Napa Valley: Stag's Leap Breaks Ground on New $7 Million Visitor Center

(WineMag) - Iconic Napa Valley winery, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, broke ground June 1 on a new 6,000 square-foot visitor center overlooking its estate vineyards. The center will cost approximately $7 million to build, a financial commitment shared by the joint venture partnership of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Marchesi Antinori, which acquired the winery in 2007. Barcelona-based architect Javier Barba, who designed the winery’s Wine Cellars Arcade, Great Room and Round Room in the wine caves, created the design for the center. The project is expected to be complete by summer 2014.

June 18, 2013 will mark the 100th birthday of California wine legend Robert Mondavi, and Robert Mondavi Winery is celebrating with a number of events and activities throughout the month. Guests of the winery can partake in a public toast with a glass of Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Fume Blanc, while the winery will rename one of the To Kalon Vineyard blocks to “Robert’s Block” in a private ceremony. A special “Cent’ anni” concert honoring Mondavi’s birthday is scheduled for June 29, featuring fireworks and a performance by country music star Martina McBride.

The annual Auction Napa Valley, held over the weekend at Meadowood Resort Napa Valley, reclaimed its spot as the king of all charity wine auctions, bringing in a whopping $16.9 million for nonprofit organizations throughout Napa County