In the wine industry, experience breeds excellence. This is certainly true of Napa Valley’s storied Cuvaison winery, which was founded in 1969, the same year the US landed on the moon. With its focus on the cool climate of the Los Carneros AVA, Cuvaison was one of the pioneering wineries that shaped the modern era of California winemaking, helping to catapult Napa Valley onto the global stage as one of the world’s most revered wine regions.
More than half a century later, guided by the steady hands of Winemaker Steve Rogstad, Cuvaison has earned legendary status for the balance, vibrant fruit and vineyard-inspired complexity of its estate-grown Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, as well as its dazzling Sauvignon Blancs and Merlots. For Steve, who joined Cuvaison in 2002, the secret to Cuvaison’s enduring success is the team’s intimate understanding of their Tai Estate Vineyard. Located north of San Pablo Bay, Tai Vineyard was acquired by Cuvaison’s owners, the Schmidheiny family, in 1979. The land was selected for its ideal mix of clay and loam soils, and for its unique marine-influenced microclimate, where wind and fog ensure summer temperatures rarely exceed 80 o F.
Today, after decades of thoughtful replanting, Tai Vineyard (which honors the late Alexander Tai Schmidheiny) features 125 acres of vines sculpted into a mosaic of almost 30 blocks of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, along with Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Semillon, Syrah and Grenache. “As part of our continuous 20-year replanting cycle, we’ve created a very diverse vineyard, with numerous clones, elevations, and exposures,” says Rogstad, who has spent nearly 40 years crafting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Los Carneros. “Tai offers a treasure trove of winemaking inspiration.”
While Cuvaison’s Estate tier has earned renown for the character, complexity and value, Steve and his team are continually digging deeper, focusing on key clones and vineyard blocks to create fascinating Small Lot wines like the sumptuous Méthode Béton Sauvignon Blanc, the dazzling Hedon, Coeurtina and Kite Tail Chardonnays, and the alluring Spire and Mariafeld Pinot Noirs. At the pinnacle of the Cuvaison portfolio are the Legacy wines, which include the luxurious ATS Chardonnay and the profoundly complex Adda Pinot Noir, both of which are named after members of the Schmidheiny family.
While estate wines have long been the focus at Cuvaison, in recent years, the team has gone farther afield, applying their half-century of experience with cool-climate varietals to explore Micro Lot wines from other acclaimed sites, including a Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, a Vivio Vineyard Syrah, and Pinot Noirs from such iconic vineyards as Gap’s Crown, Fiddlestix, Sun Chase and Dutton Ranch. Wherever you begin your exploration of Cuvaison’s wines, you’ll discover the kind of artistry and excellence that only a half-century of experience can provide.
"At the pinnacle of the Cuvaison portfolio are the Legacy wines, which include the luxurious ATS Chardonnay and the profoundly complex Adda Pinot Noir, both of which are named after members of the Schmidheiny family."
