Wines & Vines back issues from May 2007:
The power of the package.(editor's letter)
May 01, 2007; ... Among at least a dozen good ideas for articles that I gathered at the UC Davis Wine Executive Program in March, one was particularly relevant to the main theme of this issue, which is packaging. The wine industry so far has been fortunate not to have to fret over packaging to the same ...
Barrel backers bite back.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2007; ... "When a wine smells and tastes of oak, it is out of balance." Editor: I am very familiar with California wines, because in the 1980s and 1990s, I put more California wines on the market here in British Columbia than any other importer. For many years, I have pleaded ...
Barrel backers bite back.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2007; ... "Anybody who thinks that oak barrels are going away entirely knows nothing." Editor: Linda Bisson should stick to yeasts, and leave the prognosticating to people with a grasp on reality. (See winesandvines.com, Headlines, Mar. 9, "Missing in the Future: Barrels and ...
Ado About "Nothing".(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2007; ... "Ridiculous TTB proliferation of inaccurate and dubious value labels." Editor: Regarding "A Warning Label About Nothing" (Opinion/Analysis by Dan Berger, March 2007): Although I thoroughly enjoy caviar (fish eggs) with many wines, especially Champagne, I have not ...
Wrong on Rolland?(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2007; ... "As the wine business 'globalizes' ... individuality may be going out the window." Editor: Everywhere you turn, there's another article about Michel Rolland putting his mark on wines from every continent. Some of the negative coverage mentioned by Dave McIntyre ...
Sales up, up, up for Pinot, rose, screwcaps.(news this month)
May 01, 2007 ... The Nielsen Company's annual snapshot of the retail beverage alcohol market brims with good news about wine sales. Flipping through 20 pages that summarize findings from more than 700,000 on-premise and off-premise locations, covering sales during 52 weeks ending Jan. 13, 2007, it seems ...
U.S. wine exports grew last year.(MORE HEADLINES)
May 01, 2007 ... Exports of U.S. wine brought in $876 million in 2006, a 30% increase from the previous year, according to Wine Institute (WI). The increase in value far overshadowed the 4% growth in volume to 404.5 million liters, and followed an export downturn in 2005, according to Joe Rollo, director ...
Korean trade pact moves ahead.(MORE HEADLINES)
May 01, 2007 ... The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced it had concluded free trade agreement negotiations with South Korea that would eventually eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers for most goods and services. Wine and most U.S. agricultural exports would become duty-free as soon ...
Sonoma, Paso join name defenders.(MORE HEADLINES)(Center for Wine Origions)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... Six international wine regions, including two from the U.S., joined the Center for Wine Origions by signing a declaration to protect wine place and origin names. Representatives from California's Sonoma County and Paso Robles, Italy's Chianti Classico, Hungary's Tokaj, and Victoria and ...
Navigating the maze of winery event permits.(news this month)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... Sonoma vintners gathered at Kendall-Jackson winery in Santa Rosa on Mar. 16 for an informational meeting about winery event permits. The meeting was held by California Assembly Member Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), who is introducing a bill to allow "virtual wineries" (those without their ...
PD-resistant vinifera vines ready to bear fruit.(news this month)(Pierce's disease)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... The first vinifera hybrid vines developed by researchers at UC Davis to genetically resist infection from Pierce's disease (PD) are expected to bear sufficiently this fall to permit a minuscule first harvest and wine quality evaluation. If the results are favorable, PD-resistant vinifera ...
ProWein 2007 Trade Fair was most International ever.(news this month)
May 01, 2007 ... ProWein 2007 International Trade Fair for Wine and Spirits, drew a record 3,041 exhibitors from 43 countries to Dusseldorf, Germany in March. Some 32,000 trade visitors from around the world attended; a quarter came from outside of Germany, organizers at Messe Dusseldorf announced. ...
Rideau has new assistant winemaker.(PEOPLE)
May 01, 2007 ... Caren Rideau was named winemaker at Rideau Vineyard, Santa Barbara, Calif. The ...
Denise Rose joins Peterson Winery.(PEOPLE)
May 01, 2007 ... Denise Rose was named direct sales manager at Peterson Winery, Dry Creek ...
