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14 WINES&VINES July 2015 Auction Napa Valley raises $15.8 million The Napa Valley Vintners' annual Auction Napa Valley charity event raised $15.8 million for community health and children's education the first weekend in June. Though the sum was down from the $18.3 million earned in 2014, it set a new record of $2.4 million for a single live auction lot and records for the barrel and e-auction totals. Since the inaugural auction in 1981, the Vintners have given more than $145 million in auction proceeds to the Napa County community, and last year distributed $23 million, of which $10 million was for relief after a magnitude-6.0 earthquake shook the valley Aug. 24, 2014. New moon rises on Madrone Vineyards The historic Valley of the Moon Winery in Glen Ellen, Calif., has been renovated and re-opened by its Canadian owners as Madrone Vineyards Estate. The property is one of the oldest wine estates in California, having been home to a winery and vineyards since 1863. The Stewart family, who own Quails' Gate, purchased the site in 2012. Eberle regains control of winery Gary Eberle announced June 4 that he had regained majority control of Eberle Winery—the winery he founded in 1979 Paso Robles, Calif.—after being voted out of a leadership role by partners in January 2014. Eberle Winery cur- rently produces 27,000 cases of wine per year from estate and purchased grapes. SSU launches wine business journal Sonoma State University's Wine Business Institute plans to launch the Wine Business Case Journal, an open-access, electronic jour- nal. The institute will release its first issue of the journal in spring 2016. Armand Gilinsky, SSU's Korbel professor of wine business, is founding editor of the journal, which will be overseen by an editorial board from universities across the globe. Retrofit under way at Freemark Abbey The Freemark Abbey Winery build- ing is undergoing a total retrofit, according to the Napa Valley Reg- ister, which reports that manage- ment hope to get the site on the Register of Historic Places once the work is complete. Drizly gets Series A funding, expands App and web-based alcohol- delivery service Drizly announced the receipt of $13 million in Series A funding to expand to 30 mar- kets by 2016. The service, which started in Boston, Mass., is now available in 15 markets. California growers renew PD/GWSS tax The California Department of Food & Agriculture announced May 27 that it had reached the 40% re- quired votes necessary to renew the Pierce's Disease/Glassy- Winged Sharpshooter Board that was established in July 2001 to eradicate Pierce's disease. The referendum permits an annual assessment on wine grapes that is paid by growers based on ton- nage. The referendum will make it possible to continue funding pest- and disease-prevention programs. The deadline for voting was extended after the original goal was not met by May 11. Diageo shares ascend on rumor Shares of British beverage giant Diageo jumped in value last month following a rumor that a Brazillian billionaire was considering a bid to assume ownership of the publicly traded company. Ellman acquires estate vineyard The owners of Ellman Family Vineyards, Neil and Lance Ell- man, purchased 14 acres off of Silverado Trail and near Soda Canyon Road in Napa Valley. The property includes a farmhouse, barn and three-story water tower that dates to 1907. An estate vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. Gretzky plans new Ontario winery Wayne Gretzky Estates is planning a new winery and craft distill- ery building in Niagara-on-the- Lake, Ontario, according to The Buffalo News. Completion of the 15,000-square-foot space is scheduled for spring 2017. Al- though the brand has been owned by Andrew Peller Ltd. since 2011, Gretzky still maintains an owner- ship interest and involvement in the project. WSU tips hat to SMWE Washington State University on June 4 held a dedication cer- emony for its new viticulture and enology building: the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center. To help the school reach its $23 million goal for constructing the building, longtime supporter Ste. Michelle donated the final $500,000. Napa County sues vineyard owners California's Napa County filed a lawsuit against Brian and Diane Silver, owners of a Wild Horse Valley vineyard, saying they've let their vineyard fall into disrepair and left vines unpruned for years. Neighbors fear the site could be- come a habitat for invasive pests such as European grapevine moth. House votes to repeal COOL Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted June 10 to repeal Country of Origin Label- ing (COOL) legislation that has prompted the Canadian goverment to promise retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods including wine. The issue was still being debated by the Senate Agriculture Committee at press time. Benziger Family Winery and its 85-acre Biodynamic vineyard changed hands in a June 8 deal that also included Imagery Winery. As The Wine Group purchased the pair for an undisclosed sum, others wondered whether the acquisition signaled a new direction for the country's second-largest wine company. See page 15. Montreal officials are preparing a case against the principals of First Nations Winery, the founder of Milan Wineries Inc. and others following a year of investigations into whether more than 1.8 million bottles were imported from Italy and doctored to resemble popular brands sold in Quebec under the VQA seal. See page 16. 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