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Global Sound Byte! BevCast Weekly News Episode #17

Bevcast Weekly News is a news series giving you a quick look at the most important news, trends, and developments of the week.

19/04/2019



Listen to Industry News and other Insights on the Bevcast Podcast Channel on Soundcloud. Bevcast Weekly News is a news series giving you a quick look at the most important news, trends, and developments of the week.

Bevcast Weekly News is brought to you by Sommeliers Choice Awards, which is an international wine competition that Beverage Trade Network will hosts in San Francisco where wines are judged For On-Premise Market on Food Parability, Typicity, Value, Quality, and Package. Domestic Submission (the USA only) ends on April 30 for the 2019 Sommeliers Choice Awards.

Please visit sommelierschoiceawards.com for more information on how winning a sommeliers choice awards medal can help you grow your wine brand.

So gear up for your week ahead – these are our top stories of the week.

*To listen to the full Podcast and more, kindly stay tuned into BevCast channel on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Stitcher.

Global Wine Output At Near-Record Highs in 2018

According to the Paris-based International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), global wine output in 2018 was 292.3 million hectoliters, an increase of 17 percent from the year-earlier period, which saw historically bad harvests. The OIV reported steep increases in production from Italy, France and Spain.

California Crush Report Full of Optimism for California Growers

The much-anticipated California Crush Report – delayed by the 35-day U.S. government shutdown – is finally out, and the numbers are impressive. According to the California Agricultural Statistics Service, production was up 7 percent from 2017, led by much higher yields in Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast.

Washington State Reports Second-Best Year Ever

In addition to California, Washington State also reported a stellar year. The size of the harvest was up 14 percent in 2018, making it the second largest in state history. At 261,000 tons crushed, the yield was just under the all-time record of 270,000 tons crushed in 2016.

Australian Wine Region Preparing For Worst Harvest in a Decade

Down Under, the forecasts are not so optimistic. Australia’s Barossa Valley, for example, is on track to report its worst harvest in ten years. The harvest for the 2019 vintage could be down as much as 50 percent compared to 2018. That’s the result of extreme weather, including frost and hail damage.

Bordeaux 2018 Vintage Drawing Rave Reviews From Wine Critics

The Bordeaux 2018 vintage in a single word: exceptional. Despite extreme weather that resulted in a very warm and dry late summer, Bordeaux winemakers appear to have outdone themselves. According to wine critic James Suckling, these wines are “wonderful” with “beautiful depth of ripe fruit.”

Idaho Gaining in Reputation as a Top American Wine Region

Thanks to an influx of veteran winemakers from places like Washington State and California, Idaho is starting to make a name for itself in the U.S. wine industry. Once known only for its potatoes, the state is now also known for its grapes. There are now 56 wineries in Idaho.

Finding the Perfect Pairing for Wine and Cannabis

Sonoma winemaker Mike Benziger, the former owner of Benziger Winery, is trying to unite the wine and cannabis industries in California. Benziger is now a cannabis farmer in Sonoma who is advocating for cannabis growers to become “good neighbors” with local winemakers. That starts with finding the ultimate wine and weed pairings.

Hard Seltzer Emerging as a Fast-Growing Alcohol Beverage Category

For younger millennial drinkers, hard seltzer – and not beer or wine – is now the beverage of choice, especially for outdoor activities. There are several factors working in the favor of hard seltzer, including the convenience of cans and the overall strength of the low ABV product category.

Amazon Could Be Getting Ready To Make an Entry Into Alcohol Sales

In the Washington, D.C. area, e-commerce giant Amazon is now looking for a manager of alcohol policy who will be able to interact with and influence government and regulatory officials. Industry insiders see this as the start of a major push into alcohol sales by Amazon.

The United States is Now Threatening Higher Tariffs on European Wine

It once seemed unthinkable, but the U.S. and EU could soon be involved in a trade war that drives up the price of wine and brandy for American wine drinkers. That might be good news for U.S. domestic producers in the short-term, but the EU could retaliate by raising tariffs on California wine.

DBR Lafite Makes Changes To Its Chinese Market Distribution

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), which is annually ranked as one of the most popular wine brands in China, is switching up its distribution into this market starting in July 2019. DBR Lafite had an 8-year exclusive distribution deal with ASC Fine Wines but is now looking to diversify its distribution with four total partners.

Italian Winemakers Increasingly Eye Emerging Markets in Asia

At this year’s Vinitaly Fair in Italy, Italian winemakers highlighted the need to explore emerging foreign markets, especially China. Right now, Italy trails France, Chile, and Australia when it comes to exporting wine to China, which is on track to become the #2 wine market in the world by 2021.

The Ultimate Wine Destination: Mars

A group of scientific researchers from the former Soviet Union is working on a plan to create the first winery on Mars. The Georgian Space Research Agency says that a white grape variety indigenous to Georgia – Rkatsiteli – is the best candidate for the first winery on the Red Planet.

 Napa Valley’s Original Cult Cabernet Winery Sold To New Owner

Grace Family Vineyards – generally credited as being the first “cult Cabernet” in Napa Valley – is now under new ownership. The Grace Family has sold the winery, the vineyard, all existing inventory, and all rights to the brand to a San Francisco buyer. Total production at Grace Family Vineyards is 650 cases per year.

Artificial Intelligence and Wine: Looking For the Perfect Match

California-based Tastry is an innovative startup that is teaching computers how to taste wine. The secret is a proprietary mix of machine learning, sensory science, and analytical chemistry. Tasty plans to roll out in-store kiosks for consumers in order to help them find the perfect bottle of wine.

The All-In-One Outdoor Wine Bottle A Big Crowdfunding Success

One Kickstarter project that’s getting a lot of attention is Carivino, which is being touted as “the world’s most advanced wine bottle.” It’s an insulated, shatterproof wine bottle that contains a pair of wine glasses at the bottom of the bottle. This crowdfunding project has already raised more than $28,000.

Popular Cruise Line Offers New Program for Wine Lovers

Holland America signed up noteworthy wine critic James Suckling as the cruise line’s wine curator in March 2018. One year later, Holland America is rolling out a special wine program – “James Suckling’s Guide to Great Wines” – on the entire fleet of 15 cruise ships.

Instagram Wine Influencers in Australia Under New Scrutiny

Of the Top 70 Instagram influencers in Australia, at least 75 percent of them regularly feature alcoholic drinks in their photos. The only problem, say public health authorities, is that only a small percentage of them actually disclose that they are being paid to promote these drinks.

Celebrating World Malbec Day

April 17 is officially World Malbec Day, a global celebration of Argentina’s national grape. The theme of this year’s event is “Elegance Doesn’t Need Perfection.” In the U.S., World Malbec Day included events in Chicago and New York, as well as a Twitter wine chat.

Bob Dylan Whiskey Distillery Coming in 2020

Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan will soon have a new home for his signature line of Heaven’s Door Whiskey – a sprawling new facility in Nashville, Tennessee that will feature a distillery, a concert venue, a restaurant, a whiskey library and an art center featuring Dylan’s paintings.

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Thank you again for listening to Bevcast. Once again, a quick reminder to enter your wines in the 2019 Sommeliers Choice Awards, the international wine competition that is organized by Beverage Trade Network.

That’s it for now, Subscribe to BevCast for weekly Audio News updates.

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