Afternoon Brief

Subscribe to the Afternoon Brief   Trending Story: Constellation Brands and E. & J. Gallo Further Revise Wine and Spirits Agreement in Connection with Federal...

Premium Wine Falls Victim to Coronavirus: Premiumization might be over for wine as producers look to offer value ahead of prestige to an uncertain market...

Iconic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Crowned Best Wine in the World in Vivino’s 2020 Wine Style Awards: The Vivino Wine Style Awards are the culmination of scans and ratings from millions of wine consumers, not critics – that’s countless corks popped, plates cleared, and connections made...

Interview with John Hinman: Pending ABC Emergency Order Puts Alcohol License Holders at Risk: "They will be able to shut down a licensee after a hearing on a five days notice," says John Hinman, founding partner of Hinman & Carmichael, LLP. of the The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Controls (ABC) new proposed Emergency Order, and calls it an unnecessary violation of due process...

Napa County Looks at Wine Country Growth: Napa County is considering how to mold the future of its world-famous wine country balancing a host of factors, from housing demands to requests for wineries in remote locations...

Napa County Releases Crop Report; 2019 Wine Grape Crop Worth $938 Million: Napa County’s wine grape crop in 2019 saw a 13.5% decrease in volume and a 9.6% decrease in value as compared to 2018, according to the county’s annual crop report, released Tuesday...

Average Bottle Price Drops 21% for DTC Channel in April: Nielsen Beverage Alcohol Practice reports that year-over-year growth rate for total off-premise alcohol dollar sales within Nielsen measured channels remained high, at +34.8%...

The First Wineries Re-Opened This Weekend, but Restrictions Still Present a Challenge: Ernie Bayless said he and the staff at Wise Villa Winery, located about a half-hour northeast of Sacramento, California, got the word last Tuesday that they could reopen...

U.S. Wineries Cautiously Begin Reopening Phase: As several states schedule a May end to their COVID-19 shutdowns, local vintners predict a gradual transition rather than a grand opening...

Oregon Wineries Begin Reopening, Kicking Off with Those in 28 of 36 Counties: After having closed tasting rooms for almost two months to on-premise wine tastings and consumption, on May 7th, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced the plans for the Phase One reopening of Oregon wineries and tasting rooms...

Wine Adjusts to Evolving Marketplace Amid Pandemic: Virtual vineyard and winery tours, dinner-and-wine kits, and supper-at-home have replaced the pre-pandemic Lets eat out tonight adventures, and Ciatti, Global Wine and Grape Brokers based in Novato, Calif., say that trend is reflected in their latest California Report...

LibDib Launches in Illinois: LibDib, the web-based wholesale alcohol distributor, today announced that the company is now licensed to operate in the state of Illinois...

What Will Bay Area Wineries Look Like After Coronavirus? 'Very Different,' Industry Expert Says: As California begins reopening, a major question is how the Bay Area's wine industry will bounce back...

California's Cabernet Glut Deepens: The latest Vineyard Economics Symposium revealed big challenges for some US grapegrowers...

Pandemic Makes Winery Buyers Skittish About Buying Grapes During Upcoming Harvest: The disruption triggered by the coronavirus pandemic adds uncertainty to a domestic wine sector already grappling with an oversupply of grapes and bulk wine, making regional wineries even more skittish to commit to buying fruit during this year's wine grape harvest, a top industry analyst said Wednesday...