Stags' Leap - LUDOVIC DERVIN

GENERAL MANAGER & SENIOR WINEMAKER

From a young age, Ludovic Dervin was drawn to the people, culture, and art of winemaking.

A native of the Champagne region of France, Ludo grew up playing hide-and-seek and foraging

for wild mushrooms among some of the most esteemed vineyards in the world. At first, his curious,

scientific mind led him to pursue studies in microbiology, but eventually he found his way back

to his roots and pivoted to his true calling, enology. He earned his viticulture and winemaking

degree at the University in Reims and is today the General Manager and Senior Winemaker for

Stags’ Leap Winery.

After graduation, Ludo immersed himself in the winemaking world to get a better sense of the

many facets of the industry. It was the complexity of the job that really appealed to him. He

enjoyed working with growers, managing winemaking teams, and exploring the craft—blending

artistry and modern technology. Once he got his foot in the door, the rest was history.

Before officially launching his career as a Napa Valley winemaker, Ludovic set out on a

three-year venture as a “flying winemaker.” His journey took him around the globe to world-class

winemaking regions in Greece, South Africa, and California, where he learned the ins and outs

of both Old and New World winemaking, including the different techniques and the intricacies of

each vine-growing region. Particularly enamored by Napa Valley winemaking country, it wasn’t

long before he returned for good.

By the mid-1990s, Ludovic relocated to California permanently to fulfill a 16-month role as a

research enologist for Remy Martin’s Piper Sonoma. After staying with the brand for another year,

Ludovic moved on to join the team at Kendall-Jackson and Hartford Court, where he worked

on production of the luxury portfolio, including the launch of Kendall-Jackson’s Verité program

in 1998. In 2002, he joined Mumm Napa as Head Winemaker, where he continued to develop

his passion and creativity, producing premier Napa Valley wines for the following 17 years—

including winemaking missions in other parts of the world, like Australia, New Zealand, France,

and Canada.

In July 2022, Ludovic joined Stags’ Leap Winery as General Manager and Senior Winemaker.

Drawn to the centuries-old historic estate, premiere location in the Stags Leap appellation, and

signature style of winemaking, Ludovic is both eager and determined to continue the Stags’ Leap

Winery legacy of producing gold-standard Napa Valley wines. “I am constantly inspired by my

surroundings here, on the estate at the base of the Pallisades mountain range. I’m very grateful to

have the opportunity to exercise my passion and creativity in winemaking at one of Napa Valley’s

most iconic and storied wineries.”