Calplans built "from the dirt up" 740 acres of the total 800 plus acres in Sonoma and Napa vineyards it farms today. The three Calplans Premium Vineyards are in an area of Napa known as Wooden Valley. Together with our Chiles Valley Vineyard, these partnerships constituted the largest independent grower for the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa County for many years.  Today the grapes go to the 12 wineries indicated on our Napa Property Map. Napa County:   The day-to-day farming of three of our Napa (Wooden Valley)  vineyards is under the direction of John Rauck, General Manager of Calplans Vineyards, and Jesus Rios, Napa County Vineyard Manager.  At harvest time, we employ up to 250 people to bring the grapes to the dozen wineries during the critical period in which they are at the optimum sugar and acid levels. Our vineyard in Chiles Valley (smaller, just east and parallel to Napa Valley proper) is managed by our partner Don Groth and on-site manager Jesus Rios. Sonoma County:  For the past 32 years, Calplans' Sonoma vineyards have been in the capable hands of Jesus Lopez, a key employee of Calplans. "Jesse" Lopez has received lavish and well-deserved praise from appreciative wineries for the meticulous care he has taken of our Sonoma vineyards and the efficiency with which he managed to conduct the harvest.  Tragically, we lost Jesse to cancer in 2007.  His legacy with our vineyards continues in the capable hands of his brothers, son and other employees that he has nurtured and trained over his many years with us.   Our Sonoma vineyards comprised Korbel's largest source of Chardonnay for over a decade and then Kendall Jackson for years. We now sell chiefly to Jordan, Buehler, Honig, William Grant, White Oak and numerous other wineries.   White Oak Winery.  Since its inception in 1981, White Oak labored in rented quarters on a backstreet in Healdsburg. Nonetheless, it won over 200 awards in major wine competitions, optioned a 16-acre planted parcel in Alexander Valley, and completed the plans for a 25,000 case facility.  But capital to move forward was lacking. Fortunately, Dave Jefferson met the White Oak founder, Bill Myers, in July 1995; over the next two years, Burdell vineyards sold grapes to White Oak and studied the potential for a continuing partnership.  In April 1997, Burdell provided $2,000,000 of debt and equity financing and acquired a 60% interest in White Oak. It was a very "friendly takeover," with Don Groth becoming the White Oak Chief Financial Officer. The new winery was completed in early 1999, and plans to sell as much as 50% of its total production through the tasting room door. Having retail customers visit the property helps to bond them to White Oak, and has the additional benefit of superior profit margins than wholesale wine sales to distributors. Marin County:  While Calplans Vineyards, a division of Burdell Properties, has operated winegrape vineyards in Sonoma and Napa Counties since 1972, its corporate headquarters are located in Marin County, halfway to the Wine Country from San Francisco.  A Calplans vineyard limited partnership in 1980 exchanged its appreciated equity into a 50% undivided interest into the former 1,200-acre Burdell Ranch, just north of Novato, California. Approximately 40% of the ranch was sold for development in 1989 to the Buck Center for Research in Aging for its campus headquarters, and 50% was sold in 1993 to the state of California for eventual wetlands reclamation. The last 24 acres were approved as a wetlands mitigation bank (adjacent to the Gnoss Field Airport) in 2000, and that project continues today. Texas:   While a majority of our efforts are in agriculture, we have a long history and extensive investments in commercial real estate.  We have joint ventured the acquisition and management of shopping centers and industrial land in Texas since 1982. Our San Antonio partner is Richard L. Wade, owner of a large general contracting business, Wade Construction, and Wade Interests, property management and leasing services. At present, we and our investors own seven retail centers, four development land parcels, and a bank building in San Antonio and Austin.  (See the Central Texas Property Map.)   In Marin County, California, with Tony Georges, we co-manage the last few acres of the Burdell Ranch in the Novato area as a wetlands mitigation bank.