August, 05, 2014 Napa struck by earthquake

(TDB) - California’s Napa Valley has been struck by an earthquake, waking residents with loud rumbles near its epicentre. According to the U.S. Geological Survey the 3.2 scale earthquake struck at 5:40 a.m on Tuesday, with the centre of the quake placed about three miles southwest of Nap...

August, 05, 2014 Will America's Pot Capital Choose Wine Over Weed?

(Forbes) - Mendocino’s historic and richly deserved reputation as America’s pot capitol is finally giving way to a new reputation as producer of world class wines. Medals are being awarded and critics are oohing and ahhing over the likes of delicious pinot noirs from Drew Wines and intr...

August, 04, 2014 GRAPE-OCALYPSE NOW? Climate change will leave wine lovers drunker and poorer

(QZ) - On Jul. 17, Australia  scrapped its carbon tax —hardly a surprising move given that the country’s prime minister, Tony Abbott, once called evidence of  climate change “absolute crap .” Australia’s winemakers, however, don’t seem to agree with ...

August, 04, 2014 French Hospital Opens Wine Bar for Terminally Ill Patients

(Yahoo) - It’s been said that the French know how to live. Well, some might say it seems they know how to die, too. The Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital in central France will soon open a wine bar—yes, a wine bar—for its terminally ill patients, who will be allowed to parta...

August, 04, 2014 Australia's Treasury Wines Estates is bid target

(BBC) - US private equity giant KKR has launched a renewed $3.4bn Australian dollar (£1.88bn; $3.17bn) takeover bid for Australian winemaker Treasury Wines Estates. TWE, which owns brands such as Wolf Blass, Rosemount and Lindeman's, is the world's biggest listed winemaker. Last year,...

August, 02, 2014 Scientists use grape chemistry to forecast wine flavour

(Decanter) - Researchers in Australia believe they may be able to influence a wine's flavour and aroma by manipulating the chemical make-up of grapes while still on the vine.  Scientists at the  University of Adelaide  and Australia's national research agency,  CSIRO , a...

August, 02, 2014 Could the wine in your cellar be your family's best investment?

(Forbes) - Next time you feel hard pressed to justify that expensive hobby of yours, consider this: more and more of America’s most affluent investors are taking up so-called “hobby investing,” and often making good money in the process. The premise of hobby investing is simple...

August, 02, 2014 California Sparkling Wine Sneaks Up on Champagne

(WSJ) - CHAMPAGNE LOVERS are legion. Prosecco enthusiasts are even more numerous (albeit perhaps not quite as discerning). But who are the fans of California sparkling wine? I don't know anyone who drinks or buys or even talks very much about it. And yet California wineries sold nearly 9 milli...