Santa Rosa wine wholesaler buys trucking firm

Epic Wines buys trucking company

Epic Wines & Spirits, the Santa Rosa premium California wholesaler owned by vintner Bill Foley, has acquired Pacific Wine Distributors, a trucking company in Irwindale. The company will be renamed Convoy Beverage Alliance.

The new company - which will operate as an independent division of Epic Wines & Spirits - brings more than 100 clients, including alcohol wholesalers, independent producers, retailers and importers. The deal also includes 45 delivery trucks, allowing Epic Wines & Spirits to expand its distribution throughout the state.

Grape growers start climate program

Sonoma County Winegrowers trade group has a new effort targeting climate change in partnership with the California Land Stewardship Institute.

The Napa institute will work with local grape growers to create a certification program signifying reduction of greenhouse gases.

The effort will focus on proven scientific methods around carbon sequestration that will also allow local farmers to improve the soil of their vineyards. The reduction of greenhouse gases will be documented under the program.

The effort follows a recent drive by the group to have virtually all of the county vineyards certified as sustainable.

Kivelstadt Cellars to open Sonoma spot

Kivelstadt Cellars will open a new Sonoma location in April at the former spot that housed the Schellville Grill near the intersection of Highways 12 and 121.

The Kivelstadt Cellars Wine Garden & Eatery will feature dishes by chef Matt Tucker, who has worked at other wineries, including those under the Pangloss Cellars umbrella that include Pangloss, Texture and Repris at 25.

Owner Jordan Kivelstadt founded Kivelstadt Cellars in 2007, and the winery has grown to an annual production of about 5,000 cases. Kivelstadt also has pioneered the movement toward alternative packaging through both wine-on-tap and canned wine, including refillable wine growlers.

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