Gallo buys iconic Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa Valley

Founder Dr. Jan Krupp and former viticulturist Amy Warnock (Gabrielle Shaffer is the current viticulturist), showing where they will be planting more vines at Stagecoach Vineyard in 2012. Founder Dr. Jan Krupp and former viticulturist Amy Warnock (Gabrielle Shaffer is the current viticulturist), showing where they will be planting more vines at Stagecoach Vineyard in 2012. Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Gallo buys iconic Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa Valley 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

E. & J. Gallo, one of the world's largest wine companies, announced Thursday it had agreed to purchase Stagecoach Vineyard, a famous site in Napa Valley, from the vineyard's original developer Jan Krupp.

"Stagecoach is an iconic California vineyard, and we're very excited," said Lon Gallagher, a spokesperson for Gallo.

Krupp, a former medical doctor, purchased the 1,300-acre site in 1995. Spanning the Atlas Peak AVA and Pritchard Hill in Napa's Vaca Mountains, the 1,800-foot-high site was dense with volcanic rock. According to Gallo, Krupp cleared one billion pounds over seven years. 600 acres are planted to vine, mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties -- an enormous parcel by Napa standards.

Ninety wine producers purchase Stagecoach fruit. (Stagecoach doesn't have a wine brand itself.) Two of those clients -- Louis Martini and Orin Swift -- are owned by Gallo. After Gallo's purchase of Orin Swift last year, "we suddenly had another program using Stagecoach fruit," Gallagher said.

Those other winemakers will continue to get their grapes. "Part of the deal was that we were going to continue to honor the 90 or so customers that are buying the fruit," said Gallagher.

It's a remarkably high-profile piece of land for Gallo. Many Stagecoach Vineyard-designate wines sell for $100 or more.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicle's wine, beer and spirits writer. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob