Viticulture briefs: Purple Wine + Spirits to move to Petaluma

Purple Wine + Spirits moving to Petaluma

Purple Wine + Spirits is moving its headquarters from Graton to Petaluma as owner Derek Benham wants to be closer to his other assets in Sonoma and Napa counties.

The move should be completed by mid-2019, Benham told the North Bay Business Journal. “I’ve been commuting from Piedmont to Graton for 20 years, and I’m so over it,” Benham said. “The commute is not like it used to be.”

The company intends to move into 13,000 square feet at the Foundry Wharf commercial complex that will be able to handle 80 employees.

Senators ask for import relief for wineries

U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, both California Democrats, have asked the Trump administration to not block wineries from using a program that allows them to recoup duties, taxes and fees on imported wines.

The duty drawback program allows wineries to recoup such costs only after they have exported domestic wines. The program has helped to produce a 200-percent increase in wine exports since 2001, the senators said.

The administration issued a proposed rule on Aug. 2 that would block wineries from using the program. The two were joined in their request by Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Washington Democrats.

“In retaliation for tariffs imposed by the administration, U.S. wine is now subject to a total tax and tariff rate of 79 percent in China, one of the fastest-growing markets for U.S. wine, putting our domestic producers at a severe disadvantage compared to foreign competitors,” the senators wrote in Friday letter to the administration.

Vintners building Windsor brewery

Vintners Jean-Charles Boisset, Clay Fritz and Dominic Foppoli on Nov. 28 broke ground on their new beer project, the Windsor Brewing Co.

The three are renovating the Old Redwood Brewing Co. in downtown Windsor to capitalize on expanding beer tourism in Windsor with the opening of the new Russian River Brewing Co. facility. It is slated to open in the spring.

Fritz, of Fritz Winery, and Foppoli, of Christopher Creek Winery, opened Old Redwood six years ago. They brought noted Napa vintner Boisset, owner of Buena Vista Winery of Sonoma and DeLoach Vineyards of Santa Rosa, into the project to bring more exposure and heft to the new operation.

“I think Russian River being there, we are thrilled. This is many ways why we are here,” Boisset said. “We always wanted to do something in Windsor. We just didn’t know exactly what it would be.”

Compiled by Bill Swindell