Afternoon Brief, May 22nd

O’Neill Vintners & Distillers Acquires Ram’s Gate Winery and Creates New Luxury Wine Division: O’Neill Vintners & Distillers Founder and CEO Jeff O’Neill has been a co-owner of the brand since 2011, and now takes complete ownership of the brand and property, creating a new luxury wine division...

Last night while I was sleeping, my heart beat 38,400 times. I didn’t ask it to keep beating through my slumber, nor did I thank it when I awoke. I just took my heartbeat, and my life, for granted. Shame on me. We do the same with wine. Sure, we enjoy the aroma, bouquet and taste. But we rarely reflect that this magical elixir is a natural farm product…a land preserver…a reflection of place and time…an artistic statement…a liquid food…a Biblical focus…a poetic inspiration…a cultural phenomenon…an economic engine…a noble beverage with humble roots which brings people together around the world. Wine is magic. So why don’t we tell people? Natural magic It’s easy to fret about the future of wine. Boomers are aging, younger generations are opting out, spirits are innovating and there are increasing warnings about the dangers of alcohol.  It’s deja vu all over again. We’ve been here before, and