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WINEMAKING April 2015 WINES&VINES 51 Matchbook Wine Co. Expands Hospitality and Production New tasting room opens in Yolo County, Calif., as volume exceeds 100,000 cases By Ted Rieger L ocated in the Dunnigan Hills of Yolo County, Calif., Crew Wine Co. continues to expand wine production capacity and estate vineyards to support its growing Matchbook and Sawbuck estate wines, and to increase capacity for its Mossback, Chasing Venus brands and Arsonist brands. During its most recent growth phase, the winery added tank and barrel capacity, a new press and its first tasting room. Once bottled, wine production for the 2014 vintage will exceed 100,000 cases. Crew co-owner Lane Giguiere said with future planting and expansion, production is on track to ultimately reach 250,000 cases per year. "We introduced a new wine to our line up—our Arsonist Dunnigan Hills Chardonnay," Giguiere told Wines & Vines. "We will release the Ar- sonist Red Blend (Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) in April." Winemaker Dan Ceder- quist watches as Rus- sian River Valley Pinot Noir is crushed on the improved crushpad. KEY POINTS Improvements to the crush pad mean 10-year-old Crew Wine Co. could eventually reach 250,000 cases per year. The expansion includes a new 2,160-square-foot tasting room and meeting space for up to 20 people. Grapes from estate vineyards go into three of the company's five wine brands: Arsonist, Matchbook and Sawbuck.