Cuvaison Winery To Break Ground On Napa Valley Expansion

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Cuvaison winery announced its plans to break ground this month on a hospitality center expansion project designed to enhance the visitor experience at its historic estate vineyard and winery in the Los Carneros AVA region of Napa Valley.

The first phase of construction will focus on the Cuvaison Tasting Room, where a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass wall will be added, along with an expanded terrace. The second phase involves the installation of open-air pavilions cantilevered above the south shore of the property’s scenic pond.

VIP tastings and other special events will be held on the pavilions that offer idyllic views of the lower vineyard and the local flora and fauna surrounding the pond. To support the pavilions, Cuvaison is building an outdoor service area with additional restrooms and expanded wheelchair-accessible parking.

During construction, Cuvaison will remain open for tastings; it will host guests outside on a dedicated portion of the crush pad, and indoors in the winery’s barrel room which will serve as Cuvaison’s interim tasting room.

While the project was planned prior to the pandemic, Cuvaison President and CEO Dan Zepponi worked closely with acclaimed wine country architect Douglas Thornley to integrate new elements into the project such as an upgraded ventilation system with hospital-grade filtration and hand-sanitizer stations built unobtrusively into the redesigned tasting room.

As part of the overall project, Cuvaison is also moving its power lines underground to ensure unobstructed views for its guests and a fire-safe transfer of power to the winery.

The first stage of construction is scheduled for completion late this summer and Cuvaison expects the second phase to be completed in summer 2022.

“Breaking ground during a pandemic may seem like a bold decision, but based on conversations with customers and club members around the country, we believe that wine lovers are eager and excited to return to Napa Valley,” Zepponi said. “When they do, we want to ensure that Cuvaison is ready and better than ever. This estate has been our home for more than 40 years. It’s a magical spot. Our goal with this project is to highlight the natural beauty of our sustainably managed estate while creating thoughtful new venues that are every bit as engaging and exceptional as our wines.”

Since 2016 when Zepponi was named CEO of Two Estates Wine Collective — formerly Cuvaison Estate Wines — the famed 50+-year-old winery has been actively reinvesting in its estate, including replanting older blocks of its 200-acre vineyard. The renovations and expansions are the culmination of these efforts, with the goal being to create a seamless union between Cuvaison’s certified sustainable estate vineyard and the guest experience.

Santa Rosa-based Nordby Construction is responsible for realizing the designs created by Thornley.

The original Cuvaison tasting room was designed by Thornley, and as a partner at Goring & Straja Studio, Thornley is the principal architect overseeing this latest project.

Sonoma’s acclaimed Roche + Roche Landscape Architecture is overseeing landscaping for the project.

“As a long-time Cuvaison wine club member, when Dan Zepponi challenged me to enhance the venues for both indoor and outdoor guest experiences, I immediately began to envision how we could grow this unique space while maintaining the serenity that makes Cuvaison so enchanting,” Thornley said.

“In collaboration with Dan and Roche + Roche, we have designed new venues that bring the natural beauty of this historic estate to the forefront of the guest experience, while at the same time intertwining the sustainability practices that have always been at the heart of Cuvaison.”

SEE ALSO:

• Cuvaison Wines To Donate Wine Club Proceeds To Restaurant Workers
• 5 Napa Valley Wineries To Visit On A Weekend