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Calwineries Blog

Temecula Wineries adopt Responsible Partners Program

According to a press release sent out today by the Temecula winegrowers association, starting on November 1st, the members of the association will turn away van and limo tour operators who “do not help maintain the decorum” of the wine region.

The members voted overwhelmingly to adopt a Responsible Partner Program. This program only permits companies that promote Temecula wine and good behavior while visiting the region.

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13th Staglin Music Festival Raises $4 Million

The Staglin Family is known throughout Napa Valley for their philanthropy and generosity. One event that particularly close to their hearts is the Annual Staglin Family Music Festival for Mental Health.

Over the past 13 years, this event has raised an incredible $53 million to research and treat mental illnesses including psychosis and schizophrenia. This year, about 500 donors contributed over $4 million. Guests were treated to a 5 course dinner prepared by Chef Rick Moonen and were entertained by Gladys Knight

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Calistoga Continues its Quest for AVA Status

The proposed Calistoga AVA continues to stir controversy and passions on both sides. At issue is Calistoga Cellars’ use of the region in their brand name, despite the fact that they do not use Calistoga grapes in their wines.

This is a cardinal sin in the eyes of many local growers and wineries, who place a high value on the geographic origin of their wines. The entire AVA approval process has ground to a halt over the controversy as the TTB reevaluates the system. Calistoga Cellars recently opened up a tasting room, amidst protests from other vintners who claim the winery is thwarting Calistoga’s quest for AVA status

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California Wine Country News - 9/25

Jewish Blessings of the Grapes this Weekend

There will be a Jewish blessing of the grapes ceremony on Sunday, September 30th, at noon at Hagafen Cellars. It will be conducted by Rabbi Oren Postrel of Congregation Beth Sholom in Napa. The public is free to stop by at the blessings, which will take place at several other locations during the day.

Ernie Weir, the founder and winemaker at Hagafen, said, “The Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot falls at this time and since we are also harvesting grapes, we thought it would make sense to align the two calendars, of Mother Nature and Jewish history.”

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Calaveras County Wine Country

There’s a new gold rush going on in California, but it may not be what you think. For years, Calaveras County has been turning out some of California’s most deeply flavored, delicious wines. The region is located in the southern part of the Sierra Foothills, and boasts 19 boutique wineries.

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3rd Annual Loose Goose Wine Festival

The 3rd Annual Loose
Goose Wine Festival
will be held on October 3-7, 2007, in the Santa Clarita Valley. This multi-day festival includes several different events such as the Wine Pairing Dinners on October 3, the Loose Goose Golf Classic on October 4, the Golden Goose Gala on October 5, the Professional Goose on October 6 (trade tasting), and the Main Festival which will be held on October 6-7.

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Givich Vineyards Stronger than Ever After the Fire

On October 12, 2005, a fire broke out at Wines Central, a storage facility in Vallejo, California. The blaze caused an astounding $100 million in damage and decimated the inventory of 82 California wineries, both large and small.

Mark Anderson has been charged with arson in connection with the blaze. When the fire was set, Anderson was on trial in Marin County for embezzlement. He allegedly stole wine from his clients and then set the fire to cover up his tracks.

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Winemaker Accused of Stealing 1,000 Gallons of Wine

This past Wednesday, the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission (LLC) destroyed 1,123 gallons of wine found in Lincoln Country. The wine had an estimated value of $140,000, making it the largest bust in LLC history.

It is believed that the wine belonged to winemaker David Jurena, who brought the wine illegally from the Napa Valley. Although the details of the story are still emerging, officials believe that Jurena stole the wine from Terra Valentine winery, where he was once winemaker.

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Wine Tasting and Auction for Healthy Kids

The 6th Annual Wine Tasting and Auction for Healthy Kids will be held on September 23, 2007 from 1-4 pm at Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyard. The entire $150 price of admission will be donated to California’s Healthy Kids program, which works to provide health insurance for needy children.

Several wineries will be pouring at this event including Far Niente, Frog’s Leap, Rombauer Vineyards, Stryker Sonoma, Schramsberg, Duckhorn, Kathryn Kennedy, Kings Mountain Winery, and of course, Thomas Fogarty.

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Controversy Swirls over Del Dotto Winery

Once again, there’s controversy in the Napa Valley. This time, it’s locals versus the planned development of a winery. The Del Dotto Winery was the center of this controversy as area neighbors were upset that they made changes to the original development proposal.

The winery’s plans were first brought before the county in July 2003, and passed almost unanimously. But since then, the project has been red flagged because of numerous changes to the plan.

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