NEWS FETCH – April 30, 2014

TOP NEWS

• “Unavoidable” Strike Endangers Wine shipments through US ports
• Weakening AUS dollar opens more opportunities for wine exports
• NZ wine exports reach record $1.3 billion
• Why Do NZ Wine Exports Almost Equal California’s?
• China rejects sign it may soon be No. 1 economy

• 8 Ways To Stay Close To Your Distributor And Build Your Brand *Sponsored Link*

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Locals respond to Paso basin adjudication advocate
• Higher occupancy boosts Napa farmworker centers
• Stapleton Joins Allied Grape Growers Staff
• Record number of hotels proposed for Paso
• Fresno-area air problem ranks as nation’s worst
• Toyota loss is latest example of Calif’s failed politics

• Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping And The Fate Of America’s Fresh Waters *Sponsored Link*

DROUGHT/WATER

• Food Banks Feel The Drought
• California has major potential to grow hydropower

• Water Sustainability: A Global Perspective *Sponsored Link*

DIRECT SHIPPING & PRIVATIZATION

• Arkansas DTC wine shipments can now arrive via FedEx

FINANCE, M&A

• Tesco’s credit rating downgraded to ‘negative’ by Standard & Poor
• USDA Continues 2014 Small Farmer Funding Initiatives
• San Miguel takes control of Indian brewery

• A Guide to Investment, Innovation and Business Opportunities in the Water Sector *Sponsored Link*

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Leoville-Las Cases Reduces Price of 2013 Vintage by 7%
• What 2013 Bordeaux Futures Campaign?

• Scotch Malt Whisky Investment & Enjoyment *Sponsored Link*

MARKETING & SALES

• The Importance of Intelligent Shipper Design
• Buddha tipped to boost Asian ties with Oz

• Find the Right Broker for your Wine, Beer, and Spirits *Sponsored Link*

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Small Wineries Use Social Media to Increase Sales

• Wine Marketing Online: How to use the newest tools of marketing to boost profits and build brands *Sponsored Link*

MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYMENT

• Payments fraud and business risk

• How to Launch your Wine Career: Dream Jobs in America’s Hottest Industry *Sponsored Link*

MEDIA MATTERS

• Academic Wino: Open Call for Guest Writers
• A Film About The Best Wine Salesperson in Yakima Valley

• Wine Marketing & Sales, 2nd Edition *Sponsored Link*

MATTERS OF TASTE

• The dreaded S-word: That’s S for sulphites
• Paso Robles Winemakers Praise Cabernet
• Spitting: Jackson Pollack Vs Pablo Picasso

• Taste Buds and Molecules: The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor *Sponsored Link*

REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Michigan Wine Month, 2014: The State Of The Ouch
• Winemaker Ray Einberger retiring from Ste. Michelle

• Beyond Jefferson’s Vines: The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia *Sponsored Link*

ACADEMIA

• Sonoma State Hosts Oracle and Top Wine Companies

• The Art and Design of Contemporary Wine Labels*Sponsored Link*

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• House Subcommittee Reviews Bee Health Research
• WA Wine Industry Creates Path for Sustainable Winemaking
• Vermont GMO Food Labeling Bill One Step From Becoming Law

• A Guide to Organic Viticulture *Sponsored Link*

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug SWAT Team Leader Q&A

• Understanding Vineyard Soils *Sponsored Link*

EUROPE & THE UK

• China hits EU with final duties on polysilicon

• Vodka Politics: Alcohol, Autocracy, and the Secret History of the Russian State*Sponsored Link*

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• The People Behind The Bottle
• The Question of Wine Corkage Fees in a World Askew
• Sky Vines: The World’s Highest Vineyard (What? None in Mendo?

• Seasons Among the Vines: Life Lessons from the California Wine Country and Paris *Sponsored Link*

A MILLION-DOLLAR IDEA ISN’T WORTH 2 CENTS IF YOU CAN’T MAKE PEOPLE CARE

• Seamless inventory management is more important (Than what? For what? For whom?)
• Stack Wine Unveils an Unexpected New Look for Its Packaging (Give us enough of a hint so we can care.)

WANDERING, WANDERING

• Hangar 1 Vodka, a Craft Spirits Pioneer in Alameda, Calif., Names Caley Shoemaker as New Head Distiller to Lead Operations and Champion Product’s Well-Established Quality and Integrity