News Briefs California
New life for Leeses
Dan and Katy Leese, co-founders of 585 Wine Partners, launched V2 Wine Group with entrepreneur Pete Kight to produce, market and sell premium wines. V2 has acquired 20,000-case Steelhead Wines, Healdsburg, and signed a marketing agreement with 100,000-case Toad Hollow Vineyards Inc., also of Healdsburg.
SSU gets ZAPped
Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) presented a $25,000 check to fund scholarships for students in the Wine MBA program at Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park. It’s the first installment of a $500,000 endowment in honor of the late Donn Reisen of Ridge Vineyards, a founding board member and ZAP president.
Forbes promoted at Chalk Hill
Lisa Bishop Forbes was appointed director of winemaking at 40,000-case Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery, Healdsburg, where she served as assistant winemaker for nine years. Chalk Hill was recently acquired by Foley Family Wines.
Big green Pepperwood box
Don Sebastiani & Sons, Sonoma, launched the Big Green Box for its Pepperwood Grove band. The 3L package is the first bag-in-box package for Don & Sons, known for its unconventional packaging. Using paper sourced from sustainable forests, the box is 100% recyclable and retails for $19.99.
Big Basin opens tasting room
Big Basin Vineyards cut the ribbon at its new tasting room in Saratoga on Aug. 19. The winery says its 10-acre vineyard is the only one in the Santa Cruz Mountains planted exclusively to Rhône grape varieties.
Paso winemaker Raines, 34, dies in off-road crash
Jacob Raines, 34-year-old winemaker at his family’s Dubost Winery, Paso Robles, died Aug. 13 when a vehicle he was driving overturned in the vineyard, injuring three companions. The young winemaker, a native of Costa Rica, had inspired his mother and stepfather, Kate and Curt Dubost, to plant vines on the historic family ranch in the Adelaida district. Kate Dubost described her son as “a new-age guy and an avid surfer.” The family suggested donations to the Surfrider Foundation, surfrider.org, which is “dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches.”
SSU gets ZAPped
Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) presented a $25,000 check to fund scholarships for students in the Wine MBA program at Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park. It’s the first installment of a $500,000 endowment in honor of the late Donn Reisen of Ridge Vineyards, a founding board member and ZAP president.
Forbes promoted at Chalk Hill
Lisa Bishop Forbes was appointed director of winemaking at 40,000-case Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery, Healdsburg, where she served as assistant winemaker for nine years. Chalk Hill was recently acquired by Foley Family Wines.
Big green Pepperwood box
Don Sebastiani & Sons, Sonoma, launched the Big Green Box for its Pepperwood Grove band. The 3L package is the first bag-in-box package for Don & Sons, known for its unconventional packaging. Using paper sourced from sustainable forests, the box is 100% recyclable and retails for $19.99.
Big Basin opens tasting room
Big Basin Vineyards cut the ribbon at its new tasting room in Saratoga on Aug. 19. The winery says its 10-acre vineyard is the only one in the Santa Cruz Mountains planted exclusively to Rhône grape varieties.
Paso winemaker Raines, 34, dies in off-road crash
Jacob Raines, 34-year-old winemaker at his family’s Dubost Winery, Paso Robles, died Aug. 13 when a vehicle he was driving overturned in the vineyard, injuring three companions. The young winemaker, a native of Costa Rica, had inspired his mother and stepfather, Kate and Curt Dubost, to plant vines on the historic family ranch in the Adelaida district. Kate Dubost described her son as “a new-age guy and an avid surfer.” The family suggested donations to the Surfrider Foundation, surfrider.org, which is “dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches.”
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