With all of the mergers and changes of ownership, it's hard to keep track of who owns what winery in California. While it may no longer qualify as "news," 2006 saw a flurry of notable acquisitions of historic estates. Francis Coppola took over Chateau Souverein in Sonoma and renamed it Francis Coppola Family wines.

Michael Mondavi purchased Carneros Creek Winery from the Mahoney family. The winery is now the home for I’M, Oberon, and Hangtime wines, while Francis Mahoney retains the Mahoney Vineyards and Fleur de California Brands, which continue to be produced at the winery.

And Jess Jackson and family purchased Napa Valley's Freemark Abbey Winery, Sonoma Valley's Arrowood Vineyards & Winery, and Santa Maria's Byron Winery in a bankruptcy sale.

Fun Facts from Sonoma County Grape Growers Association

 Sonoma County: 52 miles wide, 47 miles long, 190 wineries

 

Sonoma County Total Acreage: 1,050,000

 

Grape Acres in 2000: 55,877

 

Grape Value: $390 million, 67% of Ag total.

 

Leading acreage:

Chard: 16,100

SB: 2,100

Other: 1,600

 

CS: 11,000

Merlot: 7,600

PN: 8,600

Zin: 5,100

Others: 3,800

 

Sonoma County population:

1970: 204,000

2000: 450,000

Sonoma County grape acres:

1970: 12,600

2000: 55,877

Sonoma County had 23,500 acres of grapes in 1893.

 

Single acre Sonoma County Vineyard Averages:

5 tons of grapes or 10,000 lbs.

13.5 barrels of wine or 7,552 oz

797 gallons of wine at 128 oz.

3985 bottles of wine

 

One barrel of wine contains:

740 pounds of grapes

59 gallons

24.6 cases of wine

 

One case of wine contains:

30 lbs of grapes

307 oz. Of wine

12 bottles

 

One bottle of wine contains:

2.4 pounds of grapes