Quick Takeaways
- Oakville sits at the heart of Napa Valley and offers ideal climate and soil conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Most of our Oakville fruit comes from Gamble Ranch, tucked just off Highway 29 and Silverado Trail.
- The current expression of this Oakville sourcing is our 2023 Limited Edition Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which blends estate Gamble Ranch fruit with cooler-climate Coombsville grapes.
- Winemaking at Stags' Leap Winery has since passed from longtime winemaker Christophe Paubert to current Senior Winemaker and General Manager Ludovic Dervin.
Why Oakville?
Oakville, located in the heart of Napa Valley, has the climate and soils that make it one of the region's premier locations for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, capturing a pure expression of the grape from one of Napa's best-known central appellations. Much of our Oakville fruit comes from Gamble Ranch, tucked just off Highway 29 and Silverado Trail. The soils there are rocky and varied, mostly alluvium derived from volcanic, metamorphic, or sedimentary rock, with some material weathered in place from volcanic parent rock. Though the ranch itself sits largely flat on the valley floor, it's a historic location within the valley, geographically close to our own Stags Leap estate.
From Barrel Selection to Reserve Blend
Our winemaking team has long treated Oakville fruit as a distinct expression worth bottling on its own, fermenting select lots separately in French oak before blending just prior to bottling. That practice continues today in our 2023 Limited Edition Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which draws primarily from our estate Gamble Ranch Vineyard in Oakville, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon from the cooler Coombsville appellation. The result highlights the fullest expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from across Napa Valley's varied soils and microclimates.
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A Winemaking Legacy, Continued
This style of small-lot, terroir-driven blending was shaped over 13 years by former Senior Winemaker and General Manager Christophe Paubert, whose background included time at Chateau d'Yquem and Gruaud-Larose, along with projects in Chile, Spain, and Washington State. For Paubert, a wine's identity was always found through terroir rather than winemaker technique, a philosophy that shaped how the estate approached fruit from distinct sites like Gamble Ranch.
That philosophy continues today under current Senior Winemaker and General Manager Ludovic Dervin, who succeeded Paubert in 2022. Read more about Dervin's background and approach on our Winemaking page.
Oakville Sourcing at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Vineyard | Gamble Ranch, Oakville |
| Soil type | Rocky alluvium from volcanic, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock |
| Current wine | 2023 Limited Edition Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Blend components | Estate Gamble Ranch (Oakville) plus Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Current winemaker | Ludovic Dervin, Senior Winemaker and General Manager |
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Oakville a good region for Cabernet Sauvignon? Oakville's central Napa Valley location, rocky alluvial soils, and consistent climate all favor Cabernet Sauvignon, producing wines with strong structure and pure varietal expression.
Where is Gamble Ranch located? Gamble Ranch is an estate vineyard in Napa Valley's Oakville District, just off Highway 29 and Silverado Trail, geographically close to the main Stags' Leap estate.
What wine currently represents Stags' Leap Winery's Oakville fruit? The 2023 Limited Edition Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which blends estate Gamble Ranch fruit from Oakville with Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coombsville appellation.
Who is the current winemaker at Stags' Leap Winery? Ludovic Dervin has served as Senior Winemaker and General Manager since 2022, succeeding longtime winemaker Christophe Paubert.
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