NEWSFETCH – January 12, 2012

TOP NEWS

• Water Risk in Supply Chains Draws Investor Scrutiny
• Sigel’s, Spec’s deal: “off the table”
• Red wine, not so healthy after all?
• Bloomberg backwashes plans to close New York liquor stores
• USDA: Farmers produced less in 2011
• China overtakes UK to become fifth largest wine-consuming nation
• Brands adapt in emerging markets
• The Five Pillars of a Consumer-Driven Wine Market
• Multi-day Calif Wine event in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
• Vinexpo to host first ever consumer event
• New Jersey Poised to Open Up For Direct Shipping
• From the REPublic: Go ahead, make my day
• An interview with Christina Findley of The Bottle Shop

PUBLIC COMPANIES & INVESTING

• Move to hike plonk price backfires on Treasury
• B-F’s Export Success: Oak Barrels (and Bourbon)
• The Battle for Wine Auction Supremacy

HEALTH

• Why Reducing The Cost Of Wine Might Actually Save Lives
• CDC Phone Survey on Binge Drinking “simplistic”
• The Bizarre Logic Behind Bloomberg’s Booze Crackdown: Target Moderate Drinkers
• Beer: the healthy alternative?
• Healthier wine: Influence of Winemaking Techniques on Phenolic Composition of Red Wine
• Heavy Drinkers Get Bigger Kick from Booze
• Fraud sours red wine health claims
• Endorphin study could aid alcoholism treatment

MEDIA MATTERS

• How to handle a negative online review
• How NOT to handle a negative online a review

MATTERS OF TASTE

• The Peculiar Defenses of the 100 Point Wine Rating System
• Sonoma State Wine Business Institute to offer sensory evaluation and sensory test method workshop
• Wine Ratings and the Nature of 1+1=2
• The case for cheaper wine, in one chart
• Research-Grade Wine Evaluation
• Good Food, Good Wine and “Pointless” Nights at the Table

MARKETING & PROMOTION

• Now, THIS is how you promote wine! (video) Wines of Chile in Canada
• Consumers OK with Ads… if the Apps are Free
• The Truth About Silkscreened Wine Bottles & Thongs

U.S. REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• NC: Viticulture Conference shows how to grow grapes in the mountains
• NY: ‘Grape growers are the foundation of the wine industry (video)
• PA: Poll Says 81% Choose Bootlegging Over PLCB Hikes
• PA: Hikes Some Wine and Liquor Prices
• WA: Olympia Tries to Cut Wine Red Tape

EUROPE & THE UK

• Scotland should ban drinks sales in supermarkets
  
• Sicily’s climate creates red wines that rival pinot noir
• Record Austrian exports defy forecast
• Prosecco Growers Act to Guard Its Pedigree
• Domaine Faiveley builds new winery to increase capacity
• Chablis facing year of consolidation
• Loire: New organic wine fair – Angers 30th January 2012
• Royal Warrant for Vintner Systems

CANADA

• Drought-tolerant wine-grape rootstocks to be tested in the Okanagan

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• OZ: Good vintage if rain stays away
• The 50 most consumed Argentine wines in China
  
• Speculations of 2011 Xiamen Wine market

ONLINE, TECH & SOCIAL MEDIA

• FindTheBest Announces Partnership with Drinkhacker

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Talking fridge will watch your weight, chill wine super fast
• USA still #1, NJ, Hitler can’t get Burgundy 2010
• Euro weakness: A wine buying opportunity?
• Sit in a room without a cell phone. Let yourself fall into the glass
• CIA Launches Wine Lovers Boot Camps
• How nature-nuture dynamic works for wine