JANUARY 28, 2022 – WINE NEWS FETCH

• Pricing of California North Coast direct-shipped wine rebounds after significant pandemic discounting
• News of Rebounding Wine Markets Sets Upbeat Mood at 2022 Unified Symposium
• New Report Predicts Dark Future For California Vineyards
• Four fraudsters convicted over counterfeiting Penfolds in Guangdong, China
• The Anonymous Three Tier System
• How Europe could soon start treating wine like tobacco
• You’ll Lose Half Your Customers If Your Web Site Takes Longer Than 6 Seconds To Load
• Webinar: Alcohol marketplaces and delivery apps: Current regulatory issues – (Sponsored link)

OBITUARIES

• Jim Arbaczewski has passed away at 65

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• Bottle Shortage Is A Myth Says Glass Packaging Institute President
• Rabbit Ridge Future Depends On Tangled Bankruptcy Assets
• Bye, Bye Wine Direct: The Quick Books of wine DTC has launched! – (Sponsored link)

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Sterling, one of Napa’s most visited wineries, unveils reopening plan after Glass Fire damage [paywall?]
• Proposed state wildfire rules worry Napa County [paywall?]

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

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

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• The New Emergence: Upcoming Wine Regions in the USA – (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Calif Winegrape Growers Struggling With Vineyard Development Costs
• Get smart on Wine Chemistry with Clark Smith’s new online course – (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• Federal vaccine mandate could delay H-2A workers at border
• Sonoma County loosens its COVID-19 ban on large gatherings
• Using cryotherapy to combat Covid-19-induced loss of sense of smell

DIVERSITY

• Comedy Explores Black Wine Experience

HEALTH

• Is Red Wine Really Healthier Than White?
• Flavonoids may reduce mortality risk for people with Parkinson’s Disease
• How a new kind of bracelet can predict when you’re drinking too much
• Even Moderate Drinking Can Increase Risk of Heart Disease [paywall?]

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• Utah Liquor Laws Could Be Getting 3 Major Changes

REAL ESTATE

• Napa and Sonoma Real Estate 2022

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• Santa Margherita CEO reveals why the group purchased a Willamette Valley winery

DISTRIBUTORS

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

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Two Mouton Rothschild vintages traded at all-time highs this week – Liv-ex

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)

MARKETING & SALES

• Futurewatch: Retail – Flash Sales

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• A technique to remove air from cork wine closures

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Global experts share insights on the post-pandemic alcoholic beverage landscape at Vinexpo America and Drinks America, March 9-10, NY

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Everyone hates these 10 workplace buzzwords. Avoid them in your next email

WINE PEOPLE

• If you’ve ever enjoyed a Virginia wine, raise a glass to this retiring scientist
• Michael Dorf Will Not Stop Wining. [[paywall?]
• “Suckering” Linda Neal, Tierra Roja, Napa Valley (video)
• A Conversation with Eric Jensen of Booker Wines (video)
• Unfiltered: Chef, Jordan Bailey and Sommelier, Scott White

WINE PLACES

• “B-List” Cities Are “A+” Options For Wine Lovers. Here’s Why [paywall?]

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• South Carolina’s Liquor Stores Could Finally be Allowed to Open on Sundays
• Texas wine industry: A story of perseverance & great growth

EUROPE & THE UK

• UK: Bibendum launches e-commerce site
• UK: Tesco Dry January sales up on last year
• Tim Atkin calls for Ribera del Duero to be recognised as a fine wine region
• Ribera del Duero well positioned to lead on terroir classification in Spain

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Vines strike a pose for the new VitiCanopy app

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• What will happen to Hong Kong’s wine market if Covid isolation to last until 2024?