New Clairvaux Vineyard

Abbey of New Clairvaux The Abbey of New Clairvaux is a community of Cistercian or "Trappist" monks that was founded in 1955 when the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky sent a group to California to begin a new monastery to relieve overcrowding at the motherhouse. New Clairvaux's land, history, and people make it an ideal site for 21st Century winemaking. Its Vina location is noted for its deep, fertile loam soils and mild climate, which enabled the site to blossom under the ownership of Peter Lassen during California's colonial days, and later as Leland Stanford's Great Vina Ranch, the world's largest vineyard, winery and distillery by 1890. While we are the first Cistercian winery in North America, our order has a strong agricultural and winemaking foundation dating back to the 12th century in Europe. This tradition includes some of the finest vineyards in the world, such as Clos Vougeot in Burgundy and Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau. Our vision is no less dedicated here.