October, 24, 2012 Canada: B.C. Liquor cracks down on wine fundraisers

(CBC) - The B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch is cracking down on charities that use donated wine for their fundraisers. The Belfry Theatre in Victoria says it had to cancel its fine wine auction and gala dinner after the LCLB forbade them from auctioning any privately donated wines at the...

October, 24, 2012 US: Number of Illinois wineries continues to grow

(SJ-R) - The number of Illinois wineries and total wine production continued to grow through the recession. A just completed industry census through the U.S. Department of Agriculture found there were 105 wineries statewide in 2011, an increase of 36 percent from 2006, and production grew 16 perc...

October, 24, 2012 2012 New World Wine Experience: An Evening of Celebration at the Grand Award Banquet

(WineSpectator) - After a weekend full of tastings and seminars, Wine Experience attendees donned their black-tie outfits and met one last time to sip sparkling wine, share another meal together and recognize achievements in the wine world. Saturday’s Grand Award Banquet was a festive night of soc...

October, 24, 2012 Canada: B.C. Steps Up Green Energy

(Wines&Vines) - British Columbia wineries are adding solar power to their operations, with government assistance designed to extend the province’s power-generating capacity. Orofino Vineyards in Cawston and House of Rose Winery in Kelowna are two of the most recent recipients of funding under Brit...

October, 24, 2012 Gamay grape gives best value

(TheDrinksBusiness) - Gamay makes France’s best value wines, according to recommendations from the UK wine press. Gamay grapes make the best value wine according to recommendations from the UK wine press Following a tasting on 15 October of the best French wines under £8 according to Britain’...

October, 23, 2012 US: App Links Grapegrowers and Buyers

(Wines&Vines) - It’s been growing for almost 10 years, but is not yet well known except by its users in 21 middle-American states. MarketMaker is a free website/app created at the University of Illinois to connect small and medium-sized food industry businesses with buyers and distributors near an...

October, 23, 2012 US: Boisset launches Napa’s first “dog winery”

(TheDrinksBusiness) - Jean Charles Boisset has launched Napa Valley’s first “dog winery” featuring kennel spaces and wine-barrel dog beds in tribute to his wife’s French bulldog. Frenchie Winery, named after the bulldog he gave to wife Gina Gallo, forms part of Raymond Vineyards; a St Helena...

October, 23, 2012 Wine auction market shrinking, Lafite bubble bursts

(Reuters) - The global auction market for fine wines, which saw more than $500 million in sales in 2011, is expected to shrink to about $400 million this year as supplies and credit tighten and bidders back away from Bordeaux, experts said on Tuesday. "Bordeaux accounts for 50 percent of the (auc...