By Dan Levy – March 8 (Bloomberg) — In California’s Napa Valley, producer of the most expensive U.S. wines, 2010 may be a vintage year for foreclosures as the industry is squeezed by falling land values and a consumer shift to cheaper brands.
As many as 10 wineries and vineyards in Napa will change hands in distressed sales or foreclosures this year and next, up from none in 2008, according to Silicon Valley Bank. In a bank survey of vintners, 7 percent called their finances “very weak” or “on life support.”
“We have 250 vintner clients saying this downturn is the worst in 20 years,” Bill Stevens, manager of the bank’s wine division in St. Helena, California, said in an interview. “Anybody who was late to the party won’t have staying power.”
Land values in Napa, home to about 400 producers, have fallen 15 percent from the 2007 peak, driven in part by slumping demand for high-end wine, said Robert Nicholson, principal at International Wine Associates, a consulting and financing firm in Healdsburg, California. The decline makes it harder for owners to refinance mortgages, especially if the property is worth less than the loan. Continue reading “Vineyard Defaults Surge as Bargain Wines Hurt Napa”
FRAUD squad police in London arrested six people overnight over an alleged $5m scam in which investors were told they were buying specialist Australian wines that did not exist. Those targeted were told that Australian wines could be “laid down” and would increase in value with age, the Metropolitan Police said.
Along with two earlier arrests those detained on suspicion of money laundering included two women aged 40 and 32 and men aged 30, 34, 40 and 65. “This kind of investment fraud is becoming far too common. People from all economic backgrounds are being targeted to invest in what appears to be a sound financial opportunity.,” said Detective Chief Inspector Robin Cross, from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command said. wine-business-international.com
Sigi Hiss – Wasser predigen & Wein trinken, nichts Neues in der Weinwelt. So auch wenn es um die hohen Alkoholgrade geht, die UNS (Winzer, Endverbraucher, Weinkritiker …) die Natur “schenkt“ – immer öfters & vor allem immer grosszügiger.
UNS allen ist das zu viel & wir trinken, bewerten, bevorzugen & geniessen IMMER schon die Weine mit den niedrigeren Alkoholgehalten. Wir ALLE wollen doch mehr als nur ein Glas geniessen & das geht halt mit einem 15-Ender Alkoholgeweih nicht. Nein, da ist nach einem Glas schon keine Lust mehr vorhanden. Continue reading “Hohe Alkoholgehalte: Eine Laune der Natur sagen die Winzer….”
Adam Lechmere, and Guy Woodward – The En Primeur 2009 campaign has been launched in London – informally – with the first trade tasting of the Bordeaux vintage from the right bank. The Cercle Rive Droite is a grouping of some three dozen chateaux ranging form St Emilion Grand Cru Classes to Bordeaux Superiors.
The group includes Pomerol properties like Fleur de Bouard, belonging to the de Bouard family of Angelus, Stephan Derenoncourt’s Rol Valentin and a handful of chateaux from St Emilion satellites Lussac, Canon Fronsac and Lalande de Pomerol.
