Napa’s Materra winery to open new 10,000-square-foot tasting, events space

Napa's Materra winery will open a 10,000-square-foot hospitality space in June, an expanse to be used for tastings, events and more.

Since 2014, the Cunat family-owned vineyard has had a state-of-the-art facility capable of producing 150,000 gallons of wine and a seasoned winemaking team. Now, they aim to provide an enhanced tasting experience.

“This expansion was part of the original plan for the winery. First, we wanted to build a robust winemaking facility to make world-class wines,” said Kevin Krueger, Materra’s direct-to-consumer manager. “The tasting room expansion will have the ambiance to match the quality of the wines.”

The new expansion includes three tasting rooms, a large private event room, a catering kitchen and indoor and outdoor tasting opportunities.

The overhaul will boast 25-foot ceilings, dormer windows for plenty of light and a covered patio overlooking the Big Ranch Road property’s chardonnay vineyard. Contemporary artwork will adorn walls throughout, including in a grand gallery room, with a rotating collection displaying the Cunat family’s treasured items, from Japanese antiquities to classic cars.

A 35-foot bar made of salvaged 250-year-old Valley Oak, originally from the historic Oak Knoll Ranch, will be installed to pay homage to the region’s roots. A 3,500-square-foot event space will come equipped with a full commercial kitchen.

“This gives us an amazing opportunity to host events. We plan to have both internal events for our wine club members, as well as private events in our new space,” Krueger said.

Materra’s founder, Brian Cunat, spent his childhood laboring on a farm in the Midwest. His fascination and reverence for agriculture and farming blossomed into a lifelong passion. With his wife, Miki, he embarked on journeys exploring vineyards and wineries and savoring local delicacies. Their first encounter with the captivating allure of Napa Valley ignited a profound inspiration for their familial ambition.

In 2007, Cunat and his brother, John, purchased a 50-acre plot in Napa Valley's Oak Knoll District. What began as a prudent investment soon evolved into a fusion of Brian's love for wine and farming aspirations. They collaborated with seasoned vineyard managers and winemakers to cultivate merlot, petit verdot, Malbec, syrah, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and viognier varietals.

“The whole reason the Cunat family got involved was to create fabulous wines in a beautiful location, and we believe that with the new tasting room, we will achieve that,” Cunat said.

Chelsea Barrett, Materra’s director of winemaking, grew up in Calistoga. She attended UC Davis and graduated in 2010 with a degree in viticulture and enology. After college, she worked in Austria, for Opus One and Joel Gott Wines and in collaboration with her mother, Heidi Barrett, before taking over winemaking operations at Materra in 2019.

“The new building is coming together beautifully and I’m excited to finally have the proper space to share our wines with guests,” Barrett said. “Our team has done a great job so far with limited space and mostly outdoor tables, but this gives us so many new opportunities. It feels like the last piece of the puzzle.”

Caryn Harrison, the director of winery operations, grew up in Diablo, and also studied at UC Davis. She worked under David Block in the university’s research lab, studying tannin and color development in red wines. After interning throughout Napa Valley, New Zealand and Australia, she joined Materra in 2019.

“The team has done an incredible job creating a space and experience that reflects the direction of the Materra brand. A blend of traditional and new age, showcasing wines synonymous with Napa Valley,” Harrison said.

Maggie Purdie, Materra’s enologist, has roots in winemaking that trace back to her upbringing. She obtained a degree in enology and viticulture from the University of Adelaide in Australia and began her career with the harvest at Primo Estate in Australia.

While the trio of women has created incredible wines, the Cunat family's dedication to the brand permeates through every aspect of the vineyard's operations. Miki Cunat, who is originally from Japan, paid homage to her heritage by working with Barrett to create a Japanese series of wines. This portfolio has four wines, one of which is the Yoshino Rose. The rose is named after Mount Yoshino, where Miki’s great-grandfather was instrumental in the preservation of 30,000 cherry blossom trees that are now protected as a world heritage site.

The Cunats’ eldest daughter, Neena Heitz, handles the brand's photography, and her husband, Harry Heitz, is general manager. The Cunats’ youngest daughter, Amie Cunat, plays a pivotal role in crafting product labels, promotional materials and the interior design of the new building.

While there isn’t a set grand opening date or event planned, the new tasting room space will have a series of openings and art events. And it won’t end there.

“The long-term goal over the next couple of years is to expand to have a full-time chef who would pair traditional Japanese cuisine with our Japanese series of wines,” Krueger said.