Artesa Vineyards & Winery

Artesa Vineyards & Winery is a winery in California's Napa Valley, situated on a hilltop in the Carneros American Viticultural Area. The property was established by the Spanish wine company Grupo Codorníu, initially under the name Codorniu Napa. Founded in 1991, the project represented a substantial investment in California wine production, including approximately $30 million for the original facility. The winery initially concentrated on sparkling wine, reflecting Codorníu's historic expertise in méthode traditionnelle-style sparkling production. However, demand for sparkling wine proved insufficient to support the original commercial plan, and Codorniu Napa experienced weak sales. The business subsequently shifted its emphasis toward still wine. This change moved the winery closer to the character of the surrounding Carneros region, where cool-climate conditions are particularly suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A major development program followed the strategic change. The company invested a further $20 million in a new winery and acquired additional vineyard land. Winemaker Don Van Staaveren was involved during the transition, while Dave Dobson later served as Vice President of Production and Winemaking. The winery opened under the Artesa name in 1997, and its first wines were released in 1999. The name and architectural setting helped establish Artesa as a destination-oriented Napa winery as well as a producer of bottled wine. Artesa's estate vineyards are centered on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery also sources or cultivates grapes in the Atlas Peak American Viticultural Area and maintains a comparatively small sparkling-wine program. Its principal commercial identity is now associated with still wines, especially Pinot Noir, rather than with the sparkling-wine focus of its original Codorniu Napa period. The reference material describes annual production in the range of approximately 60,000 to 80,000 cases, with sparkling wine accounting for about 1,000 cases. The winery has also been connected with a contested vineyard-development project on the Sonoma Coast. In 1997, Artesa purchased a 324-acre property for $1.7 million with plans to develop Pinot Noir vineyards after removing redwood trees. Environmentalists protested the proposal. In 2014, Artesa announced that it would sell the property, marking a retreat from that development plan. Management of winemaking changed over time. Mark Beringer replaced Dave Dobson as Vice President of Production and Winemaking in 2009. Beringer left in 2015, after which Assistant Winemaker Ana Diego-Draper was promoted to Director of Winemaking. Artesa therefore combines a Spanish corporate origin with a California production identity, a Carneros location, and a portfolio built principally around Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Artesa began as Codorniu Napa, a California project established in 1991 by Spain's Grupo Codorníu. The parent company's initial plan was to produce sparkling wine, and it invested approximately $30 million in the original facility. The business encountered weak demand for sparkling wine, leading to poor sales and a change in commercial direction. The winery then expanded into still wine, with Don Van Staaveren serving as winemaker during the transition. Grupo Codorníu invested another $20 million in a new winery and acquired additional vineyard land. Dave Dobson became Vice President of Production and Winemaking. The new Artesa Winery opened in 1997 on a hilltop site in the Carneros AVA of Napa County, and the first wines bearing the Artesa identity were released in 1999. The winery's viticultural program developed around Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, varieties well suited to the cool conditions of Carneros. Artesa also cultivated grapes in the Atlas Peak AVA and retained a smaller sparkling-wine operation. The available reference describes total annual production as approximately 60,000 to 80,000 cases, including roughly 1,000 cases of sparkling wine. Artesa's expansion plans included a Sonoma Coast property purchased in 1997 for $1.7 million. The 324-acre site was intended for Pinot Noir vineyard development following the removal of redwood trees. Environmentalists protested the proposal. In 2014, Artesa announced that it would sell the property, ending its stated involvement in that development plan. Winemaking leadership changed in 2009, when Mark Beringer replaced Dave Dobson as Vice President of Production and Winemaking. Beringer departed in 2015, and Assistant Winemaker Ana Diego-Draper was promoted to Director of Winemaking. Across these changes, Artesa evolved from a Spanish-backed sparkling-wine venture into a California estate winery whose core identity is based on Carneros and other Napa-region still wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

1. 2015Ana Diego-Draper becomes Director of Winemaking

   Ana Diego-Draper is promoted from Assistant Winemaker after Mark Beringer's departure.

   Source
2. 2014Sonoma Coast property slated for sale

   Artesa announces plans to sell the property associated with the protested vineyard-development proposal.

   Source
3. 2009Mark Beringer takes over production and winemaking

   Mark Beringer replaces Dave Dobson as Vice President of Production and Winemaking.

   Source
4. 1999First Artesa wines released

   The winery releases its first wines under the Artesa identity.

   Source
5. 1997Artesa Winery opens

   The winery opens on a hilltop in Napa County's Carneros AVA under the Artesa name.

   Source
6. 1997Sonoma Coast property acquired

   Artesa purchases a 324-acre Sonoma Coast property for planned Pinot Noir vineyard development.

   Source
7. 1991Codorniu Napa is founded

   Grupo Codorníu establishes the winery in California as Codorniu Napa, initially planning a sparkling-wine business.

   Source

A Napa Valley estate winery with Spanish corporate roots, positioned around cool-climate Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, destination-winery architecture, and a limited sparkling-wine tradition.

• Pinot NoirStill wine

  Pinot Noir is one of Artesa's principal wine categories and a central part of its estate-vineyard identity. The winery grows the variety in Carneros and pursued additional Pinot Noir acreage in connection with its former Sonoma Coast development plan. The cool-climate setting supports the winery's emphasis on this grape as a leading still-wine offering.

• ChardonnayStill wine

  Chardonnay is another core estate variety at Artesa. It is cultivated alongside Pinot Noir in the winery's Carneros vineyards, where maritime influences and relatively cool conditions are suitable for the grape. Chardonnay forms part of Artesa's shift from its original sparkling-wine focus toward a broader still-wine portfolio.

• Sparkling wineSparkling wine1991

  Sparkling wine was the original focus of Codorniu Napa, reflecting Grupo Codorníu's Spanish background. Although the winery later prioritized still wines because of limited demand, it continued to produce a small sparkling-wine volume. The available reference describes production at approximately 1,000 cases.

• 2014Sale of Sonoma Coast vineyard-development propertyStrategy

  Artesa's plan to develop Pinot Noir vineyards on a 324-acre Sonoma Coast property after removing redwood trees was opposed by environmentalists.

  What changed. Artesa announced that it would sell the property.

  Aftermath. The announced sale represented a retreat from the contested Sonoma Coast vineyard-development plan.

  Acquisition price. $1.7 million acquisition price (1997)

  Source
• Shift from sparkling wine to still wineStrategy

  Codorniu Napa's original sparkling-wine strategy produced weak sales because demand was insufficient.

  What changed. The winery redirected its emphasis toward still wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while retaining a smaller sparkling-wine program.

  Aftermath. Artesa developed into a broader California still-wine producer, with the Carneros estate becoming central to its identity.

  Source

• 2015Ana Diego-Draper promoted to Director of Winemaking

  Following Mark Beringer's departure, Assistant Winemaker Ana Diego-Draper was promoted to lead Artesa's winemaking function.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2014Artesa announces sale of contested Sonoma Coast property

  Artesa announced that it would sell a 324-acre Sonoma Coast property that had been acquired for planned Pinot Noir vineyard development. The project had drawn environmental opposition because it involved removing redwood trees.

  Other
  Source

1. Artesa Vineyards & Winery