Anyone who has ever had the unique pleasure of visiting any of the Boisset Collection’s impressive array of winery estates, tasting rooms, and other properties likely never forgot it, especially if they are used to the normally straight-laced and staid world of wine. Sumptuously decorated and oozing panache, these properties transport visitors into a different universe where style and art intersect.
That is due to Jean-Charles Boisset, its charismatic and innovative leader. Part showman, part designer, and part visionary, he has overseen the aggressive expansion of the Boisset Collection over the last few decades since assuming the helm from his father, the founder. Today, it is one of the world’s leading family-owned luxury wine companies, with over forty properties and brands in France (Boisset’s homeland) and California. Its collection of wines bridges the gap between the Old and New Worlds of wine.
So, when JCB, as Boisset is commonly called, announced in 2021 that he was purchasing the Calistoga Depot in Napa Valley, California’s second-oldest train station, many wondered what he had in mind. Over the last decade, his company has bought and renovated several other regional historical structures, including the Ink House, Oakville Grocery Store, and the Elizabeth Spencer Winery. Each has stayed true to its roots while being wholly reimagined.
“I have loved the Napa Valley since I first visited when I was eleven on a trip from France with my father. That’s part of why we have such a strong presence here; I am driven to connect both the Old and New World,” says JCB. “Preserving historical buildings by reimagining them for the modern world excites me. In every structure we have bought, we respect its past while injecting some of that magic that the Boisset Collection is known for; I think it’s the best of both worlds in the end.”
From the outside, the Calistoga Depot building’s white clapboard siding and rows of refurbished train cars don’t hint at the glitz and glamour awaiting inside. Visiting the facility is like following Alice down the Rabbit Hole. Something different awaits at each turn.
The facility houses all of the accouterments one would expect in Napa Valley. There is Depot Provisions, a classic wine country marketplace and bistro, a beer garden, and a chocolate shop, but that’s where the norm ends.
Half of the main depot building now houses a distillery and tasting room for the latest offering from the Boisset Collection, the Calistoga Depot Distillery. Launched in 2023, it joins an expanding portfolio of super-premium spirits brands for the Boisset. Under a soaring roof at a considerable horseshoe bar, visitors can sample four brands (Prosperous & Penniless, The Calistoga Star, Fame & Misfortune, and The First Millionaire) that pay homage to Sam Brannan. He was the man behind California’s Gold Rush and the depot builder.
Made in partnership with several well-known distillers, the brands offer the Boisset Collection a foothold in the blazing premium whiskey market, along with high-end gin and brandy offerings. They join their recently launched ultra-premium Tequila brand, Casa Obsidiana, and the French-based JCB Spirits, which offers premium cognac, vodka, and gin.
Only once visitors step into the train cars are they fully immersed in the world of Bossiet. Each uniquely decorated car serves as its own showpiece for the Boisset universe. There is the Casa Obsidiana Car that feels like a hacienda from the land of tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Parlor Car is swathed in cool blues. It serves local oysters, caviar, and small plates paired with Boisset Collection champagnes and wines. The red-hued First Millionaire Saloon car resembles an old west bar from the future and pours Calistoga Depot Distillery cocktails.
Throughout the facility, visitors feel immersed in the past and fully enmeshed in the present. It is yet another reclaimed gem in the Boisset Collection’s crown. As one of the more avant-garde wine houses in the world, it should fit in nicely amongst all of their splendid offerings. Its founder would have it no other way.
“What we have done with the Calistoga Depot is incredible. We took a beautiful old historic building and breathed new life into it,” says JCB. “In the process, we created something wholly unique for the region. We built something that allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in incredible food, wine, beer, and spirits. Each is offered in an environment unlike any they have seen before. I am excited to share my and my team’s vision with everyone, and I hope all love it.”
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