Afternoon Brief, April 2nd

North Coast Wine Challenge Begins Tuesday: How do organizers conceal the identities of the entries in this blind tasting?...

Introducing the NEW FlexStaves Program! Created in partnership with one of the world's leading cooperage companies, FlexStaves are bundles of a proprietary blend of 7-14 staves in various profiles designed specifically for use in Flextanks. How To Incorporate FlexStaves into Your Winemaking for a True Oak Barrel Replacement Setup: Each stave bundle pack is tied together with a stainless steel strap. Each bundle has the same level of oak to wine contact as compared to using a new 59 gallon barrel. The number of bundles used is a function of tank size and the percentage of new barrel equivalent the winemaker desires. As the staves absorb the wine, they sink into the tank over time. Bloom during extraction is normal, mixing prior to sampling is essential. Cellar Recommendations: Preform all normal barrel operations for the Flextank system. Leave no headspace. Perform regular chemical tests. So2 as needed. Strictly monitor of microbiological conditions. Rack as needed. Recommended T

The global bulk wine market continued to be slow through March into early April, as the ongoing economic uncertainty around the world compounds a longer-term structural weakness specific to the wine industry – namely, the multi-year slide in wine sales in key markets: according to International Wine & Spirits Research, Brazil is currently the only country in the top 20 wine markets that is drinking more wine now than it did in 2017.  How the industry goes about arresting this consumption drift is a well-worn topic. It is a tough ask: younger demographics can choose from a far larger spectrum of alcoholic beverages than their parents, while alcohol abstention – or at least a preference for lower alcohol options – is far higher among these cohorts. Hence the new ‘World of Zero’ area at ProWein, and we have seen an uptick in enquiries into lower-alcohol wines – both in recognition of this consumer trend and because taxes on such wines can be lo

Afternoon Brief, August 8th

Just when the Napa Valley tourism industry seems to be recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, the city of Napa has been hit with an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease…

Bread & Butter Wines Debuts First-Ever Pinot Grigio

Expands white wine portfolio with classically-styled, everyday Pinot Grigio Napa, CA—August 8, 2022— Bread & Butter Wines a 4-time Impact Hot Brand Award winner announces the launch of its inaugural Pinot Grigio. […]

Afternoon Brief, May 19th

2022 Sonoma County Wine Auction Announces Vintner and Chef Honorees: Sonoma County Vintners Foundation is thrilled to announce Jean-Charles Boisset as Vintner Honoree and Dustin Valette as Chef Honoree for the 2022 Sonoma County Wine Auction (SCWA)...

Bread & Butter Wines Introduce Pinot Noir Canned Wine

Winery Aims to Not Overthink Wines On The Go Napa, CA—May 19, 2022— Just in time for summer activities, Bread & Butter Wines, the fastest growing top 10 wine brand in […]

Bread & Butter Wines Opens New Tasting Room in the Napa Valley

Newest Reason to Visit Napa Valley Now Open; Leading Wine Brand Uncomplicates Napa Valley Wines at Its Comfortable New Home Napa, CA—August 18, 2021— Bread & Butter Wines, the fastest growing wine brand in the $12-14.99 price segment*, believes that wine, even in Napa Valley, shouldn’t be complicated. In a recent survey**, nearly half of consumers […]

Afternoon Brief, August 18th

Redefining the Definition of Balanced Wine: Talking about “balanced wine” used to be perfectly acceptable—until about ten years ago, when the term suddenly became politicized...