News Briefs California
CALIFORNIA
Colantuoni consulting at Rocca
Rocca Family Vineyards, Napa, hired Paul Colantuoni as consulting winemaker, succeeding Celia Masyczek. The 2,000-case-per-year producer specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from its vineyards in Yountville and Coombsville. Colantuoni has worked in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Tuscany, and he currently consults for Constant-Diamond Mountain Vineyard and Alanté Vineyard in Napa Valley.
Ehlers earns organic certification
Ehlers Estate, St. Helena, was awarded organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). The 43.8-acre estate vineyard is cultivated as 32 small vineyard blocks to produce Bordeaux-varietal wines. All proceeds from the 7,000-case annual production fund international cardiovascular research through the Leducq Foundation.
Gallagher fills new Wine Institute role
Wine Institute named Linsey Simpson Gallagher to the newly created position of director of international marketing. Joseph Rollo, who has led WI's international department for the past 20 years, will continue in a new role, director of international trade policy. Gallagher holds an MBA from Northwestern University, and most recently she was vice president of her family's East Coast real estate firm. Previously, she was marketing manager for E. & J. Gallo Winery.
Venge joins Frazier Winery
Frazier Winery, Napa Valley red wine producer (5,000 cases per year), named Kirk Venge its head winemaker. He succeeds John Gibson, who will continue to consult with other Napa wineries and focus on his own project, Salexis. Venge is the son of winemaker Nils Venge, with whom he has worked since 1999 at Venge Vineyards. He will help Frazier create new estate and non-estate varietals, including its first white wine.
J. Rickards expands
J. Rickards Winery, Geyserville, which began production in 2004 with about 150 cases, increased production for 2008 to 3,000 cases. Alex Holman was named head winemaker; previously he was with Paul Hobbs and Dry Creek Vineyard. His wife Annie was named director of marketing at Rickards, which also opened a tasting room at 24505 Chianti Road, Cloverdale.
Constellation installing huge solar array
Constellation Wines U.S., is putting a 170,000-square-foot, 1-megawatt solar array atop the warehouse at its Gonzales Winery in Monterey County. The 1.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity it's expected to produce annually will provide about 50% of the winery's total energy requirements. The system, expected to be complete by year-end, was designed, installed, managed and financed by Pacific Power Management LLC.
Scheid opens Cannery Row lounge
Scheid Vineyards, Salinas, opened its Wine Lounge at 751 Cannery Row in downtown Monterey in September. Designed by Disrud & Associates, Healdsburg, and constructed by Mill Construction, Salinas, it features a reclaimed hickory floor, stone fireplace, vintage stucco walls and mahogany paneling. Small-lot artisan wines from Scheid are available for tasting.
Gainey completes winemaking team
Gainey Vineyard, Santa Ynez, has added Jon Engelskirger as a consulting winemaker to concentrate on making Bordeaux-style wines from Gainey's Santa Ynez Valley vineyards. Previously, he was with Turnbull Cellars in Oakville. He joins Kirby Anderson, who has been with the 22,000-case-per-year winery for more than a decade. Anderson will devote his attention to producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah from the winery's Santa Rita Hills holdings.
Trinity Oaks project puts trees in ground
Trinity Oaks Vineyards, a subsidiary of Trinchero Family Estates, hopes the "One Bottle, One Tree" initiative it launched July 1 will result in a total of 1 million trees planted by the end of 2008. So far, more than 500,000 trees have been planted in Africa, Asia and Latin America through Trinity Oaks' collaborative initiative with Trees for the Future. For every bottle of its wines sold, the winery donates a tree to the program. Learn more at onebottleonetree.com.
Carneros alliance moves downtown
The Carneros Wine Alliance (CWA) moved into new offices at 1040 Main St., on downtown Napa's restaurant row. Located in the historic Exchange Building, CWA's neighbors include legislators Congressman Mike Thompson, state Sen. Patricia Wiggins and state Assemblywoman Noreen Evans. The new space will accommodate additional staff, a conference room, meetings, tastings and receptions. Reach Phyllis Gillis, executive director, at (707) 253-2678.
