How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Business News
- Details
- Written by: Editor
KELSEYVILLE – The 2005 Syrah Reserve from Wildhurst Vineyards has been named the Best of California, receiving a Double Gold medal in the 2007 California State Fair commercial wine competition.
Results of the annual competition were announced last week at the Grape & Gourmet charity benefit at Cal Expo in Sacramento.
The wine, made from grapes grown on eight acres of the Holdenried Ranch in Kelseyville, was crafted by Mark Burch, winemaker for Wildhurst.
Burch cites the typical Syrah characteristics of the grapes from this vineyard as “having exceptional flavors of wild berry and pepper. There is great fruit vibrancy and no over-extracted or heavy tannins. The wine balance is incredible and it finishes very elegantly.”
Burch said the vineyard producing this award-winning Syrah is 10 years old and benefits from great soil conditions, notably rich, well-drained and gravelly, showcasing a good marriage between site and varietal selections.
Myron Holdenried, wine grape grower and owner of Wildhurst Vineyards, expressed his pride in the winemaking skills of Burch, noting this was the first year a Syrah was entered into a wine competition.
Wildhurst Vineyards, celebrating its 15th year as a producing winery, specializes in Lake County wines and sources most of their grapes from the Holdenried Ranch, as well as from other Lake County growers.
Other significant awards received by Wildhurst Vineyards from this year’s California State Fair include a Gold medal for the 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, Silver medals for the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2004 Zinfandel Reserve and Best in the North Coast for the 2005 Merlot Reserve.
The 2005 Syrah will be released first to members of the Wildhurst Wine Club as part of the third quarter wine selection in September. Information is available from the Wildhurst Tasting Room on Main Street in Kelseyville.
Wildhurst wines also received prestigious awards at the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits competition this summer, where the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve was honored with a Platinum, Best of Class and Best of Show. Other awards were a Gold and Best of Class for the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, and a Silver for the 2005 Chardonnay Reserve.
Other recent awards include three Gold medals from the Jerry D. Mead New World International Wine Competition. Receiving accolades from the professional wine judges were the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, and the 2004 Merlot Reserve.
The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc was awarded a Gold at the Orange County Fair Wine Competition last month.
Burch describes the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve as “distinctive Wildhurst style, vibrant and crisp, with incredible balance.” He notes that he used grapes from 26 different blocks of grapes from throughout Lake County, exhibiting the depth and complexity that it is possible to obtain from this varietal.
Holdenried said, “2007 is the sixth year winning a major wine competition with our Sauvignon Blanc. We usually enter eight competitions annually and each year we’ve won at least one Best of Show.
“These awards demonstrate the ability of Mark Burch to craft excellent wines, and show that Lake County grows world class wine grapes,” he added.
More information about Wildhurst Vineyards and the Wine Club is available at (707) 279-4302.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Area Business Association (MABA) will conduct a special "membership renewal" mixer from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 19, at the Backyard Garden Oasis.
There will be lots of free finger food courtesy of many of the area's local food merchants, including Store 24 Express, Hardesters Market, Corona's Mexican Market, Twin Pine Casino, Greenview Restaurant and more.
The group will have a special drawing in addition to its normal door-prize drawing for all those businesses who join at this mixer. The membership fee in MABA for the coming year is $60. This includes inclusion in the annual membership directory and monthly newsletters, plus the opportunity to host or co-host a MABA mixer.
Thanks to Derek Hall of AtH Computers, they also will have some very interesting virtual guests at this mixer via Skype Internet phone technology.
Bob Littell, author of the book, "Power Netweaving: 10 Secrets to Successful Relationship Marketing," will join them. A copy of this book will be available for viewing at this mixer. As a virtual guest, Bob will be available to talk with you at the mixer. Just be sure to drop by the table where you see the laptop computer and Phillips flat-screen monitor set up.
In addition to Bob Littell, a representative from KRON 4 TV's Bay Area Backroads will talk about their latest venture, Open Road TV (Visit the Web site at www.openroad.tv).
In addition, a member of The Foundation Center, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, will be on hand. What does it do? It brings nonprofit organizations and philanthropic organizations together. Yes, the people who need money and the folks who need to give it away get their needs met with help from The Foundation Center.
Last month, MABA hosted a mixer in honor of "Middletown Days" at the Greenview Restaurant in Hidden Valley Lake. This mixer was a tremendous success on many different levels – great chef-prepared food, nice outdoor weather, enthusiastic crowd, and wonderful western music. The only thing missing was the special guests – members of the Middletown Central Park Association. They called an emergency meeting that very evening and could not attend.
Although there will not be western music at this July 19th mixer, members of Middletown's Central Park Association are encouraged to attend. After all, MABA can do more than simply help the park sell its T-shirts.
Attendance at all MABA mixers is free and open to the general public. But, to receive the greatest benefit, you need to join and become a member.
The July 19th mixer is a great opportunity to do just that ... and meet some amazing folks in the process.
All those planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP. The best way to do that is by visiting the online Evite invitation at
If you have any questions, call Lamar Morgan at 707-709-8605.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
CLEARLAKE OAKS – Lake County’s Shannon Ridge winery has named wine industry professional Chris Baker as division sales manager for the southeast region.
Baker is responsible for the management of sales in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and D.C.
Shannon Ridge, one of the High Valley appellation’s pioneering wineries, is owned by longtime grape grower and vineyard consultant Clay Shannon and his wife Margarita.
Baker joined Shannon Ridge from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates where he served as a sales manager for North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and D.C. since 1996.
Previously, Baker worked for Empire Distributors of North Carolina as a general manager, where he implemented a wine training course for new recruits and as an on premise manager for Empire prior to that.
Baker began his career in the wine industry in 1985 as general manager of Jonathan’s Uptown, an upscale fine dining restaurant, where he developed and maintained a $50,000 wine cellar, and implemented the restaurant’s winemaker dinner program.
He brings 27 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, wine judging, distributor wholesale management, multi-state wine supplier management industries to Shannon Ridge.
“Shannon Ridge is quickly expanding into additional markets, and Chris’s experience in the wine industry will prove to be a great addition to the Shannon Ridge sales team,” explained John Girty, vice president of sales and marketing for Shannon Ridge. “We look forward to introducing the southeast region to the Shannon Ridge wines with Chris’s help.”
For further information, please visit www.shannonridge.com or call 998-9656.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
SACRAMENTO – The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources has approved a bill (SB 697) by North Coast State Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) to expand an existing requirement for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to use compost in the state's highway landscape maintenance program.
“Requiring CalTrans to buy and use California’s compost will help create new markets and expand existing ones,” Wiggins said in her testimony before the committee this afternoon. “This bill also assists the state in reducing the amount of waste being disposed of in landfills, and assists the state in meeting the diversion requirements established by the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
“Compost is an effective erosion control and it provides the same benefits as chemical products without the dangers of polluting,” she added.
If approved by the full Assembly and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senate Bill 697 will mark the first step toward assuring that the state is utilizing existing resources and is effectively recycling compost in an efficient and environmentally sound way.
In addition to erosion control, compost provides a savings of construction expenditures due to quicker vegetation establishment, a savings of future maintenance expenditures due to erosion avoidance, and the opportunity for Caltrans to be seen as a partner in the statewide waste reduction effort.
Compost is the product resulting from the controlled biological decomposition of organic material, and can improve soil quality and vegetation, provide erosion control, minimize storm water runoff, and conserve water.
The California Integrated Waste Management Board estimates that organic materials comprise 30% of disposed materials in landfills.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}