Stag’s Leap Winery

The history of the resort and its owners is rich and colorful. Tales of ghosts, mummies, mischievous monkeys, and “shady” dealings at Stags’ Leap Manor abound. Some are documented, some are passed on by word of mouth, and some are pure speculation.

While the Manor House was being constructed Horace had decided to take advantage of grapes on the property by making wine. By 1892, 80 acres of vineyards were in production. Since he had no winemaking facilities, he built a 150 foot wine cave by blasting into the volcanic rhyolite rock of the Palisades. The cave was the first to be built into the east side of the Napa Valley.

Unfortunately, the Chases literally “gave into misfortune” in 1909 when he lost much of his fortune through failed investments in Mexican silver mines that went bad; and the property was lost by default.

The origin of the name “Stags’ Leap” is not well documented. Most common oral histories attribute it to a native Wappo legend of a stag leaping to escape hunters or leaping to its death in preference to being hunted down. Another version refers to a stag that eluded an entire generation of hunters, always leaping and vanishing at the last moment.