In a letter shared with the drinks business, Malia Cohen, California State Controller, has demanded an explanation from Napa County as to why it is attempting to withdraw the right to hold tastings from three local wineries. In November, db reported that three Napa wineries had filed a federal complaint against Napa County for “violating their civil rights” in being prevented from holding tastings on-site. Hoopes Vineyard (formerly Hopper Creek Winery), Summit Lake Vineyards and Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery say they are legally entitled to hold tastings and tours of their estates because they had permits in place long before a law was passed in 1990, designed to limit tourist numbers in Napa. Lindsay Hoopes, the owner of Hoopes Vineyard, says that Napa County is “taking away substantial property rights that we have invested in for decades”, which she claims “is a constitutional violation of the civil rights act.” Hoopes, a former legal prosecutor, also accused Napa County of “a pattern and practice of discriminating against specific classes of landowners and small business owners.” Napa County attorney Arthur Hartinger issued the following statement: “A use permit exemption does not allow for tours, tastings or consuming wine on the premises. The prior owner, called Hopper Creek winery, only possessed the use permit exemption and that is what Hoopes purchased.” Now Hoopes’ plight has been picked up by California State Controller, Malia Cohen, who is responsible for protecting the financial resources of the state of California. Controller Cohen independently audits government agencies
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
