Warren and Barbara Winiarski, co-founders of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa Valley, helped put California on the international winemaking map when their 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon took first place in the famed 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. A bottle of that 1973 wine now resides in the Smithsonian’s collection at the National Museum of American History.
The Winiarskis are longstanding supporters of the museum. Most recently, through their Winiarski Family Foundation, they gifted $4 million to establish the Winiarski Curator of Food and Wine History. Below is an edited conversation with Warren about their philanthropy.
What drives your philanthropy?
Barbara’s and my philanthropy stems from gratitude. We want to return some measure of the benefits we received that made possible the achievements of our lifetimes. It’s not only a matter of gratitude, but a matter of duty. It’s what one human owes to another.
Why do you give to the National Museum of American History?
The museum specializes in those things around which people gather to be enriched by their history. They reflect a sense of pride in the achievements of all Americans. The outcome of the Paris tasting represents an advancement of American winemaking and viticulture. We believe the museum enshrines those objects that people can admire and that express a unity of purpose and achievement. They also reflect the kind of pride that helps social cohesion. We are so grateful to the museum because those objects—and what they represent—all contribute to our common, shared way of life as Americans.
Why is the history of food and wine important to you?
Putting wine and food together was important for me because it elevated wine to the place it had been for the Founding Fathers— nourishment for the spirit, as well as food for the body. I want the curator to keep the two together—when wine is consumed with food, it enhances the food and elevates the dining experience. It’s important to keep together what belongs together.
What are your hopes for this curatorial position?
To curate objects that contribute to and nourish national pride and highlight those objects that Americans can be proud of.
Published October 2022 in IMPACT Vol. 8 No. 3
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