Around half of the properties retain Alain Raynaud as consultant. Raynaud, former owner of Chateau Quinault – which he sold to Bernard Arnault in 2008 – owns two properties, Croix de Gay and Fleur de Gay. Last night’s tasting, at the French ambassador’s residence in Kensington, was well attended – but not mobbed – by the UK trade. Continue reading “En Primeur 2009: silky tannins and generous fruit on the right bank”
Richard Woodard – NuKorc, the world’s second biggest synthetic cork maker, has filed for bankruptcy with estimated debts of AUS$4m. Adelaide-based insolvency experts PPB have been appointed as administrators of the company, based in Pooraka, South Australia, and are attempting to sell the business as a going concern. Continue reading “NuKorc goes bankrupt”
Bühne frei für „Braida“
Montebruna Barbera d’Asti 2008 mit DOCG-Klassifizierung & neuem Outfit Köln, 04. März 2010 – Das Weingut „Braida“ di Giacomo Bologna aus dem Piemont präsentiert sich auch auf der diesjährigen ProWein wieder am Stand der Kölner
Weinhandelsagentur ViP WEINE in Halle 3/K 144. Zur Verkostung stehen alle neuen Jahrgänge an – von den frischen Weißen Il Fiore, Asso di Fiori und Re di Fiori über die Weltklasse-Barbera Bricco dell’Uccellone, Bricco della Bigotta und Ai Suma, bis hin zu Grappa Invecchiata. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit gilt dem Barbera d’Asti Montebruna, der mit dem Jahrgang 2008 von DOC auf DOCG hochgestuft wurde und sich ebenso in einem neuen Kleid zeigt. Continue reading “ProWein: „Braida“ bei ViP WEINE GmbH in Halle 3/K 144″
Sigi Hiss – Perpignan/Bergisch Gladbach, 4. März 2010. Im Rahmen des gemeinsamen Auftritts der Dachmarke “Sud de France” auf der ProWein haben natürlich auch die Weine aus dem Roussillon – dem Kleinod unter den französischen Weinbaugebieten – wieder ihren Platz gefunden. 22 Aussteller (s.u.) aus dem Languedoc-Roussillon präsentieren Roussillon-Weine der dynamischen Region im äußersten Süden Frankreichs. Im Roussillon sorgen die kargen Böden, das regenarme, aber sonnenreiche Klima mit regelmäßigen Winden und auch die Winzer für sehr niedrige Erträge von im Schnitt 35 Hektolitern pro Hektar. Bemerkenswert ist auch, dass immer mehr Weingüter nach biologischen bzw. umweltschonenden Prinzipien arbeiten.
Die Vielfalt der Böden, Rebsorten und Mikroklimata in der spektakulären Landschaft vor den Pyrenäen am Mittelmeer ermöglichen den engagierten Winzern und Kellermeistern, ein faszinierendes Weinangebot zu schaffen – von modernen Markenweinen bis zu markanten Terroir-Gewächsen, von exzellenten trockenen Rot-, Rosé- und Weißweinen bis zu den
natursüßen Spezialitäten der Vins Doux Naturels. Continue reading “ROUSSILLON-Weine auf der ProWein in Düsseldorf vom 21. – 23. März 2010″
Von Marcus May – Die Stäfner Genossenschaft Cavino bringt ein uraltes Kulturgut ins Wanken: die Weinflasche. Sie setzt stattdessen auf Kunststoffbeutel, und hat nun erstmals einen Zürichsee-Winzer mit im Boot.
Weinhändler Felix Woodtli (Mitte) und Winzer Reto Honegger (rechts) verpacken Beutel voll Wein in Kartonschachteln.
Bild: Michael Trost
Dass beim Stäfner Weinbauer Reto Honegger die automatische Weinabfüllmaschine in der Scheune röhrt, ist nichts Aussergewöhnliches. Dass der Rebensaft aber in aluminiumfarbene Dreiliterbeutel fliesst, ist eine Premiere. Nicht nur für die Region – nein, für die ganze Schweiz. Wein im Schlauch – das kann doch nicht sein, denkt sich der Weinkenner. Doch allein die Tatsache, dass Honegger an diesem Morgen mit 4000 Liter Wein so verfährt, lässt aufhorchen: In den silbrig glänzenden Beuteln muss mehr stecken als nur die sonst unverkäuflichen Reste der vorletzten Ernte.
Ein Mitarbeiter zwängt den vollen Sack – ein nach neusten wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen hergestelltes Hightech-Produkt – in eine Kartonschachtel. Diese wird anschliessend etikettiert und auf eine Palette gepackt. Sechs Leute sind mit dieser Arbeit einen Tag lang beschäftigt. Darunter Honegger und der Weinhändler Felix Woodtli, Pionier in Sachen Bag-in-Box-Weinen und Geschäftsführer der Genossenschaft Cavino mit Sitz in Stäfa. Continue reading “Revolution im Weinkeller”
The Miguel Torres Chile winery has reported significant “material losses” from the powerful earthquake which hit the city of Concepción.
The winery, which is situated in Curicó in Chile’s central valley, has had around 300 casks of its wine smashed, thousands of bottles of wine destroyed, and 100,000 litres of wine have leaked from a cracked stainless steel vat.
