Archive for the ‘Wine News’ Category
Every single day I thank the gods that I am fortunate enough to live in such a beautiful and unique spot as Sonoma Valley. I’ve been here for a decade now after spending time in Marin County to the south and San Francisco, further south. I occasionally like to offer FERMENTATION readers a glimpse of this community. Today that glimpse is the crime that infests our small Valley. From today’s Sonoma Index Tribune: "Patrol Car Hit With Baguette""A 23-year-old female…
The state of Minnesota has long been the winner of the "most creative way to protect wine wholesalers and screw consumers" award. With a recent judicial ruling the state can no longer claim that title. In 1998 Minnesota enacted regulations that prohibited any winery in the country from advertising to Minnesotans that their wine was available direct from the winery and prohibiting Minnesotans from ordering wine via the Internet. Monday those regulations were determined to be unconstitutional. The ruling states…
A wine that alludes to marijuana? Hell that’s nothing. When I was getting a B.A. at Humboldt State University I crossed paths (only saw, of course, never indulged) with Pot Tea, Pot-infused hard candy, Pot-Cakes and Brownies, Pot-laced wine, Pot-infused meatloaf and, in what was really a tribute to the quality of Humboldt horticulture, a large bud of Humboldt grown pot that would stick to the ceiling when tossed upward with force. Still, it’s nice to see some vintners have…
No doubt if you’ve been looking at the wine stories that have been running across the wires in the last couple of days you will have seen the release of sales figures for California wine. The news is good. Sales are up for California wine. What’s interesting about the story is the way a prominent wine industry analyst describes the condition of the market for California wine: “Wine is enjoying this wonderful moment of very favorable attitudes,” said industry consultant…
Over the past few months FERMENTATION has tried to cover a variety of political battes involving wine and wine distribution and sales in particular. We’ve been candid in our position that money usually sways the outcome of these battles. That is to say, campaign contributions tend to deliver not only access to office holders, but too often results in success in state houses across the country and in Washington. With the 2006 campaign cycle roaring into high gear, we thought…
