DECEMBER 10, 2020 – WINE NEWS FETCH

TOP NEWS

• California Liquor Board Bypasses Due Process
• China slugs Australian wine with another round of tariffs in trade dispute
• Here’s why wine doesn’t ship for free — and shouldn’t if you want small wineries to survive (possible paywall)
• When it comes to wine DTC, the death of desktop is vastly overstated: Tops mobile for order conversions.
• How Wine by Sam’s winemaker got back into the cellar with vintrace.(Sponsored link)

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• Impact of Covid-19 on Global Wine Tourism
• Winc’s actual customer retention rate — here’s how the math works
• 2020 USA Wine Ratings Winners Announced (Sponsored link)

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• Commerce7 Releases their Databook, “The Data That’s Changing Winery DTC.”
• The Super-Rich Are Buying Luxury Online Like Never Before
• Selling Wine, Beer, And Spirits In America*(Sponsored)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• Shifting wine market channels will create winners, losers
• Vintage 2020
• ‘Nouvelle generation’ to drive Beaujolais export potential
• What’s new at the 2021 Sommeliers Choice Awards and how that will help wine brands. (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Napa and Sonoma wineries, still open for tastings, saw plenty of weekend visitors despite lockdown news (possible paywall)
• Calif. governor’s companies got $3 million in relief loans
• The 1980s and 1990s — start of Lodi wine country’s modern era

COVID-19

• Why shielding businesses from coronavirus liability is a bad idea
• No drinking alcohol for two months after COVID-19 vaccine, Russia tells citizens
• How will the covid-19 vaccines affect your travel?

HEALTH

• Scientists Find Strong Evidence Linking Mediterranean Diet to Lower Risk of Diabetes
• Diet modifications – including more wine and cheese – may help reduce cognitive decline
• OZ: No more than 10 a week and four a day

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Smoke Taint and the “Smoke-Curious”

TAKING THE HIGH ROADS

• Why California cannabis growers face more regulations than other farmers
• House passes bill to broaden marijuana research

DROUGHT/WATER

• Calif: Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Europe’s largest wine estate offers a shining example of resilience to climate change

RECYCLED WASTEWATER

• Worms help power Valley winery’s wastewater system

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• Total Wine Is Fined For Double Dipping With Gift Cards

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• China pulls the cork
• New Coalition of Top Chefs Urges Biden Administration to Scrap Food and Wine Tariffs

BREXIT

• WSTA membership climbs as it releases Brexit checklist

DISTRIBUTORS

• eProvenance and Corvus Insurance Team Up to Bring Wineries, Breweries and Beverage Distributors Industry-Leading Monitoring Services and Insurance Coverage for Sensitive Cargo (PDF)

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• NZ: Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction raises over $300,000
• iDealwine update: One-way Crichët
• Online auctions boost Sotheby’s Asia sales

DATA & TRENDS

• The Biggest Drink Trends For 2021: Vodka From Air, Orange Wine, Cans And Pink Fizz (possible paywall)

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• This Robotic Wine Cellar Comes With a Virtual AI Sommelier to Help You Choose the Right Bottle

MARKETING & SALES

• Wilson Daniels Welcomes New Western Division Vice President

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Facebook hit with massive antitrust lawsuit from 46 states

MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYMENT

• Wine Industry Career Series: Resume Makeover

MEDIA MATTERS

• Book Reviews: Brut Force and Firing Blancs, by Peter Stafford-Bow
• On understanding wine & wine writers

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Down with the snob! The democratization of wine has begun
• Irish influence on Australian wine has helped put it on the global wine map

WINE PEOPLE

• Helen McGinn: pressure & excitement of publishing her first novel

WINE HISTORY

• The Wine Myths of Dionysus – A Guest Post by Arthur George

FOOD & RESTAURANTS

• Restaurant sales, traffic stumble again in November amid COVID spikes and colder weather

DOWN UNDER

• Hard labour: COVID-19 among the factors limiting availability of vineyard staff

AROUND THE GLOBE

• In Lebanese Wine, Perseverance Is Part of the Terroir

BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

• Can I Ship Beer Directly to Consumers? An Overview of DtC Shipping for Breweries