The winery’s main buildings have withstood the quake, however, and none of its employees were harmed. Chile’s wineries and vineyards have suffered extensive damage in the quake, which struck at the weekend and has claimed hundreds of lives and left many more homeless.
Torres, which has donated EUR50,000 (USD68,000) to the relief effort in Curicó, said it is confident of repairing the damage quickly. Spanish wine producer Torres’ Chilean subsidiary was founded in 1979 and recorded sales of 3.9m bottles in 2008. http://www.just-drinks.com
Adam Lechmere, and agencies – Chilean airline LAN has announced it is resuming some flights from Santiago, as winemakers across Chile assess the damage after the devastating earthquake that hit the country on Saturday. LAN said in a statement today that it was resuming 15% of domestic and international operations.
Chilean officials said 500,000 houses were destroyed or badly damaged, and President Michele Bachelet said ‘a growing number’ of people were listed as missing. Major wine regions to the south of the capital Santiago have been affected. Maule and Bio Bio south of the capital were near the epicentre of the 8.8-magnitude earthquake – the strongest in 50 years.
The death toll, which stands at around 700, while hardly insignificant is considered low by some commentators. This is due to Chile’s sophisticated earthquake-proof buildings, and also to the fact it is the height of summer and many people are away. Continue reading “Chile: flights resume as wineries count the cost”
David Furer – Dominique Lafon of Burgundy’s Domaine des Comtes Lafon has undertaken his first venture outside of Burgundy. Lafon is now consulting winemaker to Evening Land Winery, a project owned and based in the US which sources wines from Oregon, Burgundy, and different regions in California.
The first release is a Pinot Noir from Oregon. ‘I like Oregon and the potential of this area,’ he told decanter.com. ‘The project is ambitious in aiming for high quality wines made “a la bourguignonne”.’ Burgundy-trained Isabelle Meunier, formerly of New Zealand’s Felton Road and Burgundy’s Domaine de la Vougeraie, is working with Lafon.
Evening Land leases 30ha of Seven Springs Vineyard, in Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills in Oregon. Three-quarters is planted to Pinot Noir with the remainder Chardonnay and some Gamay. In addition to its first 2008 vintage release, other Evening Land wines include those sourced from California’s Sonoma Coast and Santa Rita Hills along with a Burgundy Cote d’Or.
Sigi Hiss – Ein Bericht über den 2008er Burgunder Jahrgang, erschienen im aktuellen WOFW – World of Fine Wine & freundlicherweise zur Verfügung gestellt. Empfehlenswert!
Heavy damage to wineries and vineyards caused by one of the worst earthquakes in Chile’s recent history has forced Vina Concha y Toro to suspend wine production and shipments.
Chile’s wine heartlands, including Bío Bío, Cauquenes, Curicó and parts of Maule, have been worst hit by earthquake, both Concha y Toro and trade body Wines of Chile have said.
Hundreds have died and many more are homeless after the quake, which measured 8.8 on the richter scale, and subsequent tsunami off Chile’s Pacific coast.
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Wine Spectator – Stuart Fox – Cornell research finds new, cheaper way to reduce methoxypyrazine, the chemical that causes green bell pepper flavors in wine.
In the past, the wet, cold, growing season of 2008 would have worried Larry Perrine, CEO of Channing Daughters winery. Northern Long Island is already a difficult place to grow wine grapes, and the cool, moist weather of that year seemed to assure that herbaceous, green bell pepper flavors would appear in (and for some, ruin) his red wines. Vintners can leave the grapes on the vine longer to develop more ripe fruit flavors, but they can end up with reduced crop size and weight (and reduced profit), plus they risk losing crop to rains, early frost and other factors. Continue reading “Stopping Bell Pepper Flavors Through Viticulture”
By Antony Sguazzin – March 1 (Bloomberg) — Wine producers and environmental groups near Stellenbosch, which lies in the heart of South Africa’s winelands, will oppose a plan by the government’s African Exploration & Mining Finance Corp., to prospect for metals in the area, Business Day newspaper reported, citing wine estate owners.
