It was the 1973 cabernet sauvignon produced by Stag's Leap Wine Cellars that put the winery—and the California wine industry—on the map by placing first in the famous Paris tasting of 1976. A visit to the winery is a no-frills affair; visitors in the small, spare tasting room are clearly serious about tasting wine and aren't interested in distractions like a gift shop. It costs a hefty $40 to taste the top-of-the-line wines, including their limited-production estate-grown cabernets and Bordeaux blends, some of which sell for well over $100. If you're interested in more modestly priced wines, try the $15 tasting, which usually includes a sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot, and a cabernet.
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