After a year and a half renovation, Materra | Cunat Family Vineyards is preparing to debut their new 10,000-square-foot tasting room in June. The new venue emphasizes Materra’s slogan “Bringing People Together”; in addition to the grand tasting room, there will now be a catering kitchen, cozy lounge, art gallery and individual tasting rooms that can accommodate up to 10 guests for a more intimate experience with a private group.
“We’re keen on leading with hospitality; making people feel welcome and like they belong at Materra. It gives us an opportunity to really create transformative experiences,” said Kevin Krueger, DTC Manager of Materra, emphasizing how the renovations allow Materra to cater to more styles of tastings, whether guests are seeking to meet new faces or use the tasting as an opportunity to bond with their personal group.
Regardless of where guests decide they want to enjoy their tastings, they have the ability to completely tailor their experience. Materra winemaker, Chelsea Barrett has crafted a remarkable portfolio of wines that are sure to please everyone’s palate. Materra offers all white wine or red wine flights, a combination of the two, but also Krueger shared, “Upon arrival, we explain to guests that we have multiple tasting options that we can curate to their personal preference. If you come in with a group of 2 or 10 people, each person can have a different experience. If you prefer more dry white wine and another person enjoys both whites and reds and somebody wants to do more Cabernet focused, we can really curate it for each and every person.”
The winery will still offer their Daily Tasting ($45 per person, complimentary for Dean’s List members)—a guided tasting experience that can be enjoyed at one of the three long tables in the shared tasting area or on the outdoor terrace. It includes five classic wines.
Perhaps one of the more unique tastings available is Materra’s Japanese flights that pays homage to owner Miki Cunat’s heritage. Cunat and winemaker Barrett collaborated to create three wines to pair with Japanese cuisine—Dogura Cabernet Sauvignon, Yoshino Rosé and Shinkan Chardonnay—all of which are small-batch production but available to sip side-by-side in this designated tasting. “They’ve quickly become some of our most popular wines,” said Krueger, adding that their “beautiful approachability” aligns with the full portfolio of wines that Materra is producing. “There’s a vast range in the style of wines, but always at an approachable price point which is what I think makes us stand out in the Valley.”
Though food won’t necessarily be a priority during the tastings—there’s an artisanal cheese plate included but Krueger says the experience focuses mostly on the wine—he teased private catered events for larger groups as something to look forward to in the future.
