FEBRUARY 5, 2021 – WINE NEWS FETCH

TOP NEWS

• Online Boom Behind Uber’s Drizly Purchase
• Wine Access acquires Napa Valley merchant 750 wines
• Covid pandemic has boosted development of US alcohol ecommerce market by up to 5 years, claims new report
• For the Wine World, 2021 Brings Familiar Problems
• Sommeliers have been forced to pivot in the pandemic, and their futures remain uncertain (possible paywall)
• Despite declining numbers, Boomers still buy more luxury wines than any other demographic.
• 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)

• Reviews and 5-Star are so useless for recommendations that Netflix tossed its prized $1-million algorithm. They’re even worse for wine
• Bespoke Capitol to take Vintage Wine Estates Public in SPAC offering
• Solving the “Paradox of Choice” is a major reason Netflix’s recommender is worth $1 Bil/yr. And why wine fails at that.
• 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

• Commerce7 Announces New Innovative Features
• Selling Wine, Beer, And Spirits In America*(Sponsored)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• All of Falesco Vitiano’s legendary cheap wines may again be available in the U.S.
• China imports less wine
• What’s new at the 2021 Sommeliers Choice Awards and how that will help wine brands. (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Release of Wine Grape Crush Report, Experts Explain Market Impacts and How the Data from the Crush Report Can Be Deceiving
• California liquor bill aims to make restaurant parklets permanent, plus zones for open containers (possible paywall)
• California lawmaker wants state to spend millions to revive tourism industry after pandemic
• Staglin Family Vineyard’s visitor growth plans concern neighbors (possible paywall)
• Daou welcomes four wine industry professionals to its team
• Brion Wise’s unconventional approach: Three winemakers, three sites, and one old barn in Napa Valley (possible paywall)
• Former Opus One personnel join Patrimony in Paso Robles
• Ornellaia announces new Napa project
• See how Phase 2 Cellars streamline systems and provide exceptional customer service. (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• Willamette Valley Vineyards reopens with ‘wine pods’ for guests

DIVERSITY

• Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation Partners with the Roots Fund to Support Wine Education
• Table Wine highlights Black winemakers

HEALTH

• How Alcohol Lost Its Allure for Me During the Pandemic

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Wine industry must clear the smoke on taint

DROUGHT/WATER

• Sierra Nevada Snowpack Still Below Average After Winter Storms
• California Needs More Storms, Groundwater To Avoid Prolonged Drought, Experts Say
• Vineyard irrigation is becoming a priority for the Côtes-du-Rhône

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Space Cargo Unlimited looks to space to make wine grape vines more resistant to climate change
• The benefits of climate change (possible paywall)

RECYCLED WASTEWATER

• Winery Wastewater Guidelines Impact Half of All California Operations

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• Spanish Producer’s Family Feud: “Pesquera” Trademark Case Dismissed

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Pernod Ricard appoints group general counsel

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• Santa Rosa wine business becoming public company in $700 million investment deal (possible paywall)
• Online retailer Winebuyers seeks ‘investors’

AGRIFOODTECH

• How an AI-powered robot could upend wine storage (for those who can afford it)

DATA & TRENDS

• Seven ways that wine will change in 2021

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• Glassware Stance: The Art of Smelling Wine
• ‘Elegant’, ‘feminine’, ‘sexy’: are wine-label descriptions helpful?
• How to get your wine listed on airlines

MARKETING & SALES

• In 2021, what’s a wine brand to do to stay ahead?

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• Ball to Present Infinitely Recyclable Aluminum Cups at the Big Game

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Wine Industry Career Series: Instagram for Income

MEDIA MATTERS

• Simon Woolf on the ups, downs & realities of wine book publishing
• New year, new plans for Meiningers Wine Business International

WINE PEOPLE

• Allen Balik looks back over 10 years
• Meet the SF sommelier making wine more inclusive with funny Instagram videos

FOOD & RESTAURANTS

• The Senate overwhelmingly passed restaurant relief budget resolution amendment

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Brent Braun’s New Wine Label Finds a Home for Portland’s Most Creative Wines
• Washington vineyard betting on bubbles
• Texas swarming with boozed-up birds

EUROPE & THE UK

• Vivino plans further UK investment following “skyrocketing” 2020 growth

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Bec Swincer appointed as Bec Hardy Wines’ new winemaker
• OZ: China tariffs cut wine exports to just $4m in December

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• New Parasite Could Wreak Havoc in Chinese Vineyards

SOUTH AFRICA

• Vinpro Persists With Court Application

BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

• Beer giant Kirin still owns a majority stake in Myanmar and Mandalay breweries, which help fund the Myanmar military