August, 25, 2012 VERY OLD BARRELS STILL BRING OAK AROMAS

(TheDrinksBusiness) - Barrels over 20 years old still impart oak aromas to Champagne according to Bollinger’s chef de cave Mathieu Kauffman. Despite the widely held belief that barrels over five years old don’t affect the flavour of the wine stored in them, Kauffman stated that juice fermented ...

August, 25, 2012 'Green' beer, wine is mainstream in Washington state

(SeattleTimes) - From production to packaging, innovative beer and winemakers throughout the Northwest have reduced their environmental footprint. With apologies to the classic old TV ads for light beer ("Great taste. Less filling!"), many beer and wine producers today could make a new ad: "Great ta...

August, 24, 2012 US: Iowa's wine lovers rejoice over crop

(DesmoinesRegister) - The drought may give wine aficionados a rare gift this holiday season. Iowa grape growers and wine experts say hot, dry weather has concentrated the grapes’ flavors, which will lead to unusually tasty reds and whites. “The quality of the crop is fantastic,” said Mik...

August, 24, 2012 Diageo threatens to drop Cuervo

(TheDrinksBusiness) - Diageo will drop the José Cuervo Tequila brand from its portfolio unless it negotiates a satisfactory equity stake with the owning Beckmann family.Paul Walsh, Diageo’s chief executive, said yesterday that he was not prepared simply to renew a global distribution deal for Jos...

August, 24, 2012 Spain predicted smaller harvest, higher grape prices

(Decanter) - As harvest gets underway in Spain, observers are predicting a reduction in quantity, while prices for bulk wine are already substantially higher than last year.The harvest began in mid-August with white varieties in the hotter south, including La Mancha and Andalucía. In the north, ...

August, 24, 2012 US: Crushpad Had Nothing Left to Spend

(Wines&Vines) - The new owners of Crushpad assumed the company’s debt and assets at an auction expecting to walk into a “hornets’ nest” of angry clients and growers. They then discovered just how much more work there would be to restructure the large custom-crush company. “There was essent...

August, 24, 2012 NZ and OZ winemakers hit the road with Negociants

(Harpers) - Winemakers from Australia and New Zealand will be hitting the road next month as Negociants embarks on its first ever UK winemaker tour, in order to re-establish close links with the trade. Its first port of call will be Edinburgh on September 17, followed by Manchester on 18, London on ...

August, 24, 2012 THAT'S THE SPIRIT: Merlot is the 'comeback kid' of wine world

(RapidCityJournal) - In this warm weather, I should be drinking crisp, refreshing summer whites and roses. I must confess, however — and the pinot noir lover in me cringes a bit — but I have been drinking merlot. My personal wine journey began in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where I became i...