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MAY NEWS Sustainable Wine Leader Moves On H Paul Dolan files lawsuit against former partners in Mendocino Wine Co. ealdsburg, Calif.—Paul Dolan, the former partner and president of Mendo- cino Wine Co. in Ukiah, Calif., is looking to move on after being ousted from the company by his partners. In an interview with Wines & Vines, Dolan attempted to explain the mysterious break between him- self and his partners of eight years, brothers Tim and Tom Thornhill. The news leaked out only after Mendocino County sheriff's offi- cers were called to a dispute at the MWC headquarters at Parducci Winery in January. No charges were filed, and the parties stayed mum, except for a letter from the Thornhills addressed to customers and distribu- tors, which stated in part: "Effective Jan. 20, 2012, Tom Thorn- hill, chairman and founding CEO since 2004, has assumed the role of president of MWC. Paul Dolan is no longer with the com- Researchers study vineyard gases D avis, Calif.—A research project to help grapegrowers manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is expected to yield results this year. Researchers from the University of California, Davis, presented information about the project at the Recent Advances in Viticulture and Enology (RAVE) meeting. Management surveys and soil sampling were conducted with 19 winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "GHG impact." Napa, Calif., growers across 72 vineyard blocks, and seven Lodi, Calif., growers across 20 vineyard blocks. The project evaluates the interaction of soil and organic matter, landscape factors and vineyard management practices to determine the environmental footprints of vineyards. —Jon Tourney 22 Wines & Vines MAY 2012 Paul dolan says he is negotiating distribution for a new wine brand. pany and is at work on his other business interests." The letter not- ed: "The Paul Dolan Vineyards brand and its distributor rela- tionships will remain unchanged moving forward." Dolan is currently suing the Thornhills in an attempt to re- coup the value of what he said is his 30% stake in the company. In a telephone interview, Dolan explained that, while the Thorn- hills continue to produce and mar- ket his self-named brand, he will no longer provide it with Biody- namic grapes grown on his nearby Dark Horse Vineyards. "We do still sell that fruit to other winer- ies," he said. He already is in the process of creating a new brand and is nego- tiating for distribution. At 62, Dolan said, "I feel too young for retirement." —Jane Firstenfeld winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Dolan moves." Nova Scotia Plans Appellation Association to build on Tidal Bay quality standards C anning, Nova Scotia—Nova Scotia's fledgling wine industry has devel- oped a production standard that lays the foundation for an official appellation system on Canada's East Coast. Discussions regarding development of a standard for local wines began in fall 2009, with the help of Ontario winemaker Peter Gamble, the founding executive director of VQA Ontario when it was established in 1989 and now consulting winemaker for Benjamin Bridge Winery south of Wolfville, Nova Scotia. The first wines to qualify un- der the new standard were released under the Tidal Bay name in 2011. The name references the significant viticultural role played by the Bay of Fundy, which lends a moderating influence to the local climate and serves as a branding tool that expresses Nova Scotia's sense of place. While the moniker is helping build an identity for Nova Sco- tia wines, Winery As- sociation of Nova Scotia managing director winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Tidal Bay." Jost vineyards is one of the nova scotia wineries planning to boost production in anticipation of demand for tidal bay wines. Janice Ruddock said it's a prelude to legally entrenching the wines' enological identity. The provincial legislature could set the standard in law in short order once a request is made because of the small size of the in- dustry, which numbers just 14 wineries. This could happen in time for the 2013 vintage. Bottled wines will be submitted to an in- dependent tasting panel for blind tasting each spring to ensure consistency with the industry standard. The standard aims for wines that are "fresh, crisp, dryish, still, white with a bright, 'signature Nova Sco- tia' aromatic component." —Peter Mitham