Seven Apart Announces New Head Winemaker

NAPA VALLEY, Calif. – Seven Apart Winery is pleased to announce that Morgan Maurèze has been named new head winemaker. Seven Apart entered the Napa Cabernet fray in 2018 with legendary winemaker Andy Erickson leading the production of the first vintages for the winery. Maurèze has worked with Erickson for 15 years refining his expertise, but his training started in his childhood.

Born in France, Maurèze’s parents both have a long lineage of winemakers. He is a fifth-generation winemaker on his father’s side and third on his mother’s. From a young age, Maurèze knew he wanted to work in the industry and had several impactful internships at Dominus Estate before attending UC Davis, earning a degree in viticulture and oenology. He continued his formal training at the University of Bordeaux – learning new and old-world techniques while also working at Château Petrus, Château Haut-Brion and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and others. Maurèze’s career took off in Napa Valley when he began assisting Erickson at several estates including Arietta Wines, Dalle Valle, Ovid, Screaming Eagle and Marciano Estate.

“Andy truly helped us establish Seven Apart as the world-class winery we aim to be, and he did it with gusto,” said Yannick Girardo, managing partner at Seven Apart. “When Andy turned his focus to his own wine brand, Favia, we knew Morgan was an excellent steward to pass the baton to. They have similar styles of winemaking and Morgan will continue to evolve Andy’s vision while letting the harvests dictate the vintages.”

“I appreciate that people think that when there is a change in winemakers, there will be a change in styles – that’s not going to be the case here,” said Maurèze. “Similar to Andy’s, my approach is to keep things simple and express the vintage delicately, not force it to be something it’s not.”

Maurèze is dedicated to closely monitoring the vineyards and honoring how special they are. Seven Apart’s Stags Ridge vineyard sits 1,475 feet high on Atlas Peak, an elevation that only a few of Napa’s elite vineyards reap the benefits of. This vineyard has a prolific history of producing award-winning wines. With its unique exposure and orientation, it has the optimal conditions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The soil is mostly red volcanic clay with little moisture and the vines date back to 1999, nothing has been replanted, it produces small berries rich in color and tannins. These elements combine to make Stags Ridge a sought-after gem.

In addition to Stags Ridge, Seven Apart has a world-class winery at the base of Atlas Peak at the intersection of Silverado Trail and Soda Canyon Road. The base camp vineyard sits seven miles away from the Stags Ridge Vineyard.

While Maurèze worked closely with Erickson on finalizing and blending the 2022 vintages, the 2023 Seven Apart Expedition™, slated to be released in September 2025, will be the first release solely under his helm. For those looking to be the first to enjoy this wine, it will be available through the winery’s allocation list.

We welcome our visitors to its state-of-the-art production facility and hospitality building that features modern touches and luxury amenities. Located on a beautiful site tucked between the vineyard, with a 360-degree view that shows off the Mayacamas range to the west, the Vaca range on the east and Mount St. Helena facing north.