2026 Auction Lots
In 1976, a single Napa Valley Cabernet stunned the world. At a blind tasting in Paris, the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. rose above France’s most revered wines — forever altering the course of wine history. Fifty years later, this rare offering invites you to step into that legacy through two exceptional, once-in-a-lifetime evenings.
On July 18, take your place in prime seats at Charles Krug for the world premiere of The Judgment of Paris, a major new opera by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, commissioned by Festival Napa Valley. Begin with exclusive access to the Patron Lounge, where historic Napa Valley wines will be poured. Following the performance, continue to Freemark Abbey – one of the original wineries represented in the 1976 Paris Tasting - for a celebratory dinner where you will dine alongside members of the acclaimed cast. A limited-edition poster signed by the cast and creative team will commemorate the evening.
The experience continues on a mutually agreeable date at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars on Silverado Trail, where winemaker Marcus Notaro hosts an intimate dinner for you and five guests. The evening centers on an extraordinary vertical tasting spanning six decades of S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon. At its center: a bottle of the 1973 vintage itself — the very wine that triumphed in Paris and one of the last remaining bottles in existence.
Each couple departs with five collector magnums — 1984, 1993, 2009, 2013, and 2023 — an exceptional addition to any cellar and a lasting reminder of this singular experience.
Donors: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Marchese Piero Antinori, Festival Napa Valley
Designed for six guests
Dates: The Judgment of Paris world premiere - July 18, 2026; Dinner at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars: Mutually agreeable