BONNY DOON TO LAY OFF 1/3 OF EMPLOYEES

After selling two of its most popular brands, Big House and Cardinal Zin, to the Wine Group’s Underdog Wine Merchants, Bonny Doon Vineyard expects to lay off almost 1/3 of its 75 workers. The company’s production is expected to drop from a little over 400,000 cases down to roughly 160,000 cases – 40,000 for the Bonny Doon Vineyard group remaining in Santa Cruz and 120,000 cases from the Pacific Rim Wines group, which is moving its business to Portland. Several employees have been offered to relocate to Portland or take different positions in Santa Cruz.

The company estimates that close to 23 or 24 employees will be asked to leave from mid August to late October, late December and February.