Tennessee-based Sapphire Wines LLC, which acquired the North Coast brands Carneros Creek and Wildhurst earlier this year, has been acquired by publicly traded wine portfolio The Saint James Co. of Santa Monica.
It is the harvest of the century in Bordeaux, with exceptional weather conditions producing grapes so fine that dogs are turning vegetarian to eat them. That, at least, is what the region's winemakers would have you believe as they lavish praise on this year's pickings.
As if turning grapes into wine wasn't enough, now wineries are aiming to transform their wastes into fuel. The first example of a new renewable method for generating hydrogen fuel from wastewater is now operating at a California winery.
Napa Valley Wine Train executive chef Kelly Macdonald, right, reviews the company's efforts to reduce waste by recycling wine and Champagne corks from the Wine Train. According to Macdonald and promotions and partnership manager Andrea Guzman, left, the corks shown - about three months worth - will be recycled into shoes, corkboards and flooring.
Nashville's first winery is getting set to open in just a couple of weeks, but before they pop the cork on the first bottle, thousands have to be filled with wine.
Agricultural officials opened a second front Wednesday in the fight against two invasive moth species, one known for the controversy surrounding it, the other a newcomer that already is creating anxiety for its presence in a score of Napa Valley vineyards.
It may turn out to be a very good year for Oregon vineyards. Final numbers are still pending, but the state's vineyards are reporting good yields, volume and quality for 2009.