NEWSFETCH – March 31, 2011

TOP NEWS

• China: World’s Largest Wine Importer, Biased Toward Old World
• Aussies export their expert advice to China
• Spotting fake wine and spirits with a scan of the bottle
• Major Alcohol Suppliers Send Letter To Congress Opposing Hr 1161
• Cesar Chavez On Immigration (1984, Commonwealth Club Speech)
• THE ULTIMATE WINE SENSORY EXPERIENCE COMES TO SAN FRANCISCO
• Chinese buyers see Aussie vineyards as ripe pickings
• Pingus creator wins inaugural Masters of Wine award
• Sylvie Cazes: early Bordeaux scoring is ‘marginal’ problem
• Methyl iodide’s approval in doubt
• Cork purity battles pit ‘natural’ wine stoppers against elastomer-based versions
• Wine review: Cork vs cap
• Multi-Color buys Italian wine label maker

PUBLIC COMPANIES & INVESTING

• Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 joins FT Wealth indices

WINE & HEALTH

• The Anti-Aging Power of Red Wine
• If I am being treated for gout, can I still drink wine?
• California needs to raise alcohol tax

DIRECT SHIPPING

• Craig Purser and the Beer Wholesalers Hoodwinking of Congress

WATER

• Lawsuit targets water diversion policies
• Delta’s survival more important than fish
• It’s official: California’s drought is over

AROUND THE STATES

• IA: Bill Would Allow Home Alcohol Delivery
• IN: Growing wine grapes, making wine workshops to be offered in April
• MD: Direct Shipment of Wine Could Soon be Allowed
• MD: Direct Shipping Bill Permit Fee Could Impact Small Wineries
• MI: State’s wine industry growing more fruitful
• PA: Assembly and Senate Introduce Direct Shipping Bills
• PA: Liquor store backers plead case
• SC: Growlers for Grapes
• TN: Grocers, liquor stores fight it out over wine laws
• TN: Liquor store owners staggered by wine bill
• TX: winemakers worry cuts will cork the industry
• WA: Wines Seek Identity

EUROPE

• French winegrowers shrug off pride, bottle in plastic
• Prowein: where was Wine Australia?
• Pontet-Canet declared best value Bordeaux in retrospective tasting

THE UK

• Oddbins: the questions as a creditor I would want answered
• Early interest in Oddbins as CVA fails
• Oddbins goes into administration
• Scotch soars to record export figures

SOUTH AMERICA

• Argentina Allows Porsche Imports in Exchange for Wine Exports

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: De Bortoli drops ‘Blanc’ to sell Sauvignon
• OZ: Wineries visit may open door to China
• OZ: Grape diseases ravage Murray Valley crop
• OZ: Barrossa goes back to its roots
• OZ: Jobless locals little use to Barossa grape grower

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Imperial Vase, Lafite Lure Millionaires to $310 Million Sale
• Bordeaux Index sets up HK wine school
• Chateau Guiraud opens wine storage in China

ONLINE, TECH & SOCIAL MEDIA

• Ad Dollars Still Not Following Online and Mobile Usage
• +1: Google Finally Figures Out A Way To Leverage Search — And It Could Be Huge

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Birth of a Wine Culture in America
• The many meanings of “organic” wine
• Running with the Devil: Supporting the 100-point scale
• Next-generation winemakers: Tony Leonardini
• Whole Foods Raises the (Wine) Bar

CHARITABLE & GREEN AND SOCIAL CAUSES

• Central Coast Wineries Host 3rd Annual Wine 4 Paws April 9-10, 2011
• Online auction of Napa Valley wine, experiences to benefit nonprofits