Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/602988
December 2015 WINES&VINES 43 THE BEST OF 2O15 tion. Dr. Lowell Zelinski, founder of Precision Ag Consulting, said the region's Syrah crop was "mostly devastated," and yields of Caber- net Sauvignon, which many wine- makers in the area believe could be the region's "signature variety," was significantly reduced as well. Zelinski explained that years of drought also caused salt to accu- mulate in the root zone in many vineyards, contributing to low yields along with a hailstorm that hit the area in mid-June. He encouraged growers in the Paso Robles region to check their vines for primary bud necrosis, as dis- covering the malady would influ- ence vineyard pruning decisions. Best-Read Real Estate Story DIAMOND MOUNTAIN WINERY SOLD by Paul Franson, April 8, 2015 Nearly back-to-back announce- ments of major winery transactions drove a host of readers to wine- sandvines.com, making "Diamond Mountain Winery Sold" the best- read real estate story of 2015. Rudy Von Strasser sold his 35-acre property in Napa Valley's Diamond Mountain District, including 15 acres of vineyards and a winery. The winery's namesake retained ownership of the inventory and Von Strasser Winery brand, saying he planned to lease back the winery, cave and tasting room through the end of 2016. The Von Strasser purchase came just two weeks after Judy Jordan announced the sale of her J Vineyards & Winery to E. & J. Gallo Winery. Jordan founded the Healdsburg, Calif., winery in 1986, and the 150,000-case producer became widely recognized for its sparkling offerings. The transaction included the winery property and more than 300 vineyard acres at nine sites in the Russian River and Sonoma Coast AVAs. Best-Read Legal Story PLAINTIFFS UP ANTE IN ARSENIC CASE by Peter Mitham, Sept. 29, 2015 The law firm of Kabateck Brown Kellner LLP took the California wine industry by surprise and news outlets by storm March 19, when it filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court claiming several wineries in the state produce and sell wines containing "unacceptably high lev- els of inorganic arsenic." The attor- neys sought class-action status for the original suit, which named 28 defendants including The Wine Group, Constellation Brands, Trader Joe's Co., Treasury Wine Estates and Hahn Family Wines. Six months later Peter Mitham exclusively reported on the firm's amended complaint, with the Wines & Vines northwest corre- spondent revealing the original suit had been revised to seek billions of dollars in civil penalties, among other damages, stating, "Just a glass or two of these arsenic-con- taminated wines a day over time could result in dangerous arsenic toxicity to the consumer." Citing Prop. 65 (the Safe Drink- ing Water and Toxic Enforcement Unified Wine & Grape Symposium January 26-28, 2016 Visit us at booth 811 AZ Wines&Vines Dez.15_88,9x250_RZ.indd 1 12.11.15 11:02 Von Strasser barrel cave The diatomaceous earth com- monly used to filter wines is a known source of organic arsenic.