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• Growth is Slowing but Consumer Trends Present Opportunities for Wine Industry
  "There are still opportunities for the industry to tap into, Danny Brager, senior vice president, beverage alcohol and cannabis practices at Nielsen, said Thursday. "We're seeing some trends that we need to address and hopefully turn around ... The consumer is changing"
  
  
• Senate Passes USMCA Deal, Sending It to Trump's Desk
  USMCA will replace the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It maintains tariff-free access to Mexico for U.S. exporters. And for Canada, it provides tariff-free access for 99 percent of U.S. goods and lifts some non-tariff barriers facing U.S. dairy and poultry exports
  
  
• Distilled Spirits Council applauds Senate passage of United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement
  The USMCA includes provisions to: Maintain duty-free trade in spirits; Preserve recognition for "Bourbon" and "Tennessee Whiskey;" Secure Mexico's agreement to take steps to provide distinctive product recognition for "American Rye Whiskey," a fast-growing category of American Whiskey; Reaffirm commitments concerning the internal sale and distribution of distilled spirits; And establish new best practices regarding labeling and certifications for beverage alcohol, which will help to facil
  
  
• Central Valley vineyard removals may exceed 30,000 acres - Allied Grape Growers
  All may not be lost for grape growers in the Central Valley who can transition to mechanical practices and find varieties that produce high tonnage to overcome lower prices ... Vineyards being removed tend to be overlying Class One soils with decent water availability, making their conversions to almonds that more attractive than pistachios, which growers have tended to plant in lower-quality soils ...
  
  
• Angelina Mondavi To Launch Harrow Cellars At Former Ravenswood Site
  Sonoma County's Ravenswood is among a slew of brands currently in the process of being acquired by E.&J. Gallo from Constellation. But the former Ravenswood estate northeast of downtown Sonoma isn't part of that deal. Instead, it's now in the portfolio of local business collective Sonoma's Best Hospitality Group, which has partnered with Angelina Mondavi to create a new wine brand from the estate: Harrow Cellars.
  
  
• BlackRock buys more than $250 million of Treasury Wine Estates stock
  This followed a buy up of 7.3 million TWE shares by BlackRock in December, taking its stake from 6.21 per cent to 7.22. US-based BlackRock is the world's largest investment manager and manages about $7 trillion for its investors around the globe.
  
  
• PG&E granted tentative eminent domain over Calistoga vineyard for a liquid natural gas plant
  Three sizeable resort developments, Calistoga Hills Resort, Palisades Resort (Solage), and Silver Rose Resort (400 Silverado Trail), will require high volume gas
  
  
• Vintage Report Launches Series Analyzing 2019 Growing Season, Celebrates Tenth Year Anniversary
  The Vintage Report, a viticulture and enology symposium, focused on plant physiology and new technology for the vineyard and cellar, is launching this year's conferences in the United States. In addition to events in France and South America, there will be five technical conferences throughout North America in 2020
  
  
• Weekly Analysis and Comentary: More Brett Research
  The research looks at why Brett seems to elude any strict definition as to it's sensory impacts, effective mitigation, or why research into the yeast species has often yielded inconsistent and even contradictory results
  
  
• V. Sattui Winery Promotes Ali Paterson to Vice President of Marketing
  Ali will be responsible for all the winery's marketing and promotional efforts, communications and public relations.
  
  
• Napa Valley Vintners Board of Directors Elects 2020 Leadership
  The board of directors of the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) nonprofit association has elected Robin Baggett, owner and managing partner of Alpha Omega, as its chair for 2020. Jack Bittner, managing partner, Ovid Napa Valley, was elected vice-chair and Beth Novak Milliken, president and CEO, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, was named secretary/treasurer.
  
  
• PremierPass Launches in the Santa Cruz Mountains
  The PremierPass includes up to six premium wine tasting experiences that go beyond the ordinary tasting flight. Passholders can expect access to wineries that are typically closed to the public, private tastings with winemakers, food and wine pairing flights and exclusive tours.
  
  
• Cape Classics Expands French Portfolio, Warily Eyes Tariff Situation
  New York-based importer Cape Classics has built its reputation over the years as a champion of South African wines, but more recently the company has expanded its portfolio with a variety of French offerings from the Loire, Burgundy, and Roussillon, among other regions.
  
  
• Tickets Available for Santa Barbara Wine Auction
  The Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation is pleased to announce tickets are officially on sale for the Santa Barbara Wine Auction on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara.
  
  
• New developments on import tariffs offer wine industry faint glimmers of hope?
  "A few weeks ago I wasn't hearing much about this issue, so perhaps it is a positive thing these discussions are occurring at high levels"
  
  
• Harlan Estate is So Great
  Recently, after visiting Harlan Estate in the western hills above Oakville, California, an opportunity emerged of the sort that comes along only a few times in a wine writer's professional career.
  
  
• Bion Rice Resigns as CEO of Sunstone Vineyards & Winery
  The change in management comes with his calculated decision to focus on his Artiste wine brand as well as his new consulting firm, Cultivate Growth Advisors.
  
