DECEMBER 23, 2021 – WINE NEWS FETCH

• Off-Premise Update: Retail Sales Slow Against Tough Comps
• Popping Wine’s Price-Hike Myth
• ‘Containergeddon’ at ports cost California farmers $2.1 billion in exports
• TWE’s plan to make Chinese Penfolds faces doubts from China
• Covid drives biggest drop in U.S. life expectancy since World War II
• The Fizzy Joy of Cheap Costco Champagne
• Webinar: Alcohol marketplaces and delivery apps: Current regulatory issues – (Sponsored link)

• News links are getting scarce during the holidays…

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• Rabbit Ridge’s New Owner — Fluid Wine Fund I — Poised For Future Built On Tangled Bankruptcy Assets
• Court rules that companies can be sued if an employee dies from lax COVID rules
• Bye, Bye Wine Direct: The Quick Books of wine DTC has launched! – (Sponsored link)

DROUGHT/WATER

• Researchers find drought-resistant traits in grape rootstocks

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• Add to cart: e-commerce activations to grow your wine and spirits’ online sales – (Sponsored link)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• South Africa: Good outlook for wine grapes after ‘excellent winter’
• The New Emergence: Upcoming Wine Regions in the USA – (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Save the Dates: Financial Symposium Announces Dates for In-Person 2022 Conference
• Michaela Kelly named estate director for Napa Valley’s Stony Hill Vineyard
• Get smart on Wine Chemistry with Clark Smith’s new online course – (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• What alcohol sales in 13 states reveal about drinking during COVID-19

HEALTH

• Holiday heart syndrome: binge drinking can cause heart problems

TAKING THE HIGH ROADS

• Cannabis industry update from the Cannabis Business Summit
• Calif: Cannabis fee waivers made available starting next month under an equity program

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• Maersk to buy Hong Kong-based LF Logistics for $3.6B
• 5 Things Entrepreneurs Need to Know When Raising Capital

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• Red tape cut to reduce cost of importing wine to the UK from 1 January

DISTRIBUTORS

• How Wineries Can Boost Their Restaurant Distribution – (Sponsored link)

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• A New Type of Gimmick Wine Has Hit the Market
• Seasoned Sommelier and Wine Buyer Thomas Brenner talks us through his focus while evaluating the effectiveness of a wine program – (Sponsored link)

MEDIA MATTERS

• New Book By Wine Expert Shines Light On Turkish Wine [paywall?]

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Tasting burgundy on wheels

WINE PEOPLE

• Magdalena Pesce, the Mendozan chosen among the 50 most influential women in the world of wine
• Erica Crawford on getting elbow room
• Bouncing Back Q&A: Matt Tipping, CEO, Jeroboams

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• NY: Gov. Hochul signs Hinchey bill to ease permits for craft beverage businesses

DOWN UNDER

• Global shortage of key ingredient in winemaking is causing headaches for producers in Australia

LATIN AMERICA

• This Experimental Malbec Style Is Becoming a Hot Trend in Argentina