NEWS FETCH — May 16, 2016

TOP NEWS

• Here’s the data showing that laws restricting grocery store wine, beer & spirits sales actually increases alcohol abuse
• April breaks global temperature record, marking seven months of new highs
• Wine Sales Spring Higher in April
• When a right goes wrong: Vineyard frost protection, river flows and salmon
• California Farmers Innovate to Fight Drought
• Languedoc Loses a Champion with Winemaker’s Death
• This is how Charter Oak Winery doubled its production without doubling its costs *Sponsored Link*

WINE SUPPLY

• Germany’s 2015 Vintage: Close to Perfect
• This is how you can get meaningful reporting and compliance information from your business data *Sponsored Link*

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Santa Barbara’s Sandhi Wines Sold
• Just How Many Acres Of Grapes Have Been Planted In California?
• Lake County wine industry is ready for takeoff
• Girard Winery returning to Napa Valley
• Napa Valley Roadshow Event Recap
• Frank Family Vineyards hires King as HR manager
• Tight Supply, Growing Demand Lead Vineyard Economics Seminar
• What are US Importers and Distributors really looking for? Check out the latest USATT Conference panel session video *Sponsored Link*

HONESTY MATTERS

• ‘Who Pays Influencers?’ A new site crowdsources influencer marketing rates
• SABMiller, Cutty Sark Among Companies Paying For Social Media Posts
• Confessions of a social media exec on influencer marketing: ‘We threw too much money at them’
• FTC Puts Social Media Marketers On Notice With Updated Disclosure Guidelines

DROUGHT/WATER

• SGMA and the Challenge of Groundwater Management Sustainability
• Antiquated water laws muddy distribution issues
• Can Congress pass a California water bill?
• Brown’s revised budget contains funds for drought resiliency, smelt
• Can California Make Saving Water a Way of Life?

PUBLIC COMPANIES

• Amazon is going to sell its own lines of food, detergent and diapers, and it’s going to be a really big deal
• Tesco boss paid £3m for returning retailer to profit
• Concha y Toro launches tool to support growing wine c-sector
• Majestic Wine Definition range hits £5 million mark
• At Pernod Ricard USA, Paul Duffy Will Lead An Entirely New Team
• Diageo Embarks On Multi-Billion-Dollar Media Buying Review
• Truett-Hurst’s (THST) CEO Phillip Hurst on Q3 2016 Results – Earnings Call Transcript

FINANCE, M&A

• Equity crowdfunding is finally here: 10 steps to getting funded

DISTRIBUTORS

• After merger, beverage distributor’s VP says, ‘We intend to pave a new path’
• Are You Really Ready To Pitch A Distributor: Here’s the Checklist *Sponsored Link*

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Bordeaux 2015 Prices Make New Wines Most Expensive Since 2010
• Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 Index was firmer last week
• Richebourg 1978 Jayer Burgundy Leads Sotheby’s Wine Auction

HEALTH

• Resveratrol found in red wine could help counteract the negative impact of high fat/high sugar diets
• Science says that brushing your teeth after drinking wine could be dangerous
• Here’s the data showing that laws restricting grocery store wine, beer & spirits sales actually increases alcohol abuse
• The End of Conspicuous Consumption – A View from the Edge
• Alcohol, young people and university

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• After 90-plus years, alcohol flows in Fircrest, WA

WINE SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATION

• What is value in wine?
• Awkward Moments: Ordering Wine in a Restaurant
• Do You Need Wine-Lister, a New 1000-Point Wine Rating System?

MARKETING & SALES

• The entrepreneurs trying to tap into a new generation of wine-loving millennials
• Top Marketing Trends for Small Businesses
• Beyond the Cart – Webrooming

PACKAGING, LABELS & CORKS

• Amorim Claims First Natural Corks with Non-Detectable TCA Guarantee

CUSTOMER RELATIONS

• How to diagnose your very sick customer journey

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• 10 Tips to Designing the Perfect Trade Advert *Sponsored Link*

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Think Your Audience Is Too Small? Why That’s Great for Business
• Google is banning Flash from its Chrome browser

MANAGEMENT & EMPLOYMENT

• Surviving The FLSA Litigation Hurricane

MEDIA MATTERS

• Rudy Kurniawan film Sour Grapes gets first airing

MATTERS OF TASTE

• The Women and the Wine
• Money and wine
• Sicilian Wine No One-Trick Pony
• The truth about rosé wine
• Sparkling wines – most important countries and labelling
• Everything You Need To Know About Old Vine Wine

WINE PEOPLE

• Winery leader’s unusual journey from bag boy to CEO
• Douglas O. Adams Recognized with ASEV’s Merit Award
• Virginia Tech’s Dr. Bruce Zoecklein Confirmed as ASEV’s Extension Distinction Award Recipient
• Conversation with Mark Adams of Ledge Vineyards
• Meet the Girls Who Made Rosé Haute
• America’s first wine geek — Thomas Jefferson
• Sam Ehrlich of the Blue Ribbon Restaurant Group (podcast)

WINE PLACES

• Wine lover’s guide to the Languedoc

WINE EDUCATION

• WSET revamps website

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Virginia Looks To Boost Wine Business Through Grants
• Cold temperatures impact NY vineyards

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Is organic agriculture really better for the environment?

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Irrigation Method Can ‘Trick’ White Grapes

EUROPE & THE UK

• Voters could follow wine-drinkers’ lead in EU referendum
• Buying into a Dream in Tuscany
• An English winemaker on what it’s really like to own a vineyard in France
• The Left and Right ways to categorise Bordeaux wines
• UK: Drinkaware campaign targets middle-aged men

DOWN UNDER

• NZ: Marlborough wine company sacked worker who helped others prune vines
• A fine time for Australian wine

ASIA & PACIFIC RIM

• China: Wine market shrugs off slump as consumers raise their glasses

LATIN AMERICA

• Chilean wine reaches China’s doorsteps

SOUTH AFRICA

• The remarkably low number of South African wineries – Part One
• South Africa: Former Whyte & Mackay owner buys into KWV

AROUND THE GLOBE

• (Re)discovering Armenian Wine

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• The third ultimate do-it-yourself wine review
• 5 Really Weird, Useful Things You Can Do With Wine

CRAFT BEVERAGES: BEER, CIDER, WINE & SPIRITS – A Sampling of Today’s Headlines

• Sting Operation Reveals Alleged A-B Pay-to-Play Activities
• Has the Craft Beer Movement Finally Gone too Far?
• Craft beer growth in Sacramento breweries? It’s complicated, stressful and vital
• Why Don’t Beer Geeks Like Wheat Beers?

Get the rest of today’s craft news at Craft Beverage Insights