Our Story

Marcus has honed his craft of making Cabernet Sauvignon with Old World techniques and New World innovations. His passion for producing wines with ripeness and restraint drew him to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which he joined in 2013 after nearly two decades of Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking experience. Incorporating this winemaking style with showcasing terroir and varietal typicity yields a portfolio of coveted and collectible Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars wines. As head winemaker, Marcus manages the winemaking process from grape to bottle, works with vineyard managers and grape growers, and oversees all winemaking practices and blending trials.

Guillermo comes from a long lineage of farmers and is the fifth generation in his family to pursue the profession. Before coming to Napa, Guillermo interned with renowned professor José Ramón Lissarrague in the Viticulture Lab; he also completed a six-month internship at Thibaut Scholasch from Fruition Sciences in the Languedoc. Once in Napa, Guillermo interned at Etude Winery, worked as a viticulturist at Trefethen Family Vineyards, and joined Treasury Wine Estates as assistant vineyard manager. He accepted the vineyard manager position at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 2020 and was promoted to senior vineyard manager in 2023. Guillermo leads the efforts for the estate to be Regenerative Organic Certified®, which represents the highest standard for organic agriculture in the world.

Jorge works closely with Marcus and the vineyard team to ensure Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars crafts exceptional wine. He was promoted to winemaker in 2021, where he now reports directly to head winemaker Marcus Notaro, and oversees the laboratory in addition to other winemaking responsibilities. He has a Master’s Degree in Enology & Viticulture from Fresno State University and joined Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars as a Lab Supervisor in 2014.

Luis has worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars for over 25 years. He began as a temporary bottling worker in 1996 for two years, then spent eight years as a cellar worker before becoming cellar master in 2006. Luis was promoted to winemaker in 2023. Luis monitors the vineyards throughout the various stages of vine development, participates in wine tastings with head winemaker Marcus Notaro, and is actively involved in all aspects of the estate’s Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc winemaking. He also monitors the red grape processing and fermentations and oversees all cellar and bottling operations.