It’s no secret that people are drinking less. The consistent, downward trends in alcohol consumption are presenting significant challenges to the wine industry, which is already having to operate in a complex, competitive marketplace. In order to dissect what is happening in the world of wine and figure out how to make adjustments, industry leaders need solid information on which to base their current business practices and future projections. Fortunately, the industry has Terrain, a group of experts providing exclusive insights and forecasting to customers of American AgCredit and other participating Farm Credit associations in order to promote a more vigorous agricultural economy. Chris Bitter, Ph.D., a senior wine and grape analyst with Terrain and American AgCredit, has recently written two comprehensive articles for "Winescape", a publication that delves into current wine sales data and explores what those show about trending topics such as overall alcohol consump

Afternoon Brief, June 17th

Winery Owners, Guests Flee as Point Fire Erupts in Sonoma County Wine Region: Guests enjoying an afternoon of wine tasting at Capo Creek Winery on West Dry Creek Road were forced to flee after the wind-driven Point Fire broke out Sunday afternoon in the heart of one of Sonoma County’s most iconic wine regions...

Afternoon Brief, June 14th

The Changing Tide of Napa Grapes: Riesling and Cabernet Franc garner highest prices in Napa. What does that mean? Napa’s old guard—Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay—still rule. But for how long?...

Afternoon Brief, May 10th

Two Napa Valley Wine Companies Embroiled in Lawsuit over $120,000 in Grapes: An Atlas Peak vineyard has filed suit in Napa Superior Court, claiming it was stiffed on nearly $120,000 worth of grapes...