Forbes

A Highly Anticipated Napa Valley Winery Has Just Opened

Nick Muccitelli logo
The exterior view of "The Jewel Box" wine tasting room beckons visitors to Bella Union Winery.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates<br />
The exterior view of “The Jewel Box” wine tasting room beckons visitors to Bella Union Winery.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates
Far Niente Wine Estates has just opened the doors to Bella Union Winery, which is designed to attract younger wine drinkers with its lux design and lush hospitality.
One of the most anticipated new wineries has just opened in Napa Valley.

Bella Union Winery just opened its doors in Rutherford to wine lovers last week. Located in the storied Rutherford AVA, Bella Union is the third winery that the famed Far Niente Wine Estates portfolio has opened along Napa’s Highway 29.

“I’m delightfully surprised and a little overwhelmed by the positive feedback from guests,” says Kate McManus, vice president of marketing for the winery. “This is a competitive industry, and everyone has been saying that this is the most anticipated opening in years in Napa, since The Prisoner opened years before COVID.”

The new wine estate is situated on 120 acres, of which 60 acres are dedicated to cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon. The $20 million renovation transformed the building and the grounds of what used to be the Provenance Winery. Led by renowned architect Mike Niemann of Pacific Design Workshop, alongside design firm JK&Co., Bella Union Winery’s design and renovation process focused on reimagining an existing building. The design was inspired by the Belle Epoque time period.

The new winery was founded by Dirk Hampson, along with partners , Larry Maguire, Beth Nickel, wife of Far Niente’s late founder Gil, and Erik Nickel, Gil’s nephew.

“We have very focused wine programs,” McManus says. “Far Niente is all about Oakville with Cabernet and Chardonnay, and then Nickel & Nickel is all about single vineyard wines from the best appellations in Napa. They always had a dream of opening a winery that was less constricting than the other two wine programs, where the winemakers could really be more artists, where they could experiment.”

“Far Niente is all about Oakville with Cabernet and Chardonnay, and then Nickel & Nickel is all about single vineyard wines from the best appellations in Napa. They always had a dream of opening a winery that was less constricting than the other two wine programs, where the winemakers could really be more artists, where they could experiment.”

Kate McManus

Originally, Bella Union was located down the road at the Bella Oakes Winery, with its first vintage coming out in 2012, but the winery was too small for any hospitality. “It didn’t have a visitation permit,” McManus says.

The winery has a landscape-driven design, with two stories of indoor and outdoor tasting areas that are situated as a sequence of cascading spaces, with each area changing and evolving to indicate the styles of wine tasting. There’s The Wren Bar, a lively outdoor patio and lounge.

The Atrium opens up into The Salon, as each wine tasting area beckons visitors to explore.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates<br />
The Atrium opens up into The Salon, as each wine tasting area beckons visitors to explore.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates
Then, guests can walk in The Atrium, which is followed by the more secluded The Salon, then The Petit Salon and The Nook, which offers private tastings, and the Belle Epoque Society Lounge, as well as The Gallery, which features tasting experiences overlooking the barrel room. Lastly, there’s the striking Jewel Box, a glass room on the second story that features floor-to-ceiling widows with panoramic views of Napa.
The interior of The Jewel Box tasting area offers sweeping views of Napa Valley.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates<br />
The interior of The Jewel Box tasting area offers sweeping views of Napa Valley.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates

The design, especially of The Atrium, is meant to appeal to newer wine drinkers. “We really want to meet consumers where they are,” McManus says.

Perhaps the most unusual aspect to Bella Union is the “Social Hours at The Wren.” Daily, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., people can pop in and buy wines by the glass or by the bottle and pair them with delicious snacks.

“That’s the one thing that has had the most positive feedback,” she says. “It’s perfect for locals who want to stop by on the way home, but it’s also great for people who are finishing up a day of tastings before they go out to dinner.”

Also, unlike many glamorous tastings in Napa Valley, the starting tasting experience of three wines costs $45. “We also offer a curated tasting of four wines for $65, but you get to pick your own wines,” McManus says. “A lot of criticism of Napa has been the high prices. We want to make sure that the next generation of wine consumers don’t feel like they’re being shut out of Napa Valley.”

Bella Union does offer more exclusive tastings. There’s an immersive Cabernet Curiosity ($100) that focuses on the many expressions of Cabernet, along with some unexpected snacks, and there’s the Jewel Box Tasting ($175), hosted in the Jewel Box room, which features limited production blends and Cabernets and thoughtful food pairings. Lastly, there’s the Belle Eqpogue Society’s Member Lounge, which offers complimentary tastes upon arrival and curated, personal experiences, with wines available by the bottle or glass, along with snacks.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2024/09/23/napa-valleys-most-anticipated-new-winery-has-just-opened/

The Cabernet Curiosity tasting experience features rare vintages that are paired with snacks.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates<br />
The Cabernet Curiosity tasting experience features rare vintages that are paired with snacks.Yoshi Makino for Far Niente Wine Estates