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First opened in 2012 at a different location, Bella Union's current space (the former Provenance Winery) had previously been described as "a big red box," an industrial rectangle regarded as a bit of an eyesore as tourists and locals traveled Highway 29, a stretch lined with such storied names as Cakebread, Caymus, Grgich, Mondavi, Opus One, and Far Niente Wine Estates, the latter housed in an 1885 mansion refurbished in 1979 by the late Gil Nickel and wife Beth. Long famous for premier cabernet and chardonnay, Far Niente also owns Nickel & Nickel, a producer of single vineyard wines located in a restored 19th century farmstead. Bella Union is the third in Far Niente's portfolio, dedicated to the art of blending — crafting the best possible blended wines in the Napa Valley — which gives winemaker Brooke Bobyak Price, a Carmel Valley native and Torrey Pines High School graduate, room to experiment and create. detour destinations << Founded by Far Niente's chairman Dirk Hampson with partners that include Beth Nickel, Erik Nickel, and Larry Maguire, Bella Union showcases stunning spaces that offer unique guest experiences. Architect Mike Neimann of Pacific Building Workshop and JK & Co., an architecture and design firm, dramatically transformed the property including a "contemporary-modern façade" and striking interiors crowned by a glass-enclosed tasing room. e welcoming Wren Bar is a lovely, and at times lively, outdoor patio surrounded by landscaping, event lawns, a water feature, and multiple tasting areas which can accommodate groups of all sizes. Especially popular at the Wren are the daily social hours from 4 to 6pm, inviting guests to drop in for moderately priced wine by the glass or bottle, paired with such snacks as house-marinated olives and vegetable chips. A three-wine tasting begins at $45, and the lower prices are designed to attract a younger generation of wine enthusiasts. ranchandcoast.com 70 MARCH 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE