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.

The estate 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.

Their approach to winemaking is inspired by both the old world and new, drawing on time-tested techniques as well as those at the forefront of innovation to create wines that express their unique origin, personality and heritage.

Artesa’s winemaking team is led by Ana Diogo-Draper, Director of Winemaking. Born, raised & educated in Portugal, she moved to California in 2005 to join the team at Rutherford Hill Winery. She joined Artesa Vineyards & Winery in 2013 and was promoted to Director of Winemaking in 2015. Ana describes her approach as born from agriculture, immersed in the European tradition, and passionate about California.

Artesa creates wines one small lot at a time, harvesting, fermenting and aging each lot separately, tailoring artisan practices to allow each parcel to express its individual character. Then the wine is patiently and meticulously composed in the final blends to achieve wines that are both elegant and intense, and unmistakably true to their roots.

Artesa website