July, 14, 2015 Bordeaux winemaker death inquiry to focus on pesticides

(Decanter) - A potentially groundbreaking criminal investigation is set to be launched in France over claims that the death of a Bordeaux winemaker was caused by exposure to pesticides. The first steps towards a criminal prosecution came after Valerie Murat filed legal action over the the d...

July, 14, 2015 WORLD’S FIRST ‘SMART’ WINE BOTTLE UNVEILED

(TDB) - A wine bottle featuring smart technology that can sense when it has been opened, send targeted information to consumers and battle counterfeiters is set to be unveiled in Shanghai. The “smart wine bottle” leads on from a  similar prototype unveiled last year by...

July, 14, 2015 Sonoma County: Vintners, neighbors present ideas for hospitality rules

(NBBJ) - As they gear up to draft regulations on promotional events on agricultural land — particularly, at wineries — and whether too much of it is happening in certain areas, Sonoma County planning officials at a meeting last week heard neighbors to such sites say more-effective regul...

July, 13, 2015 California measure would allow work permits for farmworkers here illegally

(LATimes) - Frustrated by Washington's inaction on immigration issues, California lawmakers are considering a measure to allow work permits for farmworkers living in the country illegally. A similar effort died three years ago, opposed by immigrant rights groups and the state's powerful labor un...

July, 13, 2015 North Coast: Wine Country prepares for another early harvest

(PD) - Grapes around the North Coast are slowly turning color as a precursor to this year’s harvest, which is expected to arrive earlier than usual and deliver a smaller crop than last year. Vineyard managers in Sonoma and Napa counties report that they have seen signs of veraison — ...

July, 13, 2015 El Nino Could Be One of Strongest in Past 50 Years

(AccuWeather) - This winter's El Niño could be one of the strongest in the past 50 years, leading to a return of meaningful but not necessarily drought-busting rain in California. "El Nino has steadily strengthened over the past month and is now approaching strong category strength,"...

July, 13, 2015 Cyber-crime hits Napa County wineries

(NapaValleyRegister) - As many as 250,000 customers who used their credit cards at dozens of Napa Valley wineries this April had their financial information and personal data stolen by a cyber-thief. However, according to one attorney, no evidence of significant fraudulent use of the data has ...

July, 13, 2015 Rescue Plan for Historic Chilean Malbec

(Wine-Searcher) - A small enclave containing 140-year-old vines is trying to get growers to choose vines over lumber. A group of southern Chilean farmers is seeking government funding to help preserve their ancient Malbec vines, some of which date back to the time when Ulysses Grant was in the W...