NEWSFETCH – August 5, 2011

TOP NEWS

• Federal debt law could speed farm bill
• Environmental ‘Dirty Dozen’ challenged by UC Davis
• Ren Acquisition Closes Purchase of Renwood Winery
• Fine Wine: Only For the Uber-Wealthy
• Distributor-Inspired Bill Would Ruin Mass. Craft Brewers
• Women Winemakers Go Online
• A warning for the U.S.: High alcohol taxes fuel fraud in the U.K.
• Argentina launches Torrontes
• Liquor sales surge to record
• Bulk wine costs jobs in S. Africa
• The impact of wine lists
• Pinot Smackdown gets drop on Twitter
• Winemaker’s degree ferments for 30 years
• Google+, Maryland, CA Sales Tax, and Library Wines

PUBLIC COMPANIES & INVESTING

• After Record Q2, Beam To Step Up Brand Investment
• Liv-ex: Lafite turns, Carruades decelerates
• Foster’s ship no longer all at sea
• Fortune Brands’ CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Results

HEALTH

• What’s Wrong With the Minimum Drinking Age
• Vermont Leads U.S. in Underage Drinking

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Low alcohol trend in California? I don’t think so.

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Deadline for EPA’s Pesticide Container and Containment rule nears
• Organic Production in the SJ Valley seminar, Aug. 18

AROUND THE UNITED STATES

• MA: Another round for bid to allow beer, wine sales in grocery stores
• MO: Plans in works for St. Louis winery
• PA: Wine-vending machine experiment may end

THE UK

• UK wine drinkers are ‘discount junkies’, says research

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: More back call to give booze in sport the boot
• OZ: Grocers Adapt to New Challenges as Confidence Lags
• OZ: Coles plays catch-up in big booze game

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• China makes move on champagne
• A Hong Kong Haven for China’s Pricey Wine
• Drinking Wine in Bangkok and Tokyo: reason for optimism and concern
• The largest global wine summit comes to Hong Kong
• Imported alcohol trade center opened in Chongqing
• Huangtai Wine-Marketing To Acquire Chengde Summer Resort
• To China, With Love From A Virginia Winery
• Oh, That Funny Chinese Importer, Look What This Guy Was Up To

ONLINE, TECH & SOCIAL MEDIA

• Local SEO and Wine Stores in 2011: an Update of the Top 10 tasks
• QR Codes… best practices need apply!
• Pool Your Team’s Social Network Contacts For Referral Recruitment
• International Beer Day: 8 Social Websites for Brew Lovers

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Urban Wine Making: Rock Wall Wine, Or How To Share That Bottle Opportunity
• Albariño wines, more than a grape
• Discovering Classic Croatia
• There are more than 10,000 grape varieties growing in the vineyards of the world today
• Bill Easton Lets Each Wine Speak For Itself

CHARITABLE & GREEN AND SOCIAL CAUSES

• Why Large Hospitality Companies Should Welcome Credibly Green Competitors

APPOINTMENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Lake County Wine Awards Competition announces winners
• Finalists for the Sunset Western Wine Awards Announce
• New hires at Silverado Vineyards