The Winery Duende of Sonoma County of California

In many cases, the winter storms that have lashed California have resulted in tragedy, severe property loss, and the deaths of at least 20 people. In a state that has been in the grips of drought for 20 years, it is a complicated scenario where the much-needed rain is a welcome respite. As an illustration of the chaos that climate change has brought to California’s weather patterns, the Los Angeles Times reported on 14 December that the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California had just ...

Napa Valley wine producer Eisele Vineyard has purchased the next-door Alfred Frediani Ranch for $18.5m, said the estate agent responsible for the sale, broker James Keller. The ranch features two parcels of land totalling around 11.2 hectares (27.65 acres), Keller said. A spokesperson for Keller said the agent wished to make clear that the property sold was the Alfred Frediani Ranch on Pickett Road, and not the Frediani Vineyards estate on the Silverado Trail. Eisele Vineyard’s general man ...

Foley Family Wines has returned to the acquisition trail in California by announcing its acquisition of Sonoma’s Chateau St. Jean from the Americas division of Treasury Wine Estates, owner of Penfolds in Australia. Foley said it ‘plans to restore the winery to its former glory’. A fee for the deal was not disclosed, but the purchase includes the historic 1920s chateau building, a 6,000-square-foot visitor centre, a winery facility and almost 32 hectares (79 acres) of estate vineyards. Fole ...