APRIL 15, 2022 – WINE NEWS FETCH

• Jackson Family Wines Expands to Washington, Plans New Brand
• Yale Scientists discover drug that may prevent loss of taste and smell in Covid patients
• Increase of Shipping and Input Costs: Insights from the Ciatti Bulk Wine & Grape Report
• Napa and Sonoma Winemakers Market Luxury Sauvignon Blanc. Is Anyone Buying?
• Provi v. SGWS and RNDC
• On Natural Wine, Inherited Money, and the Delusions of the “Future-Rich Millennial”
• Michigan Attorney General Settles Direct Shipping Case Against Hunt Cellars Inc. (case text)
• Webinar – Mastering alcohol ecommerce in 2022 – (Sponsored link)

ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

• Currency war could have a huge impact on ag
• ‘Clean wine’ is a manipulative term. The feds agree. (paywall?)
• Merlot Takes Another Sideways Step
• Embracing Technology In The Alco-Bev Industry – (Sponsored link)

WILDFIRES & WEATHER

• Calif: Pending Burning Restrictions Having an Impact on Vineyard Removals (podcast)

DROUGHT/WATER

• Expanding drought leaves western US scrambling for water
• Calif: State Water Board gearing up for curtailments on Russian River water diversions [paywall?]

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• Wine List & QR Codes: Wine Management with Digital Marketing – (Sponsored link)

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• Washington Wine Reports Warm Year, Low Yields and Good Quality in 2021
• Champagne offers at Easter reflect much higher prices
• The New Emergence: Upcoming Wine Regions in the USA – (Sponsored link)

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Napa Valley wine group C. Mondavi & Family shifts top leadership
• Napa Wine Country Businesses Beset by Rash of ADA Compliance Lawsuits
• SLO County district attorney and winery owner bury the hatchet
• Dave and Christi Ficeli are the new owners of Yountville’s Goosecross Cellars
• Sonoma County winery, brewery equipment maker names Southern sales representative
• Napa Valley wine firm Demeine Estates picks new regional sales executives as portfolio expands
• Women for WineSense Winemaking & Viticulture Roundtable will host writer Jess Lander, Wednesday, April 20, 2022
• Garagiste Wine Festival returns to Sonoma [paywall?]
• Calistoga’s Elusa Winery announces new general manager [paywall?]
• Why attend the 2022 Future Drinks Expo? – (Sponsored link)

COVID-19

• Wine Service in a Time of Pandemic

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Climate protection tips for vineyards
• Vineyard uses grazing for weed control
• Environmental Champions: Chablis and Beyond [paywall?]

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Constellation Brands reports modest growth
• Brown-Forman Structures Tech Leadership Around Supply Chain [paywall?]

FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A

• The Investment Opportunity in Willamette Valley Wine Country is huge
• 5 Overlooked Fixed Asset Tax Opportunities for Wineries
• Naked Wines Stock: A Win-Win Business Model

AGRIFOODTECH

• Robotics solving water, fertilizer, labor challenges

DISTRIBUTORS

• Fresh Vine Wine Now Available on Wine.com
• How Wineries Can Boost Their Restaurant Distribution – (Sponsored link)

WEBINARS/ONLINE MEETINGS

• Registration open for Bucher Vaslin North America Webinar — How to Naturally Reduce Alcohol and Increase Acidity in Winemaking.

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Bordeaux 2019 enjoys increased activity following new critic reports
• One of the World’s Best Collections of Wine Books Is Going on Sale for $2 Million Later This Month
• New fine wine members’ club Crurated raises €3m to expand

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• Felicity Carter on what wine drinkers want (podcast)
• Seasoned Sommelier and Wine Buyer Thomas Brenner talks us through his focus while evaluating the effectiveness of a wine program – (Sponsored link)

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• Soaring cost of glass bottles has some California North Coast wineries seeking alternatives
• What wine certifications mean, and how to use them [paywall?]

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Vinitaly 2022 on the Prowein model
• Green Wine Future puts sustainability to the fore
• Mingers leaves Messe Düsseldorf

MEDIA MATTERS

• Vanessa Vin: Wine Writer on a Mission

MATTERS OF TASTE

• A Paler Shade of Sangiovese
• A new (or is it old?) definition of “balance”
• A Simple Guide to Wine From the Canary Islands
• Can We Please Move On From Frosé

WINE PEOPLE

• Unfiltered: Fergus Watson

WINE PLACES

• Beyond New Zealand: More Great Regions for Quality Sauvignon Blanc

WINE EDUCATION

• WSET celebrates highest number of diploma graduates

WINE TOURISM

• Vineyard Access Might Be the Hottest New Hospitality Perk

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Experts give update on grapevine red blotch
• The art of rosé winemaking: A masterclass at Napa Valley Wine Academy [paywall?]

EUROPE & THE UK

• EPAWI an innovative project bringing together 4 European wine clusters
• UK: Fine wine investment scheme closed
• England: Area of East Anglia under vine quadruples

DOWN UNDER

• The future looks bright for Australia’s organic wine industry

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Chinese city issues ‘strictest booze ban’ for civil servant