NEWS FETCH — February 7, 2016

TOP NEWS

• Bill Collins, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Napa Valley Vintners and one of the founders of the Napa Valley Wine Auction, dies
• Premium Boxed Wines Are Smoking Hot
• Premium wines drive Australian wine resurgence in North America
• California storms could trigger floods, mudslides and bring 120-mph winds, forecasters warn
• US Economic Confidence Index Hit New High in January
• Charter Oak Winery doubled its production without doubling its costs. You can too. Click to learn how. *Sponsored Link*

WINE SUPPLY & CONSUMPTION

• Beyond Malbec: Looking for Signs of an Argentina Wine Export Revival
• Australia’s mixed performance in different markets across South East Asia
• Bordeaux 2016: An Unexpected Vintage (Part 2)
• Mouton MD: 2016 ‘clearly an excellent vintage’
• Winemakers: instantly access key wine & cellar data from anywhere to make key decisions & manage your staff better. Click now to download vintrace’s time-saving app! *Sponsored Link*

CALIFORNIA BRIEFS

• Napa County OKs Grassi Wine Company winery project
• Carneros Wine Alliance names 2017 board
• WiVi 2017 is the largest wine industry gathering on the Central Coast
• RARE! Historic downtown Calistoga commercial property with restaurant and winery leases in place. This net leased investment offers income and pride of ownership. Click now to learn more. *Sponsored Link*

DROUGHT/WATER

• Fresno OKs deal to buy flood-release water from Millerton Lake
• CA: Assemblyman Gray announces legislation to overhaul state water management
• Why Dirt Will Be as Valuable as Water in a Warming World
• Looking for wines to import into the U.S.? Find international producers on “Route USA” at ProWein 2017 trade fair. Click to lean more. *Sponsored Link*

CONSUMER SALES: DTC, ON- & OFF-PREMISE

• Are You Looking To Open More States and Connect With Distributors? Then Book Your USA Trade Tasting Exhibitor Spot By Jan 20 *Sponsored Link*

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

• Import tax on Mexican products would hit consumers hard
• French PM says Britain must agree divorce terms before trade deal
• Impact of free trade agreements on Australian exports
• No worries for B.C. wine on trade complaint

DISTRIBUTORS

• Top 10 Tips To Present Your Wines to US Importers *Sponsored Link*

INVESTING IN WINE, COLLECTING & AUCTIONS

• Lafite: highs and lows
• Treasure trove of fine wine to go on sale in NYC

HEALTH

• An evolutionary explanation for why humans crave alcohol

REGULATION & LEGAL MATTERS

• NM: Legislation would allow restaurants to uncork private wine
• How Old is that Old Charter?

MARKETING & SALES

• Most Internet users have never bought anything directly via social media.

TRADE SHOWS & CONFERENCES

• Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship opens for applicants
• Women of the Vine & Spirits™ to Stream 2017 Global Symposium Live and On-Demand
• Vinisud grows pan-Mediterranean reach

SOCIAL MEDIA & TECH

• Here’s How to Mute Users on Twitter

MEDIA MATTERS

• A 5-Step Checklist to Maximize Press Coverage for Your Business

MATTERS OF TASTE

• Terroir as possible myth and certain inspiration
• The One Reason You Should Be Drinking Wine from Oregon and Washington
• Almost human?

WINE PEOPLE

• Gina Gallo on Her Palate, Her Winemaking Style, and What’s in Her Way Now
• Uncorked: Jasper Morris MW

WINE PLACES

• Where to Visit in Napa Valley in 2017: Part 1
• Lepiane Winery: Beauty of Barbera, Nuance of Nebbiolo (Santa Barbara)
• Adelsheim Vineyard, a Pioneering Oregon Winery, Is Still Evolving

NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL WINE NEWS

• Utah: Mobile app would direct people to state-run liquor stores

AG, GROWER & CELLAR NEWS

• Biological Control of Vine Mealybug
• Technologies for the precise application of pesticides into vineyards (PDF)

EUROPE & THE UK

• ‘Dry January’ retail booze boost, as Aldi becomes UK’s fifth largest grocer
• Producers claim ‘inferior’ gran reservas ‘contaminating’ Rioja
• EU wines’ hidden gems

DOWN UNDER

• ‘Moment of truth’ for NZ agriculture – Rabobank
• NZ: Pipfruit, vineyards and forestry feature in Hawke’s Bay overseas investment decisions
• Alibaba opens Australian headquarters
• San Miguel Corp Expands Into The Wine Industry In Australia With Portavin Acquisition

NOT JUST FOR THE TRADE

• Raindrops, Red Wine Inspire Solar Tech Advancements
• Winery Trains Puppy to Do Two Very Different Jobs