NEWS FETCH – September 3, 2015

TOP NEWS

• US/EU trade impasse over “Champagne” and other names may be ready to resolve
• How The U.S. Can Modernize Geographic Indication Names And Stop Infringing Trademarks (PDF)
• Court Denies Union Wine Company’s Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit Brought by FN Cellars
• Residents told to evacuate as new fast-moving Elk fire in Lake County threatens homes
• Winsight Acquires Technomic
• PA Liquor Control Board Returns Almost $2.4 Million in Licensing Fees to Local Communities
• Record-strength El Niño likely to bring wet winter to California in midst of worst drought on record
• TTB Compliance can be simpler. Here’s how. *Sponsored Link*

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• Australian Greens minister Shane Rattenbury warns against free trade agreement with China

GLOBAL WINE SUPPLY

• Reports on 2015 Lodi harvest are super-positive thus far

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Future tasting rooms in Calistoga to devote space to unrelated retailer
• Napa planners say winery visitation plan nearly at hand
• What really happened on the Napa Valley Wine Train?
• Catherine Bugue Accepts Position as Director of Education at the Napa Valley Wine Academy
• Graton breaks ground on $175M casino expansion
• Fresno County denies 7-Eleven license to sell beer, wine
• Exhibit at USA Trade Tasting (New York) and Grow Your Distribution in USA. Super Early Bird Ends August 31 *Sponsored Link*

DROUGHT/WATER

• Fight between tribes and farmers over Northern California’s water
• Bay Area vineyards withstanding impacts of drought, for now
• Department of Water Resources presents Basin Boundary Regulations at public meeting
• From Here on Out El Nino’s Weather Impact Is Only Going to Grow
• State needs smarter – and bolder – water policies

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Pernod perked up by ‘strong’ UK market
• NakedWines.com launches label for Washington winemaker Katy Michaud
• Why Starbucks’ New Evening Menu Will Do Better Than All-Day Breakfast For McDonald’s
• Altria Group Rating Increased to Strong-Buy at Vetr Inc. (MO)
• How User Choices Can Boost Your Wine Club Membership & Loyalty. Click For A Free Best Practices Webinar *Sponsored Link*

ALCOHOL, HEALTH, AND THE FRENCH PARADOX

• Running tips: The surprising benefits of red wine
• Chocolate is health food … So who eats most of it?
• 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*

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• The Tasting Note is Alive and Well

MARKETING & SALES

• Not Your Father’s Root Beer – Growth Strategies for Craft Brands
• How to Manage Cash Flow to Expand your Winery, Distillery or Brewery’s Distribution. *Sponsored Link*

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• Owens-Illinois Closes Acquisition of Vitro’s Glass Business
• Crystal vs Glass When it Comes to Wine Glasses

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Learn how to successfully market your brand on social media
• On Social, 7 Out of 8 Customer Questions Still Go Unanswered

MATTERS OF TASTE

• You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Wine
• A wine aged for 4,000 years
• Pinotage is starting to emerge as a must-try wine
• Filtering wine one way doesn’t mean it’s the only way. Click now to see the alternatives *Sponsored Link*

WINE PEOPLE

• Remembering Mel Jones MW
• 7 Questions for Sommelier Tinashe Nyamudoka
• Interview with Tom Acitelli, Author of AMERICAN WINE: A Coming-of-Age Story
• I’ll Drink to That: Philippe Guigal (podcast)
• Small town suits winemaker fine

WINE PLACES

• Planning a Wine Country Road Trip
• 72 hours in the Okanagan Valley
• Gypsy Canyon in the Santa Rita Hills cultivates ancient vines and good works
• Hahn’s Got Monterey on the Wine Map
• Virginia’s Middleburg offers wine country getaway

WINE EDUCATION

• Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Launches New Wine and Beverage Certificate Program

WINE TOURISM

• Northwest Wineries Shed Recession: Tourism Up

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• PA: Hospital, prosecutors spar over fate of confiscated wine
• Florida’s Crown Wine & Spirits Sets Plans For Major Expansion
• TN: First Johnson City grocery stores approved to sell wine
• Exploring epicurean experiences: 5 Oregon wineries with restaurants

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Organic Industry Unites To “Bust Myths” Throughout September

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Presence and distribution of leaf-galling phylloxera in Swiss vineyards
• Sci-Fi Vineyards: The Drones of Burgundy

EUROPE & THE UK

• Europe deals blow to SNP alcohol minimum pricing plan
• UK: Alcohol generates more in tax than it costs the government
• French wine’s biggest family business
• Sébastien Vergne joins Margaux as director

DOWN UNDER

• International tourist spending growth reaches Sydney Olympic heights
• OZ: Wine, telecommunications discussed with Senator
• OZ: FARE not playing fair: Winemakers’ Federation hits back

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• Wine in China: Castel spending ‘hundreds of thousands’ to protect brand

OLIVE OIL

• Europe’s Olive Trees Are Dying. Here’s Why You Should Care

CRAFT BEVERAGES: BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

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Today’s craft beverage links — and many more articles — can also be found at http://craftbeverageinsight.com/

TOP NEWS

• Consolidation Continues as A-B Invests in 2 California Wholesalers
• Texas ABC Deems Crowlers Illegal For Retail Beer To-Go
• Boston bars charged with violating ‘pay-to-play’ rules
• Beer & Chips: Craft brewer uses big data to create better brew
• Washington Breweries to Help Wildfire Fighters and Victims
• Pumpkin beer is objectively bad and you’re bad for hating it