Wines & Vines back issues from May 2008:
Taking the pulse of the central region: those applying the latest techniques make surprising wines.(EDITOR'S LETTER)
May 01, 2008; ... It had been too long since I visited wine country in the central part of the continent, so I welcomed the opportunity to attend the "License to Steal" wine marketing conference on Lake Erie in early April (see Faces & Forums, page 34). We coastal dwellers tend to spend too much time ...
UC Davis releases pest-resistant rootstocks: they may be commercially available by 2010.(Headlines)
May 01, 2008; ... Davis, Calif. -- Five new rootstocks to resist nematodes, aphids and other insects have been licensed to commercial grapevine nurseries for propagation and eventual sale to vineyards. Developed over 15 years by a research team led by University of California--Davis professor and ...
U.S. rose sales surge 53.2%.(NEWS BYTES)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Sales of rose wines priced $8 and above grew 53.2% by value and 49.1% by volume during the 52 weeks ended Feb. 9, 2008, according to the Nielsen Co. Domestic rose wines outsold their imported counterparts. In key markets, Miami led the way ...
TTB thaws, approves avas.(NEWS BYTES)(Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau )(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... For the first time since it froze approvals of American Viticultural Areas in November, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced the establishment of a new AVA in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and the expansion of the Alexander Valley and San ...
California leads in eateries.(NEWS BYTES)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Wines from California outsell imports in fine dining establishments by wide margins in virtually every category, according to a Wine & Spirits survey of 309 restaurateurs. All but 14 of the top 50 brands came from California; the ...
Italians challenge Sonoma label: consortium says Petroni violates trademark.(May news)
May 01, 2008; ... Sonoma, Calif. -- Lorenzo Petroni, owner of Petroni Vineyards, has been targeted by an Italian wine consortium for his Sangiovese wine labeled "Brunello di Sonoma." Petroni and his representatives have been corresponding with the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, which contends ...
A batty solution? Flying rodents voraciously devour any available insects.(MAY NEWS)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Mason, Texas--While the world waits for a definitive answer to the Pierce's disease (PD) problem, Don Pullum of Akashic Vineyard in Mason, Texas, thinks he has found at least part of the solution. Bats. Mexican free-tailed bats, to be precise. "I have significantly fewer ...
Den Hoeds sell Wallula Vineyard: purchase marks first vineyard for Long Shadows.(MAY NEWS)
May 01, 2008; ... Tri-Cities, Wash. -- The Den Hoed grapegrowing family of Washington has sold its Wallula Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA to long-time vintners Allen Shoup, Augustin Huneeus, Sr., and other members of a small investing group called Premier Vineyard Estates, LLC. Brothers Bill and ...
Urban wineries in Santa Cruz: Bonny Doon forms tasting room nucleus.(MAY NEWS)
May 01, 2008; ... Santa Cruz, Calif. -- Long known for surfers, aging hippies and the banana slug mascot of its counterculture University of California branch, Santa Cruz is about to blossom into a wine destination when eight wineries cluster in an old industrial park they're calling Westside Wine Village. ...
Vineyard Foundation takes show on the road: Viticulture researchers will present findings to California grapegrowers.(MAY NEWS)
May 01, 2008; ... Napa, Calif. -- Researchers funded by the American Vineyard Foundation (AVF) and two other agencies will visit four California grapegrowing regions this summer to explain their projects and results. Billed "Regional Research Roadshows," the events will visit Paso Robles, Lodi, Fresno and ...
Checking the math in Napa.(MAY NEWS)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Yountville, Calif. -- Continuing its goal of providing useful education to members, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) held a seminar on marketing grapes March 20 at the Yountville Community Hall. Jim Verhey of Silverado WineGrowers took attendees through the Napa Valley grape ...
Free compliance tool online: ShipCompliant software provides real-time updates of changing laws.(MAY NEWS)
May 01, 2008; ... Boulder, Colo. -- A new direct shipping portal on California's Wine Institute (WI) website enables wineries anywhere to track the shifting rules regulating direct-to-consumer wine shipments. A collaboration with ShipCompliant, produced by Six88 Solutions, Boulder, Colo., the link provides ...
