After a three-year closure, Calistoga’s Sterling Vineyards is set to reopen Sunday with a brand-new gondola and tasting areas.

When the Glass Fire hit on Sept. 27, 2020, scorching the earth and triggering structural damages at 23 or more wineries, it seemed that Sterling Vineyards had avoided the fate that befell many of its neighbors. The winery’s popular aerial tram appeared to be intact.

But once the smoke cleared, it became evident that the fire had damaged the winery’s tasting areas and the tram could no longer be used. So the winery, which had operated in Calistoga since 1964, shuttered.

But come Sunday, Sterling Vineyards will return to business with a brand-new gondola and tasting areas, according to Luke Magnini, the winery’s director of hospitality, who says the long closure gave the winery an opportunity to reflect and plan for its next 60 years.

Its new gondola has a triangle-shaped route, offering a longer ascent to the winery’s hilltop tasting area. The updated gondola cabins, designed by the European firm Doppelmayr, are ADA compliant and about double the size of the former aerial tram cabins.

In addition, all the outdoor terraces where tastings were previously offered have been redone too.

The winery revamp includes an added emphasis on sustainability, Magnini says. The winery is expected to run entirely on solar power in the coming months. And to mitigate against both fire and drought risks, the winery has placed drought-resistant plants around the property and built an underground water tank. It also regularly brings in sheep to graze at the property.

The winery will offer a series of visitor experiences, including the Sterling Stroll ($55) which features a ride up the gondola followed by a self-guided tasting and walk; the Tour and Terrace Experience ($75) with a gondola ride and a seated reserve wine tasting with a cheese board; and the Hilltop Experience ($95) with a gondola ride, plus tastings from the winery’s reserve offerings alongside cheese and charcuterie.

Related Articles

• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  The ancient ways of natural wine are finding new fans in the Bay Area and beyond
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  Jay-Z’s Champagne maker is planning an even more exclusive brand
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  Late harvest finally underway in Santa Cruz Mountains
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  Wildfires can make your California red wine taste like an ashtray. These scientists want to stop that

Details: Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday at 1111 W. Dunaweal Lane in Calistoga. Walk-ins are accepted, but reservations are encouraged for the gondola, tours and tastings, which can be made for Oct. 29 and beyond at sterlingvineyards.com.