40 Wines&Vines February 2015
TECHNICAL spoTLIgHT
B Cellars in Napa Valley
Designed to combine luxury customer experience with finely honed winemaking
By Paul Franson
A
s direct-to-consumer sales become more
and more vital for boutique wineries,
many are enhancing their consumer expe-
rience to attempt to become prime destina-
tions. Perhaps the ultimate example is Castello di
Amorosa in Calistoga, Calif., with its re-imagined
13th-century Tuscan castle. Just 15 miles south, B
Cellars in Oakville shares the same goal with a totally
different design rendition.
B Cellars recently opened after its operations
moved from the site of the old Silver Rose Inn and
Winery in Calistoga, which is soon to become a resort
managed by Four Seasons with an integral winery.
It's not surprising that every aspect of B Cellars
is aimed at enhancing the experience of demanding
visitors, for co-founder Duffy Keys spent 21 years
with the Four Seasons luxury hotel chain before
partnering with Jim Borsack, who owned a luxury
leather company that appealed to upscale buyers.