Norton stars on new website: Missouri board aims to get millennials interested in the state's official grape.(MAY NEWS)(Website overview)
May 01, 2008; ... Jefferson City, Mo. -- The Missouri Wine & Grape Board (MSWG) has launched a novel website aimed directly at wine drinkers--and potential wine drinkers--of the millennial generation. Nortonsays.com is a whimsical, interactive site to help consumers learn where they can sample Missouri's ...
Seeking fungus-resistant genes.
May 01, 2008; ... Springfield, Mo. -- Researchers at Missouri State University and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center are working to find and suppress the genes that make grapevines susceptible to fungal diseases. The majority of the research has surrounded Norton, a hardy native American grape that ...
Napa group to restore 'ghost' winery.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) hopes to restore the Jackse Winery in St. Helena and transform it into a permanent home for the organization. The now-dilapidated structure was St. Helena's first winery, and is situated on a 1.5-acre parcel. With ...
Kunde schedules eco-tours.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Kunde Estate, Kenwood, released a schedule of EcoGreen Tours and Sustainable Winegrowing Hikes, which will run through December. Added to the schedule this year is a ...
Sonoma wine and tourism agencies unite.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, Sonoma County Vintners and the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau joined forces to hire Calhoun ...
Eight wineries join San Francisco venue.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Press Club opened in April on Yerba Buena Lane in downtown San Francisco. The 9,000-square-foot venue will host daily tastings with representatives of Chateau Montelena, Fritz and Hanna wineries, ...
Winemaker joins planning commission.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Steve Pessagno, proprietor and winemaker for Pessagno Winery, Salinas Valley, was appointed to a four-year term on the Monterey County ...
Vine village celebrates 35 years.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Vine Village, the Napa program for those with developmental disabilities, will celebrate its 35th anniversary with its annual celebration July 25. Donations of items, gift ...
Langtry has a new president.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Middletown, appointed Tim Matz as president, replacing Easton Manson, ...
New assistant winemaker at Donati.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Denise Valoff was named assistant winemaker at Donati Family Vineyard in Paso ...
Montoya promoted at Pina.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Former cellar master Macario Montoya was promoted to assistant ...
Octagon Group adds consultants.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... The Octagon Group, Sonoma strategic planning consultants, added Janet Church, Kenneth Churchill and Christine Martin to its team, which includes Dennis Black, Steve Burns, George Christie, Kent Humphrey, Elizabeth Slater, Barbara ...
Paso's Dennis Collins died in March.(CALIFORNIA)
May 01, 2008 ... Dennis T. Collins, general manager of Treana Winery in Paso Robles, died of cancer March 27 at age 60. A Modesto native, Collins began his long wine industry career working in quality control at E. & J. Gallo Winery there. Later, he founded Vintner Supply Co., which eventually became part ...
Naramata Bench to host seminars.(NORTHWEST)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Okanagan B.C.'s Naramata Bench Wineries Association will hold a series of wine seminars starting in early May with pending dates in July and September. The "Unfiltered" seminars May 5 and 6 will ...
Two Mountain revamps branding.(NORTHWEST)
May 01, 2008 ... Brothers Matthew and Patrick Rawn, owners of Two Mountain Winery, Yakima, Wash., introduced a new logo and label for the winery and estate vineyard they purchased from their late ...
Wine economists meet in August.(NORTHWEST)
May 01, 2008 ... The American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE) will hold its second annual meeting Aug. 14-16 in Portland, Ore. AAWE also ...
Duck Pond names head winemaker.(NORTHWEST)
May 01, 2008 ... Duck Pond Cellars, Dundee, Ore., promoted former assistant winemaker Mark Chargin to head winemaker. Duck Pond currently ...
New Oregon winery supports education.(NORTHWEST)
May 01, 2008 ... Vista Hills Vineyard, which for 20 years supplied Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grapes to Oregon wineries, began producing its own wines and opened its Treehouse tasting room in November and directs 10% of its profits to the Clint Foundation. Founded by Vista Hills ...
Industry veterans are now consulting.(CENTRAL)
May 01, 2008 ... Dr. Richard P. Vine and Ellen M. Butz (Harkness) founded Vintage Winery Consuitants in January. Based in Bloom-ington, Ind., the firm aims to support onsite vintner efforts in pursuit of efficiently and effectively producing quality wines to meet contemporary consumer demand. Vine is ...
