On October 18 in Napa Valley four wineries are joining forces for a day of harvest-themed open houses. Visitors can visit Judd's Hill winery, Salvestrin Estate Wines, Schweiger Vineyards and Titus Vineyards in any order between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. At Judd's Hill Winery visitors will have the opportunity to sample different "press-cuts" from the 2008 harvest, tasting samples ranging from "free run" juice all the way to "heavy press," to experience the difference a little pressure can make. At Salvestrin, visitors can enjoy an educational barrel tasting of Salvestrin Estate Wines and taste Salvestrin's current release wines paired with cheeses. The Schweiger family offers a vineyard tour, winemaking discussions and homemade food pairings with the wines. At Titus Vineyards, wich is usually closed to the public, guests can go on a guided walk through the estate vineyard along the Silverado Trail and the winery will be offering food fresh from the grill.

Visitors will have the opportunity to buy one-time-only mixed cases of wines from the four small producers. The Cab Lovers mixed case contains three bottles each of 2004 Judd's Hill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Salvestrin Winery Estate St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Schweiger Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and sells for $465 while the Hidden Gems mixed case contains three bottles each of 2005 Judd's Hill Winery Old Vine Zinfandel, 2005 Salvestrin Winery Napa Valley Retaggio, 2004 Schweiger Vineyards Merlot and 2006 Titus Napa Valley Petite Sirah and sells for $349.

If you are looking to sell the family winery you might want to think about doing it soon. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports that a recent study indicates that between 500 and 1,000 family-owned wineries in California, Oregon and Washington could be sold in the coming years. The major reasons for this mass sell-off is that the next generation is either unwilling or unprepared to take the reins from their winemaking parents.

Financier Bill Price, a vineyard owner and co-founder of Texas Pacific Group ttold a wine conference in Santa Rosa on Wednesday that if they want to sell they should do it soon. He cited a study conducted by Silicon Valley Bank which showed that 88 percent of wineries in the United States were founded after 1975. Over half of those surveyed, 51 percent, were planning to transition ownership of their business in the next ten years but 45 percent of those said they don't have any one willing to take over. This function of our Baby Boomer culture could lead to a a cycle in which early sellers will get premium prices but those sellers in the heart of the cycle when everyone is selling will have trouble getting their top price and may have to wait until the end of the cycle when the supply plummets and prices start to rise again.

If Napa Valley is out of your price range for your winery owning dream you might want to consider Michigan. Right now you have three prime opportunities on Michigan's desirable Leelanau Peninsula and all three are listed for far less than you might expect to spend in Napa.

Bel Lago is a boutique winery with 90 acres, of which more than 30 are planted. The winery produces around 5,000 cases a year and has won several awards. It is priced at $3.95 million.

Chateau de Leelanau, which is to be auctioned off on September 30, is 102 acres total. The winery bottled its first vintage in 1999 and 27 acres are planted with another 30 cleared for planting. It produces about 4,800 cases and winemaking is provided by an off-site consultant. The suggested starting bid is $3.5 million.

The most modest of the three is Willow Vineyard. It has just 12 acres (7.5 of which are planted with grapes), a house, tasting room and winery and produces 1,200 cases per year. It is listed at $2.35 million.

This is the first time that a winery in the region will be sold publicly and so many are eagerly watching what will happen in order to see just how hot Midwest wineries are.

It can be hard for small-production wineries in Napa to get off the ground. Wines and Vines reports on a new development that could help a select few. Tony Cartlidge and John Hawkins have announced plans to create a village of limited-production wineries for lease. Les Garagistes Napa will be home to 12 individual wineries, ranging in size from 3,500 to 6,500 square feet in four buildings surrounding a large courtyard. The spaces will small wineries a chance to have a tasting room and sales and the site will also be adjacent to a large winery that will offer barrel and case goods storage as well as a lab and bottling facility. No newbies wanted though, the founders caution that they are looking for established strong brands. It should be a benefit to consumers too, offering a chance to taste the work of 12 different winemakers in one space. The project is set to open in August 2009.

New York has a network of wine trails but it isn't the only eastern state to have wineries. Connecticut now has a a wine trail, actually two trails, an Eastern Trail along the Connecticut shoreline and a Western Trail along the Connecticut highlands. Wines grown in Connecticut include Chardonnays, Cabernet Francs, dry Rieslings and Seval Blanc as well as late harvest Vidal and Vignoles and sparkling wines and cider. All of the wineries on the trail have tasting rooms where reservations are not needed. A brochure on the wineries can be downloaded from the Connecticut Wine Trail website.

[via The Stamford Times]

I've covered the screwcap versus cork debate on this blog a number of times (yes, there are other closures but in the end it really does come down to these main two). In my thoughts on natural cork, I've wondered about cork taint, pondered the implicit romantic nature and the history of the cork and made my peace with the fact that some damn fine wines can come out of a screwcap bottle.

There is one thing I didn't consider which I realized during the Unified Grape & Wine Symposium panel on Closures which is that I might not even be able to recognize cork taint in small percentages and that in some cases it might not be such a big deal. Knowing that 2 to 5% of bottles get hit with a bit of TCA (the stuff that causes the musty, moldiness known as cork taint) averages would indicated that I have opened many tainted bottles. And yet I can only remember a few cases in which I was certain the wine was corked. I think I know what cork taint is but I may actually have no idea at all.

If you've ever dreamed of owning a winery you probably imagined wandering the vineyards, carefully blending your wines and showing off your wares in your elegant tasting room. But there are many, many steps from grape to glass as those who attended the Unified WIne & Grape Symposium know all too well. As a devoted amateur consumer, I feared that seeing just how much goes into winemaking might spoil the romance of it for me. Instead, it has deepened my respect for those who are devoted to the wine business. Not just the wineries and the growers but the bottle makers, coopers, label makers, farm equipment salespeople and all the others who indirectly have a part in that lovely bottle that sits on your table. After the jump, a quick spin through the exhibit hall to see the types of businesses that were there to sell to the wineries.

Tours through wine country don't need to be a decadent limo tour through the wineries (although that's nice too). A California-based tour company offers wine hikes that tour through some of California's most beautiful spots. A tour that winds up at the Testarossa winery includes a six-mile hike with a 1300 foot elevation gain. The hike takes you along the trails of the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, reaching a ridge top at 2,628 feet with views over the Santa Clara Valley. The hike includes a buffet lunch with wine service at the old Novitiate Winery, where Testarossa Vineyards is located. The tour includes trail snacks, bottled water, tasting fees, gourmet lunch served at the winery, transportation, and guided hike. The hike costs $160.