Afternoon Brief: September 5

e Napa Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court: After years of their concerns falling on deaf ears, three Napa wineries have joined forces to sue Napa County in federal court to address longstanding violations of constitutional rights. The participating wineries are Summit Lake Vineyard, Smith-Madrone Winery, and Hoopes Vineyard...

Afternoon Brief: Smoke Taint Revolution - Carbon Fabric to Become Vineyard-Wide Netting

As wildfires become more frequent and intense due to climate change, the need for smoke taint prevention has never been more critical. One of the most exciting developments in this space is the research into activated carbon fabric - an innovation that could potentially protect vineyards from smoke damage...

Today's #winebiz news for #wineindustry professionals...  $1.2 Million Spent on Controversial Wine Subsidy Program from January to March After months of silence, the Nova Scotia government finally revealed the total figure spent on a wine subsidy program that caused many of the province’s winemakers to feel sour…

Afternoon Brief, February 23rd

How a Napa Farming Nonprofit Became a Political Power Broker—And Got Caught Up in a Federal Investigation: A mysterious federal investigation unfolding in Napa Valley has ensnared one of the wine industry’s most powerful entities...

Afternoon Brief, February 16th

Hoopes Winery Civil Trial in Napa County Wraps After 11 Days, Ruling Could Take Months: Whether Napa Valley vintner Lindsay Hoopes has been using company structures as a shield against liability was the focus Wednesday of the 11th and final day of trial in a county lawsuit over alleged winery permit violations...

Afternoon Brief, February 9th

Preliminary 2023 Winegrape Crush Report at 3.67 Million Tons: The California Department of Food and Agriculture Preliminary Grape Crush Report, containing tons crushed and prices of wine grapes sold during the 2023 harvest, has been released...

Afternoon Brief, February 8th

Napa County Puts Hoopes Winery Leader in Witness Stand: Napa County's attorneys put Lindsay Hoopes of Hoopes Family Vineyard in the witness stand to question her about alleged winery rule violations...

Afternoon Brief, January 30th

Trial Between Napa County, Hoopes Winery Begins: A trial between Napa County and the Hoopes Vineyard winery is underway, with the county's winery regulations being the focus...

Changing the Rules: Hoopes Trial Could Upset Decades of Zoning & Winery Permits in Napa Valley

The result of Napa Valley V. Lindsay Blair Hoopes Et al could have a significant and lasting impact on “small wineries” in the Napa Valley — and influence whether they […]