Sterling Tram History
Here at Sterling, we are proud to say that we are the only winery in the world with an aerial tram. Since the 1970s, it’s carried guests to and from our hillside winery, showering them with spectacular views of the Napa Valley along the way. "At its peak, the aerial tram transported around 300,000 people a year," said tram assistant manager, Brian Bortolussi. “We’re the first and last thing people see when they visit Sterling Vineyards and we do our best to make sure they’re happy on both sides.” After the 2020 Northern California Glass Fire burned through the property, it was determined that the tram system and support structures had to be replaced. This decision was bittersweet, but ultimately the team decided that the old tram couldn’t continue to operate and deserved an upgrade.
An Update from Our Manufacturer Doppelmayr
As of November 2022, production of all the terminal equipment is in full swing with an expected completion date of mid-December. The lift will then be packaged and shipped from the Doppelmayr facility in Wolfurt, Austria and arrive at Sterling Vineyard sometime in late January. The 13 new cabins are also currently being assembled in Olten, Switzerland and looking very sharp. They will arrive sometime in late February or March for their final on-site assembly and installation on the lift. Once the cabins are online, commissioning of the lift will begin as we prepare for the final acceptance testing and licensing with the California State authorities. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2023.
