Bernard Magrez, owner of approximately 40 properties worldwide, including Château Pape Clément in Pessac-Léognan and Château La Tour Carnet in Haut Médoc, has added three new Bordeaux chateaus to his portfolio of estates: Château Malleprat in Pessac-Léognan, Château Moulin d’Ulysse in Listrac-Médoc and Château Romer in Sauternes.
The first growth Château Latour has announced it will no longer sell wine en primeur—as a future—from the 2012 vintage onwards. According to Frédéric Engerer, president of the estate, the first wine, Chateau Latour, and the second wine, Les Forts de Latour, will be sold through négociants when the estate believes the wines are becoming ready to consume.
Kathryn Hall, owner and vintner of HALL Wines in Napa Valley, has announced that the first vintage of her new label, WALT Wines, will be released on May 1, 2012. WALT’s first release includes a 2010 Chardonnay and five varieties of 2010 Pinot Noirs. WALT’s fruit is sourced from Anderson Valley, Sonoma County, Sta. Rita Hills, as well as the Willamette Valley. The name, WALT, was chosen to honor Hall’s parents, Bob and Dolores Walt.
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, California, has appointed Scott Shirley winemaker. Shirley’s responsibilities will include overseeing all winemaking, cellar, laboratory and bulk-inventory operations. Shirley is a graduate of University of California, Davis, and previously held posts in Napa Valley at The Hess Collection and Opus One.
On April 16, Members of Connecticut’s General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee voted 39-11 in favor of the bill that would permit Connecticut stores to sell alcohol on Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm and on certain holidays. The bill is now being sent to the House of Representatives, and if passed, the law will be effective immediately. The state’s Office of Fiscal Analysis projected that the bill could yield an additional $5.3 million per year in state revenue.