Wines & Vines back issues from October 2007:
Let the good times last: here are six suggestions from the pros on financial fitness.(EDITOR'S LETTER)
Oct 01, 2007; ... These are the good times for the wine industry. I interviewed half a dozen financial and managerial professionals in the industry to confirm it. "The industry is in as good a shape right now as it's ever been," according to banker Michael Sullivan, head of Wells Fargo's North ...
Wineries unwelcome in SLO?(READERS' MAIL)(Letter to the editor)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Regarding your article on Paso Robles Wine growth, (Headlines, winesandvines.com, Aug. 8) you should review the decisions of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors in the Tribune (sanluisobispo.com) on June 16, 2007. All is not as portrayed in your article. My winery ...
Demystifying de-alc.(READERS' MAIL)
Oct 01, 2007; ... I read with interest the Wines & Vines article (yep, I subscribe) on de-alc-ing (Tim Patterson's Cellar Scene, August, 2007). The thing that wasn't mentioned, unless I missed it in my quick read, was the fact that a lot ...
Not news, but good reading.(READERS' MAIL)
Oct 01, 2007; ... I read with interest Paul Franson's article, "Busting Vineyard Myths" (Headlines, winesandvines.com, Aug. 28) regarding recent research findings. This "news" can be read in standard viticultural textbooks. Dropping fruit = no change in Brix? It's a no brainer, a simple matter ...
M & A: Firestone's sale; Family happy to sell Foley an engine for his small train of wineries.(Headlines)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Los Olivos, Calif. -- Adam Firestone put into perspective the acquisition of his family wine business by the Foley Wine Group, announced Aug. 16. Firestone Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County is the latest of several pioneering California wineries to transition in ...
Washington groups split.(NEWS BYTES)(Washington Wine Institute )(Washington Wine Commission )(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Washington state's rapidly growing wine industry has prompted a division of labor between the Washington Wine Institute (WWI) and the Washington Wine Commission (WWC). The non-profit WWI will concentrate on advocacy efforts for the industry from ...
Grape genetic Code cracked.(NEWS BYTES)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Researchers from Italy and France announced that they have mapped the DNA of vitis vinifera grapes and discovered families of genes related to tannin and terpene production, resveratrol ...
Oregon wineries go green.(NEWS BYTES)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Seventeen Oregon wineries have accepted a challenge from Governor Ted Kulongoski, the Oregon Environmental Council and the Oregon Wine Board to make their operations more environmentally friendly. In the first stage of the Carbon Neutral Challenge Initiative, the Energy Trust of Oregon ...
The past and future of Napa land: Beckstoffer and Harlan address growers' organization.(Headlines)
Oct 01, 2007; ... St. Helena, Calif. -- Two prominent figures in Napa Valley winemaking reflected on the quality and value of the valley's vineyards for members of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers on Aug. 24. One looked back at the extraordinary political efforts of 40 years that enabled the valley to have the ...
Three Michigan wineries up for sale: Willow Vineyard, Bel Lago, Chateau de Leelanau to change hands.(Headlines)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Traverse City, Mich. -- Michigan's first open-market winery sale is expected imminently, with an auction deadline set for one winery and offers pending on two others, all on the Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan's equivalent of the Napa Valley. Dan Matthies of Peninsula Properties, a ...
Rodney Strong acquires Davis Bynum.(Headlines)(Rodney Strong Vineyards)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Healdsburg, Calif. -- Tom Klein, owner and chairman of Rodney Strong Vineyards, purchased the Davis Bynum brand for an undisclosed amount. The sale includes the brand and current inventory, but not the winery, tasting room or vineyards previously associated with the brand. Klein ...
Texas expects sad harvest: frost and rain diminish grape crop by as much two-thirds.(Headlines)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Dallas, Texas -- Yes, Gary Elliott said in mid-August, it was raining. He was not happy about it. And why should he be? Many Texas winemakers and grapegrowers, who endured two years of drought, saw that end this spring with record-setting rains in the Texas Hill Country between Austin and ...
