Winery to double number of retail stores and expand product portfolio

Snoqualmie Vineyards in Prosser will move production to Columbia Crest in Paterson and be rechristened 14 Hands later this year

the top four grapes in the state stand apart from all the rest and now are nearly even in production

The state's vineyards produced 188,000 tons in 2012, up 32 percent from the prior year, according to a new report from the Washington field office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Wine industry people on the move from January 29 to February 4.

Thousands of visitors visited the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco to celebrate America's Heritage Wine, Zinfandel. The Grand Tasting on Saturday, February 2, featured the world's largest Zinfandel tasting with over 200 wineries and hundreds of Zinfandel wines.

There is no indication the slaying was a random act

Wine Opinions has just competed a tracking study of 902 U.S. wine consumers and 297 members of the wine trade regarding usage, preferences, sales, and numerous other market position aspects of wines imported to the U.S. from every major wine producing country and region.

For most consumers, the corporate ownership of a wine brand might not matter, as long as the wine tastes good. Those of us who spend too much time thinking about and drinking wine still prefer the small-scale ideal of the winemaker toiling over the fermenting juice with purple-stained hands, wielding makeshift tools that someday might be on exhibit in the Smithsonian.

In the lead-up to its trade fair in Bordeaux, France this June, Vinexpo commissioned a detailed report on the world's wine and spirits consumption that revealed Canadians go through 15 litres of wine per capita, or roughly 100 glasses per year.

An industry expert warned local winemakers about business changes that are working against them but also offered advice for success in a recent talk organized by the UCSB Economic Forecast Project at Terravant Winery in Buellton.

Hard cider is a rapidly growing trend in the U.S., but one California winemaker has been working on an English-inspired version for nearly two decades. Paso Robles' Lone Madrone Winery is now out with its 2012 vintage Bristols Hard Cider, made using apples sourced entirely from San Luis Obispo County orchards, primarily in the Sea Canyon region.

Among all the major countries, the UK was the fastest growing export market for Lebanese wines in 2012. Total exports to the UK was increased by 7.9 percent to $14.3 million, whereas sales in the U.S. and France went up by 29.8 percent to $1.9 million and by 4.8 percent to $2.4 million, respectively.

Australian Vintage, an Australia-based winery that produces and exports bulk and bottled wine, is to strengthen its position in the U.K. wine markets by introducing new wine products under its core McGuigan portfolio.

The world's most powerful fine wine brands ranked according to price, trade, scores and production.

Liv-ex's Fine Wine 100 index rose at its fastest rate for two years in January led by Haut-Brion and super second Léoville Poyferré.

Bottles of wine, beer and spirits could soon display the amount of calories they contain under new Government plans to discourage people from binge drinking.

Wine expert and writer Nick Tarayan has died aged 54, seven years after a heart attack left him brain damaged.

Grupo Codorníu has changed its name to Bodegas y Viñedos Codorníu Raventós as it looks to draw attention to its broad portfolio of products and heritage.

Burgundy's Domaine de la Romanee-Conti has released its 2010 vintage - a year which owner Aubert de Villaine described as 'Homeric'.

Mark Driver, owner of England's largest single-vineyard wine estate, intends to export at least 50 percent of his production when the estate is at its capacity of 1 million bottles.

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-living/ci_22515318/wine-why-now-is-time-buy-italian

A Russian official said Monday that Moscow may soon resume imports of Georgian wine, mineral water and fruit after a seven-year ban, the first tentative step toward repairing the ruptured ties between the two ex-Soviet neighbors.

The winery will have a tasting bar, lounge and barrel room, and barn wood, stone and earth tones will be incorporated in the interior and exterior design "to reflect the winery's location at the base of the Horse Heaven Hills appellation," a Ste. Michelle news release said.

The pledge requires Ceretto to serve New York state wine and grape products at events sanctioned by his legislative office or campaign organization.

The keynote presentation by Giancarlo Bianchetti, general manager of Fetzer Vineyards, will be part of the Thursday morning conference on April 18 in Santa Rosa.

Plant even more grapes. That was the message from Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture to state wine makers.

A forthcoming version of the Wine software compatibility layer will enable users to run applications originally written for Microsoft's Windows platform to run on devices powered by Google's Android mobile operating system.

The proposal passed the state Senate last year, but couldn't get through the Assembly. Assemblywoman Jane Corwin, R-Clarence, represents several of the Niagara wineries in her district. She said the legislation has a good chance to get through Albany this year.

Export growth of wine has slowed and will soon begin to dip on lower available supply from the 2012 harvest, the latest Rabobank wine quarterly says.

As most of you are aware, Argentina is all the rage today. Just under the radar is the interest in China that is beginning to be exploited.

When Italy surpassed France in wine production for the first time two years ago, the news was not greeted as a welcome achievement.

Dozens of measures aim to "modernize" wine and liquor sales and change what liquor fees and taxes fund

Seneca is turning its eye to alcohol.

"You can go all over the world but a Big Mac is still a Big Mac."

The lack of wine experts, known as master sommeliers, could keep the industry from reaching its full potential

Sharing a common vision, the founders of Paragon Label and Vintners Global Resource have formed a strategic partnership to provide small-and-medium-size wineries with a package of labels, bottles, supplies and services from a single source.

British heavy metal group Motörhead has released a bag-in-box Shiraz modelled to look like a guitar amplifier.

The gift will help offset costs of the Tokaj delegation's visit to Sonoma last year and a winemaker exchange program this year.