AUGUST 13, 2021 – WINE NEWS FETCH

TOP NEWS

• California Faces Another Dustbowl Vintage
• The science of matching crop irrigation to actual water usage
• Facial recognition AI helps save multibillion dollar grape crop
• Climate Change at Two California Vineyards [paywall?]
• Gen Z Is a $323 Billion Market. To reach them, start with these top influencers.
• Bye, Bye Wine Direct: The Quick Books of wine DTC has launched! – (Sponsored link)

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• As Travel Surges, Wine Country Resorts Grapple with Labor Shortages and Limited Capacity
• Constellation Wins $2.3 Million For Legal Fees In To Kalon battle with Vineyard House
• 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.
• Shottesbrooke Reserve Series ‘Eliza’ Shiraz Wins Best Wine Of The Year– (Sponsored link)
• 2021 USA Wine Ratings Winners Announced – (Sponsored link)

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Dangerous record heat bakes the US on both coasts
• Napa County hires a firefighting helicopter

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• DtC Shipping Essentials: Brand Label Registration
• ‘E-commerce is the future’ for Luis Felipe Edwards Wines amid hopes of ‘record year’
• Be part of the biggest gathering of Bulk Wine, Bulk Spirits, and Private Label professionals in the US. –  (Sponsored link)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• Lighter Crops May Lead to More Balanced Market

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• The Wine Foundry: ‘Bite-sized’ winemaking at a dual purpose Napa winery [paywall?]
• Napa Marselan Project: Vines planted near Calistoga by Helena View
• Cliff Lede Vineyards promotes three winemaking team members
• Palos Verdes Peninsula becomes official wine-growing region
• Spring Mountain opens up [paywall?]
• Sonoma County’s population grew by a meager 1% between 2010 and 2020 [paywall?]

COVID-19

• Marlborough winemakers in ‘no rush’ to jump on first MIQ-free flights

HEALTH

• Study Finds Drinking Some Alcohol Could Help Those with Cardiovascular Disease

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Industry promotes sustainability from grape to glass

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• Willamette Valley Vineyards Posts Results for Q2 2021
• €100 million turnover target: Swedish VIVA eCom Group buys Vicampo

DISTRIBUTORS

• La Place de Bordeaux welcomes its first blue chip Spanish wine

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Now available to all: En Primeur Closing Report – “Bordeaux 2020: Back to square one”

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• It’s a Wine Store for Billionaires, But You Can Shop There Too

MARKETING & SALES

• Wineries Are Moving Beyond Traditional Subscriptions. Exclusive Benefits? Check.

PAYMENTS

• Why The First Washington State Winery To Accept Cryptocurrency Is Slated To Be A Cult Classic

MEDIA MATTERS

• New podcast launched for people who are intimidated by restaurant wine lists
• Anne Krebiehl MW: how Falstaff hopes to break new ground for wine

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Sweet Visciolata and the Fleeting Joys of Summer
• Wine Pairings: Music & Food (podcast)
• Free wine, better wine [paywall?]
• As summer turns to fall [paywall?]

FOOD & RESTAURANTS

• IHOP tests beer and wine in New Mexico and San Diego

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• PNW scientists keep an eye on grape leaffolder
• Cabernet Sauvignon the focus of clonal project in Western Australia
• Slow the ripening for a better outcome
• New trial to put precision site mapping to the test

EUROPE & THE UK

• ‘Pandemic changed people’s drinking habits’ – Drinks Ireland
• One in four adults in the EU don’t drink, new research finds