Disembodied hands grasping for a glass of wine is not your typical image of Napa Valley. But at Lewis Cellars, what’s unusual is the norm. A work like this forces conversation. In a stone building choc-a-block with exotic animal patterns and surreal paintings, you can sip its “big reds and sexy chardonnays” and gaze upon all that is weirdly wonderful. Slowly, but surely, Napa is reinventing itself, offering up rebooted wineries, new food journeys, and even bargains for the frugal gourmand. Since the beginning of 2026 (and even the end of 2025), valley businesses have popped up with new endeavors, one after the other. Here’s what we’ve uncovered:
WINERIES
On the renowned Silverado Trail, Lewis Cellars has opened a lavish tasting pavilion. While it has been making wines for more than 30 years, Lewis Cellars can now do show and tell at its first physical space. The 13,200-square-foot entity is grand and opulent, with no bad seat in the house. Lewis Cellars was founded by Indy race car driver Randy Lewis and his wife Debbie. Hitting a concrete wall at 220 mph and surviving caused him to shift gears to winemaking in Napa in 1992. Today, the enterprise is owned by The Wonderful Company, parent to POM pomegranate juice and FIJI water. In 2021, the corporation found great potential in the Lewis Cellars brand that was already making its way into fine dining establishments and specialty wine shops.
Today, the tasting experience is an immersive one. In the gathering room with a panorama of glass, a multitude of sultry living room groupings allow couples and friends to imbibe in a sumptuous atmosphere. Since the building is perched on a hill, everyone gets to feast upon vineyards and the Mayacamas mountain range in the distance…