Artesa Winery

Over 25 years ago, Spain’s oldest winemaking family, Raventós Codorníu, ventured to a new world: a sea-facing hillside in the Napa Valley, with rocky soils and a favorable coastal climate.

It was here in Los Carneros that they planted new roots, building upon a 460-year winemaking legacy to create the next generation of estate-grown, artisan wines.

We opened in 1991 as Codorníu Napa with a mission to make California’s top sparkling wine. As the vineyard proved its pedigree for still wines, the Artesa name was born in 1998. Catalan for “handcrafted”, Artesa has since become a leading producer of distinctive wines from the varietals for which Los Carneros and Napa Valley are best known: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Raventós Codorníu is the oldest family winery in Spain, with roots dating back to 1551. Seventeen generations of the founding family have built a legacy of innovation, from the world-famous inventors of Cava, Codorníu; to the oldest winery in Rioja, Bodega Bilbainas; to the single largest estate vineyard in Europe, Raimat; to the jewels of Legaris in Ribera del Duero and Priorat’s Scala Dei; to the high elevation vineyards of Septima in Mendoza, Argentina; and of course here at Artesa. Winemakers from each estate collaborate and bring a legacy of expertise together.

The Artesa Estate Vineyard is set in the steep foothills that straddle the Los Carneros and Mount Veeder AVAs at the southern tip of the Napa Valley. Its proximity to the San Pablo Bay, three miles south, provides the cool, maritime climate ideal for pinot noir and chardonnay. Our 150-acre vineyard is planted along five distinct ridges, with a variety of slopes and soils. To farm such a complex site, we divide the vineyard in over fifty distinct blocks, tailoring our efforts to the unique character of each block.

Most of the vineyard is dedicated to pinot noir – 80 acres are planted in 28 blocks with ten distinct clones. The steep, south-facing slopes of the ranch are dominated by shallow, alluvial soils of weathered sandstone and shale, with long exposure to sunshine and maritime air. These are ideal conditions for growing pinot noir that is clean, balanced, concentrated and distinctively aromatic.

Nearly fifty acres are planted to chardonnay in 13 blocks, primarily on northeast-facing slopes that offer some protection from wind and late-afternoon sun and are dominated by Haire Clay Loam soils. Chardonnay from these sites express ripe citrus character and distinctive minerality.