NEWS FETCH – February 26, 2015

TOP NEWS

• On-Premise Beverage Alcohol Consumption Decreases In All Three Categories
• Mendo Growers Facing Severe Frost Challenges
• Alcohol is more dangerous than drug dealing or gangs
• Ruling on Napa County Wappo tribe case could come in a month
• TTB Compliance can be simpler. Here’s how. *Sponsored Link*

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Sonoma Chardonnay Price Recovery Accelerates – Still Looks Cyclical
• Sonoma State Offers Two New Wine Business Seminars
• US Beverage Industry Expo Appoints Live Oak Bank Executive as Advisory Board Chair
• Wolk to lead state senate wine committee
• Facts And Photos From A Record-Breaking Week In Napa
• Overcoming the Top 10 Objections from Beverage Retailers *Sponsored Link*

DROUGHT/WATER

• More Californians want mandatory water rationing
• California Lawmakers Will Examine Ways To Capture Stormwater
• Revitalization of lower portion of LA River is targeted in new Assembly bill
• A Thirsty, Violent World

DIRECT SHIPPING & PRIVATIZATION

• NM: Bill allowing home delivery of beer and wine heads to full Senate

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Tesco board loses two female directors
• Morrisons chairman denies he is building a ‘mini Tesco’

FINANCE, M&A

• Eataly: building a grocery empire that looks nothing like a grocery store
• How Large Distributors Launch A New Brand *Sponsored Link*

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Acker Merrall & Condit hails return of US wine buyers
• Wine investment: how to avoid the pitfalls (clickbait)

ALCOHOL, HEALTH, AND THE FRENCH PARADOX

• Healthy Diet Associated with Better Quality of Life in Older Adults
• Too much red wine ‘harms muscle’

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• TTB now allows certain wineries to file excise tax returns annually
• Beam Suntory fights ‘frivolous’ lawsuit attacking Jim Beam handcrafted credentials

INDUSTRY DATA & TRENDS

• ProWein 2015 Survey Summary – Wine Retail Channel Trends
• Recovery in Australian wine exports to China
• Brazil wine sales quadruple on back of strong multiple support

MARKETING & SALES

• Changes That Will Make a Big Difference in Your Online Advertising
• 4 things brands must do to ensure their content marketing remains relevant
• Increase Content Marketing Visibility With PR
• Use the online search tool to make sure you are well prepared for your ProWein 2015 visit – over 5,000 exhibitors await you! *Sponsored Link*

WINE CHOICE & RECOMMENDATION

• Robert Parker: “I’ll never retire”
• Fine wine vs the successors

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• 50 years since the first wine cask patent

CUSTOMER RELATIONS

• Building a Better Relationship with Customers Through Mobile

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• ProWein 2015 Survey Summary – Wine Retail Channel Trends
• Oregon Chardonnay Symposium closes in on another sellout
• Early-Morning Purple Grins at Premiere Napa

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Video and social are king in mobile era
• 5 tips for creating effective Facebook video ads

PAYMENTS

• Apple Pay will soon get the rival it needs

MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYMENT

• Management: Introverts and Extroverts

MEDIA MATTERS

• Musings from a PR Booze Mom
• Missed opportunity for reading restaurant wine lists

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Parker hands Martin the reins for Bordeaux primeurs
• Is Luc Morlet the future of high-end California?
• Who’s Your Daddy?: Ortega
• Pecorino: Marche’s Comeback Kid
• Sherry vineyards deserve more focus

WINE PEOPLE

• Interview with Peter Thompson of Thompson Estate

WINE PLACES

• Venice Wine Revival Attracts Burgundy Interest
• 10 Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
• Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac ‘taste of place’ studied

REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• WA Wine Grape Growers Discuss Vintage Variation

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Manufacturer launches biofuel made from by-products of the whisky industry

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• The Ballet of Bottling

EUROPE & THE UK

• UK sales of Franciacorta wines soar
• Italian fine wine leads on cuisine
• Now or never call by WSTA’s Mile Beale for trade to back Drop the Duty campaign
• Historic German Winery Seeks Controversial State Aid

DOWN UNDER

• OZ: Record early vintage for Jim Barry

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Taiwan university launches orchid wine

LATIN AMERICA

• Young Cubans Seek Solace in Alcohol

SOUTH AFRICA

• South African wine poised for a renaissance

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Networking in San Francisco’s wine and food scene

OLIVE OIL

• Oregon Farm Produces Quality EVOO in Cool Climate of Pacific Northwest
• Kickstarting Greek olive groves
• USAID Program to improve olive oil productivity in Lebanon

ARTISAN BEER, CIDER & SPIRITS

• The Macallan whisky record confirmed
• The Most Thorough Beer Education In 5 Minutes
• Researchers look at cider apples, mulches