JANUARY 28, 2021 – WINE NEWS FETCH

TOP NEWS

• Cabernet on the Decline in the US?
• Wine shipments in US increase slightly in 2020 amid pandemic (possible paywall)
• Constellation Brands Wins Trademark Dispute Over ‘To Kalon’ Wine
• 2020 DTC Wine per-bottle price off -9.5%, overall shipment value rises 14.9%
• The Influence of Virtual Reality Wine Tourism on Purchase Intention – A First-of-its-kind Study in our New Virtual World
• Ganau launches EPIQ – Corks with threshold of ≤0.5 ng/L TCA — below level of human perception. Process backed by peer-reviewed science.(Sponsored link)

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• The Hidden Factor That Will Further Boost Winery DtC Shipments
• How A Netflix-Style Recommender Is Vital to Reversing Wine’s Market Marginalization
• Crimson Wine to restate 3+ years of financial results after independent review of “unreliable” accounting errors
• 2020 USA Wine Ratings Winners Announced (Sponsored link)

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• See how the 2021 DTC vendor ecosystem has changed in amazing ways.
• The Intersection of Creativity and Technology: How We At Charles Krug Are Greeting 2021 Head-On
• Experts Say Robust Ecommerce Programs Are Key to Wine Industry Survival in Foreseeable Future
• Selling Wine, Beer, And Spirits In America*(Sponsored)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• Allied Grape Growers Report Winter 2021 (PDF)
• Despite Bulk Buying Flurry, Acreage in California Still Needs to Be Pulled to Stay in Balance
• People have stopped drinking as much champagne during the pandemic, and now the industry could be in a billion-dollar free-fall
• Japan’s 2020 wine imports down 7% amid pandemic, but up 4% from Chile
• China’s wine imports down 30% in 2020
• What’s new at the 2021 Sommeliers Choice Awards and how that will help wine brands. (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• California wine business faces new, ongoing challenges as it adjusts to pandemic, wildfires
• Napa Valley’s Dalla Valle Vineyards names 2nd-generation winemaker
• Two Women Leading Different Iconic Russian River Valley Wine Estates In California Discuss Neighborhoods Concept (possible paywall)
• Are young winemaker-owners a dying breed in Napa Valley? (podcast)
• See how Phase 2 Cellars streamline systems and provide exceptional customer service. (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• Tannins in wine could help to inhibit Covid-19
• BC: Covid Relief Order Update for Wineries
• UC Davis Launches $3 Million Project to Improve Farmworker COVID Safety
• Jackie Fast on how Covid has made Okanagan wineries stronger

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Smoke Taint’s known knowns and unknown unknowns

DROUGHT/WATER

• ‘Flash droughts’ new climate change effect
• The What, Why, and How of Groundwater Modeling

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• Ohio Concludes 21st Amendment Enforcement Act Litigation
• The Bad Spaniels dog toy and wine criticism

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Diageo’s sales get surprise boost from U.S. spirits drinkers
• Moët Hennessy pays out in Diageo dividend dispute
• Diageo’s organic net sales up 1% despite profit fall

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• South Africa: New Hemel-en-Aarde vineyard seeks investors

AGRIFOODTECH

• Will Your Next Crew Member Be A Robot? WineCab’s Android Sommelier (possible paywall)

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• What the New Wave of Wine Tariffs Means for You

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Liv-ex interview with Matt Walls: On “Wines of the Rhône” and the region’s collectible appeal
• Bordeaux négoce urge on this year’s campaign

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• Virtual Classes and Tastings Change the Wine World’s Barrier to Entry

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• One artist drew Anchor’s beer labels for 45 years. Here’s what the 93-year-old thinks of the controversial redesign (possible paywall)

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Washington Winegrowers Convention goes online (possible paywall)

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Can We Also All Just Calm the F%&k Down About Influencers?

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Meet the ‘new’ Bordeaux wine grapes
• Do You Like Your Riesling Crispy Dry Or Slightly Sweet? (possible paywall)
• Bubbles from Snowy Peaks
• Which beverages burst with umami potential?
• The Game of Wine

WINE PEOPLE

• Get to Know LibDib’s VP of Data and Analytics, Robert Brashears
• Paul Dolan, Organic and Biodynamic Pioneer and Industry Icon, in Conversation with Tablas Creek Winemaker Neil Collins (video)

WINE HISTORY

• History of the Champagne vineyards revealed
• Introducing phylloxera, the aphid that changed the face of wine

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Wild Washington yeast strains might be beneficial for winemakers
• Technology helping growers find solace in challenging times

EUROPE & THE UK

• AOC Bordeaux invests €4 million to re-launch its tourism facilities
• Covid-weary Parisians find comfort in mulled wine as lockdown looms
• Beale: ‘Punishingly high duty rates stifling home grown wine and spirit businesses’

DOWN UNDER

• NZ online wine retailer reports record-breaking year
• The future of Australia’s wine industry (podcast)
• NZ ag sector “travelling astoundingly well” amid global turbulence and poised for profitable 2021

SOUTH AFRICA

• Lawsuit against alcohol ban in South Africa

BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

• Whisky Diversity Debate: how do we get the industry to do better?
• ‘Farewell for now’: WA’s Olympia Beer pauses production after 125 years amid reduced sales
• Why Investing in Whisky Is Pandemic-Proof
• U.S. Drinkers Drive Tequila Exports To Record High