Buena Vista Winery Celebrates 150 Years of Making Wine
Buena Vista is gearing up for its 150th anniversary of making wine in Carneros. To mark the occasion, the winery will host a small celebration on September 7th for media, trade and a handful of longtime customers.
Buena Vista was established in 1857 by Count Agoston Haraszthy. He was one of the first California vintners to experiment with European grapes and winemaking techniques. This has earned Buena Vista the title of, “California’s First Premium Winery.”
Winemaker Jeff Stewart and vineyard manager Craig Weaver recently streamlined Buena Vista’s wine portfolio and replanted much of the winery’s 800 acre Ramal Vineyard. Stewart and Weaver will now offer 2 tiers of wines: the Carneros Series and the Ramal Vineyard Series. The 2005 Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the 2005 Ramal Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are currently available for purchase.
This vast Ramal Vineyard is the largest in Carneros wine country and has been meticulously replanted with many different clones of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah. The production facilities have also been updated including the purchase of 63 new open top fermentation tanks.
Starting in 2008, Buena Vista will also begin using screwcaps to seal several of their wines. Jeff Stewart is a proponent of using screwcaps to ensure that his wines are the freshest possible when they are served. He plans to start bottling all of Buena Vista’s wines with screwcaps beginning in 2009.
“2007 is a milestone year for Buena Vista Carneros, and we are excited to celebrate our 150th year as California’s first premium winery and honor the evolution of California’s wine industry,” said winemaker Jeff Stewart.
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