Green Light for Treasury Wine Estates' New Winery

Treasury Wine Estates has received approval from the Napa County Board of Supervisors to construct a new winery in the Rutherford Viticultural Area of Napa Valley. The Benjamin Ranch Winery, designed for a production capacity of 300,000 gallons annually, was approved in a swift 15-minute session on Tuesday.

The property, located near Conn Creek, was acquired by Treasury Wine Estates in November 2021 as part of its purchase of Frank Family Vineyards, which included the 85-acre Benjamin Ranch. The project represents a scaled-down version of a previous 475,000-gallon winery proposed by the Frank family, which was approved by the Napa County Planning Commission in May 2021 but faced opposition from neighbors and environmental groups.

Vintner Michael Honig, representing Keep Rutherford Rural, appealed the original approval, citing concerns about traffic congestion, emergency evacuation routes, flood hazards, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use. These objections prompted the Napa County Board of Supervisors to send the proposal back to the Planning Commission in June 2022 for further review, although no action was taken at that time. In April 2024, Treasury Wine Estates submitted a revised, smaller-scale proposal, which ultimately garnered support from all parties.

The approved plans reduce the winery's footprint by 24.5% compared to the original design and limit visitor capacity significantly. Weekly wine tastings are capped at 700 visitors, nearly 59% fewer than the 2021 proposal, and marketing events are limited to 500 attendees annually, a reduction of 56%. Parking spaces were also reduced from 94 to 84.

Two supervisors, Anne Cottrell and Joelle Gallagher, who had previously voted against the larger project in 2021 while serving on the Planning Commission, expressed satisfaction with the revised plans. Cottrell commended the collaborative effort, noting that the settlement avoided prolonged litigation and addressed community concerns.

Michael Honig praised the compromise during the meeting, expressing approval for the changes made to the project. Rob Anglin, an attorney for Treasury Wine Estates, highlighted the company's proactive efforts to engage with stakeholders, including individuals who were not part of the formal appeal.

The vote was 4-0, with Supervisor Belia Ramos recusing herself due to a prior legal conflict involving Treasury Wine Estates' vice president for government and industry affairs, Debra Dommen. Ramos had previously obtained a restraining order against Dommen after alleging the improper distribution of sensitive personal documents, but the matter was later resolved in court.

With the approval finalized, the Benjamin Ranch Winery project is set to move forward, marking a significant addition to Treasury Wine Estates' Napa Valley holdings.