Winemaking for William Ballentine Jr. has always been a family concern. He began his career tending vines owned by his father, who established Ballentine Vineyards at the foot of Napa’s Howell Mountain. The knowledge and experience he gained there—and through his work with other growers throughout the valley—now informs the wines of William Cole Vineyards, which Ballentine and his wife, Jane, established on a historic parcel in St. Helena, Calif. Here he continues to make and—in the case of his latest release—…

A little more than two decades ago, there was no such thing as small-batch bourbon. And yet, it existed all the same. The problem was that no one had yet coined a term that adequately described all those incredibly rich limited-production bourbons that were being made by some of America’s best distillers.
That marketing dilemma was solved by Jim Beam Brands (now Beam Inc.) in 1992, when the master distiller, the late Booker Noe, coined the term “small batch” to categorize a series of four boutique bourbons th…

The future of Fisker is still very much in the air. Unless the company is able to find some last-minute financing, the dream of the car designer Henrik Fisker may very well end in bankruptcy court.
Fisker himself bowed out several weeks ago, citing irreconcilable differences with management. He had earlier stepped down as chief executive, relinquishing that role to Tom LaSorda, an ex-GM and Chrysler executive, who was followed by Tony Posawatz, the former head of the Chevrolet Volt program. Production on the …

To experience India’s vast and varied cultures, cuisines, and sites, Greaves Tours—which specializes in custom excursions to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and more—has just launched its most over-the-top trip: the 19-day Million Dollar Tour through the Indian cities of Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Varanasi,  Hyderabad, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Bandhavgarh National Park, all by private jet. The tour is priced at $100,000 per person (based on a group of 10).
The trip includes first-class airfare to India, fi…

The future of Fisker is still very much in the air. Unless the company is able to find some last-minute financing, the dream of the car designer Henrik Fisker may very well end in bankruptcy court.
Fisker himself bowed out several weeks ago, citing irreconcilable differences with management. He had earlier stepped down as chief executive, relinquishing that role to Tom LaSorda, an ex-GM and Chrysler executive, who was followed by Tony Posawatz, the former head of the Chevrolet Volt program. Production on the …

To experience India’s vast and varied cultures, cuisines, and sites, Greaves Tours—which specializes in custom excursions to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and more—has just launched its most over-the-top trip: the 19-day Million Dollar Tour through the Indian cities of Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Varanasi,  Hyderabad, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Bandhavgarh National Park, all by private jet. The tour is priced at $100,000 per person (based on a group of 10).
The trip includes first-class airfare to India, fi…

The Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts has launched the third hull in its 163-foot (50-meter) semi-displacement series. The yacht, which was christened Ventura by its owner, features an aluminum hull and a pair of MTU 16V engines that generate up to 7,295 hp and propel the ship to a top speed of 23 knots. When cruising at 11 knots, Ventura can achieve an impressive range of 3,200 nautical miles. The yacht’s minimalist interiors are courtesy of the Italian designer Francesco Paszkowski, who swathed Ventura’s main sal…

The Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club is hosting the inaugural Carroll Shelby Tribute and Car Show on May 11 at the headquarters of the Carroll Shelby Foundation in Gardena, Calif. Shelby, the legendary auto racer, designer, and entrepreneur, died a year ago at age 89.
“Carroll Shelby changed the course of history and touched millions of lives through his racing, his companies, and his charity,” says Randy Richards, the president of the club. “He challenged us to honor his legacy by continuing his w…

The Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts has launched the third hull in its 163-foot (50-meter) semi-displacement series. The yacht, which was christened Ventura by its owner, features an aluminum hull and a pair of MTU 16V engines that generate up to 7,295 hp and propel the ship to a top speed of 23 knots. When cruising at 11 knots, Ventura can achieve an impressive range of 3,200 nautical miles. The yacht’s minimalist interiors are courtesy of the Italian designer Francesco Paszkowski, who swathed Ventura’s main sal…

The Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club is hosting the inaugural Carroll Shelby Tribute and Car Show on May 11 at the headquarters of the Carroll Shelby Foundation in Gardena, Calif. Shelby, the legendary auto racer, designer, and entrepreneur, died a year ago at age 89.
“Carroll Shelby changed the course of history and touched millions of lives through his racing, his companies, and his charity,” says Randy Richards, the president of the club. “He challenged us to honor his legacy by continuing his w…