These days the stock market could drive one to drink. Even my wine psychiatrist, the eminent Dr. Sigmund Weinblutt, is seeing his analyst, and I don’t mean his financial analyst. That guy just cut his phone line.

Huneeus Vintners, owned by the Rutherford-based Huneeus family, has formed a partnership with Flowers Vineyards and Winery of the Sonoma coast. As a part of this agreement, the Huneeus Family has made an investment in Flowers.

The St. Helena Montessori Family Center’s Sun & Stars Auction & Gala is Feb. 7  5-11 p.m. at the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena.

After commemorating its 150th anniversary in 2008, Gundlach Bundschu Winery is looking to the future with the appointment of Keith Emerson as winemaker. Emerson is the director of winemaking for Vineyard 29 in St. Helena, consults for three other wineries and produces a proprietary cabernet sauvignon, Emerson Brown. A 1999 graduate of UC Davis, he served as Gundlach Bundschu associate winemaker from 2000 to 2004.

Four growers in Napa County have filled erosion control plans for more than 1,000 acres of new vineyards in Napa County’s Vaca Range between Rutherford and Circle Oaks — and another is preparing to file a plan to plant 300 to 400 more in the south part of the  range north of Jamieson Canyon Road.

Amid the high-end boutique wineries and corporate properties that seem to dominate the current North Bay winemaking scene, there are still some longtime family vintners who stand behind the names on their labels.

Wine brands can be mystifying, especially when the “regular” bottling of something is $5.99 and the “special selection” bottling of the same wine company is $7.99— and especially when the cheaper wine is actually better.