JANUARY 11, 2022 – WINE NEWS FETCH

• Rabobank: Alcohol E-Commerce Sales Surpass $6 Billion in 2021, Will Continue to Grow
• California spirits DTC bill heads for showdown
• Headed for Unified? Get an N95: “Because “Cloth masks are not going to cut it with omicron.”
• Napa Wine Auction Swaps Bottles for Barrels
• The rise of the wine experts’ subscription sites
• What Beverage Pros Are Doing Differently in 2022
• Webinar: Alcohol marketplaces and delivery apps: Current regulatory issues – (Sponsored link)

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• 2022 SVB State of the Industry Report Signups Open
• Rabbit Ridge Future Depends On Tangled Bankruptcy Assets
• 10-million euro settlement reached in LVMH spy case
• Bye, Bye Wine Direct: The Quick Books of wine DTC has launched! – (Sponsored link)

DROUGHT/WATER

• Calif: Snowpack up 160% in ‘good start’ to 2022

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Lie For Profit — Again
• Add to cart: e-commerce activations to grow your wine and spirits’ online sales – (Sponsored link)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• TTB Approved 179K Products L12M through December 2021, An Increase of 14.7K (+8.9%)
• The New Emergence: Upcoming Wine Regions in the USA – (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Wine Enthusiasts Invited to Join Collective Napa Valley
• Long-time Sequoia Grove Winemaker Leaves
• Napa Valley’s Cakebreak winery names new CFO, hospitality executive
• Michael David Winery Announces the Retirement of Vice President of Operations, Kevin Phillips
• Silver Oak winery owners to be honored at Sonoma cancer fundraiser
• Get smart on Wine Chemistry with Clark Smith’s new online course – (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• Sonoma County issues ban on large gatherings amid omicron surge

DIVERSITY

• Wine for a Star of OWN’s ‘Kings of Napa’

HEALTH

• Ketamine can help alcoholics cut down on heavy drinking, clinical trial finds
• Only Half of Dry January Participants Plan to Fully Abstain From Alcohol This Year
• SO2 may not be the bogeyman

TAKING THE HIGH ROADS

• Wine Country Cannabis Brand Garden Society Closes $7 Million In Series A Funding [paywall?]

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Six Years of Transformation at Troon Vineyards

AGRIFOODTECH

• Artificial intelligence robot could help breeders develop mildew-resistant vines

DISTRIBUTORS

• Skurnik Wines & Spirits Expands Into Rhode Island
• How Wineries Can Boost Their Restaurant Distribution – (Sponsored link)

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• Seasoned Sommelier and Wine Buyer Thomas Brenner talks us through his focus while evaluating the effectiveness of a wine program – (Sponsored link)

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Georgia to Host the American Wine Economists Association (AAWE) Conference
• Vinexposium CEO: ‘We have a duty to deliver a show’

MEDIA MATTERS

• Wine Enthusiast Appoints New Reviewers to Tasting Panel
• Influence, Inspiration and Value in the Wine Media

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Scratching the Surface of Sicilian Wine
• Nicolas Clerc: Burgundy 2020 defines itself as a stunning white vintage

WINE PEOPLE

• Sommelier and Wine Director Evan Turner Is Greek Wine’s No. 1 Hype Guy

WINE PLACES

• Austria’s Famed Grüner Vetliner Thrives in These Global Wine Regions
• The Côte d’Or’s deep south?

WINE EDUCATION

• WSET announces Michelle Brampton as new CEO

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• NY: Takeout alcohol an important start, but more needs to be done

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Mystified by the Spotted Lanternfly? Scientists Cut Through All the Lore
• Why is my yield so low? Timely canopy management matters.

EUROPE & THE UK

• Are we approaching English Wine’s time in the sun?
• UK wine importers debate: How best to get your wines listed in the UK
• UK: Jascots strengthens its fine wine arm with new appointment

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Griffith wine grape growers ‘devastated’ by storm damage
• OZ: New grants aim to help producers tackle South Korean market

BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

• There’s a Growing Chance Your Fancy Bourbon Is Counterfeit
• 6 Beer Industry Trends to Watch in 2022