new clairvaux vineyard

A very small vineyard run by Monks. The tasting room was small but everyone was very accomodating. The wines are very good. My favorite is the Aimee Finito dessert wine. If you like a drier wine, the syrah rose is also a favorite. There is a $5 tasting fee that is deducted if you buy wine. There is usually crackers and cheese available to munch on during the tasting.

New Clairvaux Vineyards is operated by the Cistercian monks who live and work on the property in the New Clairvaux Abbey. They began making wine about 5-7 years ago and some of their wines are award wining. The place itself is a delight to visit and if you can stay there for a short retreat, please do. The monks are friendly, sincere, and kind. The staff at the winery itself a very helpful and engaging. Sometimes the monks help out in the shop and help serve during the wine tasting hours. The Abbey is on the former property of the Leland Stanford estate. Stanford tried his hand at wine and spirits at some point but it didn't take off. Now the place is a wonderful abbey. Located about 19 miles north of Chico, CA.

We attended mass at the monastery then walked over to the winery and the tasting room - the cheese was spectacular - the wine was even better. Especially liked the wine made from the Spanish grapes that were brought over to the states. Those grapes like California and produce very good wine.

If you like wine then you should treat yourself to a visit to the New Clairvaux Vineyard. We were their a few days ago on a visit to Chico and decided to check the Winery out. The Staff are super friendly and the wines in the main is pretty good. The St. James Viognier is delightful, light, crisp with just a hint of sweet. It goes perfectly with a Thai salmon in coconut milk disk that I make that is one of my hubby's favorite dishes. We purchased 1 1/2 mixed cases. Prices are not out of line and they do offer a discount on cases. They have some food items plus other wine related products for sale plus attractive t- long sleeved and sweat shirts. Be sure to ask about the history. Check it out if you are in the area. Plus even if you are not into wine the The Abbey of New Clairvaux and the Chapter House http://www.newclairvaux.org/chapter-house-reconstruction.html are worth a visit.

I just wanted to let everyone know that we had a wonderful experience at this sight and winery. We lost out of the opportunity to purchase that last jar of Mandarine Orange Jam but purchased the Ginger for a $5 donation. The wine is all great and we loved the Aimee Primitivo sourced from Napa.Sheila was our tasting room hostess and she was so friendly, personable and really made is feel right at home.The grounds are lovely and we loved that the Monks wander around and wave at you. I was told they even serve wine in the Tasting Room on the weekend.Ken my husband was even offered a job from the crew leader on the renovation of the back part of the building!

New Clairvaux is a hidden gem in the North State. Just off of Highway 99 a few minutes is a historic farm and monastery. Great wine and super nice individuals who make this place special. I encourage you to join their wine club. It is really good and you are invited to special events on a regular basis.

Throw together a Religion, Serenity, Beauty, Shopping and a Dynamite Winery and you come up with the Abbey of New Clairvaux, a Trappist (Cistercian) monastery located in central Tehama county, less than 30 minutes south of Red Bluff and even closer to the town of Chico, in Butte county. Established in 1955 by monks from the USA's first Catholic monastery in Gethsemani, KY, home of the world famous writer-monk, Thomas Merton. Merton's legacy looms large at this and all Cistercian monasteries, and his work may be found in the lovely little bookstore at the very front of the property.First and foremost, New Clairvaux is a place for prayer, reflection and meditation. It is Roman Catholic, and mass is celebrated everyday in the church. The public is invited to attend mass, as well as any and all of the seven chantings of the divine office, starting at 3:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. The large bell is rung, calling to prayer monks in the fields, at study and elsewhere. The several hundred acre grounds once belonged to business magnate and university founder Leland Stanford. From a tourist perspective, there is much to see and do here, aside from religious activities. Strolling the grounds, especially at sunset, is a wonderful way to relax and spend time away from the bustle of the cities. The light is beautiful and wildlife abounds. Wild turkeys can be seen en masse crossing fields. The aforementioned bookstore offers not only tomes on religion and spirituality, but also homemade foods from other Trappist communities, most notably the CIstercian nuns of Redwoods Monastery in Whitethorn, CA, near Garberville. The nuns' creamed honey in five (5) flavors is semi-organic, all natural and a steal at $5 a jar.The fishponds abuts the rear of the Guestmaster's building - the Welcome Center - which houses the bookstore. Quite large goldfish beckon human visitors as they congregate at the sides of the pool, awaiting feeding. Beyond the pond is the Saint Cecilia Chapel, a quiet, tranquil place for thought and meditation. These three structures are located at the very front of the property, just inside the massive stone archway. This entrance way is now closed off, to prevent traffic from becoming a problem. Parking is in a small area just outside the gate and the pedestrian walkway is always open.For those wishing to make a retreat of a few to several days, arrangements must be made ahead of time. The official website contains instructions as to how to make reservations.(http://www.newclairvaux.org/) And while this is an all male enclave, women are welcome to make retreat as well. Comprehensive information is contained on the website. There is a well-stocked library, kitchen and dining room for registered guests and directed retreats for those wishing spiritual guidance.For the secular world, and those oenophiles wishing to expand their horizons, there is the winery, located at the rear of the property, just outside the cloistered enclosure, where the monks live. Boasting its own website - (http://www.newclairvauxvineyard.com/) - and a tasting room worthy of any in Napa or Sonoma, the Abbey produces top notch vintages every year. Employing world-class vintner Aimée Sunseri, the wines are accessible and competitive with any California vintage.New Clairvaux should be visited with the thought that one is entering a church environment: Noise and talk should be kept to a minimum, dress should be modest and tasteful, and a certain reverence and respect should be observed. Monks are happy to interface with visitors and answer questions both spiritual and temporal. Call ahead to ensure the monastery's schedule, especially if wanting to attend mass or the tasting room. Messages left will be returned within a day or two.Abbey of New Clairvaux 26240 Seventh Street, Vina, CA 96092-0080 (530) 839-2161 Monks@NewClairvaux.org

