Federal appeals court reverses dismissal of some claims against Napa County in Hoopes Vineyard case
By EDWARD BOOTH | pressdemocrat.com | PUBLISHED: April 14, 2026 | A federal lawsuit filed by Hoopes Vineyard and two other small wineries challenging Napa County land use rules is back on, after an appeals court this week reversed an earlier dismissal of some claims from the…
Judge revives federal lawsuit against Napa County by three wineries
by Barry Eberling, Napa Valley Register, April 15, 2026 | A federal appeals court’s three-judge panel ruled that much of a lawsuit filed against Napa County by Hoopes Vineyard, Smith-Madrone Winery and Summit Lake Vineyards over county winery regulations can…
The Wine Makers – Lyndsay Hoopes, Hoopes Vineyard
Lyndsay Hoopes has a lot on her plate—and it’s not just wine. Napa County has hit Hoopes Vineyard with a public nuisance complaint over everything from tastings and visitation to a small animal sanctuary on the property. Now, they’re demanding…
Napa’s Ag Preserve Law at Risk
One of Napa’s most contentious laws could come under the microscope after a successful Michigan lawsuit. W. Blake Gray | Wine-Searcher | The modern history of Napa County revolves around its agricultural preserve law, which local voters approved in 1968. It’s intended…
Close to Home: Napa County government is squeezing vineyards
The single most damaging force to the future of small Napa wineries isn’t a foreign tariff. It’s Napa County government. LINDSAY HOOPES, HEATHER BRAKESMAN-GRIFFIN AND STUART SMITH | The Press Democrat The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are…
Podcast 698 – “Save Our Small Farms” Stuart Smith, Lindsay Hoopes & Heather Griffin, Napa Valley
Ray Fister | Life Between the Vines | I recently had an opportunity to sit down with three Napa Valley vintners to discuss several law suits which have been in the news. Lindsay Hoopes founded her winery in Yountville in…
Federal judge puts Hoopes Vineyard lawsuit on hold amid ongoing Napa County dispute
A federal judge has paused a lawsuit by Hoopes Vineyard and two other wineries challenging Napa County’s land use rules, saying it can’t proceed while a related case is still active in state court.
Napa Needs a New Kind of Governance
BY ALDER YARROW | VINOGRAPHY | Napa County has been biting the hand that feeds it for a long time. But now it seems intent upon dismembering the body itself. Under increased industry scrutiny and in the face of ongoing legal…
“This Aggression Will Not Stand, Man”: Napa Wineries Challenge Regulatory Overreach in Federal Court
By Joe Campbell | Wine Bulletin | In the heart of Napa Valley, a significant legal battle is underway as three family-owned wineries—Hoopes Vineyard, Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery, and Smith-Madrone Winery—take on Napa County in federal court. This confrontation echoes…
She Was Mentored by Kamala Harris. Now She’s Running a Winery.
Lindsay Hoopes began her law career as an assistant district attorney in San Francisco, but now she’s tackling winemaking in Napa by Marisa Churchill | Oct 30, 2024, 12:15pm PDT | SF Eater | Hoopes Vineyard, located in Napa Valley, is just one of those…
Napa’s Wineries Battle Local Restrictions
In the heart of California Wine Country, rigid local rules are choking small businesses and stifling growth | C. JARRETT DIETERLE | Reason.com | In 1976, at the now-famous Judgment of Paris, California wines took top prize over the French wines in…
Letter: Is the county wine database haunted?
By Giovana Godoy | Napa Valley Register | September 21, 2024 | As a frequent visitor to Napa Valley, I follow developments with interest. As I’ve been watching from afar, I’ve been wondering if Napa County’s offices are haunted. As…
Napa Winemakers Battle County Over Regulatory Overreach
Published by Vinetur Napa Valley Wineries Take Legal Action Against County Over Regulatory Disputes In a significant development for Napa Valley’s wine industry, three local wineries—Summit Lake Vineyards, Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery, and Hoopes Vineyard—filed a joint lawsuit in federal…
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
By Tim Fish | Wine Spectator | Sep 6, 2024 | Growing grievances against increasing local regulations on tasting room visits, construction and more come to a head Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit against Napa County in federal court…
Three Wineries Sue Napa County Over Alleged Constitutional Rights Violations
By PETE O’CONNELL | VinePair | Sep 6, 2024 | The mounting tension in the Napa County wine world has reached a boiling point. On Thursday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that three Napa Valley wineries are suing Napa County over alleged overregulation….
Two court cases focus on Napa County winery rules
By Barry Eberling | Napa Valley Register | Sep 6, 2024 | Napa County winery clashes in local and federal courts this past week raised the same question — are the rules legitimate attempts to protect agriculture from over-commercialization or illegal business-busters? One…
Three Napa wineries sue Napa County in federal court
By Kerana Todorov | Wine Business | Sep 6, 2024 | Complaint alleges widespread violations of constitutional rights After years of their concerns falling on deaf ears, three Napa wineries have joined forces to sue Napa County in federal court to address…
Napa Wineries Take County to Court
By W. Blake Gray | Wine Searcher | Sep 6, 2024 | Three wineries have come together to sue Napa County in federal court over where they can grow grapes. Since 1990, Napa County has required local wineries to use at…
Napa Valley vintners take battle over Napa County permitting to federal court
By JEFF QUACKENBUSH | Press Democrat | Sep 5, 2024 | Three Napa Valley wineries claim Napa County is violating their constitutional rights involving free speech, due process and economic protectionism. Even while Lindsay Hoopes’ two-year legal battle with Napa County…
Wineries sue Napa County over alleged constitutional rights violations
By Jess Lander, Wine reporter | San Francisco Chronicle | Sep 5, 2024 | Napa County’s longtime battle with small wineries is intensifying. Three Napa Valley wineries are suing the County in federal court over alleged overregulation, accusing the government body…
Federal lawsuit filed challenging Napa’s winery visitation restrictions
By Barry Eberling | Napa Valley Register | Sep 5, 2024 | Three wineries are suing Napa County in federal court to try to overturn county rules that restrict how many visitors they can host for tastings and events, and the…