A wildfire shuttered this Calistoga winery for three years. It reopens Sunday.
Sterling Vineyards will debut new tasting rooms, plus a solar-powered gondola with panoramic views.
Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga will reopen on Sunday after a three-year closure, with a brand-new gondola and tasting areas.
When the Glass Fire struck on Sept. 27, 2020, scorching the earth and causing structural damage at 23 or more wineries, Sterling Vineyards appeared to have avoided the fate that befell many of its neighbors. The popular aerial tram at the winery appeared to be in working order.
However, once the smoke cleared, it was clear that the fire had caused damage to the winery’s tasting areas, and the tram could no longer be used. As a result, the winery, which had been in operation in Calistoga since 1964, closed its doors.
But, according to Luke Magnini, the winery’s director of hospitality, Sterling Vineyards will reopen on Sunday with a brand-new gondola and tasting areas. Magnini says the long closure gave the winery an opportunity to reflect and plan for the next 60 years.
Its new gondola route is triangular, providing a longer ascent to the winery’s hilltop tasting area. The new gondola cabins, designed by the European firm Doppelmayr, are ADA compliant and roughly twice the size of the previous aerial tram cabins.
Furthermore, all of the outdoor terraces where tastings were previously available have been redone.
According to Magnini, the winery renovation includes a greater emphasis on sustainability. In the coming months, the winery is expected to run entirely on solar power. In order to mitigate both fire and drought risks, the winery has planted drought-resistant plants throughout the property and constructed an underground water tank. It also brings sheep in on a regular basis to graze on the property.
Details: 1111 W. Dunaweal Lane in Calistoga is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations for the gondola, tours, and tastings are encouraged and can be made at sterlingvineyards.com for Oct. 29 and beyond.
