Artesa Vineyards & Winery
1345 Henry Rd.
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 224-1668 • www.artesawinery.com
Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with wine service available until 4:30 p.m. Numerous specialty tours available daily (check website for details).
Tasting Fees: $10-$15 per person for a basic tasting; $45-$75 per person for various tour options
Wines currently offered: Sparkling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Tempranillo and Albariño
Appointment necessary: For specialty tours and groups of eight or more
Picnics: No
Did You Know?
In 1872, Spanish vintner Josep Raventós made the world’s first méthode champenoise sparkling wines outside of Champagne, France. He called the new bubbly “cava” after the caves in which they were stored for development.
If you’re looking to impress guests with your intimate knowledge of Wine Country’s hidden treasures, start by taking them to Artesa. Located down a country road, on the eastern edge of the Carneros appellation, its unassuming driveway quickly gives way to unexpected elevation, architectural and artistic intrigue and sweeping vistas.
The hilltop tasting room (actually, they took the top off the hill and embedded the winery and tasting room), designed by Barcelona architect Domingo Triay, features multiple water features (both still and dynamic), neutral tones, contemporary furnishings, loads of natural light and striking sculptures and artwork by noted Spanish artists as well as local artist Gordon Huether, who’s been Artesa’s artist-in-residence since 1997. Standing on the open terrace, you can see Mount Tamalpais to the west, Mount Diablo to the east, the San Pablo Bay and, on clear days, even Sutro Tower and other San Francisco landmarks to the south. The bay is so close, in fact, that you can even smell salt water in the breeze.
A long family history
Artesa is owned by the Raventós family, a branch of the Codorníu winemaking dynasty, which has a centuries-long history of making wine (particularly sparkling wine) in its native Spain (it currently owns nine wineries in Spain and one in Argentina in addition to Artesa). The family continued on its sparkling path when it arrived here and established Codorníu Napa in 1991. In 1997, inspired by the delicious wines being produced by its Carneros neighbors, the winery produced its first still wines—two Chardonnays, three Pinot Noirs and a Sauvignon Blanc were released in 1999 under the renamed Artesa brand.
Since then, the winery has expanded its production to include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, traditional Spanish varietals Tempranillo and Albariño, as well as a few blends. (It also still produces a small amount of sparkling wine in homage to its history.)
To accommodate the varietal expansion, the family has, over the years, purchased additional vineyards in other North Bay appellations. In addition to its 200 planted estate acres in Carneros (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Albariño), there are more than 90 hillside acres planted in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Tempranillo) and 90 planted acres at an elevation of 1,500 feet in Napa’s Atlas Peak (Cabernet Sauvignon). All vineyards are farmed sustainably, with utmost care for the land (all Artesa vineyards are part of much larger properties, most of which are left unplanted to preserve their natural characteristics).
Handcrafted
Artesa Winery takes its name from the Catalan word for “handcrafted,” which is appropriate, because its wines are beautiful reflections of winemaker Mark Beringer’s vision and care. Part of the fifth generation of the heritage Napa winemaking family, Beringer joined Artesa in 2009 after honing his skills at Duckhorn and its sister label, Paraduxx. He currently serves as vice president, production and winemaking.
“I’ve been in the wine industry for 35 years, but this is the first time I’ve been a cheerleader for a winemaker,” says Anne Salazar, VIP specialist and wine educator at Artesa. “His wines are absolutely gorgeous. They’re sophisticated and light—not in-your-face, old style—reflective of the ‘new palate,’ which is his palate as well.”
We sampled a variety of Artesa offerings, including limited release, reserve and artisan series wines. For me, standouts included the 2010 Limited Release Albariño (floral nose with crisp pear and apple; as it warmed, it took on more stone fruit qualities), the 2009 Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc (citrus and tropical fruit, rich mouthfeel and delicate acidity) and the 2007 Artisan Series Tesoro (a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano; spicy, with dark berries and earthiness). The last of these was blended by Beringer (of 2007 fruit) after he came onboard at Artesa.
Tour options
There are many ways to enjoy a visit to Artesa. In addition to a classic tasting room experience, it’s also available for private and corporate events, large and small; venues include the main tasting salon, the central courtyard (featuring an open roof and still reflecting pool), vista terrace and barrel room (which is ideal for groups of 150 to 300). The winery also offers tours that traverse the vineyards, pair carefully chosen food (including cheese and chocolate) or focus on reserve and limited release wines.
We enjoyed the Vino Con Queso pairing, for which Hospitality Manager Lynn Catania works with specialists at Oxbow Cheese Merchant to find delicious and unexpected pairings—and then leads a small group discussion about how the elements work together. Started with a glass of Artesa sparkling wine and brief histories of the Raventos family and the Artesa winery structure, it was a fun, enlightening experience.
No matter which of these options inspires your visit, you’ll be swept away by Artesa’s charm—and you’ll wonder why you haven’t come before. “We’re in a really unique position here, in that we’re a destination winery,” says Salazar. “People have to know to come here.”
…So, now you know.
