Stewart Cellars

Stewart Cellars is downtown Yountville's most polished tasting room, a sleek, modern space that brings wines from across California's finest appellations together under one roof. Founded in 2000 by Michael Stewart, a former investment banker who left finance for wine, the brand has built its identity around sourcing from premier vineyards in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and the Anderson Valley. The Yountville tasting room, which opened in 2016, provides a walkable, architecturally striking base for exploring this multi-regional portfolio.

The winery owns no vineyards of its own, choosing instead to work with established growers who farm some of the most prestigious sites in Northern California. This negociant model gives winemaker Blair Guthrie access to Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley, and Chardonnay from cool-climate sites across both counties. The freedom from estate vineyard obligations allows the winemaking team to seek out the best fruit each vintage, wherever it grows.

Blair Guthrie crafts a portfolio that moves fluidly between regions and varieties, producing wines that reflect their source vineyards with clarity and precision. The Napa Valley Cabernet is structured and classic, the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is delicate and perfumed, and the Anderson Valley Chardonnay is crisp and mineral. Each wine is produced in small lots, maintaining the boutique quality that the Stewart brand was built on. The Nomad label, a more accessible tier, extends the portfolio with well-priced wines from premier regions.

The tasting room on Washington Street in Yountville is a study in modern design, with clean lines, natural materials, and floor-to-ceiling glass that floods the space with natural light. The bar area is surrounded by a landscaped courtyard with fire pits and outdoor seating, creating one of the most inviting gathering spaces in downtown Yountville. Tastings are walk-in friendly, and the staff are adept at guiding visitors through the multi-regional portfolio. The location, steps from The French Laundry and Bouchon, makes Stewart a natural part of any Yountville wine-and-food itinerary.

Stewart Cellars demonstrates that a winery does not need vineyards to produce excellent wine. By investing in relationships rather than real estate, the brand accesses fruit that most estate wineries can only dream of, and the Yountville tasting room provides a setting that matches the ambition of the wines. For visitors who want to taste across California's finest regions without leaving downtown Yountville, Stewart offers a one-stop tour of the state's best terroirs.