The wine was very good but we really enjoyed discovering the history of the abbey. The gardens are sweet and it's a nice place to unwind a little. The rebuilding of the abbey is a monumental task but I feel sure they'll accomplish it.

She lives in Napa County and is a wine expert on the wines from that county. To her there are none worth knowing outside the county lines. So she was totally upset when I wouldn't stop talking about New Clairvaux Vineyard on our last encounter. I am sure she is planning a secret visit to it just to see why it struck me so. Who would have thought that such a quality vineyard would be located in Chico. But then, who knew that what was once the world's largest vineyard was right here in Chico. We stayed so long that we had to cut short our visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park, the original reason for our outing that day. And we didn't mind it one bit. The tasting costs $5.00 and the wines are premium priced but it was all worth several times the cost.

Or you may miss it. The Cistercian monastery Abbey of New Clairvaux located in the small farming community of Vina, California is well worth a detour for the traveller driving on I 5 or HWY 99.Beer, Wine and other Spirits for spiritual enlightenment have been produced by Monks for many centuries.The Abbey is not like many picturesque european monasteries, nestled in a river valley with grapes growing on the surrounding hills. Remember you are on the northern end of California's Central Valley. Drive through tall hedges of oleander, be shaded by walnut trees and welcome the cool air in the wine tasting room, located in large agricultural warehouse. My suggestion is, get on their e-mail list and go for a visit during a special event. Like the release of a new wine, usually on a Friday night. Monks from the Abbey will welcome you, serve wine samples and tell you about the history of the Abbey. Fifth generation California winemaker Aimee Sunseri does barrel tastings, to give a glimpse of what's to come and loves to talk about her work at the winery.Try the St. James Albariño, a chilled glass of this medium bodied white wine after a hot day is delicious.Also go and visit the Chapter House on the premises, reassembled from stones dating back 800 years, it is still a work in progress, but it is fascinating to learn about it's history.For coastal dwellers it makes a great getaway to escape a gloomy, foggy weekend.Maybe spend a night in Chico and go visit the most excellent Saturday farmers market.

Let's face it: if you're on TripAdvisor, you probably don't mind working a little for a unique experience. Dive off of I-5 in Corning. CA (don't forget the olive oil tasting there!) and drive east to Hwy 99E (if you are already "in the know", you have probably driven up the valley on spectacular Hwy 99 anyway!). Pull off in Vina, just north of Chico and south of Los Molinos and prepare to be amazed. I quite agree that this is a venue that deserves respect for it's religious origins - as a working Abbey under restoration and development. But it is far more than I knew it as a neighbor some 20 years ago. Then it was known for quiet contemplation, bread-making and pottery. Now they challenge the best vineyards in California with superb wines!!! A little insider tip - ask and they will give you a list of the wines they sell only by mail! GO, GO, GO!!!

The Abbey church is being rebuilt and refurbished to meet earthquake standards but it's a worth a visit now. There are good visitor facilities including a welcome center, bookstore, and weekend wine tasting. Any visit has a spiritual component so be respectful. This is a religious sanctuary so leave any demonstrative behavior behind and 'do as the Romans do' and you'll have a memorable time. Check out the website for a revealing virtual tour.

This winery is just outside of Corning, CA. It is definitely worth a stop. First there is the winery and vineyard. The grounds are not spectacular, but they do have an amazing history. Have your wine pourer tell you about the history. Wine tasting is $5.00 per person and pours are not particularly generous. We did not care that much for the wines, but bought a couple of bottles since the tasting cost is applied to the purchase. You can also tour the Chapter House for the monks. Well worth a visit.

This is a real gem.....you can do wine tasting, see the vineyard and most amazing watch as the munks assemble an old church piece by piece. It is an authentic European church and the stones were brought there years ago. A don't miss if you are in the area!!

We went here for mass and to see the Chapter house that is being built. Brother Peter and all the monks are so proud of their accomplishments. They make a great beer as well as their wine. The beer is Ovila and can be purchased at Sierra Nevada Brewery and Anselmo Vineyards in Inwood CA