Archive for the ‘Wine Places’ Category

Jul 14, 2016

Will Sonoma County Nix Food With Wine?

There is a move afoot in Sonoma County, as there is in Napa Valley, to put some sort of restrictions on winery marketing. As far as I can tell, the premise is that if we restrict how wineries can market and sell their wines there will be fewer visitors and this will impact wineries and county revenues in no way whatsoever. In theory. Among the activities that the No-Winery-In-My-Backyard-Crowd objects too in Sonoma County, as well as in Napa, is…

Jul 5, 2016

The Petaluma Gap: Hurry Up Already!

The news is that the Petaluma Gap wine growing region in southern Sonoma County is still awaiting a report back from the Feds on their application for official AVA status. With their application having been submitted in February 2015, it’s likely that we will hear from the TTB this year. My money is on approval. From what I know the process was undertaken in a very deliberate manner by members of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance including using practiced AVA…

Apr 4, 2016

Building A Wall Around Napa and Making THEM Pay

The Nimby movement in Napa County is quickly becoming a laughing-stock. And there is good reason for this all too common response. Consider this tidbit written by Dan Mufson of Napa Vision 2050, the Chief Nimbyist organization: “Napa’s resident-based agricultural economy is dying. It is quickly being replaced by a corporate-based tourism economy. Willful ignorance is never a pretty thing. However, it is a desperate thing and that is the only possible explanation for this most ignorant of statements. Shall…

Jan 11, 2016

To Napa’s Wine Critics: Shame On You!

Ever the observant reporter, Blake Gray has written at Wine Searcher about the move afoot among some in Napa Valley to punish the wine industry for its success; to attempt to roll back the current impact that visitors to Napa are having on the quality of life for locals. Blake’s article deals primarily with recommendations of a special “growth” commission and whether any of its recommendations limiting winery growth ought to apply retroactively to wineries with existing privileges based on…

Dec 21, 2015

And There Was Joy In WineVille!

An absolutely wonderful development should make both denizens and visitors to Napa Valley really really happy. Joyful, even. It was announced today that an outpost of the great New York jazz club, Blue Note, will be opening in downtown Napa. Assuming that the new venue will be bringing some of the same kinds of talent that shows up at the famed NY club, then devotees of great music should be in heaven! Add Blue Note Napa to the city’s other…