New Business Program Promotes Napa Local Pride And Heritage Tourism

NAPA VALLEY, CA — The Migliavacca Wine Company has a long legacy in Napa.

Founded by the city's first self-made millionaire, the county's first patent holder, and once the state's largest wine producer, it is precisely the kind of business the city is looking to support with a new initiative that highlights the historical legacy of Napa.

Legacy is the keyword for the program called Est.20+, which looks for businesses that, in the words of the directors, have helped shape Napa's community and character for decades."

With roots in the early days of Napa winemaking, Migliavacca Wine Company does not lack legacy credentials.

Founded in 1866 by Giacomo Migliavacca, the company occupied the site where the Napa County Library now stands. The company ultimately closed in 1919, during the Prohibition years.

The founder's descendant, Katie Migliavacca ( great-great-granddaughter) relaunched the brand in 2016. Migliavacca's winemaker and business partner, Vince Traverso, is a member of Napa County Landmarks.

The company's corks and wine club bear the date 1866.

But the 21st-century Migliavacca Wine Company is an online-only business.

Behind the nostalgia is a strategic model developed in San Francisco to promote small businesses.

A list of cities nationwide has adopted the model, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Pasadena. Napa's is the first in Northern California, according to the City of Napa's Economic Development Division, which partnered with Napa County Landmarks to create the initiative.

The program provides businesses with a marketing toolkit and visibility that highlights the cultural and historic contribution of the businesses, while strengthening local pride and promoting heritage tourism.

The Vintner's Collective, opened in 2002, is a downtown Napa tasting room founded inside the 1875 Pfeiffer Building.

Protecting and promoting Napa's heritage is at the heart of the mission, according to Christine Madrid French, Executive Director of Napa County Landmarks. Longstanding local businesses contribute directly to social sustainability," according to French. "They provide continuity and cultivate cultural vibrancy, which are essential components of a resilient economy."

The inaugural Est.20+ businesses include Small World, Napa River Inn, Andie's Café, Angèle Restaurant and Bar, the Napa County Historical Society, the Vintner's Collective, and Napa Design Partners.

On Tuesday, the Napa City Council will issue a proclamation officially recognizing the Est.20+ Legacy Business Program. The public is invited to attend wearing merchandise representing a favorite local legacy business.