Industry News
VINQUIRY RECEIVES LAB ACCREDITATION
Vinquiry, Inc. has received ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation of its Windsor Laboratory by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation. (A2LA). The A2LA maintains, Laboratory accreditation is based on internationally accepted criteria for competence. (ISO/IEC 17025:2005)
By this accreditation, the Vinquiry laboratory has demonstrated that its practices conform to a strict set of international standards that includes requirements for participation in proficiency testing on a regular basis in order to demonstrate that it is maintaining the high standards representative of the organization.
A2LA is a nonprofit membership association providing formal recognition to laboratories that pass rigorous testing and quality measures. Vinquiry was established more than 25 years ago when Marty Bannister and Mary Ann Graf began providing analytical services to the wine industry. Headquartered in Windsor, California, with offices in Napa and Santa Maria, the company offers analytical services, consulting and specialty winemaking supplies.
For more information, visit www.vinquiry.com.
ACME FINE WINES OFFERS EXCLUSIVE WINE INDUSTRY WINE CLUB
Acme Fine Wines in St. Helena, California, has created a monthly wine club, Pulse, exclusively for people directly involved in the wine industry. The purpose of this club is to help people in the wine industry keep up with trends, releases from new wineries, up-and-coming wine regions and more. The club is limited to 100 members.
Club members will receive a monthly shipment of two or three wines consisting of both California wines and wines around the world. The cost will vary depending on the wines chosen, but will not exceed $100 with tax and shipping included.
Acme Fine Wines is the result of a long wine industry partnership between David Stevens and Karen Williams. They specialize in Napa Valley wines that rarely end up on shelves across the country as well as select wines from around the country. Stevens and Williams would like to share these unique wines with Pulse wine club members-people who most need to keep up with the trends of the industry.
For more information, visit www.acmefinewines.com.
CEREXAGRI-NISSO ANNOUNCES ORGANIC STATUS FOR CUPROFIX® ULTRA 40 DISPERSS®
Cerexagri-Nisso, LLC of Prussia, Pennsylvania, announced that its copper formulation, Cuprofix® Ultra 40 Disperss®, has received organic status. All components of this formulation are now on the USDA National Organics Program approved list, and an application is being made for inclusion in the OMRI Product List.
Cuprofix Ultra 40 Disperss is a Bordeaux-type mixture that has long been used by fruit, vine and vegetable growers to treat a number of diseases such as Bacterial Spot, Blossom Blight, Greasy Spot, Melanose, Downy Mildew and Shot-Hole. The rapid dispersion, with minimal dust results in improved control. In addition, the ultra fine particle size allows more of this product through nozzles and filters than most coppers, thereby reducing clogging of nozzles.
Effective January 1, 2006, Cerexagri-Nisso LLC, formed by Cerexagri, Inc. and Nisso America, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nippon Soda Company, Ltd.), is the marketing and sales organization focused on the sale of agrochemicals in the U.S. Effective November 14, 2006, Arkema S.A. announced the sale of Cerexagri, Inc. to United Phosphorus Ltd. For more information, call 1-800-438-6071 or visit www.cerexagri-nisso.com.
Capsules by Enocapsule
M.A. SILVA CORK AND ENOCAPSULE OPEN NEW FACILITIES
M.A. Silva Cork, a wine cork distributor that imports natural cork wine stoppers from an exclusive Portuguese supplier and partner, opened a $4 million, 30,000-square-foot processing and administrative facility in Santa Rosa, California in early January. The new facility is double the size of the previous location, and features an ultra-clean workspace and sanitary environment that is required to prevent mold that is responsible for cork taint in wine. Located near the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, MidState Construction built the facility designed by DES Architects. The company expects to benefit from the scheduled resumption of commercial aviation this year.
Enocapsule, Inc., a PVC, PETG, Polylux capsules and champagne foil manufacturer, opened a new facility in California to better serve customers on the West Coast. By 2009 they expect to have fully integrated capsule manufacturing operations. This was the next step in building the global capsule strategy that Enocapsule subscribed to in 2004 with the introduction of a production plant in Canada. The plant in Canada is fully integrated with proprietary laminating technology, its own ink production, chemistry and R&D labs, printing and slitting machinery and forming machines. Enocapsule specializes in custom-fitted and decorated capsules.
