"There are a lot of beautiful, Shangri-La-like places in Napa Valley, but it's hard to find a more striking setting than the Seven Stones winery high in the mountains above the Meadowood Resort." — Robert Parker
Seven Stones Winery is one of Napa Valley's rising boutique wineries, first founded in 2005 by Ron and Anita Wornick, then later purchased by the South Korean conglomerate, the Hanwha Group. The estate crafts less than 400 cases of its Bordeaux-style flagship Cabernet, which has received critical acclaim from luminaries such as Robert Parker, Antonio Galloni, and Lisa Perrotti-Brown.
Seven Stones Winery: Boutique Winery Beginnings
In 1995, Ron Wornick purchased 45 acres of land from Bill Harlan in Napa Valley's eastern Vaca Mountains; the land sits above the Meadowood Resort and was formerly owned by the company. Ron Wornick and his wife, Anita, initially intended the land to act as a retirement haven for the pair and their family, however, after much prompting from their winemaking neighbors, the Wornicks decided to establish a winery.
A decade passed before Seven Stones Winery was formally established, with the inaugural vintage crafted in 2005. David Abreu was enlisted to manage the vineyard, planting three acres with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Abreu brought in Brad Grimes, head winemaker at Abreu Vineyards, to craft the inaugural vintage. He was then replaced in 2007 by Aaron Pott, who brought experience from Chateau Troplong Mondot, Beringer Vineyards, and Quintessa.
Aaron Pott: Top Napa Winemaker
Aaron Pott began his winemaking journey at only 9 years old, when his parents took him on a family trip to France. During his trip, Pott visited esteemed chateaux in Champagne, Burgundy, and the Rhone, even trying his first ever glass of wine here. Following the trip, Aaron Pott started winemaking in his teenage years, studied at U.C. Davis, then interned at Robert Mondavi Winery and Opus One throughout summer break.
After Pott graduated, he studied in Burgundy and returned to the United States to work as an assistant winemaker at Newton Winery. Here, Pott gained exceptional knowledge from John Kongsgaard and also formed a personal relationship with legendary consultant Michel Rolland. His newfound friend then got him a job at Chateau Troplong Mondot and Chateau La Tour Figeac, before Pott became the "International Winemaker" at Beringer Vineyards and head winemaker at Quintessa.
Seven Stones Wine: Portfolio and Vineyards
Seven Stones Winery hosts one of Napa Valley's most pristine sites, with 45 acres on a steep hillside on the eastern Vaca Mountains just above Meadowood Resort. The vineyard sits in one of the region's greatest terroirs and is surrounded by Harlan's Napa Valley Reserve at the bottom of the hill, Herb Lamb Vineyard behind the property, and Thorevilos Vineyard close by. Its volcanic-based soils and rocky topsoils produce intensely concentrated fruit due to the hillside's poor drainage. When Ron Wornick first acquired the site, he installed a well 850 feet down the mountain to establish a permanent water source. Consequently, yields were increased, though the Seven Stones winemaking team uses only 40% of the final production. The strict selection process allows for only the best fruit to be used in the final blend.
Seven Stones Cabernet
Seven Stones Cabernet Sauvignon is the estate's flagship label, comprising 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. The wine is celebrated for its purity of fruit flavor, dense, concentrated palate, and deep layers of currant and blackberry. One of the estate's greatest vintages is the inaugural 2005 Seven Stones Cabernet, rated 99+ points by Robert Parker, earning the estate its highest score from the critic. In his review, Parker exclaimed, "This wine blew me away in the tasting, and again, it is another of the absolutely compelling, great, great wines of this vintage."
Add Seven Stones Wines to Your Cellar
Seven Stones wine is one of Napa's budding boutique luxury wineries, captivating drinkers and critics with its flagship Cabernet. At under $150 per bottle, these bottles are perfect for discerning customers of any price bracket, offering an approachable price point in one of Napa's greatest terroirs. Browse our in-stock collection of Seven Stones wines today and secure a bottle for your collection.
