NEWS FETCH — January 5, 2016

TOP NEWS

• Canadian vintners buy Sonoma winery Envolve
• U.S. restaurant wine sales still hostage to 2008 economic meltdown
• U.S. Consumer Spending Averages $99 in December
• Could coastal desalination efforts help farmers?
• The Business of Wine. Accessing key information. *Sponsored Link*

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• Virginia and Cuba to sign port agreement, look to expand trade
• In Cuba, VA Gov touts his state’s pork, wine — and seaport
• South Africa May Lose U.S. Trade Benefit After Target Missed

GLOBAL WINE SUPPLY

• Greek Wine Exports to the U.S. Increase Significantly
• NY winery takes advantage of deep freeze for ice wine
• ProWein 2016 easier to navigate for US buyers – check out “Route USA”! *Sponsored Link*

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Number of California alcohol cops drops as industry grows
• Facing Irate Consumers and Possible Bankruptcy, California Wine Store Closes Its Doors
• Behind The Wheel In Wine Country: Five Drivers Of Napa’s Traffic Problem

DROUGHT/WATER

• El Nino storms slam drought-parched California
• San Diego’s Long Year of Water Wars

DIRECT SHIPPING & PRIVATIZATION

• New service delivers growlers of beer to the East Bay
• 8 Key Points On Pricing Your Wine, Beer & Spirits for Sustainable Growth *Sponsored Link*

FINANCE, M&A

• Casella buys Brand’s Laira from McWilliams
• The London Vines Ltd: the Liquidator’s second report – deficit claims total £1.6 million

DISTRIBUTORS

• FTC Approves Merger of Southern and Glazer’s
• Only 8 Spots Left. Your last chance to become an exhibitor at USA TRADE TASTING *Sponsored Link*

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Fake wine? Consumers don’t care, and with good reason
• Cult Wines targets big growth with Hong Kong office launch

ALCOHOL, HEALTH, AND THE FRENCH PARADOX

• The effects of a month without alcohol
• Do you really need a detox?
• Science sells a sweet deal to sober up on sugar

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• VIN2X Changes Name to Vintrace

MARKETING & SALES

• For Food And Beverage Marketers, A Year Of Accelerated Change
• Then and now: the evolution of branding
• Where mobile commerce is going in 2016

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• The Importance of Grape Varieties on American Wine Labels
• Alcohol creep madness: Is is really worth getting upset over these label versus actual differences?
• Whole Foods Thinks Canned Wine Will Be Huge This Year

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Haier introduces a new solid state wine cooler at CES

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• The Secrets to Creating Perfect Social-Media Posts
• The Future of Facebook Advertising Isn’t in the United States
• Snapchat is building an ad technology platform

MEDIA MATTERS

• Social Shares, Unique Visits Are Important KPIs for Blog Content
• Oregon wine veteran’s latest book a delicious mystery
• Top 10 wine books of 2015

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Metals in wine is a complicated story
• Bach, Beethoven, Bordeaux? Classical Music & the Terroirists’ Revenge
• What’s Really Inside A Glass of Wine?
• Message in a (Really Old) Bottle: What Champagne from the Bottom of the Baltic Says About Wine Aging and Winemaking
• 10 Things Every Wine Lover Should Know About Ornellaia

WINE PEOPLE

• OWP Person of the Year: Cole Danehower
• Meet The Tastemakers Who Are Redefining Food And Drink In 2016
• Commitment to quality is always rewarded, as Vintner Ron Rubin recently learned
• Five significant milestones for the AP John cooperage

WINE PLACES

• 48 hours in Adelaide: German-influenced wine and cakes make a foodie heaven

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• ASEV to launch new online journal to be readily used by winemakers
  
• Smartphones enlisted in the battle versus crop disease

EUROPE & THE UK

• Scientific Proof Expected to Determine Georgia as Birthplace of Wine
• UK: HMRC clampdown on duty evasion begins
• UK: NHS to cut recommended alcohol consumption
• UK: Kingscote winery goes up for sale following death of owner
• EU: Minimum pricing on alcohol still debated after court ruling

DOWN UNDER

• Aussie’s Drop Fully Savored by Vineyard as Hedges More Favorable
• OZ: Cheap wine could get more expensive, spirits cheaper, under proposal for alcohol tax overhaul

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• OIV methods of analysis translated into Chinese

OLIVE OIL

• A meeting in California will analyze labeling rules and the latest research in the olive sector

CRAFT BEVERAGES: BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS

Today’s Craft Beverage Insights News has 68 new links including the following top headlines:

• Craft Beer Is on the Rise in 2016
• So you wanna open a brewery? Part I
• NY Senator touting tax change for cider makers
• Brewers Assn Craft Beer Industry Production Survey needs responses

Get all today’s news at Craft Beverage Insights here.