ST. HELENA, CA (BRAIN)—Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, owners of Clif Bar & Company and Clif Family Winery & Farm, have opened the doors to Velo Vino Napa Valley, a new tasting room destination located at the southern end of Main Street in St. Helena.
Situated in a comfortable craftsman style building, Velo Vino captures Erickson and Crawford’s passion for wine, cycling and the great outdoors in a single location.
Open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with extended summer hours beginning in June, Velo Vino offers tastings of Clif Family Winery Napa Valley wines along with pairings of Gary & Kit’s Gourmet food products. More than an average tasting room, Velo Vino also pays tribute to Erickson's love of cycling. Whether it’s one of the thousands of bike enthusiasts who visit Napa Valley each year, or local weekend road warriors, cyclists visiting Velo Vino can pick up maps of local bike routes and customized rides to Clif Family Farm on Howell Mountain. Velo Vino also offers a unique retail experience featuring Clif Family wines, food products from the Farm, espresso, bike jerseys, and Clif Bars. Luna Sport, a stunning collection of athletic apparel for women, is also available.
“Velo Vino is a place for slowing down and spending time with family and friends over a great bottle of wine. With so many cyclists riding through Napa Valley we also recognize that cycling and wine are a natural fit,” Erickson said. “Because cycling is such a passion of ours we wanted to create a central hub for congregating and connecting the two. I’d say that Velo Vino was built to fuel the adventurer’s soul."
“Imagine starting your day at Velo Vino with a shot of espresso as you map out your bike ride and grab a few Clif Bars,” Crawford said. “Then, finish your ride back at Velo Vino and relax with a glass of wine in our sensory garden. We want Velo Vino to be the source for starting and ending that perfect day in Napa Valley.”
Always emphasizing the importance of local food sourcing and organic farming, Erickson and Crawford have also created a sensory garden as part of the outdoor patio area at Velo Vino, which will be open later this spring. In addition, produce grown on Clif Family Farm will be made available at Velo Vino for members of their CSA Box program.
Further demonstrating their commitment to sustainability, Erickson and Crawford have plans to add an Electric Vehicle Charging station (EVC) to the parking lot. One of the only stations in St. Helena, this EVC will be compatible with Nissan and Chevrolet electric car models, many of which make their debut this year.
Wines available at Velo Vino to try and buy include Clif Family Winery Rte. Blanc Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Climber Limited Release Red Wine, Gary’s Improv Zinfandel and kit’s killer cab. A Napa Valley Petite Sirah will make its debut in May. Visitors are offered several flights of tastings that vary in price from $10 to $25, and the tasting fees are waived with a bottle purchase. Velo Vino will mark its grand opening with an open house celebration for locals next month.
