NVL wine
Come In, Relax and Stay Awhile
NEW FRONTIER WINE CO. BY MARK GUDGEL | PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE WOLDEN, WINEGLASS MARKETING
W
inery tasting rooms have been an integral part of the wine-tasting experience for quite some time. In the past, it was not uncommon for wineries to invite customers to belly up to a standing bar, hoping that customers would buy a bottle or two or join the winery’s subscription club. More recently, the wine tasting experience has become a rather elaborate affair. Many require reservations and most charge fees. The tasting rooms have also become more luxuriant and are designed to reflect the winery’s brand, some with fancy food pairings, white table cloths, marble, fine art, stone pillars, or even fountains. Regardless of 56
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whether one likes the elaborate aesthetics, the reality is that these settings can often feel less like a winery and more like a fine restaurant or luxury hotel. Tasting spaces are also popping up where there is more foot traffic – such as a downtown location. A walk down Main Street in Napa or around the square in Sonoma confirms this budding trend of bringing the tasting room to the public rather than the other way around. One of downtown Napa’s newest tasting rooms is The New Frontier Wine Co. Situated on Main Street, the new space places great emphasis on comfort with an
enticing vibe that encourages guests to “Come in and relax, be comfortable and stay awhile.” The inspiration for the design came from observing the popularity of social clubs and how they act as a home away from home, offering a familiar feeling of having a relaxed conversation with friends in their living room. Combining comfort, craftsmanship, and community, the space breaks with the current conventions of many tasting rooms, one in which wine lovers can lose— or find—themselves, inviting guests to come as they are, relax, and explore the impressive and diverse portfolio of brands New Frontier Wine Co. offers.
