Black Stallion Estate Winery Named “American Winery of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast

NAPA, Calif., Nov. 7, 2023- Black Stallion Estate Winery, a family-owned winery in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley today announced that Wine Enthusiast has honored the winery with its Wine Star Award for “American Winery of the Year”. The magazine’s prestigious Wine Star Awards celebrate the leaders who are shaping the present and future of the wine and alcohol beverage industry.

Located in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District, Black Stallion Estate Winery is the flagship winery of Delicato Family Wines, a fourth-generation winery owned by the Indelicato family that will be celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of its founding in 2024. Established on a 32-acre estate on the Silverado Trail, the winery and vineyards were purchased by the Indelicato family in 2010, shortly after its founding. The “Black Stallion” name alludes to the property’s former life as an equestrian center. What was once a stone-walled stable is today a barrel cellar; while the previous riding ring is transformed into a small-lot winery.

Specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Stallion draws on grapes from the Gaspare Vineyard, an estate site named for family forebear, Gaspare Indelicato, as well as from prized vineyards across Napa Valley’s diverse sub-appellations. Led by Director of Winemaking Ralf Holdenried, the winemaking team crafts small-lot Cabernets from the Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Oak Knoll, and Atlas Peak AVAs, as well as four Napa Valley-appellated Cabernets, including Transcendent, Black Stallion’s flagship offering.

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir complete the winery’s varietal portfolio. In addition, unique Napa Valley expressions of Albariño, Tempranillo, Malbec, Syrah, and other niche varietals are available directly to consumers.

A Family Story
“For nearly a hundred years, each generation of our family has been writing a new chapter of our family story in California wine,” remarked Stephen Mathews, fourth-generation Indelicato family member and the assistant winemaker at Black Stallion.

“Since our first vintage at Black Stallion, we’ve been on a journey to understand, explore and do justice to the quality of Napa Valley’s extraordinary terroir. But our story in Napa Valley is really just beginning. We are immensely honored by this recognition, and we also know that our best vintage is always the one we haven’t made yet. It’s a family mentality of hard work and continual improvement that keeps pushing us to expand what’s possible,” continued Mathews.

A Commitment to Sustainability
In addition to superior-quality wine, another pillar of Black Stallion Estate Winery’s core values is a commitment to sustainable farming practices and dedication to preserving the natural beauty of the Napa Valley. The winery is certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, representing a rigorous statewide standard of sustainability, and every aspect of winegrowing and winemaking is considered with its environmental impact in mind, from soil and pest management to preserving biodiversity in the vineyards and conserving the use of natural resources. In 2017, the winery installed more than 1,000 solar panels to provide a source of sustainable energy for winery operations.

For more information on Black Stallion Estate Winery, please visit www.blackstalllionwinery.com.