Heck is honored by Travel Industry.(PEOPLE)
May 01, 2007 ... Gary Heck, president and chairman of the board of Korbel Champagne Cellars, Guerneville, Sonoma County, was named winemaker of the year by the California Travel ...
MacNeil wins Literary Award.(PEOPLE)
May 01, 2007 ... Karen MacNeil was awarded the 2007 Wine Literary Award at a San Francisco banquet Apr. 27. The author and wine educator has been writing about wine for 25 years, ...
Appointments at Talley Vineyards.(PEOPLE)
May 01, 2007 ... Leslie Mead was promoted to winemaker and Kevin Wilkinson was named vineyard manager at Talley Vineyards, Arroyo ...
Trentadue wins high-stakes IRS fight.(BUSINESS)(Internal Revenue Service)(Trentadue Winery)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... The U.S. Tax Court ruled in favor of Trentadue Winery, Sonoma County, which had protested an IRS demand for an additional $30,000 on its 2002 tax return. The IRS argued that trellising must be depreciated over a 20-year ...
Sonoma Co-op expands storage.(BUSINESS)(Sonoma County Vintners Co-op)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... The Sonoma County Vintners Co-op, Windsor, will increase its wine storage capacity by 200,000 cases as a result of an agreement with DenBeste Transportation, Inc. The Co-op, with its PackN'Ship Direct ...
CAWG produces heat stress DVD.(BUSINESS)
May 01, 2007 ... The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) has contracted with Farm Employers Labor Services to produce a bilingual video, "Orientation to Heat-Illness Prevention." ...
Delicato changes its name.(BUSINESS)
May 01, 2007 ... Delicato Family Vineyards, Napa, has changed its branded wine portfolio to DFV Wines, reflecting the Indelicato family's 80-year ownership while supporting its ...
Edwards and Bevill team up.(BUSINESS)
May 01, 2007 ... Merry Edwards Wines, Russian River Valley, has appointed Bevill Vineyard & Estate Management, ...
Paso forms Rhone Rangers chapter.(BUSINESS)
May 01, 2007 ... A new chapter of the Rhone Rangers organization was formed this year by 23 ...
G3 device measures oxygen in sealed packages.(SUPPLIERS)(G3 Enterprises)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... The OxySense portable oxygen analyzer uses optical sensing to accurately measure oxygen levels inside sealed containers without opening or destroying them, and does not consume oxygen during the testing. The technology has been used in the food-packing industry for a number of years, and ...
Nadalie builds its sales force.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Napa-based cooperage Nadalie USA has added Michael Clifford to its California sales team. Contact him at mclifford@nadalie.com. More Suppliers of Embossed Bottles Following publication of the feature on embossed bottles, "Raising Bottle Profiles" in our ...
Attorney Gaw receives CPA Education award.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... David B. Gaw, principal of Gaw Van Male, Napa, received the award for Outstanding Course Materials from the California CPA Education Foundation at its annual meeting. He was honored as "the single all-around most outstanding Education Foundation course author." Gaw Van Male also received a ...
Krueger provides winery equipment and services.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Ortwin Krueger has launched Krueger Winery Technology, LLC, in St. Helena, Napa Valley, with bottling, capping and corking equipment, cellar automation, fermentation controls and alternative closure systems plus consultation, engineering and design services, repair and maintenance. Krueger ...
Cork Supply offers Vapex technical corks.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Cork Supply USA., Benicia, Calif., now has 1 + 1 and Micro-Agglo technical corks, created with the Vapex pressurized steam TCA extraction process. For details, visit corksupplyusa.com. More Suppliers of Embossed Bottles Following publication of the feature on embossed ...
Gusmer introduces waste water system.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Gusmer Enterprises has partnered with Nalco Chemical Company for BOD reduction in winery waste water. Nalco's BOD-Out[TM] program utilizes the pre-engineered, modular Lyve technology and monitoring systems for an efficient and affordable treatment in line with sustainable winemaking ...
AgCredit members to receive $18 million.(SUPPLIERS)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... American AgCredit, Santa Rosa, Calif., will distribute $18 million in net income to farmer/rancher members in California and Nevada. Part of the cooperative nationwide Farm Credit system, American AgCredit is the nation's seventh largest agricultural lending cooperative. The dividends paid ...
