Crush and tasting

in Oak Knoll

Silenus Vintners, a collection of artisan winemakers, has opened a new tasting room at its custom crush facility in the Oak Knoll appellation.

The site was formerly Newlan-Koves Vineyards. The vintners at the location include: Ahnfeldt, Bialla, Brookdale, Ilsley, Juslyn Vineyards, MacLean Wines, B Cellars, Modus Operandi, Due Vigne, Ramian, Renard Winery and Robert Williamson Family Estates.

Robert Willamson is owner of Silenus Vintners and Robert Williamson Family Wines.

Scott Turnnidge, previously of Napa Wine Company, is the tasting room manager.

The new tasting room at 5225 Solano Ave., near Oak Knoll Avenue, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only. Call 299-3930 for information.

Amicus and X

tasting room

Amicus and X Winery have opened a new tasting room at 1405 Second St. in downtown Napa. It's open only by appointment. Call 204-9522.

Ladera's Halloween

ghost tours

Ladera Vineyards is conducting Halloween-inspired twilight Ghost Tours at its historic "Ghost Winery" throughout the month of October. Ghost Tours are available by appointment only. The tours begin at dusk and end at dark. The cost is $50 per person. For reservations call Ladera Vineyards at 965-2445.

Tierra Roja

offers first wines

Linda Neal's Tierra Roja vineyards lies above the intersection of the Silverado Trail and Oakville Cross Road at one of the most famed locales in the valley.

The red soil (Tierra Roja) of it and nearby vineyards such as Phelps Bacchus, Rudd, Gargiulo and Screaming Eagle is considered ideal for red wines. The first Tierra Roja Cabernet Sauvignon is now available for sale. It's the 2004, which costs $105.

Get more information at www.tierraroja.com or call 944-8720.

'Spectacular

Wineries'

Panache Partners has published a new book, "Spectacular Wineries of Napa Valley," an attractive coffee-table book that includes about 40 local wineries. The publishers presented a check for $7,000 to Clinic Olé as part of their introduction at a party at Kathryn and Craig Hall's Rutherford winery.

A new way to

get to Napa

There's a new way for tourists to get to get to Napa Valley and visit wineries (or stay overnight). The Napa Winery Shuttle will pick them up after a ride on the ferry from San Francisco to Vallejo, then visit wineries with a possible stop downtown.

They can also arrange to stay overnight and be returned the next day. The cost is $65 plus the ferry trip (now $12.50, half price for those over 65). Get details at 257-1950 or www.wineshuttle.com.

Calistoga introduces

organic fruit sodas

Calistoga Water Co. is re-introducing flavored, sweetened bubbly waters, now organic and with natural fruit juice. They come in cranberry apple, lemonade, peach passion and black cherry. Like most Calistoga products, these sodas are sold primarily within 300 miles of Calistoga.

Winner grills

better burger

Karen Bernards from McMinnville, Ore., won $50,000 for her Sweet-Hot Thai Burgers at the 17th Annual Sutter Home Build a Better Burger National Recipe Contest and Cook-Off.

Ten finalists from around the country -- but not California -- competed. They were chosen from about 8,000 entries this year. As for the lack of locals, California prohibits wine and spirits companies from offering more than one cent as an incentive for any promotion relating to their product. The only other state where that's true is Utah.

Send news to paul@napalife.com.