JULY 9, 2021 – WINE NEWS FETCH

TOP NEWS

• Tobacco giant finally divests Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
• Scathing legal analysis of smoke taint rejections by wineries finds vague, inadequate and possibly illegal contracts.
• Fruits of Labor: American wine’s biggest problem is facing a reckoning
• While Debate Rages Over Glyphosate-Based Herbicides, Farmers Are Spraying Them All Over the World
• Herd of drunk buffaloes exposes illegal liquor stash
• Bye, Bye Wine Direct: The Quick Books of wine DTC has launched! – (Sponsored link)

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Announces $1 Million Community Grant Distribution to Support Pandemic Relief
• Were smoke-impacted grapes & wine laundered? Lake County Court Battle Highlights Taint Ambiguities & Winery-Grower Tension
• Grape insurance fraud allegations, smoke taint damages to oak tanks, and the perils of handshake deals play out in Lake County courtroom
• Unlock new opportunities in the bulk wine, bulk spirits, and private label business.— (Sponsored link)

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• New Jersey stands alone after Ohio removes DTC production cap
• Be part of the biggest gathering of Bulk Wine, Bulk Spirits, and Private Label professionals in the US. –  (Sponsored link)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• Violent Storms Rip Through Italy’s Gattinara Region, Pelting Vines with Hail
• Burgundy 2021 so far – cool and damp
• Asolo Prosecco consortium assures market it can fulfill demand despite surging sales

COVID-19

• Thousands of Restaurants Lose COVID-19 Relief They Were Promised as Revitalization Fund Allowed to Dry Up

ONLINE PRIVACY

• Colorado Governor Signs Privacy Law Giving Consumers Right To Reject Ad Targeting

HEALTH

• Polyphenols in red wine ‘burn calories in food’
• Wine Is a Language. Do You Lose It When You Stop Drinking?

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Cal/OSHA High Heat Advisory: Employers Reminded to Protect Outdoor Workers from Heat Illness
• Oregon OSHA adopts emergency rule to protect farmworkers from extreme heat

DROUGHT/WATER

• As drought conditions intensify, Governor Newsom issues Executive Order, calling on Californians to take simple actions to conserve water
• Cypriot varieties an emerging favourite for drought tolerance – and taste

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Philippe Schaus On The Future Of Moët Hennessy And Its Brands [paywall?]

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• H Venture Partners closes $10M debut fund targeting science-based brands

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• Russia’s Storm in a Champagne Flute
• EU expected to launch WTO case against Russian Champagne labelling decision

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• When And Why You May Need A Professional Sommelier To Build Your Wine Cellar [paywall?]

MARKETING & SALES

• The future of online retail looks a lot like QVC, with live streams of influencers, including dogs, doing the hawking

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• Older drinkers prefer screwcaps to corks, finds Wine Intelligence study
• Lightweight bottles — at last [paywall?]

MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYMENT

• Elevated Layoffs Persisted in June Despite Record High Job Offerings.

MATTERS OF TASTE

• No, This Will Not Be the Summer of Piquette
• How to appreciate Hors Catégorie cycling and winemaking

WINE PEOPLE

• Pedroncelli’s storyteller, Julie St. John and the Vino in my Dino [paywall?]

WINE TOURISM

• Burgundy’s wine centres reveal their funding, and visitor targets

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Tennessee Wine and Grape Board to Meet

ACADEMIA

• New Catena Institute study shows the value of terroir

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Red blotch – a vapid vineyard virus
• Grape producers persevere in harrowing times
• New tools to fight vineyard mildews
• Shiraz terroir project better defines ‘effect of place’
• VitiVisor showcases the digital future of grape growing
• MOG free fruit at the winery a step closer
• Sulfur and nitrogen the key to influencing tropical characters in white wines

EUROPE & THE UK

• Two changes of leadership in France
• UK: Sainsbury’s report says rosé wine sales are still sparkling

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Tokyo bans on-trade alcohol sales

BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

• Spirits Lead the Acceleration in Seltzer/RTD Label Approvals