NEWSFETCH – January 4, 2012

TOP NEWS

• Restauranteurs optimistic for new year
• My Wines Direct Shuts Down
• Fine wine prices fall 15% in 2011
• Drunk Drivers More Likely to Drink Beer
• Consumer Federation calls for mandatory “Alcohol Facts” labeling
• U.S. Number 8 In Top 10 UK Wines
• New tax interpretation aids on-farm use of solar power
• Trilogy Glass sold
• Sonoma Wine Accessories Acquires International Wine Accessories (IWA)
• Demand remains strong for young trees and vines
• San Joaquin Valley leading economic indicator ends 2011 on sour note
• Iron Horse makes sparking wine just for China
  
• Sparkling-wine sales stay bubbly
• Uncorking China’s Wine Market
• Rémy Martin discontinues existing VSOP
• NJ battle over wine shipping at turning point

PUBLIC COMPANIES & INVESTING

• Forbes Earnings Preview: Constellation Brands
• Diageo: The Winning Streak Continues (DEO)

HEALTH

• Red Wine Does Not Appear to Raise Breast Cancer Risk
• Can Cocktails Save Your Life?
• Wine and the New Year’s diet
• Calculating calories over a glass of wine

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Vineyards give grape juice a chance before turning to wine
• Climate Change: Effect of Soil Management on Erosion and Nutrition Loss
• Welcome to the Machine: a Tour of a Wine Pros’ Equipment Exhibition

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Wineries Move Into Downtown Napa
• Oakville Grocery to Undergo Structural Renovation
• Ironstone Vineyards sees future in cabernet franc
• After dry months, farmers hope for a rainy January

U.S. REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• NY: Conditions right to harvest frozen grapes for ice wine
• PA: Lehman winery closing

THE UK

• Festive wine sales up in UK supermarkets
• Naked Wines ad banned
  
• UK On-trade set to struggle in 2012
• Accolade Wines launches website for independents

EUROPE

• Champenois ditching flutes for wine glasses
• Out with the Old, in with Newton’s Italian Wine DOCG +
• Bordeaux price drops could bring back consumers
• Pancho Campo: CIE Marbella and The precursor of The Wine Academy (part 1) of Spain
• Research to support rare Rias Baixas variety
• Giulio Gambelli dies
• Remembering Giorgio Bocca: Bartolo, pop open a bottle!

CANADA

• MADD opposes taking NB Liquor private

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Imports, Another vine mess for winemakers
• OZ: 2011 weather report card 3rd wettest on record
• NZ: Thinning time for vines

LATIN AMERICA

• “Argentina should be careful of alcohol levels”

ONLINE, TECH & SOCIAL MEDIA

• “Fun” way to buy wine online
• Restaurants’ social-media strategies in 2012
• 5 Best Practices for Digital Marketers in 2012
• 6 Steps for Protecting Corporate Reputation in the Social Media Age
• Super Bowl of (Social) Marketing
• Google punishing Chrome for violating paid links rule

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• What Your Favorite Drink Says About You
• Cease and Desist, Obtrusive Waiter
• Old World vs. New World wines
• The Bachelor Episode 1: Oaky Chard and “Wine” From Table Grapes
• Wine talk: Ten myths
• Four ways to enjoy wine more in 2012

MEDIA MATTERS

• Asimov: How the View from the Critic’s Perch Has Changed
• 5 Wine Blogs for 2012
• Republican Politics: The Wine Factor
• Things I’d Like to See Disappear From the Wine World in 2012
• Natural Wine’s Purrty Underbelly
• Drinking Locally in 2012. Plus, the Debate Over “Natural Wines”