54 NORTH BAY WOMAN | F A L L 2 0 1 4
By Tina Caputo
Photos by Stuart Lirette
Angela Stem loves her job so much it's
almost a little bit sickening. After years spent
working in the hospitality industry, the Arkansas
native meandered West to land a wine-lover's
dream job: sommelier at PRESS, the acclaimed
St. Helena steakhouse in the heart of the Napa
Valley.
To say the wine list at PRESS is remarkable
is an understatement. The list includes 1,500
wines – all from the Napa Valley – with
vintages dating to the 1950s. Alongside
classics, such as Louis Martini Cabernet
Sauvignon, the restaurant's 10,000-bottle cellar
includes modern selections such as Massican
White, a blend of tocai friulano, ribolla gialla
and chardonnay.
Stem joined PRESS in 2012, after four years
managing two restaurants in Park City, Utah.
Her interest in wine was born in Arkansas,
however, at a Eureka Springs restaurant called
The Cottage Inn. "I was 19 and started working
for a woman named Linda Hager," Stem recalls.
"She's incredibly knowledgeable about food
and wine, and she kind of became my mentor.
I just really loved what she did and admired
her passion for it."
It was Hager who brought Stem to the Napa
Valley in 1996, when she was still living in
Angela Stem
Brings Joy
to the Table
Sommelier