$2 million for Oregon institute: partnership will help education and research.(Headlines)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Salem, Ore. -- A new institute that could help Oregon's wine industry could be in operation as soon as December. State vintners have already raised almost $1 million toward funding the new Oregon State University (OSU) Wine Institute, and anticipate raising the balance of their $2 million ...
Morlet joins Vineyard 7 & 8.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Luc Morlet is the new winemaker at Vineyard 7 & 8, Napa Valley. Most recently at Peter ...
Munroe is Lynmar COO.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Lynmar winery, Russian River Valley, appointed Gordon Munroe as chief operating ...
Blackstone's director of winemaking.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Blackstone Winery, Kenwood, Sonoma County, appointed Gary Sitton as ...
Wine Institute partners with travel group.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Wine Institute has partnered with the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) to promote the state's wine and cuisine offerings. CTTC studies show that "culinary travelers" are more affluent and ...
Voters ratify new Owl Ridge label.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Owl Ridge Wines, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, polled some 900 food and wine journalists on their preferences for the label design of its upper-end Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Based on results, owner John Tracy ...
ZAP announces new officers.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) elected Donn Reisen, Ridge Vineyards, president; Bruce Walker, Starry Night Winery, vice ...
Pina has new winemaker.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Anna Monticelli was named wine-maker for Pina Napa ...
Sonoma co-op expands.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Sonoma County Vintners Co-op in Windsor has leased new facilities, expanding its storage capacity to more than 1.7 million cases, with nearly ...
C.G. DiArie buys Kelson Creek.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... C.G. DiArie owners Chaim and Elisheva Gur-Arieh purchased another Sierra Foothills winery, Kelson ...
Weinstock is Adobe Road GM.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Julie Weinstock was appointed general manager at Adobe Road Winery in Petaluma, Sonoma County. Previously, ...
Wente appoints new VPs.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Wente Family Estates, Livermore Valley, appointed Kevin Zollinger vice president of winegrowing; Lisa Bates, vice president of human resources; ...
Goelet combines properties.(CALIFORNIA)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Napa Valley's Clos du Val winery and sister companies in Australia and France are now part of the newly formed Goelet Wine Estates, which will globally ...
Washington Convention in February.(NORTHWEST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Annual Meeting, Convention and Trade Show of the Washington Association of Winegrape Growers is scheduled for Feb. 6-8 in Kennewick, Wash. Themed "How To: ...
Dutartre goes fulltime at De Ponte.(NORTHWEST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Isabelle Dutartre, who has been consulting at De Ponte Cellars in Oregon's Dundee Hills for the past five ...
Norton joins Columbia Winery.(NORTHWEST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Kerry Norton was appointed director of winemaking at Columbia Winery, ...
WSU events salute Cougar connections.(NORTHWEST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., is presenting a series of dinners to showcase wineries with Cougar (the school's mascot) connections. The 2007 Feast of the Arts ...
Auction earned almost $2 million.(NORTHWEST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The 20th annual Auction of Washington Wines, held in Woodinville on Aug. 16-18, raised a record $1.95 million to pay for uncompensated care at ...
Northeast Texas vintners form wine trail.(CENTRAL)
Oct 01, 2007 ... A dozen wineries with 13 locations have formed a wine trail from Gainesville to Paris, Texas, aiming to enhance agri-tourism with events and special activities. Officially called The Munson Wine ...
Michigan resort hosts wine tour weekend.(CENTRAL)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The annual Harvest Wine Tour Weekend, Oct. 26-28 at the Homestead Resort, Glen Arbor, Mich., will offer participants a choice between two winery tours: one to include Longview, Shady Lane and ...
Wyandotte re-opens in Ohio.(CENTRAL)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Former home winemakers Robin and Valerie Coolidge purchased Wyandotte Winery, Columbus, Ohio, and the winery is once again open to the public ....
