April, 24, 2013 BERGER: Good vintages for spring

(PressDemocrat) - As North American soils begin to warm, people all over the country rediscover porches, patios, and backyards, and that calls for wines that offer the freshness of the spring air. For the last several months, winter dinners were really stages for the warming effects of red wines, e...

April, 24, 2013 So, Is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Wine Worth the Hype?

(VillageVoice) - The vinous baby of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt has finally arrived stateside! If you haven't heard, Brangie are now Provençal winemakers, having delivered their inaugural vintage of rosé from their Château Miraval estate last week. But erase any vision of Angie...

April, 24, 2013 What's in a Winery Name?

(Wines&Vines) - Experts say: Settle on brand image before naming. “You want to have a simple, memorable name that is not too difficult to pronounce or spell,” said Dr. Liz Thach, wine business professor at Sonoma State University. “If you have a lot of foreign customers, make...

April, 23, 2013 US: Napa winemakers discuss the region’s ‘more affordable’ Chardonnay

(THeDrinksBusiness) - A panel of Napa Valley winemakers and other trade gathered at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone in St. Helena recently to discuss Chardonnay wines priced $30 and under. For Napa Valley, with its high cost of land and grapes, and a general philosophy of...

April, 23, 2013 Climate change study 'exaggerated and full of mistakes': Chapoutier

(Decanter) - Michel Chapoutier has spoken exclusively to Decanter.com about his frustration over the recent press reports claiming the winemaking map will be entirely redrawn by 2050. The scientific community in this study is holding the truth hostage,’ Chapoutier said. ‘I am in no w...

April, 23, 2013 US: Barefoot Wine’s ‘Get Rich Slow’ Scheme

(FoxBusiness) - Who says you need cash or expertise to start a business? Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan said they lacked those two things, but have managed to create one of the country’s fastest-growing wine brands. The co-founders of Barefoot Wine started the business in their laun...

April, 22, 2013 Economics of Dry Farming Winegrapes

(Wines&Vines) - Before irrigation systems became available and practical, dry farming was standard practice for planting and managing wine grapes in California. Dry farming is still possible and successfully used by some growers, but it is site-specific and dependent on annual rainfall, climate...

April, 22, 2013 Wine industry must grapple with big health care, tax, estate changes

(NBBJ) - Business owners, particularly the wine industry that makes up a significant proportion of the North Coast economy, need to pay attention to major health care insurance, tax and estate law changes this year to avoid steep noncompliance penalties and mitigate significant tax increases, a...