The Round Up

Genagricola, Italy’s largest agricultural company, said on Tuesday that it had bought Costa Arènte, an 86-acre estate with 42 acres of vineyard in the Valpantena near Verona. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The vineyard produces grapes for Valpolicella, Ripasso and Amarone. The vintages soon to be released onto the market are the 2016 for the Valpolicella; 2015 for the Ripasso; and 2013 for the Amarone. Treasury Wine Estates Plans To Boost Premium Winemaking Treasury Wine Estates Americas Co. wants to move its wine production from Chateau St. Jean in Sonoma County to Beringer’s plant in St. Helena. It also plans to transfer production of all but the top-end labels from Beaulieu Vineyard’s winery in Rutherford to the St. Helena facility, according to Wine Business. “We are doing this because in order for our business to be competitive in the wine industry, we need to reinvest in this aging winery and we need to focus our efforts on luxury high-end winemaking,” Eric Gilliland, general manager at Beringer, told the St. Helena City Council in June, Wine Business reported. Area residents residents have complained at public hearings of more traffic congestion, noise and increased water usage. Citizens for Responsible Winery Growth in St. Helena have filed a complaint in Napa County Superior Court that an environmental review should have been conducted and they want to city to set aside its approval of the project. Dry Creek Vineyard Celebrates 45 Years Of Family Winemaking It was 45 years ago this month that Dry Creek Vineyard founder David Stare received permits to build the first new winery in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, following Prohibition. Dry Creek Vineyard, which has 185 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards, paved the way for a renaissance of winemaking and viticulture in the Dry Creek Valley. Kim Stare Wallace, president of Dry Creek, said that “competition is at an all-time high in our industry” and she continues to lead her father’s company with a “no compromises” philosophy producing appellation-focused, terroir-driven, varietal-defining wines.