This week on our Vino Lingo Video segment we feature Kaj Ahlmann, Proprietor, Six Sigma Ranch, Lake County, defining the phrase “Monday Night Pizza Wine”. Learn more by visitint sixsigmaranch.com
I recently had an opportunity to sit down with three Napa Valley vintners to discuss several law suits which have been in the news.
Lindsay Hoopes founded her winery in Yountville in 1983.
Heather Brakesman Griffin’s family founded Summit Lake Vineyards on top of Howell Mountain in 1971.
Stu Smith founded Smith-Madrone on top of Spring Mountain in 1971.
In 2022 Napa County sued Lindsay Hoopes, alleging violations of her use permit. This lawsuit has not yet been resolved. Lindsay, who is an attorney and teaches law at UC Law, believes her “small winery exemption” is her legitimate reason to operate.
In the fall of 2024, Lindsay, Heather and Stu joined together to sue Napa County in federal court, in San Francisco, claiming that Napa County’s regulatory overreach has threatened their constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and restraint of trade.
Today the vintners talk about the two cases and explain the unusual situation where a local government is seemingly trying to put long-time small wineries out of business.
Each lawsuit has a website which is home to lots of information and ways to support the vintners: http://saveoursmallwineries.org/ and https://napawinerieslawsuit.org/
This is our special podcast of the Sonoma County Barrel Auction 2025 featuring the Vintners/Winemakers talking about the special LOTS made for this Auction. Cheers!
Clay Mauritson/Mauritson Wines
Mike Sullivan/Benovia Winery
Courtney Wagoner/Martinelli Winery
Jessica Gilmore/Williams Selyem
Caroline Guerra/MacRostie Winery
Ben Papapietro/Papapietro-Perry Winery
Ames Morison/Medlock Ames Wine
Brian Ball/Skipstone
Phil Holbrook/Salty Goat Wine
SaCha Stewart-Coleman/Twomey & Silver Oak
Dan Kemp/Twomey & Silver Oak
Brandon Muller/Brandon Gregory Estate
Lisa Evich/Chateau St. Jean
Geoff Bedrosian/Domaine de la Riviere
Ryan Prichard/Three Sticks
Mark Hernandez/ACTA Wine
Nick Briggs/Dutcher Crossing Winery
Katie Wetzel Murphy/Alexander Valley Vineyards K
en McCabe/DeLoach Vineyards
Mari Jones/Emeritus Vineyards
Sally Johnson Blum/SJB Winemaking
Crystal Fairbanks/Knights Bridge Winery
Hanna Smith/Aperture Cellars
Ried Kinnett/Brooks Note Winery
Cushing Donelan/Donelan Family Wines
Nicole Hitchcock/J Vineyards & Winery
Laura Fontaine/J Vineyards & Winery
Caroline Shaw/J Vineyards & Winery
Sarah Lampi/Ravenswood Winery
Christopher O’Gorman/Rodney Strong Vineyards
Learn more by visiting sonomawine.com
During my recent visit to Sonoma County I was lucky enough to be interviewed by my friend and Executive Director of Sonoma Valley Tourism, Tim Zahner. Watch or listen, it was a great time! Learn more by visiting www.sonomavalley.com
In Dry Creek Valley, the highly regarded Zinfandel grape is king. Clay Mauritson and Mauritson Winery is known for high quality Zinfandel wines in an area where growers thrive on Zin. I met Clay last year at a Sonoma auction and missed a chance to chat with him, but I made up for it earlier this year. Sonoma county is huge with more AVAs than I can count and where wines of every varietal grow happily. But today is all about Zin. Are you in with Zin?
You can also hear Clay on our Vino Lingo segment defining the term “Bulldogging”
Learn more by visiting mauristonwines.com
