NEWSFETCH – March 15, 2010

• Social Media and Legal Liability
• February Retail Sales Increase Despite Bad Weather
• Thirst for organic wine growing in Europe, North America
• Napa assessor offers to help wineries
• Chile: Winemakers Feel Quake Hangover
• DISCUS spent $1.2M lobbying in 4Q
• Wine & Spirits Wholesalers spend $280K on lobbying
• MillerCoors spent $562K lobbying gov’t in 4Q

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE ON LOBBYING

• Diageo Sell-Off Brings Deep Discounts for Bordeaux
• Gallo closes Healdsburg tasting room
• US wine exports fall 15 percent in 2009

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE ON EXPORTS

• Top Australian wine makers positive about vintage 2010
• Foster’s profit falls 13.5% on lower beer market share market share
• Hotelier sued over wages
• Chilean wineries weather disaster
• Randall Grahm, Zelma Long inducted into Vintners Hall of Fame
• Fake Bollinger being sold in London
• Pierce’sDisease: Microscopic photography reveals bacteria destroying grape plant cell wall
• Burgundy: Of Pinot Noir and Terroir
• Cloudy future uncorked for NZ owners
• IL: How did convicted mob bookie get liquor licenses for his restaurants?
• OK: No wine in grocery stores
• Agritourism potential big, ranchers told
• Clones attack in grape wars
• Water meetings inspire farmers,’ others’ activism
• Deceptive arguments are being made in California’s water wars
• Wine Futures: So Good You Can Taste It
• Two Worlds of Argentine Wines
• Lodi Wine Contest Judged By Average Drinkers
• Thousands turn out for Sonoma County wine barrel tasting
• 17th annual Mustard Festival enlivens downtown Napa
• Monterey County seeks water balance with dams, recycling
• Livermore Valley gears up for second annual Barrel Tasting Weekend
• Abbona Wines Join the Wildman Italian Portfolio
• Diageo launches rainwater harvesting project in Delhi
• CT: Ban State From Wine Aisle
• NY: Will wine get on the grocery list?
• Decantified: Pinotgate Gives Red Bicyclette a Flat Tire
• American Canyon’s Amcor screw-cap sees surging demand
• Silver Oak Cellars and Cork Supply USA Pioneer Use of Technique to Detect TCA
• Canada: Craitor scolds large wineries
• Canada: Letter from chair of the Winery & Grower Alliance of Ontario
• FORT ROSS VINEYARD & WINERY ANNOUNCES NEW WINEMAKER, JEFF PISONI
• Glass tops win fans in California
• Vineyards feel the pinch and list for sale
• Winemaker takes on brews, too
• NV: Winery marks 20 years
• Vinoteka wine cellar management software upgraded

MORE ON LOBBYING

• Diageo spent $570000 lobbying gov’t in 4Q
• Anheuser-Busch spent $690K lobbying gov’t in 4Q
• Beer Institute spent $160K lobbying gov’t in 4Q
• Pernod Ricard spent $180,000 lobbying in 4Q

MORE ON EXPORTS

• 2009 US wine exports down in Europe, up in Asia
• 2009 U.S. Wine Exports Down But Positive Q4 Gives Cause For Optimism