October, 03, 2012 US: Alma Rosa Cash Flow Threatened by Bottled-up Wine

(WSJ) - For California’s Alma Rosa Winery, the old saying about lemons should be tweaked to: “When life hands you bankruptcy, sell wine.” And that’s the plan for hall-of-fame vintner (literally) Richard Sanford’s winery. In Chapter 11 since July, Alma Rosa would like to be allowed conti...

October, 03, 2012 Bordeaux schoolchildren to learn about wine

(Decanter) - Bordeaux schoolchildren as young as six are to be encouraged to learn the rudiments of winemaking and viticulture. The Bordeaux Wine Bureau (CIVB) has launched a programme called La Gironde Verte with regional junior schools, which can apply to send students to local vineyards. With...

October, 03, 2012 Playboy Club to debut Champagne towers

(TheDrinksBusiness) - The Playboy Club in London’s Park Lane has launched a Baroque-themed bar serving Champagne towers for up to £80,000. The brainchild of Gerry Calabrese, son of cocktail maestro Salvatore Calabrese and founder of Hoxton Gin, Baroque will be the first place in the capital to...

October, 03, 2012 S AFRICA: Cape Wine 2012 sees record visitor, exhibitor numbers

(Just-Drinks) - Cape Wine 2012 attracted a record number of delegates while exhibitor numbers were up 15% on the last event four years ago, organisers said. The three-day showcase for South Africa's wine industry saw around 1,500 registered visitors last week, according to the industry-funded gr...

October, 02, 2012 European Commission lends weight to minimum pricing opposition

(Harpers) - The European Commission has added its weight to the list of countries that have objected to Scotland’s plans for minimum unit pricing. So far, Spain, Italy, Portugal, France and Bulgaria have lodged detailed opinions in objection to the Scottish government’s plans for a 50p minimum u...

October, 02, 2012 US: October is Virginia Wine Month

(WSET) - If you're looking for an excuse to explore Virginia's wineries, here's one. October is Virginia Wine Month. This is the 24th year the Virginia Tourism Association has designated October as Virginia Wine Month. But they're hoping this year will have the most success. With the busy harv...

October, 02, 2012 Precision Sensors Monitor Winegrape Water

(Wines&Vines) - Researchers at the University of California, Davis, and other schools in the western states are more than halfway through a project to create and evaluate a system of inter-connected sensors that could be used to help monitor and control irrigation for winegrapes and other crops. The...

October, 02, 2012 Fortnum's threatens legal action over undercover foie gras film

(Decanter) - Fortnum & Mason has said graphic undercover footage filmed at foie gras farms in France does not come from its suppliers – and it has threatened legal action against animal rights group PETA. Animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has released what it c...