The heart of downtown Redding welcomed a delightful addition over the weekend, along with the presence of Cistercian Monks as the New Clairvaux Wine Tasting Room celebrated its grand opening.
In Redding, both the spiritual and earthly were celebrated on Monday, as the wine tasting room was blessed, followed by a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event.
This newly unveiled wine tasting room, nestled on Butte Street, provides a sanctuary for wine enthusiasts. However, before the libations flowed, there was a toast led by New Clairvaux’s Award-Winning Winemaker, Aimee Sunseri, who raised a glass of wine to the crowd, saying, “Cheers, to good habits and great wine!”
The grapes used to craft these exceptional wines are cultivated at the monastery in Vina, California, which is the hallowed birthplace of the original wine tasting room. This endeavor marks the Abbey of New Clairvaux’s first foray beyond its confines, introducing their distinguished wines to downtown Redding.
Father Paul Mark Schwan, the abbot of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, shared his excitement about the establishment of this unique venture in downtown Redding, stating, “What’s happening here in downtown Redding, we’re very excited about that. And, we think we can not only benefit ourselves but also give something to downtown Redding, so that it will be a reciprocal—a mutual relationship.”
The festivities included the closure of a section of the street for the blessing ceremony, drawing a crowd of several hundred attendees. Wine and gourmet fare were readily available for those present. Redding was selected as the location for this new tasting room due to the preexisting familiarity of local residents with the fruits of the monks’ labor.
The New Clairvaux Wine Tasting Room stands as a testament to the harmonious blend of tradition, community, and the appreciation of fine wines, creating an environment where patrons can savor both the vintages and the monastic elegance that accompanies them.
