of the Italian Renaissance. Perhaps it was then that wine began to seep into his life. Until then, wine had been something he drank only on special occasions, but in Italy, wine was an everyday companion to meals.

Founder of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Warren Winiarski (1928?2024).

Enlightenment came unexpectedly. After returning to Chicago and preparing for his doctorate, a friend brought him a bottle of wine, which became a turning point. In fact, the wine itself was nothing special?it was an ordinary wine from an East Coast American winery. However, in that ordinary glass, he sensed a vague but distinct character unique to New World wine, as he later recorded. The new possibilities of New World wine flashed through his mind, and that single glass of unremarkable wine set his life on an extraordinary path.

Winiarski then moved west to California to start a new life. In 1964, he began working as an apprentice at Souverain Cellars in Napa Valley, launching his new career. In 1966, he joined Robert Mondavi Winery as Mondavi's assistant winemaker. By around 1968, his confidence began to grow, and he started searching for land to realize his dream of owning his own vineyard and winery.

A view of Fay Vineyards in Stags Leap District.

In 1985 at Stag's Leap Winecellars, (from left) Nathan Fay and Warren Winiarski.

Winiarski's gaze settled on the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. At the time, the prevailing opinion was that the Stags Leap District was unsuitable for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. However, Nathan Fay, one of the pioneers of the American wine industry, had planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon in the area in 1961, opening up new possibilities. Winiarski became interested in the region after tasting Fay's Cabernet Sauvignon in 1969. He recalled that the moment he tasted Fay's wine, he realized it was the kind of wine he wanted to make. Enchanted by Fay's wine, Winiarski purchased vineyard and winery land in the area the following year, trusting in its potential and value, and named it Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

'Judgment of Paris': American Wine Rises from the Periphery to the Center

Stag's Leap made its name in the wine world not long after opening its doors. In 1976, British wine merchant and educator Steven Spurrier organized a blind tasting in Paris to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States, comparing French and Californian wines. This tasting, now known as the "Judgment of Paris," was designed to compare the quality of American wines with that of French wines.

The blind tasting event "Judgment of Paris," held in Paris, France in 1976 to compare and evaluate the quality of French and American wines.

Eleven wine experts participated in the tasting. To ensure fairness, the judging panel consisted entirely of French judges, except for Spurrier and his American business partner Patricia Gallagher. Initially, the blind tasting was not intended as a competition between the two countries, but rather as an opportunity to assess the progress of American wine compared to the established French industry. Even the American wineries participating approached the event as a learning experience.

However, the unexpected results were enough to shake the wine world. American wines outscored their French counterparts in both the red and white wine categories, surpassing even the grand cru wines of France. The wine that took first place in the red wine category was the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973 SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (S.L.V.). Big names from Bordeaux, such as Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Haut Brion, were all ranked behind Stag's Leap.

The highest-scoring wine in the 1976 "Judgment of Paris" was the Stags Leap Wine Cellars 1973 SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Judgment of Paris instantly changed perceptions of both Stag's Leap and Napa Valley among industry professionals and the public. This historic victory became a turning point, elevating not only the Stags Leap District but also Napa Valley to the status of a world-class wine region, and dramatically raising the international reputation of American wine. The winning S.L.V. 1973 vintage was later recognized for its historical significance and was included in the Smithsonian Museum's "Objects that Made America."

Afterward, French judges explained that the reason California wines had won was that the tasting was conducted on young wines, whose vivid and fruity flavors stood out more than the restrained and complex characteristics of French wines. They argued that if the wines were given time to age, the superiority of French wine would become clear. Their logic was that, since French?especially Bordeaux?wines are made for long aging, a comparison after many years would favor France.

The vineyard view of "S.L.V." at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

Thirty years later, in 2006, a kind of rematch was held. The same red wines from the same vintages as in 1976 were evaluated for their aging potential. The results were even more surprising than before. In 1976, French wines took second to fourth place, even though they lost first. But this time, American wines swept the top five spots, handing France an even bigger defeat. Stag's Leap's Cabernet Sauvignon also placed second, proving to the world its competitiveness in long-term aging, lasting over 30 years.

