Winemaker Notes
Artesa (ahr TESS uh) means "craftsman" and connotes "handcrafted" in Catalan, language of Barcelona and their owner, Group Raventós-Codorníu –Spain's oldest winemaking family, one of the world's oldest wineries, owner of 14 wineries and exporting to over 100 countries–.
In 1991 , this family ventured to a new world: a sea-facing hillside in the Napa Valley, with rocky soils and a favorable coastal climate. Artesa's architecturally-acclaimed facility opened then, named as Codorniu Napa, and dedicated solely to méthode champenoise sparkling wine production.
The arrival of a world-class winemaker and a $10 million conversión shifted their focus dramatically in 1997. The winery reopened in 1999 with the inaugural release of ultra-premium, estate grown, artesan still wines.
While Artesa is a relative newcomer to Napa, it has received a rich heritage of five centuries of history with 15 generations of a remarkable winemaking family, which are put now at the service of their mission: crafting distinctive wines and sharing them with joy.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.