Inertia has new partners.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Inertia Beverage Group, Napa, has formed a partnership with POS Resources to create a fully integrated customer management system, combining POS Resources' point of sale system with Inertia's Rethink Engine customer direct software to create a single customer database integrating tasting ...
Signature to manage SF Chronicle club.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Signature Wines & Beverages, Hayward, Calif., will develop and manage a new wine club program for the San Francisco Chronicle, providing branded marketing, e-commerce customer assistance and fulfillment services. More Suppliers of Embossed Bottles Following ...
New sales director at Bottlelegant.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Bottlelegant, Inc., Hayward, Calif., bottle supplier, appointed Ken Tenaglia director of sales. Tenaglia is part of the winemaking team at Sobrante Cellars, and previously was VP/marketing at Vialta, Inc. More Suppliers of Embossed Bottles Following publication of the ...
Kimco cultivator keeps weeds down.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... Kimco Mfg., Inc., Fresno, Calif., introduced its Model TB-1 designed for growers cultivating 15 acres or less, allowing mechanical control of in-row weeds without chemicals. For details, visit kimcomfg.com. More Suppliers of Embossed Bottles Following publication of ...
New Vine Logistics buys Wrap-It Transit.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2007 ... New Vine Logistics, provider of consumer-direct fulfillment and supply chain solutions for the wine industry, acquired Wrap-It Transit, a specialist in wine fulfillment and storage. Learn more at newvinelogistics.com. More Suppliers of Embossed Bottles Following ...
Klein launches Sonoma Vineyards brand.(MARKETING)
May 01, 2007 ... Tom Klein, owner of Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg, released Sonoma County unoaked Chardonnay and ...
First release from AVA wins double gold.(MARKETING)
May 01, 2007 ... Escafeld Vineyard's 2004 San Antonio Valley Petit Verdot wine won double gold and best of class at the 2007 San Francisco ...
Martinson leads Cornell vit extension.(REGIONAL)
May 01, 2007 ... Tim Martinson, will coordinate viticulture extension programs throughout New York in his new position as senior ...
Shipping allowed to Kentucky consumers.(REGIONAL)
May 01, 2007 ... A federal judge has ruled that small wineries across the country can ship wine directly to ...
Ulbrich launches Michigan winery.(REGIONAL)
May 01, 2007 ... Bryan Ulbrich, winemaker at Peninsula Cellars on Michigan's Old Mission Peninsula, is moving on to start his own winery, Left ...
Custom crush in walla walla.(REGIONAL)(custom crush facility)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... Artifex Wine Company, the first custom crush facility in Eastern Washington, will target clients producing ultra-premium wines. Its principals are winemaker Jean Francois Pellet and ...
Wise & otherwise.
May 01, 2007; ... Labels as Food-Pairing Advisors. Why rack your brain about which wine to serve with dinner when you can let a wine label do the thinking? The new "Wine That Loves" brand offers no-brainer pairings by way of food-specific label graphics (the Wine That Loves Grilled Salmon label, for ...
Rhone Rangers attract more trade, fewer consumers.(faces & forums)
May 01, 2007; ... This year's Rhone Rangers San Francisco Grand Tasting, held Mar. 18 at Fort Mason Center, drew more trade attendees than the previous year--1,221 compared to 887--while bringing in fewer consumers. Only 720 consumers attended the 2007 tasting, down from 911 the previous year. Combined ...
How shipper design helps sales: dramatic case boxes can improve off-premise results.
May 01, 2007; ... On a spring-like Sunday afternoon in Manhattan's chic Chelsea neighborhood, Melanie Mann is presiding over a brisk business from behind the counter at Chelsea Wine Vault. As the general manager, she manages an inventory of approximately 850 SKUs, and says she's "obsessed" with the new ...
Wine by the keg: premium wine in steel package targets on-premise sales.
May 01, 2007; ... You picked the perfect restaurant--a cozy cafe in the city with romantic lighting, European flair and the best thin-crust pizzas this side of Naples. "I feel like celebrating," you announce to your loved one as the server approaches. "Waiter, bring us a lusty super-Tuscanstyle red--the ...
