NEWS FETCH – February 11, 2015

TOP NEWS

• 2014 Calif Wine Grape Crush: 3.91 Million Tons, Down 7.9% From 2013
• CA State Water Board Launches Investigation Into Claims of Senior Water Rights
• Post-Pom Wonderful and the Not-So Wonderful Impact on Alcohol Beverages
• U.S. Economic Confidence Index Steady at +3
• TTB Compliance can be simpler. Here’s how. *Sponsored Link*

HARVEST 2014/GLOBAL WINE SUPPLY

• OZ: WA wineries relieved after ‘dodging’ smoke taint from massive Northcliffe bushfire
• Weather favours harvest in OZ
• Looking To Export? Here is how to create a perfect presentation for your wine brand *Sponsored Link*

CALIFORNIA 2014 CRUSH REPORT

• Mendocino Vineyards Report Strong Prices, Small Crop in 2014
• Higher prices, fewer tons keep North Coast winegrape value unchanged at $1.4B
• North Coast vineyards yield record $1.45 billion crop
• CAWG: Despite Drought, State Delivers Third, Record-Setting Crush
• 2014 Crush Close To Allied Grape Growers Estimate
• California’s 2014 grape crush shows ‘healthy decline’ but won’t stop bulk prices sliding
• California 2014 Crop Large, No Record-Breaker
• The Preliminary Crush Report is Here
• Grim grape news for Central Valley growers

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Governor Recognizes Sustainability Alliance
• Bankruptcy lawsuit centers on BottleRock 2013
• Hearst Ranch Winery hires new winemaking team
• Napa Valley Online Winery Map and Trip Planner Now Available

DROUGHT/WATER

• MWD Outlines Drought Scenarios that Could Result in Mandatory Rationing This Summer
• CA Natural Resources Agency releases draft water bond spending schedule, grant guidelines
• How to Lose the Water Game
• Water manager faces discipline for urinating in Sierra reservoir

DIRECT SHIPPING & PRIVATIZATION

• Bill legalizing wine shipping in SD going to governor
• Auction House Gives Wine Shipping Tips

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Pernod Ricard: The thirst to be first

DISTRIBUTORS

• The Winebow Group Acquires Purple Feet Wine, Expands Distribution Into WI
• Microbrewers, wine distributor spar over Arizona rights
• 10 Documents You Will Need In Your Wine Distributor Meeting *Sponsored Link*

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Chinese Shift Focus Away From Wine Futures, Give Boost to Chateau Mouton Rothschild
• New Wine Fraud Website Will Help You Avoid Fake Bottles
• Investors bullish about 2015
• ‘A good month for fine wine’, says Liv-ex

ALCOHOL, HEALTH, AND THE FRENCH PARADOX

• Wine and Your Sex Drive
• Everything You Think about Wine May Not Be Entirely True
• Don’t wine, hit the gym: Wine not a gym replacement
• There’s More to Reducing Risk of Cognitive Dysfunction Than Diet Alone
• Canadian Consumers Eating Healthier at Restaurants but Definitions of Health Are Changing

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• 9 Of America’s Strangest Alcohol Laws

INDUSTRY DATA & TRENDS

• Australia’s wine on the rise again
• NZ wine trade with US booming

MARKETING & SALES

• Wine needs a Pliny the Younger
• Storytelling is the New Marketing: Five Lessons for Wine Brands Shifting Toward Narrative
• Millennials are the next Boom generation
• Reasons to be optimistic
• Missed the MUNDUS VINI 2014 Award? Taste the winning wines at ProWein 2015 – the extensive ancillary program has a lot to offer! *Sponsored Link*

WINE CHOICE & RECOMMENDATION

• Wine Has A Problem Because It Is “Sold.” Badly. Or Not At All

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• Celebrating 50 years of the bag-in-box, cask wine, or goon sack

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Grape symposium attendees told to grow for “wow” flavor

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Creating relevant and valuable content is the top obstacle to email list growth
• How To Develop Your Content Curation Editorial Calendar

PAYMENTS

• Reserve Raises $15M To Help With Restaurant Reservations And Payments
• Airline starting to accept Apple Pay on flights

MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYMENT

• Entering the Job Market? Conduct a Personal Social Media Audit

MEDIA MATTERS

• Why Not to be Self-Conscious About Your Wine-Tasting Notes
• TBNT – Dealing with crappy inquires on your blog

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Why Is the Word “Sommelier” Being Co-opted?
• Chianti is the poster child for Italian wine
• Could Sauvignon Blanc be entering a golden era?
• What’s the Big Deal About Sagrantino?
• St. Emilion: 2014 a vintage ‘for consumers’

WINE PEOPLE

• Uncorked: Olivier Humbrecht MW
• Young winemaker makes most of American dream

REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Sales at Oregon Wineries Exploded in 2014
• WA Premium wine sales still growing
• PA Lawmakers to take up sale of state-owned liquor system

ACADEMIA

• Wine-making class could be implemented next fall at Western KY University

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• The Effect of Different Fungicide Treatments on the Sensory Profile of Monastrell Wines
• Startup Receives €1 Million Funding for Remote Plant Disease Diagnostic System

EUROPE & THE UK

• Joly Wipes his Estate off the Loire Map
• Winemakers seek EU subsidies for hillside vineyards
• Spanish fine wine collective grows
• UK: Are you breaking the law by serving draught Prosecco?
• UK: Senior industry figures toast positive reception from Treasury over proposed 2% duty cut

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Commonwealth moves to tighten monitoring, scrutiny of foreign investment in farmland
• NZ attracts ‘dream shopper’ in UK

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• China weighs on French wine and spirits exports
• Fruity koshu keeps Japanese wineries in high spirits

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Which wine for Mr. President?
• What Wine Goes With Those Cute Li’l Candy Hearts That Say ‘Blow Me’?

OLIVE OIL

• Olive Council Says Proposed Changes to Codex Standard Hinder Fraud Detection
• Spain Dominates Booming American Market for Bulk Olive Oil
• The IOC reviews the international organoleptic method

CRAFT BEER, CIDER & SPIRITS

• Fosters is killing craft beer