GRAND MET'S HEUBLEIN TO CLOSE ALMADINE WINERY
<Grand Metropolitan PLC>'s
Heublein Inc subsidiary said it will phase out operations at
Almaden's San Jose winery and transfer production of the wines
to the company's Madera, Calif., winery.
    Heublein said the move will increase the Madera winery's
efficiency by bringing it close to full capacity and result in
the addition of more than 150 employees there.
    Heublein said the phase-out of the recently acquired
Almaden operations in San Jose is expected to be completed by
late summer. The San Jose winery is expected to be sold, it
added.
    Heublein also said Almaden wines will continue to be
marketed and sold by a separate marketing and sales force.
    Almaden's administrative functions will move to Heublein's
headquarters in Farmington, Conn., the company said.
 Reuter
