The amount of vineyard land has doubled since 1998, and is expected to increase by an additional one-third by 2006.

They now own about 5 percent of all the vineyard land in the county.

In recent times there has been more emphasis on securing vineyard land and making estate bottled wines from the bodegas.

Today, vineyard land totals about 2,800 acres, of which about 2,200 are in production.

It involves the altitude of the vineyard land and the height of the surrounding mountains.

Most of California, including much of its vineyard land, has a climate similar to Algeria's.

Historically, flood irrigation was the most common method used with large amounts of water are allowed to run across flat vineyard lands.

Sales of vineyard land now average $150,000 to $200,000 an acre, with a 40-acre zoning minimum, but there isn't much of it left.

Since then it has acquired 4,000 acres of vines and potential vineyard land in 10 California counties.

He began experimenting three years ago, making oil from the trees scattered on his vineyard land.