JANUARY 21, 2022 – WINE NEWS FETCH

• McMillan leads WineRAMP – “Got Wine” marketing effort.
• Direct Wine Sales Soar for US Producers
• Pix.wine: Aiming to Out-search Wine Searcher? [paywall?]
• Who Will Pick America’s Wine Grapes?
• Duckhorn Buys 50 Acres in Los Carneros and the 10-Acre Red Wing Vineyard in St. Helena
• Gott Buys Edge Hill Winery [paywall?]
• It’s Time for Collaboration and Cooperation in the Wine Biz
• Wine per capita consumption is on the skids in the U.S.
• Webinar: Alcohol marketplaces and delivery apps: Current regulatory issues – (Sponsored link)

OBITUARIES

• The Wine Writer Who Unlocked the Secrets (and Cellars) of Bordeaux [paywall?]

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• US Wineries Report Bumper Year
• Rabbit Ridge Future Depends On Tangled Bankruptcy Assets
• Bye, Bye Wine Direct: The Quick Books of wine DTC has launched! – (Sponsored link)

DROUGHT/WATER

• Sonoma County well owners advised to test water for contaminants as a result of two-year drought [paywall?]

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

• The world bought more champagne than ever last year
• The New Emergence: Upcoming Wine Regions in the USA – (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas Announces Seasoned Assembly of New Additions to Board of Directors
• Davis Estates promotes GM to president of the Calistoga winery [paywall?]
• Cristie Kerr Is Plotting a Comeback Season, but She’s Already Thriving in Her Next Chapter as a Winemaker
• Rob Bundschu, lost and found in ‘Uncorking Miracles’ [paywall?]
• UC Davis Library, California Vintage Wine Society to create archival collection
• Scheid Family Wines Reports Third Quarter Results
• Get smart on Wine Chemistry with Clark Smith’s new online course – (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• UK: Heavy drinkers increased their alcohol consumption the most during lockdown

HEALTH

• Why this January may be the cruelest month yet for the booze business
• Demand for Low-Alcohol Wine, Beer and Cocktails Is High, but Definitions of ‘Low’ Vary
• Drink Culture Doesn’t Have a “Foodie.” Here’s Why.

TAKING THE HIGH ROADS

• Legal pot growers can’t take much to the bank

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Wine Australia’s climate change investments for the sector

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• UK wine duties ‘wipe out trade benefits’

DISTRIBUTORS

• Cognac comeback races on as Sazerac announces expansion
• How Wineries Can Boost Their Restaurant Distribution – (Sponsored link)

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Pétrus 2014 leads weekly trade on Liv-ex
• Vinovest Introduces New Wine Fund Offering Designed for RIAs, Family Offices and Institutional Investors

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• How Mamma Jumbo Shrimp is one stop for Italian wine content
• 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

• ProWein director ‘regrets’ clash with London Wine Fair
• Outrage over ‘cynical’ ProWein move
• UV Boosting Vineyard Technology to Make US Debut at Unified Wine & Grape Symposium 2022

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Napa Valley producers peel back misconceptions about orange wine [paywall?]
• Glass Half Empty
• Why Is Bourbon-Barrel Wine So Popular?

WINE PEOPLE

• Researcher in focus: Dr Harley Smith
• Ben Harris, ASVO Viticulturist of the Year 2021

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• OZ: Persistence pays in battle against fleabane and silver leaf nightshade
• OZ: Research delivers better indicators of bunch rot thresholds in time for wet vintage

EUROPE & THE UK

• UK: Alliance Wine expands portfolio with new sparkling wine agency
• UK: The Wine Society creates new sustainability post

DOWN UNDER

• The Names to Know in New Zealand’s Natural Wine Wave
• World’s first ‘winery airline’ to launch in New Zealand

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Japan’s Suntory and Kirin suspend wine sales due to shipping delays

SOUTH AFRICA

• South Africa’s wine industry “must adapt to survive”