The company plans to explore for lead, lithium, copper, silver, zinc, tin and managenese, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said. http://wine-business-international.com
Adam Lechmere – Decanter’s Man of the Year 2010 is Aubert de Villaine, proprietor of one of the world’s legendary wine estates. Stephen Brook reports in the latest issue of Decanter magazine that the owner of Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanee-Conti’s ‘first impulse was to refuse’ the award. But after ’some arm-twisting’ de Villaine (pictured above and below) changed his mind and has now become the first Burgundian to be named Man of the Year.
Brook does not overplay de Villaine’s modesty: after all, he makes probably the most famous – and certainly the most expensive – wine in the world. ‘He is not self-effacing,’ Brook writes. He gladly fulfils his role as the public face of the domaine, and his humility rather lies in his insistence on the fact he is merely the custodian of the estate.
It took de Villaine some years to decide he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and take over the Domaine. As a young man he studied literature and law and worked in New York for Burgundy importers the Wildman family. He even worked as a journalist, interviewing the then-unknown Robert Mondavi in 1966. Continue reading “Aubert de Villaine: Decanter Man of the Year”
Maggie Rosen – E&J Gallo and the two main culprits in the ‘fake Pinot’ case are being sued in California on the grounds of unfair competition, fraud and false advertising. California law firm Kingsley & Kingsley has brought a class action suit on behalf of all California consumers against Gallo, as well as its suppliers Sieur d’Arques and the negociant Ducasse.
The suit alleges unfair competition, fraud and false advertising. A French court recently determined that Gallo itself was a victim of fraud at the hands of 12 Languedoc-Roussillon-based defendants, including the above mentioned, who perpetrated a large-scale scam to sell Merlot and Syrah labelled as Pinot Noir. Several defendants were sentenced to a range of penalties including fines and prison terms.
The new suit, which seeks unspecified damages, accuses Gallo of knowing the contents of its Red Bicyclette wine was not Pinot Noir, although the lawyers admit they have no proof of this. The law firm, which specialises in personal injury, insurance and employment issues, says it is dedicated to ‘protecting the “little guy” against big business’.
The lawsuit charges Gallo and its French supplier with failing to take reasonable care and that ‘this fraud was only revealed by happenstance and the hard work of the French authorities.’ One London-based US lawyer said this was most likely a ’strike suit’ – that is, one brought for its nuisance value on behalf of a small shareholder or individual with a view to obtaining a private settlement.
A spokesperson for Gallo said it was the firm’s policy not to comment on pending legal issues. Nobody from Sieur d’Arques or Ducasse were available for comment. www.decanter.com
Fiona Beckett – Les Sources de Caudalie, the restaurant on the estate of Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte in Pessac-Leognan, has won a Michelin star. The only new three-star restaurant of the new French Michelin guide, published last week, is L’Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse.
This is a boost for the Languedoc, which has not had a three Michelin-starred restaurant since the Pourcel brothers lost their third star at the Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier. Continue reading “Smith-Haut-Lafitte’s Caudalie wins Michelin star”
Köln, 01.03.2010 – Mit großem Erfolg präsentierte sich das Consorzio Vini & Sapori del Piemonte erstmalig und exklusiv am 22. Februar im Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berlin. Über 200 Händler, Gastronomen und Journalisten versammelten sich im Ballsaal und zeigten sich beeindruckt von den Weinen und Spezialitäten aus den piemontesischen
Sigi Hiss – Perpignan/Bergisch Gladbach, 4. März 2010. Im Rahmen des gemeinsamen Auftritts der Dachmarke “Sud de France” auf der ProWein haben natürlich auch die Weine aus dem Roussillon – dem Kleinod unter den französischen Weinbaugebieten – wieder ihren Platz gefunden. 22 Aussteller (s.u.) aus dem Languedoc-Roussillon präsentieren Roussillon-Weine der dynamischen Region im äußersten Süden Frankreichs. Im Roussillon sorgen die kargen Böden, das regenarme, aber sonnenreiche Klima mit regelmäßigen Winden und auch die Winzer für sehr niedrige Erträge von im Schnitt 35 Hektolitern pro Hektar. Bemerkenswert ist auch, dass immer mehr Weingüter nach biologischen bzw. umweltschonenden Prinzipien arbeiten.
Adam Lechmere – 