Internet News
NEW WEBSITE, AMERICAN WINERY
Lloyd Benedict, a recent graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, has launched a new website that aims to give American wine consumers information direct from American wineries. The goal is to build a premier online destination for American wine. This destination would be a single location at which both consumers and wineries could gather.
AmericanWinery.com (www.americanwinery.com) users can rate wine, review wines, create an online cellar and wish list. Users also have access to a growing database of wine-related articles and wine-paired recipes. In addition, they can search and find American wine and wineries, and American wine-related news. Wineries will be able to sign up and launch their online virtual tasting room. This will enable wineries to freely provide detailed information about all current and past releases, revise and update information about the winery as well as add images. This service is free of charge.
100BESTWINES.COM LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE CONSUMERS WITH EASY ONLINE GUIDE TO WINE
100BestWines.com was recently launched to help people choose, shop for and buy wine and wine accessories. Through the new online solution, customers can find informative articles and wine suggestions and background for online wine merchants.
The 100BestWines website builds upon three major components. There are numerous articles encompassing general information on wine, wine gift baskets, wine clubs, wine storage, wine glasses and accessories, and personalized wine to improve the knowledge of readers and assist in their purchasing. There are online retailers listed for each article category, with a description of the vendors expertise in that segment as well as highlighted product choices. There is also a list of their 100 recommended wines, broken down by varietal and cost, with notes from the winemakers. For more information, visit 100BestWines.com.
New Products
NEW DECORATIVE DRIP COLLARS FOR TASTING ROOMS
Cynmark Designs, LLC announced the release of their Bottleneckless, a wine accessory perfect for the tasting room that prevents wine, oil, vinegar and other liquids from spilling onto tablecloths or countertops. The Bottlenecklace drip collar is a decorative medallion with two charms hanging from the ends of two cords to protect it from fraying. It is made from absorbent fabrics specifically researched and developed to catch wine drips before they reach the table.
The idea for the product started one evening with a group of friends enjoying a bottle of wine and a discarded piece of string that was on the counter. After wiping up red wine drips on the table and bottle throughout the evening, Cindy Paikin-now president of Cynmark Designs-made a slipknot with the string and placed it around the neck of the bottle to see if it would catch the drips. When it did, she envisioned an attractive absorbent cord with a decorative medallion on it, creating a new wine accessory.
The Bottlenecklace is offered in 11 medallion varieties with the option of antiqued gold or pewter. Customized medallions are available upon request. For more information on the Bottlenecklace, visit www.bottlenecklace.com.
Hats Off!
WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF GEORGIA AWARD OVER $1 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS
Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Georgia Foundation announced its surpassing $1 million in scholarship awards for students at Georgia colleges and universities.
Created in 1964, the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Georgia Foundation has been a lasting tribute to industry members and friends. Over the years the foundation has provided nearly 1,000 scholarships to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend college. In this academic year alone, 15 students at 14 Georgia institutions received nearly $44,000. For the 2007 academic year, the foundation will fund 16 additional scholarships.
The foundation awards full tuition scholarships to non-research universities and colleges in the university system of Georgia on a rotating basis. Schools are selected by the foundation each year to be representative of every geographic region of the state while the institutions determine the scholarship awards. More information on the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Georgia Foundation scholarships is available at the financial aid offices at colleges and universities throughout the state.
Bookshelf
PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL OF U.S. WINERY DOGS RELEASED
Wine Dogs, the original winery dog book, has recently released its Wine Dogs: USA Edition. The photographic journal, based on the best-selling Australian version, is a toast to the wine country, as wherever wine is made youre likely to find a dog sleeping in the tasting room or wandering in the vineyard. The new edition features more than 300 wineries across the U.S. with over 450 photos and stories of their dogs. The book also features short essays written by Robert Parker Jr., Dan Berger, Cole Danehower and Craig McGill, among others.
The 536-page, full color hardback book retails for $39. For more information, visit www.winedogs.com. wbm