New Illinois distributor for PGA wines.(CENTRAL)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Stoller Wholesale Wine and Spirits, Franklin Park, Ill., has signed on to distribute PGA TOUR Wines in the ...
New York funds winery websites.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The New York Department of Agriculture & Markets has earmarked $59,000 to create or improve winery websites. Sixty ...
"Lifestyle" auction for wine scholarships.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Jimmy Mancbach Memorial Scholarship Foundation is holding an online wine and lifestyle auction Oct. 1-31, to fund a scholarship program that willl send wine students to work in wineries during harvest. Co-sponsored by Southern Wine & ...
McRitchie producing in North Carolina.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Sean McRitchie, who started his winery career at age 13, digging wastewater ditches at a Willlamette Valley, Ore., winery run by his father Bob McRitchie, ...
Wiemer sells landmark New York winery.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Hermann J. Wiemer, who helped establish Riesling as a signature New York varietal, sold his 15,000-case winery on Seneca ...
North Carolina winery offers dining.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Flint Hill Vineyards, East Bend, N.C., opened Century Kitchen, a partnership between Flint Hill owners Tim and Brenda Doub ...
Chinese producer buys Ontario winery.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Tonhwa Grape Wine Co., Ltd., Jilin province, China, purchased 70% of King's Court Estate Winery, Ontario, Canada, in ...
Pro Mach acquires Markor.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... California-based Markor Marketing and Labeling Systems was acquired by Pro Mach Integrated Packaging Solutions, Cincinnati, Ohio. Under ...
Nexternal, Six88, ShipCompliant team.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Clients of Nexternal Solutions, Inc., Carlsbad Calif., and Six88 Solutions, Boulder, Colo., can now easily run compliance checks and ...
Amorim issues sustainability report.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Amorim, Portuguese supplier of natural wine corks, published its first annual sustainability ...
Industry veterans form consortium.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... The Octagon Group, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, was formed by Dennis Black, past president of Sonoma County Grape Growers. Black is joined by Steve Burns, George Christie, Kent Humphrey, ...
California Glass adds account manager.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Brenda Funk was appointed account manager for California Glass, Oakland, Calif., the largest ...
Trade-in telemetry at Ranch Systems.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Ranch Systems, LLC, Novato, Calif., announced a trade-in program for vineyards that wish to upgrade ...
Vinovation recognized for energy savings.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Vinovation, Inc., Sebastopol, Calif., was recognized with a $34,000 rebate from power utility PG & E for innovative design in reducing energy consumption. Vinovation invested in a closed-loop cooling ...
Two Ph.D.s join Vinquiry.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Grady Wann, previously winemaker and general manager at Quivira Vineyards, now provides consulting, technical support and international project management for Vinquiry, based in Windsor, ...
Gamajet moved to larger facilities.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Gamajet Cleaning Systems, Inc., manufacturer of rotary impingement tank cleaning machines, moved to new quarters at 604 Jeffers Cir., Exton, PA 19341 ....
STA labs celebrates 20 years.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... STA Laboratories, Longmont, Colo. and Gilroy, Calif., is marking its 20th anniversary of providing independent diagnostic services to ...
TricorBraun website is multi-national.(SUPPLIERS)(Website overview)
Oct 01, 2007 ... TricorBraun, St. Louis, Mo., supplier of rigid packaging, revamped its website to include ...
Accellos buys Maximum Data Solutions.(SUPPLIERS)
Oct 01, 2007 ... Accellos, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo., provider of logistics, warehouse, 3PL, transportation and mobile fleet management solutions, acquired Maximum Data ...
Wineries join the 'Family' at tasting: Family Winemakers event attracts small wineries.(Faces & Forums)
Oct 01, 2007; ... San Francisco, Calif. -- The 17th annual Family Winemakers tasting was held Aug. 19 and 20 at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center. Nearly 400 wineries participated in the two-day event, which featured a Sunday afternoon tasting for consumers and a trade-only tasting on Monday. ...
