North Bay Business Journal

2011 top stories: New hospital, tech advances define year of the economy

The national and local economy was on everyone’s mind in 2011. But as the Business Journal editorial staff set out to develop its Top Ten Stories of the Year, it quickly became clear that the North Bay was blessed with multiple economy-boosting projects and new commitments job creation.

Vineyard pond project taps law to ‘dedicate’ water to fish

HOPLAND — Conversions of former pear orchards in Mendocino County to grapevines is nothing new and construction of sizable off-stream ponds to collect winter stream runoff for spring vine frost protection is gaining momentum with new state and local rules, but one major North Coast winegrape grower’s project to do both adds a new element, dedicating a majority of historical water rights back to the stream.

EPI completes purchase of Piper Sonoma, other wine brands

HOPLAND — Rémy Cointreau Group (Paris: RCO) and Société Européenne de Participations Industrielles (EPI) today announced the completion of the $592 million sale of the Piper-Heidsieck, Charles Heidsieck and Hopland-based Piper Sonoma brands.

Piper Sonoma brand part of $592 million sale

HOPLAND — The locally produced Piper Sonoma sparkling wine brand is part of deal Rémy Cointreau Group announced today to sell the Piper-Heidsieck group of Champagne brands to Société Européenne de Participations Industrielles, or EPI, for an enterprise value of €412.2 million, or nearly $593 million.

Chilean wine giant completes Fetzer deal

HOPLAND — Chilean wine company Vina Concha y Toro S.A. (NYSE: VCO) today said it completed the purchase, announced last month, of Mendocino County-based Fetzer Vineyards and related California assets from Brown-Forman Corp. in a deal valued at $238 million. “For Concha y Toro, the future development of the brands of Fetzer Vineyards is an important challenge, something to which Concha y Toro commits all its effort and energy to continue with the history of quality which it has already deservedly earned,” said Eduardo Guilisasti, chief executive officer of Concha y Toro.

Fetzer sold to Chilean wine company for $238 million

HOPLAND — Brown-Forman Corp. (NYSE: BFA, BFB) today said it has agreed to sell Fetzer Vineyards to Viña Concha y Toro S.A. (NYSE: VCO) for $238 million after reviewing options for Mendocino County-based wine operations.

The sale is expected to close next month. It includes neither the superpremium Sonoma-Cutrer brand nor the Brown-Forman’s longstanding sales and marketing agreement with Korbel California Champagnes of Guerneville.

Brown-Forman considers options for Fetzer, other Hopland assets

Brown-Froman Corp. said it is considering business options for the sale of its Hopland-based wine assets, which mainly include the Fetzer Vineyards brand and related facilities.

And now, a solar-powered generator

WILLITS AND SANTA ROSA – A North Bay startup has an alternative to the portable gasoline generator, and it’s getting the attention of green expos around the West Coast.

Wine: As consumers seek value, wineries adjust

Also: Inman wines hires hospitality chief; trial in Mare Island fire Nov. 17 Most wine industry executives surveyed for a major industry conference last week are expecting sales of California wine to start growing in 2011, with prices rebounding for high-end wines in three to five years. Yet experts at the event said there are [...]

Green Report: $9.3 million Marin center trains homeless

Homeward Bound of Marin recently completed a $9.3 million, renewable-energy-supplied job training center for the homeless called The Next Key Center.

Custom winemakers expanding in Hopland

HOPLAND – Custom vintner RB Wine Associates is coming off a $7 million expansion and upgrade that allowed a major sparkling-wine label to move in for harvest this year, one of a handful of sizable contract winemaking facility projects in progress around the North Coast.

Wine: Hess Collection invests $30 million to increase vineyards, wine quality

The Hess Collection founder Donald Hess has started a $30 million, 10-year “quality improvement initiative” to upgrade his Napa County vineyards and wineries.