NEWS FETCH – August 27, 2015

TOP NEWS

• Early CA harvest results spark some spot market activity
• There’s no drought of cash for California farmers
• The dangers of quakes and stock market swings
• Russian distance selling ban may be overturned
• TTB Compliance can be simpler. Here’s how. *Sponsored Link*

GLOBAL WINE SUPPLY

• Conditions in California Challenge Wine Makers
• 2015 Washington Wines: Ruined by Wildfires?
• Oregon’s wine grape harvest is off to an early start, and looks good
• Start of harvest yields fewer grapes but higher quality fruit for Clarksburg grower

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• The Evolution Of The Sta. Rita Hills AVA
• Copper Cane Targets 1 Million Cases Within Five Years, Preps Elouan Extensions
• Grape industry is in good hands
• Exhibit at USA Trade Tasting (New York) and Grow Your Distribution in USA. Super Early Bird Ends August 31 *Sponsored Link*

NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN

• Loud people in wineries or Wine Trains: A socially dangerous dilemma
• The Napa Valley Wine Train Incident — No Comment
• Wine industry comments support the issue of common courtesy
• Keeping it classy on the Wine Train
• Snooty Californian Wine Train Liberals Horrified By Black Book Club

DROUGHT/WATER

• More people, agricultural trends aggravate drought
• Guidance for putting new groundwater law on the ground
• California climate researchers sound the alarm at symposium: ‘There’s no way out’
• DWR and Reclamation submit joint petition for change in water right permits and licenses re: California Water Fix
• Are the Delta tunnels good for California? (part 2 of 2)
• Unusual Delta Algae Eruption Worries Scientists
• Finally, Some Good News About the California Drought

DIRECT SHIPPING & PRIVATIZATION

• A Long View Perspective on DtC Shipping
• How User Choices Can Boost Your Wine Club Membership & Loyalty. Click For A Free Best Practices Webinar *Sponsored Link*

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Sales up at Pernod Ricard but Absolut write-down hampers profits
• Pernod Ricard: Good FY14/15 Business Performance: +2% Organic Sales Growth (+8% Reported)
• Brown-Forman’s U.S. Sales Jump 10% In First Quarter, Boosted By Tennessee Fire
• Brown-Forman sales take 2% hit in Q1 on back of currency woes

FINANCE, M&A

• Gallo gulps another premium wine label
• Wine Mergers & Acquisitions Heat Up

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Margaux 2005: sleeping beauty?
• Rare £16k collection of DP on sale
• Wineries and Wine Importers: Here are some basic support programs and incentives to that can be used to drive your wine brand in distribution channels*Sponsored Link*

ALCOHOL, HEALTH, AND THE FRENCH PARADOX

• Making Microbeads Out of Winery Wastes: Improving Shelf Life and Stability of Polyphenols
• 7 Health Benefits Of Wine That Go Beyond Relaxation

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• Budweiser Wins Trademark Opposition Over Winebud

INDUSTRY DATA & TRENDS

• Handmade? Craft? Limited edition? Artisan? Buzzwords have purchasing impact. Which ones are most powerful?

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• How Much Do You Tip for a Bottle of Wine?

MARKETING & SALES

• What Are You Telling Your Customers When They Visit?
• Why the spotlight is on the customer journey
• New Harris Poll Looks at “Craft”-y Marketing Language
• Thinking of Going All-Digital? Answer These 10 Questions First
• How to Manage Cash Flow to Expand your Winery, Distillery or Brewery’s Distribution. *Sponsored Link*

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Email Isn’t Dead

PAYMENTS

• Is biometrics the answer to secure and easy online payment?

MEDIA MATTERS

• Tequila Shots and the Rules of Wine Public Relations
• Wine o’clock: A great idea becomes a word in OxfordDictionaries.com’s latest update
• Wine writer’s final toast to lessons learned, one glass at a time
• China wine book makes tough reading for Bordeaux chateaux

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Oregon and pinot noir
• Filtering wine one way doesn’t mean it’s the only way. Click now to see the alternatives *Sponsored Link*

WINE PEOPLE

• The man behind Hong Kong’s wine revolution
• Charlie Holland – Gusbourne Estate
• America’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers
• Danilo Nada of Nada Fiorenzo (podcast)

WINE PLACES

• Finding Appalachian culture, fun in Georgia’s White County
• Wine tour holidays in Europe by bike, boat or hot-air balloon
• Ehlers Winery, established in 1885, makes exceptional wines from St. Helena

WINE EDUCATION

• Sensational Soave Master Class Series Introduces Soave “2.0”

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Corby Spirit and Wine Announces Commission Rate Increase, Quarterly Dividend and Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End Results
• Grief, questions remain 10 months after Eric Dunham’s death
• IL: Farmer City action will allow wine tasting at market

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Taming a Wild Wine Fermentation
• Research trial designed to highlight pros and cons of spur and cane pruning for Scarlet Royal and Autumn King Varieties
• Pesticides pose risk to bees

EUROPE & THE UK

• Wine Prices to Rise in Russia Over Ruble Crisis
• Why French Winemakers Are Seeing The World Through Rosé-Colored Glasses
• UK: 11% rise in eating out during July but on-trade drinking declines
• Scottish alcohol consumption up as off-trade prices stall
• A Revolution in Champagne: Ratafia de Champagne gains official status

DOWN UNDER

• Australian winemakers wooing Asian markets: Wine exports looking up after 9 year gap
• Winemaker toasts lower Aussie dollar

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Physicist discovers wine glass in water is an even better instrument than water in wine glass

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Today’s Craft Bev Biz Briefs — and lots more news — can also be found at http://craftbeverageinsight.com/

TOP NEWS

• Five threats to the continued rise of craft beer
• UK:United Craft Brewers is attempting to define what craft beer is
• Trade + Consumers: Calif Craft Beer Summit to conclude with festival
  
• Billionaire beer baron Jim Koch weighs in on Cincy craft beer explosion
• Nova Scotia artisan spirit company plans to have product in stores soon
• Empire Cider LLC to relocate business operations closer to apple crops

LAWS & REGULATIONS

• Cuomo loosens some constraints on craft beverage industry
• N.Y. demands crop insurance to boost in-state malt production

FINANCE M&A

• Is Craft Beer as Close to a Sure Thing as an Entrepreneur Can Get?
• Ohio contractor invests in brewery he helps construct
• Kansas City Bier Announces $1.5 Million Expansion

TECHNOLOGY

• Managing Mixed Culture Fermentations

DISTRIBUTOR / SALES

• Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery Announces Distribution in Florida
• Founders Expands Distribution to New Mexico
• Upland-Brewing Bob Kenney to Lead Upland Sales Team

MANAGING

• Why Brewing Together Works Better in the Craft Beer Industry
• 3 Ways Beer Partnerships Improve Brand Awareness

BOOKS/MEDIA

• Craft Beer Bites Cookbook puts twist on traditional brewpub grub

TRADE SHOWS

• Brooklyn Chamber brings first-ever statewide craft beverage festival to borough

EDUCATION

• Apply Now For Falconer Foundation Scholarship To American Brewers Guild

BEER

• Ireland: Craft beer makers raise a glass as production levels soar
• Birmingham leads nation in craft beer sales
• Houston’s craft beer boom not done growing
• Great things are brewing along Vermont’s beer trail

CIDER

• NY: North Country Cider Revival