Staglin Family Vineyard sits on a 61-acre certified organic estate on the Rutherford benchland, at the base of Mount St. John, the tallest peak in the Mayacamas Range. The property carries 130 years of viticultural history, first planted in the 1860s and now producing some of the most sought-after allocation wines in Napa Valley. With rich volcanic soils, an underground winery, and a commitment to organic farming that reflects a deep respect for this historic land, Staglin represents the quieter, more private side of Rutherford wine culture.

One Hundred and Thirty Years of History on the Rutherford Bench

The land that is now Staglin Family Vineyard was first settled in 1864 when John and Mary Steckter purchased 367 acres from Serranus Clinton Hastings, one of the wealthiest pioneers of early California, at $34 per acre. The Steckters cleared the land, built a wood-frame residence and barns, and planted 60 acres of grapes on the alluvial fan while dedicating the remaining acreage to cattle and wheat. By 1877, a local newspaper described their Rutherford property as “a fine dwelling upon the rising ground near the foothills.”

The land passed through multiple generations and several families over the following century, each leaving its mark on the property. The Staglin family acquired the estate and continued its viticultural heritage, ultimately building an underground winery and committing the entire estate to certified organic farming. Today, 51 of the 61 acres are planted to vine, with the remainder including the historic homestead, a solar array, and the woodland habitat the Staglins have preserved as part of their organic farming philosophy.

The Staglin estate has been planted to wine grapes since the mid-1860s, when John Steckter first cleared the volcanic alluvial fan below Mount St. John and planted 60 acres of vines on what would become one of the most storied parcels in Rutherford.

Volcanic Soils and Mountain Microclimate

The Staglin estate sits on an alluvial fan at the base of Mount St. John, the tallest mountain in the Mayacamas Range. The soils are rich volcanic material deposited over millennia by the mountain’s erosion, and the fan shape of the property creates excellent natural drainage that stresses the vines in productive ways, concentrating flavor and reducing vigorous canopy growth. The location near the foothills brings slightly cooler temperatures and more airflow than the valley floor wineries of central Rutherford, contributing to wines with natural freshness alongside their benchmark Rutherford intensity.

The estate carries the hallmarks of the Rutherford benchland AVA: deep, well-drained soils, a warm growing season moderated by fog and bay breezes, and the mineral-driven character often described as “Rutherford dust” in the finest Cabernet Sauvignons from this appellation. Certified organic farming since the Staglin stewardship has deepened the complexity of the soils over time, building a microbiome that the family believes is essential to the character of their wines. Explore more about the Napa Valley wine region and the terroir that makes Rutherford Cabernet so distinctive.

Wines by Allocation and Membership

Staglin wines are not available through retail channels. They are offered exclusively to active members of the wine club and mailing list, with production kept deliberately small to reflect the estate’s 51 planted acres. The flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary expression of the Rutherford benchland terroir, joined by additional estate wines that showcase the depth of the certified organic vineyard.

The structured, mineral-driven Cabernet from Staglin pairs in the classic Rutherford mode: roasted lamb, dry-aged ribeye, or game birds with rich reductions are natural partners for a wine whose tannins need protein and fat to show at their best. The finesse of the farming shows in how the wine carries its tannins, with a suppleness that comes from the volcanic soil complexity rather than from any extraction in the cellar. Staglin wines are designed to age, and members who cellar them for 10 or more years report the characteristic Rutherford development of cedar, tobacco, dried fruit, and earth that marks the finest long-term Cabernets from this appellation.

Visiting Staglin Family Vineyard

Staglin Family Vineyard hosts privately guided visits by appointment only, with priority given to active wine club and mailing list members. The 90-minute experience includes a walk through the vineyards, a tour of the underground winemaking caves, and a tasting of estate-grown wines paired with conversation about the organic farming practices, winemaking philosophy, and 130-year history of the property.

The intimacy of the experience reflects the character of the estate itself: quiet, focused, and unhurried. For visitors who have been following Staglin wines through the allocation list, a visit to the estate brings the wines into full context. The underground caves, the historic homestead, and the view across the Rutherford benchland toward the valley floor provide a setting that is genuinely unlike the more commercially oriented tasting rooms of Napa Valley’s busier destinations.

Staglin Family Vineyard: frequently asked questions