The "S.L.V." that claimed the throne at the Judgment of Paris, defeating Bordeaux's top wines, became an iconic wine in history and remains the face of Stag's Leap. It is made exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the winery's first vineyard, Stag's Leap Vineyard, established in 1970. Stag's Leap Vineyard is primarily composed of well-drained volcanic soil and cultivates 35 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 1.5 acres of Cabernet Franc.

Representative wines of Stags Leap Wine Cellars.

S.L.V. is a wine with a deep ruby color and a striking violet rim. Aromas of ripe black plum, black currant, fig, cassis, blackberry jam, mocha, olive, and espresso make it impossible to pull your nose away from the glass. On the palate, it offers a very delicate yet rich texture, with tannins and acidity in perfect balance, and subtle, elegant notes of cocoa powder, baking spices, and oak that linger on the finish. With its outstanding structure, it is enjoyable upon release but also possesses exceptional aging potential for several decades.

'Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove': The Finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Delicate Yet Rich

In 1980, the United States introduced the AVA (American Viticultural Area) system to protect appellations of origin. AVAs define the boundaries of wine-growing regions, and only wines produced from vineyards within these designated areas are permitted to use the appellation. Unlike Europe's controlled designation of origin laws, however, AVA regulations do not specify grape varieties, cultivation, or winemaking methods. This looser regulation has allowed producers to craft wines in a variety of styles and from a range of varieties according to their preferences.

Marcus Notaro, the head winemaker of Stags Leap Wine Cellars, recently visited Korea and introduced the winery.

The Stags Leap District is the smallest AVA in Napa Valley, which also means it possesses a unique terroir within its compact area. The name comes from a legend of a stag leaping over the cliffs at the eastern end of the valley. The basalt cliff rocks store sunlight during the afternoon and release warm air, while ocean breezes cool the area later in the day. The valley floor consists of gravelly volcanic loam, and the slopes are stony, resulting in relatively low soil fertility overall. Thanks to this distinctive terroir, the region mainly produces Bordeaux-style wines using Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

When Winiarski opened his winery, he aspired to create wines in the style of French Bordeaux. His goal was to make wines that possessed the classic structure and elegance of French wine, while also expressing the unique characteristics of California. The wines he envisioned were not dominated by strong extraction and tannins, but instead featured a flexible, elegant structure and enough softness to be approachable from the start. Winiarski described his style as "an iron fist in a velvet glove."

Stags Leap Wine Cellars FAY Cabernet Sauvignon

The wine that best represents Winiarski's "iron fist in a velvet glove" is the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars FAY Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from grapes grown in the vineyard that inspired Winiarski?Nathan Fay's vineyard?Winiarski purchased the land in 1986 and named the wine in Fay's honor. The wine offers sweet floral aromas, red plum, vanilla, subtle forest floor, and spice notes that tickle the nose. Its velvety, fine tannins and long finish are highly impressive, making it a rich, elegantly refined, and sophisticated wine overall. With a soft and aromatic style, it expresses even greater delicacy than S.L.V.

The Stag's Leap Wine Cellars CASK 23 Cabernet Sauvignon is the winery's flagship wine, crafted from only the finest grapes selected from both the S.L.V. and FAY vineyards. Winiarski created this wine in collaboration with Andre Tchelistcheff, known as the father of American winemaking. Layers of complex aromas?black cherry, black currant, cedar, spice, mocha, and violet?unfold in the glass, while the palate is rich, concentrated, and silky, with an endlessly persistent finish. The distinctive aromas and spiciness from FAY's volcanic soils, combined with the delicate tannins and minerality imparted by S.L.V.'s alluvial soils, result in a masterpiece that encapsulates the elegance, power, structure, and finesse of Napa Valley.

Stags Leap Wine Cellars CASK 23 Cabernet Sauvignon