North Bay Business Journal

HAY

Russian River water supply back to ‘normal’

March 30th, 2012

SANTA ROSA — Thanks to the “March miracle” rainfall, Russian River water supply conditions on April 1 will change from “critical” to “normal” under the Sonoma County Water Agency’s water rights permits and State Water Resource Control Board Decision 1610.
California wine shipments in 2011 rise 5.6 percent to new record

March 22nd, 2012

Sales of California wine within the U.S. in 2011 grew to a record 211.9 million cases, up 5.6 percent in volume compared to the previous year, according to preliminary figures released today by industry analysts.
Napa County CEO proposes consolidation of departments to create ‘one-stop shop’ for permits

March 19th, 2012

NAPA — In an effort to streamline its permitting process while reducing costs, Napa County is proposing to consolidate divisions currently within the Department of Environmental Management into the Department of Conservation, Development and Planning, while all general service functions would be operated out of the Public Works Department, creating a “one-stop shop” for permits.
Wilsons add Pezzi King to growing boutique vintner portfolio

March 14th, 2012

DRY CREEK VALLEY — Ken and Diane Wilson have added a seventh winery to their growing portfolio with the announcement today of the acquisition of Dry Creek Valley zinfandel specialist Pezzi King Vineyards from Jim Rowe Sr. and his wife, Cynthia.
Wine sales ended 2011 on a positive note

March 12th, 2012

Sales of California fine wine ended 2011 on the upswing, and vintner margins are improving, according to a recent industry survey and new data on California shipments.
Embellishing high-end wine with pewter labels

March 12th, 2012

One of the ways that some vintners are looking to distinguish the look of their high-end wines is novel bottle embellishments. On the mass-market end of the wine business, rising fuel prices are bringing back the escalating freight surcharges of 2008 at a time when vintners also are facing rapidly rising prices for bulk wine and grapes for new and renewing contracts.
Napa County planners OK Amorim’s 48,000sf cork facility

March 12th, 2012

The Napa County Planning Commission on Wednesday voted 5-0 to approve a use permit for Amorim Cork America to build a 48,133-square-foot cork finishing and distribution facility in south Napa. … The U.S. Treasury Department Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau completed its initial review of the American Viticultural Area petitions for Big Valley District — Lake County and Kelsey Bench — Lake County, located west and southwest, respectively, of Mt. Konocti on the south shore of Clear Lake, according to the Lake County Winegrape Commission. … The European Union and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Germany recently signed an organic equivalence arrangement. Certified organic products as of June 1 will be able to be moved freely between U.S. and E.U. borders. … Recently introduced legislation in Sacramento would reimburse farmers for costs associated with transitioning land to certified organic production. … Paul Dolan has left Ukiah-based Mendocino Wine Co. as a partner and president. … Dalla Terra Winery Direct, a Napa-based importer for family-owned Italian wineries, said the number of cases it sold in the U.S. last year broke the 300,000 milestone. … The California Department of Pesticide Regulation recognized Gallo of Sonoma with a 2011 Integrated Pest Management Innovator Award for leadership in reducing pesticide use. … Viader Winery in Napa County’s Howell Mountain appellation commissioned France-based Fruition Sciences to study distinguishing grapegrowing features of Viader’s vineyards. … Patz & Hall of Napa named James McCeney assistant winemaker.
New Napa firm 4parts Design offers four-faceted winery help

March 12th, 2012

NAPA — A new firm in Napa wants to help small wineries wineries not only craft their packaging design but also develop brand strategy and marketing, better manage their logistics and get more Internet exposure.
Beringer mass-market, high-end wines enjoy growth

March 5th, 2012

NAPA — Even as Treasury Wine Estates’ Napa-based Beringer brand group prepares to launch a mass-market brand this spring targeted at Millennial generation female consumers, the Australian company’s higher-end North Coast brands are enjoying a sales rebound.
Bill seeks to reimburse farmers for organic certification

March 1st, 2012

Recently introduced legislation in Sacramento would reimburse farmers for costs associated with transitioning land to certified organic production.
Agency calls Russian River water supply ‘critical’

March 1st, 2012

Russian River water supply conditions changed to “critical” today under the Sonoma County Water Agency’s water rights permits and State Water Resource Control Board’s Decision 1610. This “critical” designation means the water agency is permitted to reduce Russian River flows to preserve water storage in Lake Mendocino so there is enough for all water users and for release in the fall to support migrating Russian River Chinook salmon, listed as threatened on the Federal Endangered Species List.
Farmworker education workshop set for March 1-2

February 28th, 2012

This Thursday and Friday, March 1–2, Napa Valley Grapegrowers hosts the fifth annual Farmworker Education Workshop, held this year at Starmont winery south of Napa.
Napa Valley wine auction totals $3.1 million

February 27th, 2012

ST. HELENA — The annual Premiere Napa Valley auction of future wine vintages — considered a leading indicator of the health of the luxury wine business — over the weekend brought in $3.1 million, up 30.7 percent from last year’s previous record figure.
2012 Wine Industry Conference registration ends April 13

February 27th, 2012

2012 Wine Industry Conference, Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 7:30-11-30 a.m., Hyatt Vineyard Creek, Santa Rosa. Keynote Speaker: Rick Tigner, President, Jackson Family Enterprises. Topic: Solving the supply puzzle and globalization and the North Coast
‘Defective’ trusts may boost 2012 tax exemptions

February 20th, 2012

Keeping a family-based wine or vineyard business alive from one generation to the next is difficult enough, seen in a recent industry survey that one in three vintners wants to get out in coming years, but many small to relatively large family operations may be able to avoid an estate-tax “liquidity crisis” by accelerating transfers of business assets to a multigenerational trust under federal tax law provisions currently set to end this year.
Grape Market Insights: Mother Nature, we forgive you for ’11; now let it rain

February 20th, 2012

Brokers, growers, grape buyers, winery financial execs and marketing wizards are all complaining about Mother Nature because she was stingy this last harvest.
Bank of Marin digs deeper into wine

February 20th, 2012

NOVATO — Bank of Marin is making a determined effort to extend the wine-related expertise of its commercial lending team into the industry with expansions into Napa and Sonoma counties over the past 12 months.
Beringer, Chateau St. Jean boost Treasury Wine’s year-end domestic sales

February 16th, 2012

NAPA — Sales volume for North Coast wine brands Beringer Vineyards and Chateau St. Jean second half of 2011 were key to “stabilized” unit sales in the Americas for Treasury Wine Estates, the Australia-based company reported today as part of its fiscal half-year results.
Q&A: SSU economist Dr. Robert Eyler

February 13th, 2012

NORTH BAY — Dr. Robert Eyler is director and founder of the executive MBA program and the Center for Regional Economic Analysis at Sonoma State University, where he has taught economics and has served as the economics department chair. A Frank Howard Allen research fellow in economics, Dr. Eyler is frequently asked to offer his analysis to business groups in the North Bay. He helped found the Marin Economic Forum and currently serves as its interim CEO and chief economist.
North Coast 2011 winegrape crop 11% lighter, nearly 7% lower value

February 10th, 2012

NORTH COAST — The first official tally of the impact of the stormy 2011 winegrape season is in: North Coast vintners crushed 11.8 percent fewer tons last year than in 2010, and the value of the 2011 crop at nearly $848 million was 6.9 percent smaller than the year before, despite average per-ton prices rising 5 percent to 10 percent last year, according to preliminary state figures released today.