Viticulture briefs: Murphy-Goode Winery of Santa Rosa and St. Florian’s Brewery of Windsor team up

Local winery and brewery collaborate

Murphy-Goode Winery of Santa Rosa and St. Florian’s Brewery of Windsor have teamed to work on wine and beer products.

Winemaker David Ready Jr. and brewmaster Aron Lewis worked together on the yearlong project, incorporating ingredients and fermentation techniques from their respective industries into the new drinks.

Murphy-Goode produced a dry-hopped sauvignon blanc that features Citra hops, which have become an increasingly popular ingredient in local craft beers.

Meanwhile, St. Florian made a barrel-aged lager that matured in Murphy-Goode’s sauvignon blanc barrels.

Both products are available now at local retailers, such as Bottle Barn and Oliver’s Markets.

Winery hires former Mondavi winemaker

Joe Harden, a former professional basketball player, has been appointed winemaker at Napa-based Nickel & Nickel winery, primarily known for its single- vineyard cabernet sauvignon wines.

Harden will oversee the winery’s product of its flagship varietal as well as its chardonnay, merlot and syrah sourced from Napa Valley vineyards. The winery was founded in 1997.

He previously worked at Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, where he was the winemaker for Bordeaux varietals and oversaw production of its To Kalon cabernet sauvignon wines.

A graduate of the UC Davis’ viticulture and enology program, the 6-foot-7-inch Harden played pro basketball for minor-league teams in the United States and Australia before going into the wine industry.

Wine financial symposium slated in Napa

The Wine Financial Symposium will be held at the Napa Valley Marriott on Sept. 25 and 26.

The event will feature speakers such as Claudia Vecchio, president and chief executive officer of Sonoma County Tourism; Tom Steffanci, president of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits in Stamford, Connecticut; and Robert Foye, chief operating officer and president of Treasury Wine Estates’ Americas operations.

Panel discussions will cover topics such as assessing the 2017 wildfire impact on the North Coast economy; succession planning; and recent tariffs and trade wars.

For more information, visit the website wineindustryfinancial.com.

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