Staglin Family Vineyard: Tackling Mental Health Through One Mind
For the Staglin family tackling mental illness has become a life’s journey. In 1985, Shari and Garen Staglin established Staglin Family Vineyard within the historic Rutherford Bench of Napa Valley. A true dedication to excellence led to the birth of a successful wine brand known throughout the country. Several years later, their oldest son, Brandon, at 18 years old, had symptoms of a schizophrenic episode while away at college. Although this was the most challenging moment of their lives, Brandon, Garen, Shari, and Shannon endured as a family. They took a clinical and solution-focused approach to the issue. They met with doctors, educated themselves on the disease, and learned that patience and coming together as a family were all of the critical ingredients to work through this.
Ultimately, Brandon’s experience resulted in the Staglins launching One Mind, a nonprofit focused on funding research and advocacy for those with brain-health challenges to help them live healthy and productive lives. Since 1995, One Mind has raised over $400 million, which has benefited approximately 10,000 clinical patients and 40 up-and-coming young scientists conducting brain research.
“We are tackling the mental health crisis through a full-spectrum strategy that advances sciences, improves services, and benefits society,” said Brandon Staglin. He is now the president of One Mind.
For more than 25 years, One Mind has also held “The One Mind Music Festival for Brain Health,” an annual event that features a symposium on brain health, as well as great food, excellent wines, and music. “As an annual highlight for hundreds of patrons, the festival generates camaraderie, hope, inspiration, and learning,” said Brandon Staglin. “Past headliners have included Jennifer Hudson, Sheryl Crow, and Tim McGraw—we are incredibly grateful for the support.”
Last year the music festival pivoted to a hybrid virtual and distributed in-person format. In partnership with Mastro’s, Morton’s, and Del Frisco’s restaurants around the country, guests either logged in from home or attended via one of the restaurant locations. This format resulted in wider participation and a net fundraising total higher than many of the previous years’ in-person events by raising over $3 million.
In addition, Staglin Family Vineyard produces a label that utilizes both estate fruit and sourcing from high-quality vineyards such as Beckstoffer’s George III Vineyard and Hyde Estate. “Our Salus label, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, is named after the Roman goddess of health and well-being. We donate 100 percent of the profits from the sale of these wines to brain health research,” said Shannon Staglin, president of Staglin Family Vineyard. “Sharing this story with our clients helps raise awareness about One Mind, reduces the stigma surrounding mental health, and more often than not, resonates with individuals on a meaningful level of shared experience.”
As One Mind marches forward, they are developing a screening tool for early symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychosis to roll out in schools nationwide. They are also a sponsor for Ken Burns’s upcoming documentary, Hiding in Plain Sight: Our Mental Health Crisis, scheduled for release in Spring 2022.
The Staglins remain committed to their family’s mission statement. They wrote it together one morning over breakfast many years ago—the mission to give back and find cures for brain disorders. For them, it is about helping others and being a champion for individuals going through similar challenges.
“You are not alone. So many people experience what you are experiencing, and there is liberation in sharing your struggles. You are still you. Though you may not feel it, you retain all the power to love, to heal, and to live the amazing life you have dreamed of. Keep working on your recovery, and you will achieve this,” says Brandon Staglin.
Wine Recommendations
The 2017 Salus Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of 88 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 11 percent Cabernet Franc, and 1 percent Petit Verdot has flavors of black cherry, blueberry, and black pepper with a lengthy and harmonious finish.
The 2019 Salus Estate Chardonnay is aged ten months in large format barrels and has flavors of apple, peach, and banana, with a nice crisp finish.
The 27th annual Music Festival for Brain Health will be held on Sept. 11th, 2021, at Staglin Family Vineyard and streamed throughout the country with participating restaurants. You can find more information at onemind.org.