OAKVILLE, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Far Niente Wine Estates (FNWE) is excited to announce that Bella Union’s new winery in Rutherford has been approved by the Napa County Planning Commission and will be opening its doors to guests in early summer of 2024. Known-for its renowned Cabernet Sauvignon-blends from top vineyards in the Napa Valley, Bella Union’s new property will continue to build on Far Niente’s legacy of hospitality and winemaking excellence with Estate Director for Bella Union, Alysha Lee, overseeing the winery’s opening.
“We are excited to build a new home for Bella Union to showcase our mastery of crafting Cabernet Sauvignon-blends, drawing upon Far Niente Wine Estates’ more than 40 years of experience producing renowned wines in the Napa Valley,” said Steve Spadarotto, CEO at FNWE. “Bella Union honors the legacy of our winemaking and farming expertise while celebrating the creativity and artistry of the winemaker in crafting signature blends that showcase the range of expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Founded in 2012, Bella Union exemplifies the creative vision of the winemaker, elevating the art of blending by meticulous sourcing of grapes from Napa Valley’s top appellations. Guided by the vinous expertise of Far Niente Winery, Bella Union has been working with the pedigreed DeCarle Vineyard in Rutherford for over a decade, producing the wines nearby on Bella Oaks Lane. Building on the foundation of FNWE’s expertise with Cabernet Sauvignon, Winemaker Brooke Bobyak Price will introduce new wines to Bella Union’s portfolio sourcing varietals from top vineyards across the Napa Valley to craft distinctive and exceptional wines that showcase the mastery and creativity of the blending process.
Located along Highway 29 in Rutherford, the new Bella Union will be a renovation of the former Provenance winery. Bella Union will be following in the FNWE tradition of renovation and restoration of historic properties. Far Niente Winery (designed and built in the late 1880’s by Hamden W. McIntyre) started the history of renovation with Gil and Beth Nickel fully restoring the building in 1979-1981, and turning it into a working winery with a tasting room. Then, Gil Nickel was joined by nephew Erik Nickel to oversee the development of Nickel & Nickel winery housed on the restored 19th century John C. Sullenger farmstead. This led to the development of The Gleason Barn, which was originally built in 1770. “We are committed to preserving the legacy of Napa Valley through its unique and historic spaces,” comments Erik Nickel. “With our new home for Bella Union, we are eager to bring a more modern approach to the renovation that will create a welcoming and warm atmosphere for all guests.” Architect Mike Niemann, owner of Pacific Design Workshop, will be leading the design and renovation for the new Bella Union Winery.
Based in the heart of Cabernet country, Bella Union’s new winery will offer a variety of indoor and outdoor tasting experiences and serve as a gathering place to discover the artistry at the heart of the winemaking process. FNWE has promoted Alysha Lee to Estate Director for Bella Union to oversee the opening of the winery. With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and events industry, Alysha will guide the Bella Union’s tasting program offering educational and entertaining experiences that meet consumers no matter where they are in their wine journey.
“With Bella Union’s new winery, we have set out to design a friendly space in the Napa Valley where people can make new connections and discover the winery’s new unique blends,” said Estate Director for Bella Union Alysha Lee. “I’m thrilled to be taking on a leadership role with such an exciting new project that celebrates the artistry of winemaking while telling the story of Bella Union.”
Updates on the new Bella Union Winery will be shared throughout the renovation process including details on design and architecture, new hospitality experiences and the winemaking program.
####
About Bella Union – bellaunionwine.com
Rooted in the famous Rutherford appellation, and driven by curiosity and creative vision, Bella Union is where the artistry of winemaking flourishes. Founded in 2012, the winery was built upon Far Niente Wine Estate’s legacy of winemaking and farming expertise while celebrating the art of blending, and the role of the winemaker in crafting each blend to cultivate a proprietary style. Drawing upon more than 40 years of working with grapes from areas as diverse as Oakville, Howell Mountain, Stags Leap District and St. Helena—Bella Union sources from numerous appellations, vineyards, and varietals to build layers of nuance into distinct wines of unparalleled character and complexity. Working with such varied influences allows us to fully showcase the range and depth of expression of Cabernet Sauvignon—from the Napa Valley appellation, to explorations of Bordeaux-style blends inspired by the right or left bank, to a pinnacle Rutherford Cabernet. Each wine and vintage are masterfully crafted using sustainable practices to reflect Bella Union’s independent spirit.
About Far Niente Wine Estates – farniente.com
Far Niente Wine Estates is a family of California wineries linked by a joint mission: To produce world-class wines representative of their home vineyards and grape varieties. Built around Oakville’s Far Niente Estate, originally established by John Benson in 1885, Far Niente Wine Estates is committed to elevating California’s finest terroirs through precision winemaking and conscientious farming. Abandoned during Prohibition, the original Oakville estate was restored by the Nickel family, and resumed wine production in 1982. Preserving and expanding the Napa legacy that began on this land over 135 years ago inspired Far Niente Wine Estates to gradually expand in the Napa and Russian River Valleys. The family of wineries includes several Cabernet Sauvignon-focused wineries including single-vineyard Cabernet pioneer Nickel & Nickel; the blend-focused Bella Union estate in Rutherford; and Post and Beam, a winery inspired by the America’s iconic post and beam barns, and dedicated to crafting equally long-lived, classic wines. Far Niente Wine Estates also includes En Route, a Russian River Valley estate devoted to world-class Pinot Noir; and Dolce, America’s leading late-harvest dessert wine.
