July, 27, 2015 Berger: Should US lower some wine taxes?

(PD) - Isn’t it about time the federal government lowered the tax on some of the wines we make? In view of the fact that the federal levy on wine is a two-tier tax, it seems obvious that the government views different kinds of wine in different ways. The rules were formulated decades ago. ...

July, 27, 2015 Inside Wine: Beauty in the Bottle

(HuffPost) - Do you like wine yet are intimidated by all the wine geek speak to talk about it? After decades of enjoying, learning about, and photographing wine, I still lack the words of the wine aficionados. A few weeks ago, there was a tasting with a friend who described the wine as tasting r...

July, 27, 2015 Why More American Winemakers are Hand-Pruning, Hand-Harvesting and Foot-Stomping their Grapes

(FoodandWine) - More American winemakers are hand-pruning, hand-harvesting, and foot-stomping in their quest for wine greatness. Here's why they think the old ways are the best.   Pre-Industrial Methods As winemaking technology becomes increasingly advanced, with smartphone-operated...

July, 27, 2015 Wine Baths Are Now A Thing, Thanks To A Japanese Spa That's Meeting All Your Beauty (And Alcoholic) Needs

(Bustle) - The beauty world has gotten pretty creative with skin and hair hacks nowadays — rubber masks, Coca-Cola shampoo, and yes, even bathing in mayo. In what is a surprise to no one, Japan has decided to add to our arsenal of bizarre beauty rituals with a spa that offers public ...

July, 27, 2015 Worse than '97-98?! New El Niño growing into monster

(SFGATE) - New computer models suggest that the current El Niño formation brewing in the Pacific could become the strongest in recorded history. The broad swath of warmer-than-usual seawater is spreading and deepening. The two largest concentrations are off the coast of Peru, where water is...

July, 27, 2015 Napa County supports 100 percent winery checks

(NVR) - Napa County planning staff supports having wineries show they are following key county rules by submitting annual reports with data needed for proof. Wineries in unincorporated areas would certify how much wine they are producing and whether they are complying with their use permits. Each ...

July, 27, 2015 CONCHA Y TORO BECOMES WORLD’S BIGGEST VINEYARD OWNER

(TDB) - Chile’s Concha y Toro has become the biggest vineyard owner in the world following Treasury Wine Estate’s sale of its Asti Winery assets. According to Treasury’s annual financial report for 2014, the group owned 10,781 hectares of vineyards, just over 30ha more tha...

July, 27, 2015 Champagne 2015 crop enters ‘crucial’ period

(Decanter) - The next six weeks will be ‘crucial’ to the quality and quantity of this year’s Champagne harvest, after drought conditions left vines short of water. Champagne grape growers will be allowed to pick 10,000kg of grapes per hectare of vines in this year’s wine ...