Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
2555 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574
Website: https://www.ciachef.edu/cia-california/
Someone who is not familiar with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone might ask “why would I want to visit a culinary school?” The CIA is not just a cooking school, it is one of the most historic properties in Napa Valley. The castle-like stone building was formerly Christian Brothers Winery and was considered to be the largest stone winery building in the world when it was completed in 1889. The CIA opened its doors in August 1995 and today includes a 15,000 square foot teaching kitchen, Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, Spice Island Marketplace, and Vintners Hall of Fame. For foodies or wine enthusiasts alike, the CIA offers culinary and wine programs. For visitors just stopping in, check the CIA’s website for a calendar of cooking demonstrations or wine events. After touring the property, visitors can have lunch or dinner at the Wine Spectator Restaurant and observe students and chefs in open cooking stations while eating a delicious meal. I recommend making a reservation in advance, especially on a weekend.
Let’s take a step back in time to the 19th century when Greystone was constructed. The original idea to build a 1 million gallon winery and cellar can be attributed to William Bowers Bourne, Jr., a very wealthy businessman throughout California. Bourne, with the help from his partner Everett Wise, recognized the potential of the Napa wine industry and forged a cooperative with other Napa County vintners. Once the stone building was constructed it was named Greystone Cellars and was the first California winery to be operated by electricity. It was also the largest winery in California. By 1894, the winery changed hands to Charles Carpy who was a key player in the Napa wine industry during his time and turned the winery into an icon for the California Wine Association (CWA). The ownership changed hands again between the mid-1920s and 1940s before the famed Brother Timothy of Christian Brothers stepped in. Brother Timothy, who was a member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and a former science teacher, became a wine chemist in 1935 and built Christian Brothers into a leading California brand. Christian Brothers purchased Greystone Cellars in 1950 and began producing sparkling wine under the Christian Brothers label. Christian Brothers continued operations until 1989 when Brother Timothy was 79 years old and sold to Hublein Company of Canada in 1991. A year later Hublein sold the winery to the Culinary Institute and it opened its doors as a culinary school in 1995. Greystone has been listed on the National Register of Historic places since 1978. (Information provided by NapaValleyRegister.com: Greystone Cellars – The History of a Napa County Icon).
One of the large oak barrels with plaques in the Vintners Hall of Fame
Although Greystone is now a culinary school, it still remains a historic symbol of the Napa wine industry. Today the CIA at Greystone honors the men and women who have shaped the California wine industry with the Vintners Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is open to the public daily and is located on the second story of the building in the former Christian Brothers’ barrel room. Inside the Hall of Fame, guests will find an educational exhibit on the history of California wine displayed through rare bottles. Along the length of each side of the room are 2,200 gallon redwood wine barrels with bronze plaques of all of the men and women who have been nominated into the Hall of Fame. Since I am so enthralled by the history of Napa Valley, I was awed by all of the faces and biographies on the plaques.
There is a lot more to do at the CIA besides take in the history. For any food or wine aficionado, I recommend taking a break from wine tasting to take a tour of the facility. The Spice Island Marketplace is a nice place to find neat culinary souvenirs for friends or family. Even though I did not have the time to attend one of the wine or food demonstrations, I enjoyed being able to view one of the classrooms and get a sense for what it’s like to be a culinary student. The CIA also hosts large group events in their facilities. The real reason I stopped in the first time was to try the excellent restaurant that got rave reviews from a friend. My meal was delightful and I got to experience a celebrated piece of Napa history at the same time.
A view of Napa from the Culinary Institute at Greystone