Association to inaugurate wine event.(CENTRAL)
May 01, 2008 ... The National Restaurant Association will debut its first International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) on May 19-20 in Chicago, Ill. IWSB will be held in conjunction with the four-day Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. The IWSB will be the first event to focus exclusively ...
Glazer's expands beverage university.(CENTRAL)
May 01, 2008 ... Dallas, Texas-based mega-distributor Glazer's has put its "Wines of the World" seven-unit program covering international wine producing regions online for all users of its eLearning educational website, Glazer's Beverage University. Sessions include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, ...
Crossing vineyards goes solar.(EAST)
May 01, 2008 ... Crossing Vineyards and Winery in Penn sylvania's Bucks County has installed the initial phase of a solar system. Owners Tom and Christine Carroll and their son Tom, Jr., hope that the 30-panel, 6kW net metering system will be the first step in converting the winery to a complete solar ...
Finger Lakes Competition had record year.(EAST)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... The Eighth Annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition drew more than 2,300 wines from 14 countries, 44 states and 470 wineries. Winery participation increased more than 25% from the previous year at the event, which took place March 29-30 in ...
Quebec winery funds scholarship.(EAST)
May 01, 2008 ... Vignoble Carone, a limited-production premium estate winery in Quebec's Lanaudiere Valley, has established a scholarship to promote viti-viniculture in the province, in conjunction with the ...
Pindar pursues sustainable ag.(EAST)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Pindar Vineyards, Peconic, N.Y., Long Island's largest and oldest family-owned winery, announced long-term plans to convert to more sustainable grapegrowing systems. Organic compost will replace conventional fertilizers and herbicides. The first year ...
Marie Gewirtz launches website.(SUPPLIERS)(Website overview)
May 01, 2008 ... Marie Gewirtz Public Relations & Marketing, Healdsburg, Calif., ...
Insel joins research group.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Industry veteran Barbara Insel has joined Stonebridge Research Group, LLC, St. Helena, Calif., as president and ...
Pulsair wine cart is multi-tasker.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... The PAC-1000 Series WC is a heavy-duty, portable wine cart that blends wine, manages the cap, homogenizes must and performs other mixing-related winemaking tasks. All stainless ...
Chene & Cie adds Hungarian cooperage.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... The company, which also represents Taransaud and Jacques Garnier, France; and Canton Cooperage, Ky., has established a partnership with Hungarian cooperage ...
Britton upgrades clos pegase package.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Britton Design, Sonoma packaging and brand specialist, added fine art touches of linen, gold brush strokes and ...
New Vine Logistics creates eco shipper.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... The Napa direct-to-consumer fulfillment house launched WineAssure[TM] an eco-friendly packaging solution designed to preserve wine at optimal temperature during shipment. It was designed ...
American AgCredit pays dividends.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... American AgCredit, Santa Rosa, Calif., announced distribution of $19.8 million in net income to its members, topping last year's ...
WS Packaging pro is person of the year.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Dan Hughes, senior account executive with WS Packaging Group, Inc., Green Bay, Wis., was chosen by the Western ...
SupremeCorq X2 shines in closure study.(SUPPLIERS)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... SupremeCorq, LLC, Kent, Wash., supplier of synthetic wine closures, released a study comparing its X2 to Grade #1 natural cork. Using a Washington Cabernet-Merlot blend, after ...
Vaisala offers humidity seminars.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Vaisala, Woburn, Mass., producer of industrial and weather measuring instruments, will host its fourth annual series of Humidity ...
Lafitte goes solar.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Lafitte Cork & Capsule-USA has converted its Napa Valley facility to solar power. A 52.4kW photovoltaic system designed and installed by Akeena Solar is ...
Cork Supply certified by forest group.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Cork Supply Group, Benicia, Calif., has received certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Soil Association Woodmark for providing sustainable cork ...
ProWein trade fair hit attendance record.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... ProWein 2008 International Trade Fair for Wine and Spirits drew more than 33,000 trade visitors from 46 countries, and 3,160 exhibitors to the March event in ...
Moyno pumps for winery functions.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... Moyno, Inc., Springfield Ill., has a range of versatile, cost-effective pumps combining low-shear, non-pulsating flow and minimal ...
KLR has new pumps.(SUPPLIERS)
May 01, 2008 ... KLR Machines, Sebastopol, Calif. manufacturer of winemaking equipment, has released a new range of hygienic positive displacement pumps for juice and must transfer. They're available in ...
