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February 2016 WINES&VINES 63 W hen Cairdean Vineyards opened in 2014, much of the initial press coverage focused on the food. A winery with a restaurant is a nov- elty in Napa County, which long ago restricted new wineries from operating them to preserve the county's rural char- acter. Edwin and Stacia Williams, the owners of Cairdean, didn't exploit any zoning loopholes to manage this feat but rather pounced on the opportunity to buy a neglected commercial property that was adjacent to the 50-acre parcel they bought for the winery in 2010. The 7-acre property had once been the site of a small shopping center known as Vintners Village. Grander de- velopment schemes such as a hotel had all faltered because of limitations from the site's zoning and septic system. A restaurant and retail operations were still allowable, so the Williamses set up shop for a restaurant, deli, boutique and tasting room. While the new restaurant and deli on Highway 29 have largely stolen the spot- light, the Williamses' new winery is note- worthy in its own right. The new facility supports several custom-crush clients, is Cairdean Vineyards Napa winery engineered for data-driven winemaking By Andrew Adams TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT KEY POINTS The "semi-automated" winery employs a complex computer system to monitor and perform many winemaking tasks. Nearly 18,000 square feet of caves includes one of the largest caverns in Napa Valley. Equipment and design are used to minimize the use of water and energy required for wine production.