Why solar makes sense: boutique wineries take advantage of incentives.(ECONOMICS)
Oct 01, 2007; ... With the climate going berserk, and fuel prices going through the roof, a growing number of vintners are finding sanity in solar power. The technology has improved, and tax breaks have increased, making this clean, infinitely renewable power source even more appealing to those in search of ...
Land values vs. grape prices: where are California's best values?(ECONOMICS)
Oct 01, 2007; ... As we embark upon yet another phase of the wine cycle, and the industry begins to sense the impending pressure on grape supplies, how will this "new, improved" grape market impact the markets for vineyard and winery properties? The answer, clearly, is that it already has. Over the past ...
When Brett goes bad: how winemakers keep a lid on Brettanomyces.(WINEMAKING)
Oct 01, 2007; ... When it's good, it can impart aromas and flavors of tobacco, spice, violets or a touch of earthiness. When it's bad, it veers into the unpleasant territory of old Band-Aids, mouse cage, sweaty horse and manure. Brettanomyces can take on a wide range of guises. And the subject ...
Winemaker interview Heidi Peterson Barrett: the real secret may be in the palate of Napa cult winemaker.(WINEMAKING)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Possibly the most famous California cult winemaker, Heidi Peterson Barrett is a private person who has generally avoided seeking attention, leaving her wines to create their own aura. Most famed for making collectible Cabernet Screaming Eagle, Barrett started out at Buehler Vineyards ...
Making Malbec: how argentine vintners craft their hot varietal.(WINEMAKING)
Oct 01, 2007; ... If you are in business, it doesn't get much better than selling something people want. Well, it gets better if you are the only one who has what people want. Right now, Argentina and Malbec go together like Australia and Shiraz, California and Cabernet, Burgundy and Pinot Noir ....
Case studies in exporting: how small to medium wineries sell internationally.(MARKETING)
Oct 01, 2007; ... It's no surprise that large wineries with productions upward of 100,000 cases routinely export to markets outside the United States. What is surprising, perhaps, is that a growing number of small wineries--some producing well under 20,000 cases per year--are putting their toes in the ...
Extreme viticulture: how Northeast growers farm vinifera organically and sustainably.(EAST)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Barbara Shinn is fired up. In 1998 she and her husband, David Page, bought the parcel of land in Mattituck, Long Island, that would become the critically acclaimed Shinn Estate Vineyards, and immediately began preparing the soil for an experiment in high-intensity viticulture. ...
The 'natural' trap.(Inquiring Winemaker)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Supermarket shelves these days bulge with products claiming to be "natural"--everything from breakfast cereals to canned beans to frozen dinners. Most of us take these claims with a heaping pinch of skepticism. The wine aisle trumpets the same message, reinforced by a mountain of press ...
Wine competitions that help you sell.(Marketing Matters)
Oct 01, 2007; ... Each year, dozens of regional, national and international wine competitions offer wineries the chance to win fame and fortune for their brands. Get a gold medal in an influential competition and your wine could soon be flying off store shelves. For many wineries, however, it's just not ...
Calendar.(Calendar)
Oct 01, 2007 ... OCTOBER Oct. 1 Wine & Spirits Industry's 30th annual Gala to benefit the American Cancer Society, New York, N.Y. For reservations, visit cancer.org. Oct. 2 PS I Love You, Evening of Petite Sirah with Louis Foppiano at Boston Wine School, Boston, Mass. For details, ...
The grower's challenge: time to end the subsidy for wineries and collaborate on new formulas.(Viewpoint)
Oct 01, 2007; ... I am a winegrape grower--a proud California farmer producing the raw product going into the state's most recognized agricultural treasure: California wine! The buyers of my crops, my many vintner friends, transform my grapes into wine, thus preserving that which my land has provided. ...