Contact: Dan Gustafson Phone: 707.224.1668 Cult Wine for the Masses Artesa Winery's Don Van Staaveren Delivers Prestige Vineyards and Wines to a Broader Audience CARNEROS (October, 2003) Artesa Winery, owned by the legendary wine group Codorníu, guided by one of the wine industry's most celebrated contemporary winemakers, Don Van Staaveren, and possessed of coveted vineyard properties in both Napa and Sonoma, is uniquely positioned to do what few other wineries can - deliver cult quality wines, with all of the prestige and none of the pretense, to a broader audience. Take, for example, a selection of Cabernet Sauvignon from the winery's first three vintages; each of which garnered 90pts or higher from the Wine Spectator, none of which cost more than $60 and all of which are available nationally. Says Artesa winemaker Don Van Staaveren, "A lot of people feel that a wine isn't "prestige" unless there is very little of it or you have to pay way too much for it. We know from experience that if you secure the best vineyards and invest in the best equipment, you can make hand-crafted wines on a larger scale - and you don't have to charge an arm and a leg for it." Van Staaveren rose to prominence as winemaker for Chateau St. Jean Winery, where he created some of the most celebrated Cabernet Sauvignon of the last decade. An unprecedented five of his wines were among those named to the Wine Spectator's Top Wines of 1996. Three years later his 1996 Cinq Cepages was named as the Spectator's Wine of the Year. Van Staaveren took the head winemaking position with Artesa in 1997 and set about converting what was a sparkling wine experiment into a state-of-the-art still wine facility. A dedicated fruit scientist and viticulturist, Van Staaveren has worked with Artesa's vineyard manager David DiPiero to secure top sites in both Sonoma and Napa to support the winery's plan to showcase regional distinctions among the classic varietals. The winery's vineyard holdings include 150 estate acres in Carneros (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), 80 acres in Foss Valley near Atlas Peak (Petite Verdot, Cab Franc, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), 400 acres in Alexander Valley (Petite Verdot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon), and 300 acres in Annapolis on the Sonoma Coast (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). About Artesa Winery Artesa Winery, located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, is owned by the Spanish winemaking giant Codorníu and was originally built to house Codorníu's sparkling wine operation. With its conversion to still wine production in 1997, the winery was renamed Artesa ("craftsman" in Catalan) and in 1999 celebrated its inaugural release of 8,000 cases. Since then, Artesa has capitalized on its vineyard holdings and state-of-the-art winemaking equipment, growing almost ten-fold in just five years. In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Late Harvest Gewürztraminer and Tempranillo. The unique, in-ground winery, designed by progressive Spanish architect Domingo Triay, offers visitors expansive eco-friendly grounds and features sweeping staircases, cascading waterfalls, an in-house art exhibit and artifacts museum. The winery is open to the public for wine tasting daily from 10am-5pm and for special events and group tours by appointment. Artesa Vineyards & Winery, 1345 Henry Road, Napa, CA 94559. (707) 224-1668. www.artesawinery.com.