Question about the Stagecoach Vineyard

[Jenise]

Within the past week I put two wines in my cellar whose fruit came from Napa's Stagecoach Vineyard, a name that suddenly pops up left and right but which I don't remember having heard of prior to, say, a year ago. So yeah, okay, I was hiding, but it seems to be a big vineyard from which a lot of producers are getting their fruit. Can anyone shed any light on it for me--is this a vineyard we've previously known by other names or anything like that?

I visited the site with a friend three years ago, Jenise. They excavated half a million tons of rock, and were planting new vines then. My notes show that there were 500 acres planted then, and a total of 1200 acres on the site.

Haven't had any of the wines from grapes grown there -- I believe they bought the place in 1995 and started work then. I'll look for wines made from the grapes -- my friend was a geologist, and we were looking for fossils on the newly blasted rock faces -- with some limited success.

Jenise,
I just noticed that the newest member here, Karen Troisi, makes wine from this site. Perhaps she will chime in with her thoughts/comments.
Wm.

Jenise,
I just noticed that the newest member here, Karen Troisi, makes wine from this site. Perhaps she will chime in with her thoughts/comments.
Wm.

Hi - glad to join the forum (seems like a really great group of wine lovers) and I look forward to participating.

Bill - you are correct - we do make a cabernet from Stagecoach Vineyard. Stagecoach is a large vineyard (500+ planted acres) that includes many varietals including cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot, cab franc - but probably best known for cabernet sauvignon and syrah. The Krupp family owns and manages the vineyard and does a wonderful job. The vineyard is located on the southern end of Pritchard Hill and overlooks Oakville. Because the vineyard is so large with so many micro-climates, soil differences, etc. it's important to source from the right block (and rows) which we fortunately have been able to do. Producers sourcing from this site include us (Jean Edwards Cellars), Paul Hobbs, Plumpjack, Caymus, Viader, Levendi, Pahlmeyer and Veraison (the Krupp's brand) -- among others.

Karen

Miner Family also sources fruit from here.. for a number of premium bottlings..

From their website:

STAGECOACH VINEYARD, NAPA VALLEY

The Stagecoach vineyard surely must be one of the most ambitious vineyard developments to date. Situated upon and named for an 1800's stagecoach trail, this 800 acre vineyard was laboriously carved from enormous rocks and boulders high atop the eastern hills of Napa Valley. At nearly 1500 feet above the Valley floor and nearly straddling the Oakville Ranch property, this vineyard has quickly caught fire with winemakers searching for grapes of uncommonly deep and profoundly complex nature. (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Syrah)

[Jenise]

Karen, it's a pleasure to meet you and thank you for the information. So as I suspected Stagecoach is like a Bien Nacido (a very large Santa Barbara vineyard that had the same considerations). My two Stagecoaches are a Krupps white blend called Black Bart's Bride (I believe they make a syrah called Black Bart) and a case of cabernet made from grapes Ray Signorello brought to Vancouver BC and made there, believe it or not. But as I said, I've seen quite a few others--including a Jean Edwards!

Bob and Jim, thanks, this explains pretty much how this vineyard seemed to come out of nowhere. It literally did, and the vines are now mature enough to produce reliable quality.