Wines & Vines

14 Wines&Vines March 2015 California drought declared disaster The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 55 of California's 58 coun- ties a natural disaster areas Feb. 4 due to the drought that has con- tinued for three years. Farmers in the counties included are eligible to apply for loans from the Farm Ser- vice Agency to cover losses result- ing from the drought. Learn more at disaster.fsa.usda.gov. Alexandria Nicole Cellars buys castle for events Alexandria Nicole Cellars pur- chased a hilltop castle adjacent to its Destiny Ridge Vineyard in Prosser, Wash. According to Great Northwest Wine, the 8,200-square- foot castle in the Horse Heaven Hills will be called The Estate at Destiny Ridge and is expected to open in June. West Coast port strike U.S. labor secretary Thomas E. Perez agreed to help negotiate an agreement for West Coast port operators and dockworkers, after stalled talks resulted in strikes and lockouts. Players in the wine indus- try have expressed worry that port troubles could keep them from re- ceiving shipments of corks, bottles, bulk wine and other supplies. French Laundry's stolen wine recovered Police investigators returned 72 stolen wine bottles to The French L a u n d r y re s t a u r a n t i n Yo u n t - ville, Calif., on Jan. 29. The bot- tles, worth up to $300,000, were taken from the famed restaurant Dec. 25 and located in the cellar of a Greensboro, N.C., wine collector four weeks later. Harvard buys water rights, land on Central Coast Having purchased 10,000 acres in California's Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since 2012, Brodiaea Inc., an extension of Harvard University's endowment fund, has grown to become one of the top 20 growers in the Paso Robles wine region, according to reporting by the news agency Reuters. The report also revealed Brodiaea secured rights to drill 16 wells reaching depths from 700 to 900 feet at a time when the region has struggled greatly over water- related issues. WineAmerica enters calorie-counting debate Washington, D.C.-based trade or- ganization WineAmerica retained lobbying firm Meyers & Associ- ates to represent the wine indus- try's interests to the Food & Drug Administration, which is charged with supervising new requirements that restaurants with more than 20 outlets print calorie counts on their menus. WineAmerica's action seeks to preemptively ensure restaurants do not ask wineries to provide exact calorie counts, the testing for which could be expensive. 500,000-case winery proposed near Sebastopol Winemaker Joe Wagner revealed a plan to renovate a property known as the Dairyman site to produce up to 500,000 cases of wine and 250,000 gallons of distilled spirits along Highway 12 near Sebastopol, Calif. The owner of Belle Glos al- ready grows 40 acres of Pinot Noir on the property in Sonoma County. Vineyard acquisition and partnership Shannon Ridge Family of Wines inked a deal to acquire 430 acres of vineyards in Lake County, Calif. Owner Clay Shannon's sister com- pany, Shannon Ranches, also an- nounced a deal to lead production, sales and marketing for the Guil- laume Grapevine Nursery in Knights Landing, Calif. Wyoming lawmakers consider DtC update A bill currently in the Wyoming House of Representatives could double the amount of wine resi- dents are able to order via direct- to-consumer shipments from 18 liters to 36 liters. State lawmakers sponsoring the bill contend that out-of-state wineries won't obtain Wyoming shipping licenses due to the volume limits. Jackson buys Siduri Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Jack- son Family Wines announced the purchase of renowned Pinot Noir producer Siduri Wines. Siduri pro- duces 8,500 cases per year, ac- cording to Wines Vines Analytics, with an average bottle price of $36. The purchase also includes Novy Family Wines and winemaking equipment. Ramey to launch Sidebar Cellars Winemaker David Ramey is start- ing a second, more affordable wine brand for younger consumers. Un- like Ramey Wine Cellars, which is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah, Sidebar Cellars will feature Rhone varietals and blends as well as white wine from a hybrid grape variety. Alessi Ranch changes hands Jay and Anne Russell paid $2.4 million to purchase a 75-acre Alessi Ranch property, which includes 50 acres of Chardonnay vines, in the Mendocino County portion of the Russian River Valley AVA. California growers produced 3.91 million tons of wine grapes in 2014, according to the preliminary harvest report by the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture. The 2014 harvest was 7.9% less than the record- setting 4.25 million tons produced in the state during 2013, yet still larger than several previous years. Napa County grapes continue to fetch the highest prices, with the average price per ton up 10%. The total tonnage for all key red varieties declined from 2013 to 2014, with Zinfandel accounting for the largest decrease. See page 15. More than 1,600 people crammed into a ballroom to attend the an- nual State of the Industry session the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in late January to explore the changing nature of the wine industry in North America. Sales for wines priced less than $10 per bottle, which account for about 75% of the entire wine market, continue to decline against pressure from imports, while more consumers opt for craft beer and spirits. Growers in California's Central Valley are removing vineyard acreage because the low-tier wine market is less lucrative, especially when compared to the possible returns for nut crops. See page 16. Latest NeWs More detail on the news at winesandvines.com Top Stories the month in perspective The Estate at Destiny Ridge The French Laundry State of the Industry

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