When Kelly Nice and Maureen Holt got married in 1995, they fell in love with their setting too.
So much so that the Sebastopol couple planned to return to the fully revamped, newly reopened Clos Pegase Winery in Calistoga for their 31st anniversary in September with the 1941 Chevrolet that was a part of the landmark ceremony.
“Hope it makes it. I know I will,” Nice said, referring to the vintage car.
When Clos Pegase celebrated its $9 million restoration with a soft- and grand opening in June, the longtime members of over 30 years showed up in style. They brought wedding photos and one of the last two bottles of the winery’s Hommage Cabernet Sauvignon from their wedding to present to the owners of the last two years, Jay and Tammi Adair.
The Texas winery magnates took over the property off Dunaweal Lane as a result of the Vintage Wine Estates bankruptcy. Clos Pegase, which was closed for about a year to accommodate the extensive remodel, joined a portfolio of six wineries including Viansa, Kunde, Girard, B.R. Cohn and the Adair Winery due to open in Suisun Valley in the fall of 2027.
As legacy projects go, the new owners of Clos Pegase pulled out all the stops in maintaining the integrity of a Napa Valley fixture.
“When we visited, we were thrilled to see it go back to the original design,” said Nice, a small-batch winemaker himself. “This is what we admire about the Adairs.”
The renowned Calistoga landmark that’s home to the fusion of art and wine was transformed in a return to its architectural heritage and spirit as the late founders, Jan and Mitsuko Shrem, envisioned. Emboldened by the winery heirs’, the Adairs, the founders’ legacy carries on with the sprawling estate that pairs Mediterranean-inspired architecture with luxurious winery comfort and collector-worthy art that lightens up the experience with the whimsical and mythological.
After all, the name, Clos Pegase, references the mythical horse Pegasus as translated from the Odilon Redon painting Jan Shrem held in his art collection, according to its accomplished postmodern architect, the late Michael Graves.
At first glance, visitors may be struck by the assertion that this is a place like no other.
For the restoration, the Adairs recovered the original exterior painters’ palette and renovated the main tasting room, Founders bar and the courtyard. Here, the giant Romanesque pillars were repainted in a terracotta salmon hue to provide a sense of Tuscany-infused landscape and Greek columns, replacing the dull, corporate-style gray that once dominated a guest’s first impression walking in.
The historic fountains were revived and moved near a tribute garden erected and dedicated to Mitsuko Shrem with her beloved cherry trees.
“My goal was not to reinvent, but I wanted people to see the original design and intent. I looked at it as a journey,” Tammi Adair said.
Adair sounded giddy with enthusiasm discussing the winery’s future and accompanying ideas of how to share the establishment with the public. But she also admitted to understanding that the wine industry is undergoing major economic and demographic challenges that narrow a widely competitive market.
Indeed, if one of those challenges includes reaching millennials preoccupied with experiences like drinking-on-the-go with cocktails in a can, as studies have shown, as opposed to a slower pace of sipping wine, then Adair said she’s all for giving the younger set an experience.
Part of that experience lies in the nature of presenting the making of wine as an educational experience. Thus, events that have crossed Adair’s mind involve artists-in-residence such as the watercolorist Barbara Nechis of Calistoga.
And more evident at the outset, the power of place and its interesting backstory lend themselves to providing an experience.
“What distinguishes this winery (from others) is the art, and now we have a gallery. But the architecture is something that really stands out here,” she said.
The magnificence of the setting has also motivated the winery’s winemaker to excel in his craft.
“Being here, this inspires me,” Robin Akhurst, the winemaking director, said while strolling the grounds. “I think the restoration was beautiful and thoughtfully done. It brings the winery back to life.”
Akhurst noted some areas “needed more love than others,” but overall, the end product all came together with a symmetry that reflects a sense of pride and appreciation among the managers and staffers in a small work crew out of 145 the Adairs employ at all their wineries in peak season.
As the Adairs have pointed out and appreciate as its “stewards,” Clos Pegase has “always been more than a winery,” they indicated in a statement.
That level of respect has also been extended to not only the artists who have a connection with the winery, but for those who helped build it.
The Cuban-American artist and musician Rolando Diaz has brought his celebration of music and paint to the Clos Pegase Founders Room and estate house.
Diaz said he believes his use of bold color and synchronicity in flow between art and music blends with the spiritual nature of the grounds.
“I had not done a wine installation before. But this place, this winery, is so gorgeous,” he said. “I’m honored (Tammi) would ask me there.”
Sculptor Guy Pederson shares his special geologic art technique in Clos Pegase’s 20,000-square-foot, candlelit wine cave that exudes an unmatched sense of intimacy.
Deep in the cave, Pederson’s exhibit showcases an art technique steeped in an ancient geologic process. Upon spending time with Indian Springs Resort’s late owner, John Merchant, when he moved to Calistoga in 1987, the local artist studied the city’s geysers and honed a crystallization process on musical instruments, such as a tuba, violin and trumpet, by which overheated water passes through fissures 4,000 feet below the Napa Valley. The unique approach serves as a nod to the origin of the valley and a tribute to Clos Pegase’s historic prominence.
“I was absolutely mesmerized by it. This (shows) an amazing place we live in,” Pederson said, illustrating how earthly chaos could create something “so perfect” after years of experimenting.
Pederson completed the installation in June in time for the winery grand opening.
“Hey, I’ve learned a lot about instruments, but I don’t play,” he quipped. “But to be able to make this tribute to Clos Pegase and the nine Muses (of Greek mythology) changed me as an artist.”
The Muses involve inspirational goddesses of literature, science and the arts in Greek mythology.
The man who drilled the cave decades ago, Alf Burtleson, mused about the detail, care and consideration that went into burrowing the cave the winery uses for barrel aging.
“Wine caves are superior to buildings for barrel aging. Caves are naturally more humid, which minimizes the amount of wine loss from evaporation,” Burtleson said, adding they’re also “wildfire-proof.” Calistoga has experienced its fair share.
Agreeing that art and wine “go together” as a perfect union, the Calistoga man reflected on the making of the alcoves cut into the cave to serve as intimate member tasting venues, along with the niches that helped create art displays.
Burtleson’s wife, Mary Jane, worked with Mitsuko Shrem to design the cutouts from black roofing paper as templates. The niches are backlit and front-lit, creating a sense of drama to the Pederson’s display.
“When the Adairs bought (the winery), it took a long time to clean everything up. But I couldn’t be happier with it,” said Burtleson, who showed up at the property for the grand opening.
It was like a trip back to memory lane for Burtleson and the other stakeholders.
Tastings at the Clos Pegase Winery range from $50 to $90 and come with a locals’ discount. Walk-ins are welcome. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
For more information, visit clospegase.com
