Founded in 1969, Cuvaison is one of Napa Valley's pioneering estates — a winery that helped introduce the world to luxury California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at a time when few outside the region were paying attention. The name itself is a nod to the French winemaking term for the process of fermenting red wine on its skins — a fitting tribute to the craft at the heart of everything they do.

In 1979, the Schmidheiny family of Switzerland — fourth-generation vintners — purchased Cuvaison and immediately deepened its commitment to cool-climate winemaking by acquiring 400 acres of prime land north of San Pablo Bay in Los Carneros. That vineyard, named Tai Estate in honor of founder Alexander Tai Schmidheiny, is today widely recognized as one of the grand cru-caliber sites in Carneros. In 2012, Wine & Spirits named Cuvaison one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World.

The Tai Estate Vineyard sits in the coolest part of Napa Valley — Los Carneros, where fog and wind off San Pablo Bay moderate temperatures dramatically, extending the growing season and preserving acidity and freshness in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. The 125-acre estate is farmed block by block, with each parcel vinified separately to capture the full range of expression the site can offer.

Steve Rogstad has led winemaking at Cuvaison since 2002, overseeing both the construction of the winery's modern smart-shed facility and some of the finest vintages in the estate's history. His philosophy: great wines are built over years of accumulated knowledge about a specific piece of land — and the Tai Estate, after more than four decades of farming, has earned its voice.

The Schmidheiny family — Swiss fourth-generation vintners — are the proprietors of Cuvaison and its sister estate Brandlin, together operating as Two Estates Wine Collective. Daniel Zepponi serves as President and CEO, and Steve Rogstad as Director of Winemaking across both estates. Rebecca George is Brandlin's Estate Winemaker, while Kelly Maher leads vineyard management. The Cuvaison tasting experience is hosted at an elegantly modern salon on Duhig Road in the heart of Los Carneros, named by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the best Napa wineries to visit in 2025.