Rocca Family Vineyards, Napa, hired Paul Colantuoni as consulting winemaker, succeeding Celia Masyczek. The 2,000-case-per-year producer specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from its vineyards in Yountville and Coombsville. Colantuoni has worked in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Tuscany, and he currently consults for Constant-Diamond Mountain Vineyard and Alanté Vineyard in Napa Valley.
Ehlers earns organic certification
Ehlers Estate, St. Helena, was awarded organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). The 43.8-acre estate vineyard is cultivated as 32 small vineyard blocks to produce Bordeaux-varietal wines. All proceeds from the 7,000-case annual production fund international cardiovascular research through the Leducq Foundation.
Gallagher fills new Wine Institute role
Wine Institute named Linsey Simpson Gallagher to the newly created position of director of international marketing. Joseph Rollo, who has led WI's international department for the past 20 years, will continue in a new role, director of international trade policy. Gallagher holds an MBA from Northwestern University, and most recently she was vice president of her family's East Coast real estate firm. Previously, she was marketing manager for E. & J. Gallo Winery.
Venge joins Frazier Winery
Frazier Winery, Napa Valley red wine producer (5,000 cases per year), named Kirk Venge its head winemaker. He succeeds John Gibson, who will continue to consult with other Napa wineries and focus on his own project, Salexis. Venge is the son of winemaker Nils Venge, with whom he has worked since 1999 at Venge Vineyards. He will help Frazier create new estate and non-estate varietals, including its first white wine.
J. Rickards expands
J. Rickards Winery, Geyserville, which began production in 2004 with about 150 cases, increased production for 2008 to 3,000 cases. Alex Holman was named head winemaker; previously he was with Paul Hobbs and Dry Creek Vineyard. His wife Annie was named director of marketing at Rickards, which also opened a tasting room at 24505 Chianti Road, Cloverdale.
Constellation installing huge solar array
Constellation Wines U.S., is putting a 170,000-square-foot, 1-megawatt solar array atop the warehouse at its Gonzales Winery in Monterey County. The 1.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity it's expected to produce annually will provide about 50% of the winery's total energy requirements. The system, expected to be complete by year-end, was designed, installed, managed and financed by Pacific Power Management LLC.
Scheid opens Cannery Row lounge
Scheid Vineyards, Salinas, opened its Wine Lounge at 751 Cannery Row in downtown Monterey in September. Designed by Disrud & Associates, Healdsburg, and constructed by Mill Construction, Salinas, it features a reclaimed hickory floor, stone fireplace, vintage stucco walls and mahogany paneling. Small-lot artisan wines from Scheid are available for tasting.
Gainey completes winemaking team
Gainey Vineyard, Santa Ynez, has added Jon Engelskirger as a consulting winemaker to concentrate on making Bordeaux-style wines from Gainey's Santa Ynez Valley vineyards. Previously, he was with Turnbull Cellars in Oakville. He joins Kirby Anderson, who has been with the 22,000-case-per-year winery for more than a decade. Anderson will devote his attention to producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah from the winery's Santa Rita Hills holdings.
Trinity Oaks project puts trees in ground
Trinity Oaks Vineyards, a subsidiary of Trinchero Family Estates, hopes the "One Bottle, One Tree" initiative it launched July 1 will result in a total of 1 million trees planted by the end of 2008. So far, more than 500,000 trees have been planted in Africa, Asia and Latin America through Trinity Oaks' collaborative initiative with Trees for the Future. For every bottle of its wines sold, the winery donates a tree to the program. Learn more at onebottleonetree.com.
Carneros alliance moves downtown
The Carneros Wine Alliance (CWA) moved into new offices at 1040 Main St., on downtown Napa's restaurant row. Located in the historic Exchange Building, CWA's neighbors include legislators Congressman Mike Thompson, state Sen. Patricia Wiggins and state Assemblywoman Noreen Evans. The new space will accommodate additional staff, a conference room, meetings, tastings and receptions. Reach Phyllis Gillis, executive director, at (707) 253-2678.
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