Chappellet Opens Sonoma Tasting Room

Note: The new "Grower Collection" wines are not organically grown but Chappellet's flagship Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (from its Pritchard Hill Estate in Napa) is and it will be available for tasting in downtown Sonoma.

After more than 50 years of focusing on mountain-grown wines from Napa Valley, the Chappellet family has announced the debut of the new Chappellet Grower Collection. The Grower Collection is dedicated exclusively to cool-climate wines from Sonoma County, with an emphasis on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

To provide a home for the Grower Collection, the Chappellet family has unveiled the beautiful new Chappellet Grower Collection Tasting Room in downtown Sonoma.

Located at 27 E. Napa St., Suite A, on the Sonoma Plaza, the Grower Collection Tasting Room was designed by St. Helena-based designer Daniel Hale, in collaboration with designer and artist Molly Chappellet. The tasting room features luxurious lounge-style seating, a tasting bar, warm, rich woods, dark metals, a polished concrete floor, and a beautiful patio seating area. The visual highlight of the space is an abstract art piece made from reclaimed grape stakes from Chappellet’s Pritchard Hill® Vineyard. While the new tasting room will have select wine available from the broader Chappellet portfolio, it will focus on the Grower Collection. Seated tastings are available Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Chappellet's 97 acres estate on Pritchard Hill in Napa County is organically certified by CCOF. The winery makes it top of the line, all estate wine - Pritchard Hill ($239) solely from these vines.

About Chappellet (www.chappellet.com)
Founded in 1967, Chappellet is recognized as one of the Napa Valley’s preeminent family-owned wineries, and one of the pioneers of high-elevation vineyard planting in California. For over five decades, Chappellet has crafted benchmark wines with an emphasis on hillside-grown Cabernet Sauvignons from Pritchard Hill.

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Organic and Biodynamic Pioneer Qupé Sold to Vintage Wine Estates

Vintage Wine Estates has purchased the Qupé wine brand.

Founded in 1982 by Bob Lindquist, Qupé is internationally recognized for cool-climate, high-scoring Rhône varietals on California’s Central Coast; notably Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne and Marsanne. The name Qupé (kyoo-pay) is taken from the Chumash word for poppy—the California state flower which blankets the landscape each spring.

“We share Bob’s passion for Syrah and other Rhône varieties and his commitment to quality and sustainability,” stated Pat Roney, Chief Executive Officer of Vintage Wine Estates. “We are looking forward to honoring that legacy.”

The purchase includes the brand and inventory.

Lindquist will stay on in a winemaker role, using traditional techniques such as barrel fermentation, manual punch-downs and French oak aging.

Sourcing from Central Coast vineyards includes French Camp (Paso Robles), Bien Nacido (Santa Maria), Sawyer Lindquist (Demeter Certified Biodynamic; Edna Valley) and Ibarra-Young Vineyard (Santa Ynez) and is expected to continue.

The wine tasting room in the village of Arroyo Grande will remain open to welcome wine club members and other visitors to the region.

About Vintage Wine Estates
Vintage Wine Estates is a privately held wine company owned by a group of vintner families with deep roots in the wine business.

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