uena Vista wines are the finest expression of true varietal character, with great acidity, balance and structure. Their personality reflects the region's abundant stylistic diversity across the three tiers: Private Reserve, Carneros, and Sonoma.
Carneros is an important appellation to the winery, as it is home to the historic tasting room and cellar, and it houses the vineyards for the Carneros tier and much of the upper-end wines. Coincidentally, just as Buena Vista was the first California premium winery, Carneros was the first AVA established that was defined by its climatic conditions rather than its political boundaries.
uena Vista has been making wines under the Private Reserve name for decades, and today the winery restores the title to declare these limited production wines the ultimate wines within the portfolio. Each represents the pinnacle of Buena Vista's winemaking craft. Using the Sonoma landscape as the canvas, the winemaker has the luxury of sourcing from the most esteemed vineyards throughout the county to produce the highest quality wines under this label. The two cooler climate wines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are a nice complement to the warmer climate Cabernet and Zinfandel wines, allowing consumers to truly taste the best the county has to offer.
he Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, formed in 1863 by the winery's founder, Count Agoston Haraszthy, to further improve its winemaking prowess and expand its vineyards, has been restored as a collection of unique, small-production wines that honor the winery's pioneering spirit and contribution to California winemaking. Available only at the winery and for club-members, the diverse selection of Vinicultural Society wines explores clonal selections, varietals, vineyards and the incredible terroir of Sonoma County.
nspired by its pioneering roots, the winery began in 1969 to explore a little-known corner straddling Sonoma and Napa's southern boundaries known as Carneros. Because of its proximity to the San Pablo Bay, the Carneros AVA is the coolest and windiest AVA in Napa and Sonoma counties. The region covers 90 square miles along the southern end of the Mayacamas range, with elevations ranging from sea level to 400 feet. It wasn't long until Carneros gained recognition as one of the world's premier appellations, particularly for varietals that can thrive in cool climates.
Carneros is home to haire clay and gravelly loam soil, that have a high calcium content. The persistent wind, the coolness of the region, and the shallow soils keep yields small, with delayed yet concentrated ripening, that results in wines with intense, vivid flavors.
he winery's colorful founder, The Count of Buena Vista, pioneered premium winemaking in California. A tireless and passionate devotee of California wine, The Count imported hundreds of premium vines from Europe, dug Sonoma's first wine caves, introduced innovative viticulture techniques, and wrote the first treatise on California wine. Buena Vista Winery honors his legacy, bold vision, and commitment to excellence through this red wine - the Founder's Red Wine.
ith its roots so deeply ensconced in the foundations of Sonoma as one of California's leading wine appellations, Buena Vista Winery is again introducing wines from Sonoma. The Sonoma wines include an array of varietals that celebrate the diversity of Sonoma's terroir and the contribution of Buena Vista to establishing the California wine world.
