Weyrich loses Villa Toscana, wineries and vineyards to lender at auction

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• Bob’s Big Boy has left town

  Bob’s Big Boy has left town

  After opening to much fanfare two years ago, Bob’s Big Boy at 850 Quintana Road in Morro Bay served its final customer last week.

  The building that formerly housed the nostalgic diner is now an empty shell, stripped of much of its restaurant equipment, including the dining room tables and booths. Even Bob himself, the famous cartoon-like statue in front of the building, is gone.

  Faced with mounting debt and a dwindling customer base, franchise owner Joshan Balwinder was forced to close the doors to his restaurant Sept. 15.

• SLO law firm closes third winery sale

  SLO law firm closes third winery sale

  San Luis Obispo law firm Andre, Morris & Buttery recently concluded its third winery sale contract with the sale of Landmark Winery to Sonoma Valley winery Overlook Vineyards.

  The firm has now executed more than $100 million in winery sale contracts.

  According to an article published in Wine Spectator earlier this month, Roll Global, which also owns Fiji Water, acquired Landmark Vineyards for an undisclosed sum.

• Wine Notes: Cold spring helps pinot crop after recent rain

  Wine Notes: Cold spring helps pinot crop after recent rain

  Ironically, poor weather in the spring is helping protect Laetitia Vineyard & Winery’s pinot noir crop as it faces this late harvest and recent rain.

  April frosts caused a condition known as “shatter,” as grape buds were destroyed by the freeze.

  But that led to looser clusters on the pinot noir vines, said Lino Bozzano, vice president of vineyard operations for Laetitia, located south of Arroyo Grande.

• Reworking Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles

  Reworking Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles

  A longtime member of the Paso Robles wine community, Norman Vineyards, plans to sell its 40-acre property west of Paso Robles, including the winery it has operated for nearly 20 years.

  Meanwhile, its general manager and winemaker, Steve Felten, is planning to consult while he launches his own label.

  With 23 acres of vineyards and 5,000 square feet of winery and tasting room space, Jim Norman, the founders' son, said the property is listed at about $3.8 million. Already it has garnered serious interest.

• Wine history tale unfolds at Twilight

  Wine history tale unfolds at Twilight

  Twilight Cellars will celebrate a landmark in its history Saturday at La Bellasera Hotel & Suites in Paso Robles.

  Richard and Aurora Gumerman have owned the remote winery for six years. But it was 50 years ago, they say, that winemaking pioneer Stanley Hoffman purchased the property to plant vineyards, eventually gaining international attention for commercial winemaking in the region.

  “It was pretty much left to rot before we got here,” Richard Gumerman said. “Every year, we use what little money is left and fix something else on the aging ranch.”