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ENLARGE
“It’s really the last piece of the puzzle,” Mike Naggiar, owner of Naggiar Vineyards, explained. Piece of what puzzle? “The tasting room” he answered, “We’re opening a tasting room at the vineyard next weekend.”
Mike and Diane Naggiar’s story, starting first with their vineyards, then winery, and now, tasting room is the puzzle Mike mentioned. The tasting room is the third interlocking piece solving the puzzle.
In 1998 they planted 30 acres off of Garden Bar in the south county. Their intent was to find the most suitable grapes for their specific site and then do the absolute best job possible farming them. After countless soil studies and temperature checks they decided to focus on grape varieties from Italy, and the Rhone and Bordeaux regions of France. Over time they planted another 30 acres growing 17 different varieties.
Several extended family members followed Mike and Diane when they moved to Nevada County purchasing adjoining properties. It’s definitely a family affair as vineyards spill from one property to the next.
Mike knew he was growing good grapes. Repeat winery customers from Napa, Sonoma and Nevada County were proof. But there were always grapes left over. Why not “have some fun, make some wine and see what happens.” They talked it over at a family meeting. In 2003 Naggiar Vineyards became a bonded winery.
They converted an existing structure into a temperature-controlled winery. Now Mike and the vineyard crew do the work and all the heavy lifting around the winery while consulting winemaker Derek Irwin directs traffic, telling them what to lift when. Mike approaches winemaking with the same attentive care that he grows grapes. He explained that winemaking has made him a better grape grower because he’s become more sensitive to what winemakers want.
But he always felt the simple winery structure never gave them an adequate place to showcase the wines. They started planning for a tasting room in 2007. They were undecided about what to build. At another family meeting they decided if they were going to do it, then go all in. They scrapped the one-room schoolhouse concept and went for the Tuscan Villa style. Now independent tasting rooms flank each end of a gorgeous building adjoining an outdoor patio overlooking the lake with rolling vineyards stretching across the other side. It’s a beautiful spot.
In the upgrade they included one more key component, a commercial kitchen. “We want this to be a destination winery,” Mike explained. In addition to wine tasting or vineyard and winery tours, being able to enjoy a fine meal definitely adds to the overall ambiance. “We want people to be able to spend a few hours here and really enjoy the experience.”
Rod Byers, a certified wine educator, teaches wine classes at Sierra College and is a California State Certified Wine Judge. He can be reached by e-mail at wineonpine@sbcglobal.net or by phone at (530) 913-3703.
Mike and Diane Naggiar’s story, starting first with their vineyards, then winery, and now, tasting room is the puzzle Mike mentioned. The tasting room is the third interlocking piece solving the puzzle.
In 1998 they planted 30 acres off of Garden Bar in the south county. Their intent was to find the most suitable grapes for their specific site and then do the absolute best job possible farming them. After countless soil studies and temperature checks they decided to focus on grape varieties from Italy, and the Rhone and Bordeaux regions of France. Over time they planted another 30 acres growing 17 different varieties.
Several extended family members followed Mike and Diane when they moved to Nevada County purchasing adjoining properties. It’s definitely a family affair as vineyards spill from one property to the next.
Mike knew he was growing good grapes. Repeat winery customers from Napa, Sonoma and Nevada County were proof. But there were always grapes left over. Why not “have some fun, make some wine and see what happens.” They talked it over at a family meeting. In 2003 Naggiar Vineyards became a bonded winery.
They converted an existing structure into a temperature-controlled winery. Now Mike and the vineyard crew do the work and all the heavy lifting around the winery while consulting winemaker Derek Irwin directs traffic, telling them what to lift when. Mike approaches winemaking with the same attentive care that he grows grapes. He explained that winemaking has made him a better grape grower because he’s become more sensitive to what winemakers want.
But he always felt the simple winery structure never gave them an adequate place to showcase the wines. They started planning for a tasting room in 2007. They were undecided about what to build. At another family meeting they decided if they were going to do it, then go all in. They scrapped the one-room schoolhouse concept and went for the Tuscan Villa style. Now independent tasting rooms flank each end of a gorgeous building adjoining an outdoor patio overlooking the lake with rolling vineyards stretching across the other side. It’s a beautiful spot.
In the upgrade they included one more key component, a commercial kitchen. “We want this to be a destination winery,” Mike explained. In addition to wine tasting or vineyard and winery tours, being able to enjoy a fine meal definitely adds to the overall ambiance. “We want people to be able to spend a few hours here and really enjoy the experience.”
Rod Byers, a certified wine educator, teaches wine classes at Sierra College and is a California State Certified Wine Judge. He can be reached by e-mail at wineonpine@sbcglobal.net or by phone at (530) 913-3703.
