January, 12, 2012 US: Olympia Tries to Cut Wine Red Tape

(Wines&Vines) - Washington state legislators returned to work in Olympia this week and revived a bill that could provide welcome relief to smaller wineries grappling with the state’s liquor tax-reporting requirements. Existing rules require wineries that do business in the state, regardless of siz...

January, 12, 2012 Red Wine Researcher Accused of Falsifying Data on Health Benefits

(FoxNews) –  A University of Connecticut researcher known for his work on red wine's benefits to cardiovascular health falsified his data in more than 100 instances, university officials said Wednesday. UConn officials said nearly a dozen scientific journals are being warned of the potential pro...

January, 10, 2012 US: NJ: Wine Shipping Bill Wins Legislative Approval

(NJToday) - The Legislature approved a bill that would allow New Jersey wineries to ship their products directly to consumers. The Assembly voted 51-18-4 in favor Monday; the Senate approved it 24-9. The bill (A-4436) revises the statutes governing the sale and distribution of products by New Jer...

January, 10, 2012 Made in France: Pourquoi France?

(Christies) - Of the great winemaking countries there is none whose name and history is so closely associated with wine and the art of creating ‘bottled poetry’. France’s history with wine dates back to before antiquity. Wine then, as now, was produced as a luxury beverage and one vital to the...

January, 10, 2012 Australia grubbing up programme 'too slow' and too little

(Decanter) - The 2009 Wine Restructuring Action Agenda (WRAA) indicated there were 20-30,000 hectares of surplus vineyards in Australia. The Winemakers' Federation of Australia estimates 14,000 ha have been removed since the Agenda's launch but reform has not been as been as extensive as hoped. ...

January, 10, 2012 Winter too Mild for Ice Wine

(AP) -- Along with ski resort operators and snowmobile vendors, the unusually mild winter has been rough on makers of a cold-climate delicacy called ice wine. The pricey dessert beverage, produced by wineries stretching from Minnesota through New York and in parts of Canada, is revered for its sw...

January, 09, 2012 Pills recalled, living to 110, red wine benefits

(USAToday) - Pill recall: Drug maker Novartis AG has voluntarily recalled certain bottled versions of Excedrin, Bufferin, NoDoz and Gas-X sold nationwide because they may contain stray, broken or chipped tablets from other products. Longevity clues: The longest-lived men and women -- those who make...

January, 08, 2012 NZ: Changing exchange rate costs wine industry millions

(Stuff) - The wine industry is losing $80 million a year in exchange rate fluctuations, prompting an industry spokesman to call for "sensible monetary policy". A strategic review of the $1.1 billion wine industry by PriceWaterhouseCoopers said exchange rate changes since 2007 were robbing the sec...