The CourAvant team is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of stewardship in the vineyard and in the surrounding vegetable gardens, flower beds and orchards. We view the estate as its own ecosystem and believe strongly that protecting each component will produce a positive effect on all others.
Vineyard «
Our quest begins in the vineyard under the experienced leadership of Mario Bazan and his expert crew. After 25 years working with the vineyards of Joseph Phelps, Robert Mondavi, Opus One and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Mario ventured out on his own in 1997 as Mario Bazan Vineyard Management Company. Mario is committed to preserving the essence of his clients’ vineyards with his personal touch in a natural environment. For more than 10 years, Mario has cared for the vineyards of CourAvant Estate and has diligently worked to enhance the stewardship of the land and vines through his thoughtfully practiced regimens learned over five decades of vineyard experience.
Gardens «
At the CourAvant Estate, we naturally embrace our treasured vineyards and world-class wine they produce. Yet the connection goes far beyond as we gain a great deal of satisfaction in caring for and harvesting the estate flower and vegetable gardens. The fruits of these labors grace the dinner table and simple floral arrangements add beauty to the day. And with the many mature olive trees on the estate property, an olive oil program is now in the planning stage.
Observatory «
The sight of a research-grade observatory on vineyard grounds anywhere in the world is a unique occurrence. And at CourAvant Estate, it pays homage to the historical relationship astronomy has had with agriculture throughout mankind. Inside the observatory’s towering structure, you will find a state of the art Planewave Instruments telescope system capable of deep space observation while viewing countless distant galaxies and nebula objects. We believe that observing targets millions of light years away is a reminder of the vastness of our universe and helps open our minds by bringing a new prospective to our place in time. We at CourAvant plan to use this observatory as a center for celestial education by hosting school programs and non-profit events featuring guest speakers
revealing to many what few can hope to experience.
