Archive for the ‘Wine Business’ Category
Read this link (“Georgia Beer Brewers: State Sold Us Out to Distributors”). It will outline perfectly the corrupting impact of the state mandated three-tier system, demonstrate how large, powerful, state-protected wholesalers exert a corrupting influence on lawmakers and regulators and outline a very specific instance in which regulators worked hand in hand with wholesalers in an alliance to maintain the regulatory status quo to the disadvantage of consumers and producers. In the case of the George Department of Revenue’s unethical…
I left my casual meeting with Cathy Huyghe a little bit miffed at her for being late. She was traveling from Saint Helena to meet me at Peet’s Coffee in Napa and was a half hour late (she didn’t factor in traffic). As I sat outside Peet’s waiting for her and got her email apologizing for her tardiness, I didn’t really care. My work was done for the day, I had a cup of coffee and something to read. I…
There is now and has been for some time, a very serious debate occurring in Napa Valley. On the face of it the debate appears to be over the issue of growth, the Valley’s ability to sustain its essentially rural nature and the role the wine industry plays in both. Committees have been formed. Government is involved. Community groups have coalesced. Opinion pieces and letters have been written. Recommendations have been made. Action is set to be taken. Based on…
Wirtz Beverage and Charmer Sunbelt, two of America’s biggest box movers have merged. they now are the second largest box movers in the alcohol distribution business. And now, five companies (families) control well over 50% of the alcohol box moving business in the United States. Remember…the box movers tell us that the three tiers system’s legal mandate that booze move through a wholesaler is a good thing because it prevents producers from dominating a market and exerting pressure on retailers….
Last week Nancy Keates investigated the Oregon wine industry for the Wall Street Journal. In general, the article profiled a number of folks who have spent lots of money building wineries, building homes in Oregon wine country and generally gentrifying their way to happiness and profit. However, buried in this story was a fascinating factoid: in 2014 the number of wineries in Oregon increased by 12% to 676. That’s HUGE! I don’t know how the figure was derived, but let’s…
