Viticulture briefs: Beck promoted to CEO at Coppola

Family Coppola appoints?Beck to be new CEO

Corey Beck has been appointed CEO for The Family Coppola, Francis Ford and Eleanor Coppola’s business empire that ranges from wineries to restaurants to cinema efforts.

Beck had been serving as president and director of winemaking for its wineries, which include Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Virginia Dare Winery in Geyserville.

“Corey has been an integral part of this company since joining nearly ?20 years ago,” said Francis Ford Coppola in a statement. “His passion for winemaking and dedication to the staff are unmatched and I’m proud to appoint him as CEO.”

Beck will oversee both wineries and the newly launched Great Women Spirits as well as Café Zoetrope in San Francisco, but not the The Family Hideaways, its resorts business operating in four foreign countries. Steve Spadarotto had previously served in the top spot.

Beck joined the company ?20 years ago as assistant winemaker. He has previously served as president of the Sonoma County Vintners trade group.

Theorem Vineyards acquires Dry Creek vineyards

Theorem Vineyards of Calistoga has acquired a 23-acre vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley wine region.

The vineyard, located at ?636 Dry Creek Road, features sauvignon blanc and chardonnay grapes. Theorem plans to use the fruit to expand its white wine programs, according to a press release.

The seller of the property was not named, though the land had been with the seller’s family since 1946. The property sold for $2.5 million, according to Redfin, a real estate data website.

Michael Crain Properties of Sonoma negotiated the purchase for Theorem.

State to release preliminary grape crush report Friday

The state Department of Food and Agriculture will release the preliminary grape crush report for the 2017 harvest on Friday at noon.

The report will detail how much October’s wildfires affected the North Coast grape harvest. Vintners have estimated that at least 85 to 90 percent of the crop had been picked by the time of the blazes, though various red varietals were on the vine at the time of the fires.

The 2016 crop totaled a record-breaking $1.5 billion as grape prices have continued to increase over the last decade in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties. The department reported that 503,965 tons were picked in the four-county region in 2016.

Compiled by Bill Swindell. Submit items to bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com.