NEWSFETCH – December 12, 2011

TOP NEWS

• The Judgement of Beijing? China/France Wine Challenge Set
  
• Jetro to Sell Alcohol to U.S. Restaurants, Independent Says
• US online holiday sales rise 15 %
• Wines appeal to men using sports, video games and sex
• Wineries Turn to Creative Marketing to Bolster Holiday Sales
• Kiwi exports lead wineries recovery
• Growers wish for a normal year; Sonoma harvest down estimated 20%
  
• Bulk cabernet inventory reveals naked truth of shortage
• “Strong Victory for Organic Winemakers” is a Loss for Consumers and Common Sense
• Wine’s changing demographics: WineLine Interviews Ed Sands of Calvert Woodley
• Pakistan Wine Possession Is Criminal: Court reserves ruling on acquittal plea
• Texas Retailer Sigel’s Reveals Female-Friendly Strategy
• Alternatives to Glass for Wine Packaging: Can Plastic Perform?

PUBLIC COMPANIES & INVESTING

• Treasury Wine Estates appoints new Penfolds Managing Director
• Liquor Boosts Brown-Forman To Record Sales
• Pernod Ricard China exclusive distributor of YAO MING wines in China
• Acker Merrall Called “Anti-Christies”
• OpenTable Stock Has Fallen Nearly 70% Since April
• Drinks Americas Sales & Margins Post Huge Increases
• CI Logistics reduces manual handling by 90% at Diageo

MEDIA MATTERS

• Whistleblowing, transparency and the future of journalism: Q&A with Ira Stoll
• When Truth Survives Free Speech
• Looking for Bias in All the Wrong Places
• Wine Wars Update: Wine Spectator Feature & Wine Book Award
• Journalism, Public Access & Sonoma County’s 19th-Century Court Records System

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Some thoughts on tasting wine
• The Top 3 Reasons Why WineDude’s Not Talking About Parkergate

(Please scroll down to the very bottom of this issue for a LOT more Parkergate links)

WATER & SUSTAINABILITY

• Global climate treaty could help Australian farmers
• Climate change: the California Paradox
• Napa River restoration project serves as model
• Klamath agreements benefit California water

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Bluebirds Bring Happiness To California Vineyards
• Amorim buys south Napa land for expansion

U.S. REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• TX: Finally ready to wine and dine
• VA: Area winemakers up to the challenge of 2011 harvest
• WA: ‘Santa’ Butch to visit Gordon Brothers Winery event in Pasco

EUROPE & THE UK

• John Hodder / CIVC
• Barclays Fires 40 Staff Wine Drinkers Under ‘No-Jerk Rule’, Times Reports

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Winery Step Rd in receivership
• NZ: Hawke’s Bay Backs Deloitte’s Wine Industry Benchmarking Survey
• OZ: Gas company expelled from Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association
• OZ: Liquor industry faces deadline to introduce health warnings
• OZ: Wine soars as beer goes flat
• NZ: Weather affects grape vine flowering in Marlborough
• OZ: Brancott marks last stage of rebrand
• OZ: Not wine seller’s fault kids sent brochures
• OZ: Fury at wine club invite for six-year-olds

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Chile-based wines exporter Cono Sur launches wines in India
• Chinese demand for Australian wine soars as nation’s tastes change
• Now Drink Aussie Wine

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Finding Wine Just Got Fun with WheelPlay!
• An Italian Family
• Q&A with Yao Ming
• Spike Your Juice lets you make wine from any juice in 48 hours

THE HORROR … THE HORROR!  (THE BOREDOM…  THE BOREDOM!)

• Wine Academy of Spain denies claims against Campo and Miller
• Pancho Campo MW: Spain finds its powerful voice
• Pancho Campo MW: Wine Business International – 8 page article
• Blind tasting and Parker: the issue that won’t go away
• I’m With Parker on This One
• Miller Time, One More Time
• Looking for Bias in All the Wrong Places
• A long, hard look at the Spanish cash for access scandal
• Wine Academy of Spain denies claims against Campo and Miller
• Pancho Campo MW: Spain finds its powerful voice
• Pancho Campo MW: Wine Business International – 8 page article
• Blind tasting and Parker: the issue that won’t go away
• I’m With Parker on This One
• Miller Time, One More Time
• A long, hard look at the Spanish cash for access scandal