NEWSFETCH – February 10, 2011

TOP NEWS

• Constellation Pinotgate Litigation Moves To U.S Court, Gallo Stays In State
• Market Enforcement Branch Actions: Rabbit Ridge, Demetria & 10 More
• Direct Shipping: Alcohol Wholesalers Say “We’ve Got to Protect Our Profits”
• US Dec Wholesale Wine/Beer/Spirits Inventories Up 3.6% From Nov.
  
• A Regional Close-up on Global Consumer Confidence
• OZ: Battered wineries dig deepto help flood victims
• WA: Wine Industry Growth By The Numbers
  
• Celebration of life today for Virginia Van Asperen
• More on Sonoma’s MacRostie Sale
• Wine experts to grace Fresno State event
• ASEV Selects Andy Walker as Technical Program Director
• Dan Berger on Mega Purple (video)
• New reviewer named for California wine
• Study shows some like their olive oil rancid

PUBLIC COMPANIES AND INVESTING IN WINE

• Lion Nathan goes flat after strong start
• Diageo shares insight on wine retail at In-Store Asia 2011
• Liv-ex: Bordeaux 2010: what lies in store?
• Diageo Misses Estimates as European Revenue Drops
• Diageo improves gross margins and raises interim dividend 6%
• Drinks company Diageo 6-month profit up 17.5 pct

AROUND THE STATES

• CA: Napa Ag leadership program trains business people, workers
• CA: Livermore Valley Winegrowers Welcome New Board of Directors
• CA: Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival Celebrates “Diversity Perfected!”
• CA: Women, Wine and Chocolate at Mondavi Institute Feb. 12
• OR: Lathrops to open winery in Joseph
• WA: State survey says customers offer high marks for state-run liquor stores
• NC: Local wine shops offer classes in the art of wine sampling
• AZ: Wine industry elects new leadership
• OK: More Liberalized Wine Regulation?
• VA: Albemarle may seek police aid for loud farm winery events
• CO: Wine Country Network to develop festivals
• AZ: Southeastern Arizona Ag Day and Trade Show
• UT: Kiler Grove Winegrowers Opens State’s First Urban Winery

EUROPE

• Domaine des Baumard: under screwcap since 2005
• Clos des Goisses goes to vintage extremes
• G.H. Mumm launches Cuvee R. Lalou 1999
• 2008 proclaimed best value Bordeaux

THE UK

• The average price of a bottle of wine remains stable

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Victorian crops overrun by fruit flies
• OZ: Flooded farmers face long recovery
• OZ: Rainfall boosts reds
• OZ: Duo buys Lenswood winery
• NZ: Bumper wine harvest threatens profits
• OZ: SA dithering on wine region protection: MP

ONLINE, TECH & SOCIAL NETWORKING

• Myth or reality: A website design/functionality improve conversion.
• Barry Schuler: Vintank Video
• Should marketers be optimistic about social media ROI?
• Online shoppers reap the benefits of flash sale and group deals
• Facebook Ads Can Now Specify Any Page Landing Tab as a Destination
• Billions of Web Ads Carried Malware in 2010

APPOINTMENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Chalone named the Official Wine Of The PGA

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• CA: farm expo benefits from a bumper crop of prosperity
• Vendors see growth in sales at World Ag Expo

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• 630 grapes=1 bottle of wine
• Strictly no swallowing for wine judges