Tahoe Ridge Winery to move to Minden

Tahoe Ridge Winery is in the process of trading in Nevada's oldest settlement for Highway 395 frontage in Minden.

Owners Rick and Kathy Halbardier announced last week their plans to move the company's tasting room, marketplace and administrative operations out of Genoa by the end of the summer. The company has been stationed there since 2003.

"A big part is that we're just growing and need a bigger space," Rick Halbardier said on Friday. "There is also a lot more visibility on Highway 395."

The company's new location will be the former Casa Bella Home Furnishings and Decor building, which sits across from Carson Valley Inn. Halbardier said the building will provide 4,300 square feet of retail and hospitality space, compared to Genoa's 1,900 square feet.

"We're just finalizing the design right now," he said. "We're submitting to the county within the next two weeks."

The Minden storefront will share the same ZIP code as the company's production facility, which is located off Airport Road.

"We hate to leave Genoa, but it's out of necessity," Halbardier said. "We'll be leaving right before Candy Dance, but we'll still be teaming up with La Ferme or the Trimmer Outpost for the event."

The move will also allow for some revisions, such as adding another element to the storefront's moniker.

"It will be the Tahoe Ridge Winery, Marketplace & Bistro," Halbardier said. "We want to integrate food with the wine experience, and will offer small-plate food items, like soups and salads."

While other businesses are contracting, Tahoe Ridge Winery is penetrating new markets, bringing its award-winning wine varieties to new venues, such as Indigo Restaurant, Barone & Reed and Battle Born Wine. The company is also working on a contract with Scolari's.

"Business is going really well," Halbardier said. "We use to sell our products from Genoa or through the Internet, but over the last six months, we've really expanded into the market."

Tahoe Ridge Winery began developing and planting wine grapes in Nevada in 1990. The company produced the first commercial wines from Nevada-grown grapes in 2001, and is now a leader in growing and producing interspecific wine grape varieties specifically adapted to the Northern Nevada climate.

For more information, visit www.tahoeridge.com.