Using Digital Label Printers: how short-run printers enable customized packaging.
May 01, 2007; ... Most wine marketers and resellers agree that labels are important factors in why consumers select one bottle of wine instead of another. According to research quoted by printer maker Hewlett-Packard, "Consumer studies show that 80% of those who pick up a bottle off the shelf will buy it." ...
Back up your brand: are you getting the best from your back label?
May 01, 2007; ... What's on your wine's back label? Is it a mere afterthought? A repository for all the required verbiage that you don't want cluttering the front of your bottle? Do you even need a back label? Technically, you don't: As long as your package includes all required data and government-mandated ...
The anatomy of a wine label.
May 01, 2007; ... Everyone in the business knows that a wine label's job is to sell the bottle, and there are plenty of label designers and marketing people to tell you how that works, if you are willing to listen. But what exactly attracts the eye, and triggers the decision to buy? Take the case ...
Going pro: a mid-life segue: in part I of a three-part series, a sandlot winemaker tries out for the big leagues.
May 01, 2007; ... I knew I was in trouble. I was a man with graying hair who had just come through a health crisis. Some people might turn to a Porsche Carrera, hair plugs, Botoxing their frown lines or taking up bungee-jumping, but all I cared about at the moment, standing in the pouring rain high on a ...
Hitting the target: inexpensive ways to spray more effectively.
May 01, 2007; ... Spray application is an important and costly challenge facing winegrape growers. The potential for public outcry from off-target drift, and the wasted time and material involved, provide good motivation for growers to pay more attention to detail in this essential vineyard management ...
Training the front line troops: three pros recommend how to improve tasting room sales.
May 01, 2007; ... With direct-to-consumer marketing becoming an increasingly vital segment of the American wine industry, and with tasting rooms the major direct sales channel for most small wineries, staffing those tasting rooms with motivated, well-trained people is an essential consideration for even the ...
Lessons learned in 50 years: Robert Haas of Tablas Creek turns 80.
May 01, 2007; ... Robert Haas has spent more than 50 years in the wine business, as a retailer, importer and now as a vintner at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, on California's Central Coast. And he's learned a few things about what it takes to be successful. "In the first place, you've got ...
Making the impossible possible: new cold-hardy varieties enable far-north winemaking.
May 01, 2007; ... When David Bailly first started growing winegrapes in Minnesota 34 years ago, he was a pioneer. And, according to wine experts he consulted at the time, he was embarking on a fool's errand. How could Minnesota, with winter temperatures that average in the single digits, and at night dip ...
Oregon builds statewide unity: symposium delivers solutions for all growing regions.
May 01, 2007; ... One of the most important accomplishments of the 3-year-old Oregon Wine Board (OWB) has been the continual enhancement of the annual Oregon Wine Industry Symposium. In the words of Oregon winemaker Gino Cuneo, "This year's symposium has been--from start to finish--the best run, most ...
Snake River AVA approved: Idaho Growers and wineries welcome the attention.
May 01, 2007; ... Idaho's Snake River Valley has been designated as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The new AVA includes 10 Idaho counties and a small part of Oregon. "A combination of the area's microclimates, soil and other ...
Jumping to conclusions about climate change.(vineyard views)
May 01, 2007; ... When a former Vice President--Al Gore--wins an Oscar for a movie documentary on climate change--"An Inconvenient Truth"--and the same topic is also the cover story in Sports Illustrated within the same month--week of Mar. 12--it is clear the topic has gone mainstream. I think this is a ...
Tips for selling wine directly to retailers.(marketing matters)
May 01, 2007; ... For small wineries in states like California and Washington, selling directly to retailers is not just an elusive dream, it's a legitimate option. While many states still do not allow direct-to-retail sales, opportunities are increasing (see box on page 95). Direct selling can be ...
Points: a winemaker's take on critics.(Opinion ANALYSIS)
May 01, 2007; ... His cellar was new. From the vintages, it looked like he had collected wine for about a decade. I spied a couple of my wines on the rack, so I commented facetiously, "It's obvious your wines are well chosen." Missing my drift, he replied, "Yes, every wine in this cellar has at least 95 ...