Vintage purchase for Ste. Michelle, partner

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates of Woodinville is poised to become part-owner of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, the famous Napa Valley estate that helped put U.S. wine on the world map.

Ste. Michelle has partnered with Italian winemaker Marchese Piero Antinori to buy Stag's Leap for about $185 million in a deal expected to close this fall.

Stag's Leap is known for beating some of France's finest Bordeaux wines in a 1976 blind tasting in Paris, an occasion that sparked the rise of California wines and is the subject of two upcoming movies — "Bottle Shock" and one based on the book "Judgment of Paris."

Warren Winiarski, who founded Stag's Leap in the early 1970s, will consult with the new owners for three years. But, he said, he's also looking forward to traveling with his wife, Barbara.

"When people retire from our winery, she would say to them, 'Would you have a discussion with Warren?'" said Winiarski, 78, who has three children involved with the winery but no family members who can take over full-time.

Stag's Leap has about 100 employees and makes several luxury wines, including Cask 23, which has a suggested retail price of $175 for a 750 ml bottle. Other labels include S.L.V. ($110), Fay ($85) and a blend called Artemis ($55).

Winiarski visited Ste. Michelle in Woodinville a couple weeks ago and toured two of its Eastern Washington wineries — Northstar near Walla Walla and Col Solare, a joint venture with Antinori that opened at Red Mountain earlier this year.

It was a better trip than his last visit 15 years ago, when Washington's vineyards were "a little bit raw," Winiarski said.

"Your skillful people have revolutionized that part of the country with their dedication and passion," he said.

When he decided to sell Stag's Leap, Winiarski talked to Italian winemaker Piero Antinori, whom he has known for years. Antinori suggested that Ste. Michelle be part of the acquisition.

Ted Baseler, president of Ste. Michelle, said he hopes to build a new tourist center near 38,000 square feet of underground caves near Napa where Stag's Leap ages its barrels. The caves were designed by Spanish architect Javier Barba and featured in Architectural Digest a few years ago.

Ste. Michelle, which is owned by the tobacco company UST, produces more than half of all the wine made in Washington. Its wineries include Columbia Crest and Spring Valley Vineyards in Washington, Erath Vineyard Winery in Oregon and Conn Creek and Villa Mt. Eden wineries in Napa Valley.

Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 or mallison@seattletimes.com