Harvest season for education: dinner to benefit vineyard youths.(Faces & Forums)
May 01, 2008; ... Sacramento, Calif.--California winegrape growers helped raise thousands of dollars to fund scholarships for vineyard employees' children March 4, when a fundraising dinner offered growers the opportunity to mingle with state lawmakers in Sacramento. The California Wine Grape ...
Conference gives 'License to Steal': Ohio marketing meeting draws from 13 states.(NEWSMAKERS)(Conference news)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio--Winery owners and marketing directors from 13 central and eastern states gathered April 1-3 on the chilly shore of Lake Erie for a "License to Steal"--to steal marketing ideas, that is--from each other and from experts on the subject. The conference drew 117 ...
Making it real: What to expect when working with a label designer.(COVER STORY)
May 01, 2008; ... The moment a winemaker tires of his or her own label, Susan Sokol Blosser said, is the very moment at which consumers are beginning to recognize it. Nowhere in Sokol Blosser's portfolio is this insight more evident than in Evolution--a blend of nine white varietals including White ...
The modern alternative to wooden barrels.
May 01, 2008 ... Wine Barrel Functions Oak wine barrels are one of the few pre-industrial revolution items still in regular use and essentially unchanged for centuries. They perform three fundamental functions in the maturation of wine-containment, flavor addition, and oxygen permeation, that ...
Do's and don'ts for label design.(COVER STORY)
May 01, 2008 ... To assemble these tips for vintners considering a new label, Wines & Vines sought the expertise of veteran label designer Cindy Gander, who runs a studio in Nicoiaus, Calif., and Bill Huey, wine label sales manager for Orange, Calif.-based La-beltronix. Here's what they had to say: ...
In-house or outsource? Nova scotia wineries find flexible printing arrangements adapt with them.(PACKAING)
May 01, 2008; ... Content not available due ...
Working with a large label printer.
May 01, 2008; ... The decision to contract with a larger label manufacturer like Algoma, Wis.-based WS Packaging, which operates more than 200 presses in 18 locations, or Landmark Label Manufacturing, Inc., whose Milpitas, Calif., plant derives 70% of its business from wineries, boils down to budget, scale ...
Diversification or diversion? The pros and cons of using half-bottles and magnums.(PACKAGING)
May 01, 2008; ... Are half bottles and magnums worth the trouble? The main delivery system for premium wines is, was and will continue for the foreseeable future to be 750ml bottles. But smaller and bigger sizes have their own attractions, marketplaces and uses--especially restaurant sales for half bottles, ...
Northwest winery goes plastic: painted turtle puts wines in lightweight bottles for Ontario.
May 01, 2008; ... Content not available due ...
Winemaker interview Jeff Morgan; Making luxury-priced kosher Cabernet.(WINEMAKER)(Interview)
May 01, 2008; ... Jeff Morgan is one of the few cellar workers to become a full-time wine writer, and he's one of possibly even fewer wine writers to then become a winemaker and winery principal. The St. Helena, Calif., resident owns and operates SoloRosa and ZMOR wines with partner Daniel Moore. Morgan ...
The call of the wild; South Dakota's first winery makes a $32 red from vitis riparia.(CENTRAL)
May 01, 2008; ... Some of the same challenges Jamestown settlers encountered in 1609 as they attempted to cultivate imported grape varieties in what is now Virginia still confront South Dakota vintners like Eldon Nygaard, who pioneered his state's first vineyard, winery and winery legislation. Just as the ...
Targeted tractors: conventional tractors give way to new, narrow, more specialized and multi-tasking machines.(GRAPEGROWING)
May 01, 2008; ... To the casual observer, nothing could be more constant than a tractor. Virtually the symbol of stable farm life, even new models can look a lot like those Farmalls pictured during the Great Depression. In truth, however, tractors have undergone many changes. Most of the major manufacturers ...
Grower interview Casey Hartlip: Rhone varieties on a mountain site in Mendocino.(GRAPEGROWING)(Interview)
May 01, 2008; ... Casey Hartlip was a firefighter with the California Department of Forestry in 1977, when he met John Scharffenberger during a controlled burn at Scharffenberger's Eaglepoint Ranch in Mendocino County. When fire season was over that year, Hartlip helped out with the harvest, and two years ...