There, in the Dundee Hills of the northern Willamette Valley, they founded Domaine Serene. Today, they own thee vineyard estates totaling 462 acres, and have planted approximately one-third of the land to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

     Growing Pinot Noir is one thing. Making great Pinot Noir wine is...

     But its modern history really began in 1979 when Zelma Long became the winemaker and set the course for bringing the estate and cellar into the 20th century.

     Simi's knack for attracting talented vintners continued when Frenchman Michel Rolland accepted a consulting role, when New Zealand wine star Nick Goldschmidt succeeded Long, and...

     'We were captivated by the genuine quality of life in Montemaggiore, a small mountain village in southern Italy," says Lise, who is the family's winemaker. "Organically grown food and hand-crafted products are everywhere."

     That experience provided the inspiration for developing their own Montemaggiore on a...

     They liked nothing more than to discover wonderful bottlings together, particularly during visits to winery tasting rooms.

     "In 1993, after years of wine tasting and buying, we decided to experience the winemaking process for ourselves," Therese tells us. "As it turns out, our 17 acres at the southern tip of the...

     Re-built from the ground up after the original facility suffered a fire in 2006, the winery is designed to produce one wine only, the Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

     Its first grapes were...

     Visitors to the new winery will witness history in the making as the next two phases of construction near completion: a state-of-the-art culinary center which is expected to be completed next spring, and a new hospitality facility which will replace the current tasting room, slated to open in the fall of 2009.

     A live webcam has been installed, so visitors to the Trinchero Web site can get a...

     Beginning in January, the winery now known as Montevina will be re-christened Terra d'Oro Winery.

     The name change punctuates the winery's efforts to preserve and enhance its reserve single-vineyard program, featuring expressive, handcrafted Zinfandels from...

     "The process that just ended did not result in the outcome we or Mr. Reybier desired," said Jim Barrett, Managing General Partner. "However, we find ourselves energized by the enthusiasm and vision expressed by all the parties who bid for ownership of...

     Founded in 1972 by Charlie and Lorna Wagner and their son Chuck, Caymus made a handful of varieties in its early years, but soon began concentrating exclusively on Cabernet.

     It was a wise move, considering the location of the estate vineyard - in Napa's acclaimed Rutherford district - and the intensely flavored Cabernet clone planted. The clone was acquired from...

     The Seghesio winemaking story began in 1886 when Edoardo Seghesio left behind his family's vineyards in Piedmonte, Italy, seeking a better way of life in America.

     Edoardo had heard about the Italian Swiss Colony in northern California, and decided that would be his initial destination. The Colony offered immigrants room and...