  
• Local Wineries Win Big at Wine Competition
  The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition completed on January 10th and several local wineries received awards.
  
  
• New Study Ranks Drunkest States in America; D.C. No. 1 and AR Ranks Last
  The study finds the top 10 heaviest drinking states include: District of Columbia, Vermont, South Dakota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska and Colorado.
  
  
• Napa Valley-based Gamble Family Vineyards Expands Distribution to Oklahoma and Illinois Markets
  Tom Gamble, owner of Gamble Family Vineyards in Oakville, is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with Premium Brands in Oklahoma, representing a brand new market for the winery. Additionally, the winery will be revitalizing its presence in Illinois through a new partnership with Romano Beverage.
  
  
• 'Shoot With A Vintner' Luxury Package From Wine Country's Wing & Barrel Ranch
  Wing & Barrel Ranch's new "Shoot with a Vintner Ultimate Sporting Experience" package invites guests to experience the Sonoma Wine County while savoring the outstanding dining, wines, lodging, and outdoor pursuits usually only available to Ranch members.
  
  
• Celebrate Valentine's Day at Wine & Chocolate Weekend
  On February 8 and 9, the Madera Wine Trail will host its 18th annual Wine & Chocolate Weekend. Visitors can travel to participating wineries and enjoy a premium wine tasting experience using a keepsake passport wine glass, sample local and handmade chocolates, enjoy live music concerts and specialty gift shopping.
  
  
• Registration now open for WAVEx-Grape Virus Detection
  Washington wine grape growers and winemakers are invited to an upcoming seminar focused on grapevine viruses, a major research priority for the state's wine industry. Registration is now open for WAVEx-Grape Virus Detection, a condensed version of the research seminar Washington Advancements in Viticulture and Enology, February 19, 2020 at Washington State University's Prosser research station.
  
  
• Bosch Packaging Technology is now Syntegon
  Syntegon Technology is the new name among the market leaders in the processing and packaging industry. Known as Bosch Packaging Technology until late 2019, the former Bosch division today presented itself as an independent enterprise at the company headquarters in Waiblingen (Germany).
  
  
• Will Trump's wine tariffs help or harm Pennsylvania businesses? | Pro/Con
  The proposal has created fear for many in the American beverage and hospitality industry who worry having to double their prices will scare off consumers and ultimately kill jobs. However, defenders of the tariffs say the move is protecting U.S. industry from being taken advantage of by European government.
  
  
• Government putting Australia's economic and food security, farmers say, as report finds 2010s were the world's hottest decade on record.
  "The government is finally starting to acknowledge the reality of climate change and to talk about resilience and adaptation. That's great but we also need our political leaders to recognise that we can only adapt so far. We're at 1 degree warming already and our capital cities are selling out of breathing masks. How will we breathe, let alone farm, at 4 degrees warming?
  
  
• The top global restaurant wine list trends from Wine Business Solutions
  An analysis of the most listed prices in the US. sows a lack of change in the average price due mostly to delisting ultra high priced wines. Restaurants are reluctant to mess with the $40 most popular price but underneath that, the least expensive prices amongst the Top 10 (other than $38) were less listed in 2019 than in 2016 ...
  
  
• How migrant farm workers created Napa Valley's Llamas Family Wines, an inspiration for entrepreneurs
  Since 2009, Oscar, Alex, and Lola have produced between 300 and 500 cases a year of different single-vineyard wines, including syrah, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and cabernet sauvignon. In 2014, Oscar and Lola Llamas joined the Mexican American Vintners Association (MAVA). In 2016, the couple joined the Napa County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NCHCC). For years, the couple has mentored other Latino business owners throughout Napa County.
  
  
• In Case You Missed it: Ciatti California Report
  "many grape buyers will be seeking to reset their core supply with new short and maybe even longer-term deals in order to lock-in what they perceive as attractive pricing. This is where a market reset could occur"
  
  
• In Case You Missed it: Ciatti International Report
  We noticed an uptick in bulk wine activity towards the end of the year and we may see a further uptick at the start of the new one as retailers and the buyers who supply them assess their Q4 2019 sales and calculate future sale projections
  
  
• Winemaker's career is golden after 40 years in Washington
  Four of Brian Carter Cellars' gold-medal wines won awards at the 2019 Platinum Judging.
  
  
• Felicity Carter interviews Rob McMillan
  Winning wineries have sales and marketing teams focused on results, using metrics. They run their family businesses like businesses
  
  
• Sideways to Be Performed as Immersive Wine Experience Off-Broadway
  Rex Pickett will adapt and Dan Wackerman will direct the production, titled Sideways The Experience, set to run from February 20 through April 12 at off-Broadway's Theatre at St. Clement's
  
  
• Prohibition began 100 years ago - here's a look at its economic impact
  A century later, Prohibition is known for accomplishing everything it wasn't supposed to - it provoked intemperance, eliminated jobs, created a black market for booze, and triggered a slew of unintended economic consequences.
  
  
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