The historic Triple S Ranch outside Calistoga has reopened after an extensive renovation.

The steakhouse still offers a full bar and steak plus prime rib on Saturday and Sunday. New are Southern specialties like fried chicken, fried catfish and side dishes.

Michael Ohayon bought the Triple S more than two years ago, but it took a while to meet all the county requirements to reopen.

The rustic cabins are also available for $95 per night, and Ohayon will be upgrading them.

For more information, call 942-6730.

Triple S is at 4600 Mountain Home Ranch Road.

   

Caffe Cicero closed

Just a week after it was learned that Stave Wine Bar was closing, Caffe Cicero closed abruptly. They were a block apart on Main Street in downtown Napa.

Other restaurants that have closed in downtown Napa in the last year include the Lobster Shack (former Depot), n.v., Pilar, and La Gondola.

On the other hand, La Toque and Bank at the Westin, the Oxbow Public Market complex and Elements have opened, while Azzurro has upgraded and an Indian restaurant will soon be next door to it. And Taqueria Rosita has expanded.

       

Discover culinary stars at the CIA

With the relatively new granting of degrees at the culinary institute, students are now working in the kitchen and serving at the CIA restaurant at Greystone.

They rotate through positions for almost three months alongside the restaurant's professional staff.

   

Acme Fine Wines offers tastings

Acme Fine Wines in St. Helena is starting periodic tastings of interesting wines. They call the events “The Pulse: Keeping Your Finger on the Pulse of What’s Hot in Napa Valley and Around The World.”

Acme Fine Wines is at 1080 Fulton Ave. in St. Helena.

For more information, call 888 963-0440.

   

Union Bank adds wine unit in St. Helena

Union Bank of California has opened a wine-industry services office in St. Helena to increase support for wine and wine-related industries.

The new office is at 899 Adams St., and daily operations are managed by senior relationship manager James A. Barrett who joined the bank in May.

Senior vice president Peter D. Sitov heads the bank’s wine industry services team.

   

Martini marks 75 years

The Martini family is celebrating 75 years of winemaking at the Louis M. Martini Winery this year.

Though the winery was bought by Gallo, third-generation winemaker Michael Martini remains active.

   

Rocca names Colantuoni winemaker

Rocca Family Vineyards has hired Paul Colantuoni as consulting winemaker. He succeeds Celia Masyczek.

Colantuoni has worked at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, and Brancaia in Maremma on the Mediterranean coast of Tuscany as well as at Robert Mondavi Winery and Neyers Vineyards here.

He consults for Constant-Diamond Mountain Vineyard in Calistoga and Alanté Vineyard in St. Helena.

   

Wine Market Council conference

The Wine Market Council’s fourth annual research conference, “The U.S. Wine Consumer: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Trends,” will be held in Napa, Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to noon at the Copia theater in Napa.

The Wine Market Council is a nonprofit trade association representing all tiers of the wine industry that conducts annual studies of wine consumers.

E-mail news to paul@napalife.com