Hundreds of grape farmers, wine makers, and vendors are packing into the Three Rivers Convention Center this week

Demeter Group Investment Bank, a leading provider of merger and acquisition advisory services to global Wine, Spirits, Craft Beer, Food, and Beauty companies for over 30 years, is releasing the following 2013 State of the Industry reports on Wine, Spirits, and Craft Beer

Nick Frey arrived in Sonoma County some 14 years ago with neither wine business experience nor association management expertise. Nonetheless, he landed a job as executive director of the Sonoma County Grapegrowers Association in 1999.

Undersupply replaced a decade-long era of oversupply with autumn 2012's harvest and the inevitable prices hikes will hurt the entry-level market. Meanwhile global demand continues to rise

Up to 200 Beaujolais producers may have to close down because of the exceptionally low-yielding harvest last year.

The owners of Windmill Ridge Winery on the south side of Linne Road west of Depot Master Drive southeast of Tracy are seeking county approval to conduct 36 marketing events a year for up to 100 people.

The fourth in a series of public meetings to get community input for revising the ordinance guiding the development of Santa Barbara County wineries will be held Feb. 11. The topic will be "Neighborhood Compatibility."

Victim Entertainment (V.E.) and Hoffman Family Cellars (H.F.C) have announced a promotional partnership between national recording artist, Digital Summer, and the emerging wine brand, Headbanger. This joint venture will focus on the growing interest in wine amongst all people worldwide that also have a pure love of rock 'n roll.

Saddleback Cellars, a winery in Napa Valley that features excellent Cabernet Sauvignon vintages, is currently offering its 2010 Old Vine Zinfandel.

Among other things, the transaction will transfer store licences, grape grower agreements and the Kittling Ridge name and trademarks to Magnotta.

This info-graphic book is titled "Becoming an Entrepreneur" and is written by Anna Vital. This eBook is available as a visual guide and takes everyone on an entrepreneurial journey in an interactive manner.

"The direct shipment of wine is a step toward modernization of our state system," Rep. Paul Costa said. "If a store doesn't carry a specific wine a consumer wants to purchase, it offers them a win-win scenario where the consumer, the winery and the commonwealth benefit from the transaction."

"By purchasing electricity derived from renewable sources, like wind or solar power, we will reduce our carbon emissions in Norwalk by more than 92 percent," said Diageo North America President Larry Schwartz.

"We are excited to report that ticket sales for the Sandestin Wine Festival are well ahead of any festival in previous years at this time. This demand is a testament that there is no substitute for this long standing Sandestin tradition."

The import of Georgian mineral water and wine is expected to resume in spring 2013 after the clearance of inspections, paperwork and permits from the Russian representatives, who will visit Georgia to check the quality control system.

Without going into the various details of my talk, suffice it to say that I offered the suggestion that for producers to create really exceptional Pinot Noir-the truly great stuff-they might want to seek to make 2 + 2 = 5.

Multi-Vintage is a blend of the very best base wines from over multiple vintages, selected for their ageing potential. They will be kept aside as reserve wines cellared in bottle at partial pressure on lees, until ready for addition to a multi-vintage prestige blend in years to come.

Liberty Wines has been appointed as the exclusive agent in the UK and Ireland for Dawson & James from Southern Tasmania.

Premium Independent Wineries of South Africa, a collective of like-minded, independent producers, has been launched in a bid to to raise the profile of premium South African wine.

A group of 15 South African producers have formed a new group to push the image of high-end wine from the Cape.

Exports of Lebanese wine to the UK have risen by a third in the last year, with the market now worth over US $3.4 million.

Chinese will import wine at a slower pace as the country's domestic wine production increases - while the world's most populous nation is set to become the world's second-biggest wine consumer by 2016.

Consumer Reports recently tested 14 models from Vinotemp, Wine Enthusiast, and other specialty brands, as well as major manufacturers like GE and Electrolux. Five made the recommended list, including two CR Best Buys.

Natural chemicals found in green tea and red wine may disrupt a key step of the Alzheimer's disease pathway, according to new research from the University of Leeds.

Some lawmakers feel the state should consolidate its efforts in supporting what they call "local agro-tourism," which is not just local beer and wine producers, but other local products, like meats, or maple syrup.

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

California's grape business is healthy and thriving, wine industry analysts told a crowd of nearly 1,200 people in a seminar at the annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.

The Republican governor told reporters that he's neutral on the measure calling for cities and counties decide by referendum whether to allow wider wine sales, but added that he won't stand in the way of it becoming law.

With more than 12 years of experience in government relations, Patricia Wilmore has been named government affairs coordinator for the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.

Faced with an expected flood of applications from winery restaurants seeking to expand their drink menus beyond B.C. wine, the regional district will ask the Agricultural Land Commission to again re-examine its position on the matter.

The country's oldest, continuously operated, family owned winery reviews nearly a century and a half of milestones.

Paso Wine Man Video to Kick Off Each Month's Wine Grape Showcase

Mother Nature apparently put the kabosh on screeching, high-alcohol zinfandels when genteel 2011s rolled onto the market

A senior Chinese official who was excoriated for allegedly using public money to bankroll an extravagant wine-tasting session has reportedly claimed he was just trying to "learn" about wine.

The emergency legislation says that the state will control liquor revenue, with a private contractor handling other tasks.

The Indiana House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 91-8 for House Bill 1293, which would allow people to sample hard liquor at Indiana distilleries, buy a drink, or to take home a bottle.

The nation's fourth-largest wine seller, Trinchero Family Estates, plans a $300 million expansion of its winery in Lodi over the next three years, roughly doubling its wine production capacity and creating a new central bottling and distribution center

British drinkers are to consume more sparkling wine than any other country in the world by 2016, according to the latest data from Vinexpo

The donation celebrates both the winery's founder, Hungarian-born Count Agoston Haraszthy, and Sonoma's new sister city of Tokaj, Hungary

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Washington's largest wine producer, plans to open a new Prosser winery dedicated to its growing 14 Hands brand by this fall.

The annual Washington Wine Grape Growers Conference runs through Friday at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick

The DOJ's primary theory of harm is that the merger would facilitate coordinated pricing between ABI and MillerCoors

The 2013 Boston Wine Expo is around the corner, and "The Morning Show" got an early taste of the vibrant bottles to be featured at the big event