San Francisco about to be ZAP-ed

The 19th annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) Festival is set for January 28-20 in San Francisco.

The event, to be held at the Fort Mason and Intercontinental Hotel, is three days of tastings, wine pairings and seminars.

Beverly Gannon (above left), chef of the Hali'imaile General Store in Maui, Hawaii, will prepare Hawaiian-themed food to pair with selected Zins at the January 28 dinner at Herbst Pavilion in Fort Mason.

More than 250 producers will offer samples of their wines at the Grand Zinfandel Tasting on January 30.

Admission to individual events or all three days ranges from $59 to $524, and is by advance purchase only. Information is available online.

Go here for a video interview with Chef Gannon.

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Constellation cuts its cider connection

Constellation Brands has sold off a 240-year-old English cidermaker.

Constellation, headquartered in Victor, NY, near Rochester, completed the sale of its Gaymer Cider Company to the C&C Group of Dublin, Ireland, for about US$80 million.

The C&C Group is best known for producing Magners cider and the lager brand Tennents.

Total cider volumes fell by 15% in the UK over the past three months. A C&C spokesman said business conditions in its core cider markets are "challenging."

The C&C Group’s longtime core brand was Bulmers Cider, but it held brand rights only in Ireland. Thus, it had to develop a new brand to launch outside its home market. The Magners brand was introduced for this purpose in 1999.

C&C acquired the Tennents brand and Wellpark Brewery in August 2009 from brewing giant Inbev, now Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Constellation Brands is the leading producer of premium wines in the world, with a portfolio that includes spirits, imported beers and other select beverage alcohol products. It is the largest premium wine company in the U.S., the largest wine company in the UK, Australia and Canada, the second largest wine company in New Zealand, and the largest beer importer and marketer in the U.S. through its Crown Imports joint venture with Mexico's Grupo Modelo.

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She can see vodka from her window

She has no known connection with the wine and spirits industries, but Alaska ex-governor Sarah Palin has been scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the 67th annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) convention in Las Vegas in April.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate was chosen because she "is a great supporter of America's free enterprise system and understands that industries like the beverage alcohol industry play a key role in driving our national economy," said Craig Wolf, WSWA president and CEO.

"We expect she will share with the convention attendees her analysis of the current political environment and her vision for America's future."

Normally, prominent figures in the industries are selected as keynote speakers.

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Boston Wine Expo discount tix available

Discounted tickets are available until January 15 for the 19th annual Boston Wine Expo, scheduled this year for January 23-24 at the Seaport World Trade Center.

The organizers call this the largest trade and consumer wine event in the country, with more than 450 wineries participating and pouring samples of more than 1,800 wines from domestic and foreign producers.

The event also includes free food samples from a wide variety of vendors, as well as workshops and seminars.

Full details are available online.

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Napa's Copia facility still in limbo

April L. Dowd photo

• From the North Bay (CA) Business Journal

NAPA, CA -- More than a year after Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, filed for Chapter 11 protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Santa Rosa, its future is still up in the air.

Copia opened its doors on Nov. 1, 2001, and closed them for good on Nov. 21, 2008, after a tumultuous seven-year run. Built at an initial cost of $55 million, and with major funding from Robert Mondavi and family, the non-profit center lost more than $4 million a year and never attracted the numbers of ticket buyers, memberships or donations forecast in its business plan.

"We are still evaluating possible options for Copia," said a spokesman for Alvarez Marsal LLC, the New York City-based real estate firm retained to market the property. "Some alternatives that have been considered include leasing part of the complex and selling other segments, but no final decision has been reached."

The vision of Copia’s founders was that it would be all things to all people when it came to discovering, understanding and celebrating wine, food and the arts in American culture. It was billed as a cultural museum and educational center, but it was much more. It housed a rare books library, a 74-seat demonstration kitchen, wine tasting table, a gourmet restaurant named for Julia Child, a cafe, gift shop, a 3.5 acre flower and organic edible garden, an event venue with 13,000 square feet of gallery space for exhibitions, a 260-seat theater and also boasted an outdoor concert terrace with seating for 700 plus 341 parking spaces.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Never piss off a billionaire

From the Los Angeles Times:

William Koch (right) didn't mean to turn the wine world upside down.

The Palm Beach, FL, billionaire developed a taste for wine as a young man and, as he accumulated wealth, built an extensive wine collection. Among that collection: a 1787 Lafite Bordeaux with Thomas Jefferson's initials etched into the bottle.

Except, he says, it's a fake.

"I thought that I had a piece of history, a piece of America's most important history," Koch said, holding up the bottle in his wine cellar, which contains about 40,000 bottles.

His response to the alleged fakery was unheard of in the wine world: He sued the seller.

Since that initial lawsuit, he has filed four more and is working on another. He says he aims to clean up an industry where a single bottle can fetch more than $100,000.

Now, collectors are warier. Some auction houses are shunning him.

And the wine world hasn't been the same.

[Go here for the full story.]

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'Calistoga' approved as a wine designation

Chalk up one more designation in the ever-more-complex world of U.S. wine labeling.

Napa Valley winemakers have been cleared by the federal government to put the name "Calistoga" on wines made from grapes grown in that California town.

The decision by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which regulates wine and wine labels, goes into effect early in 2010. A California law also requires Napa vintners to use the words "Napa Valley" on labels.

Local vintners first petitioned the feds in 2003 for the Calistoga permission. Calistoga, located in the northern part of Napa Valley, is one of the region's oldest communities.

The lengthy process, and some lobbying and lawsuits that created quite a controversial situation, are detailed in this report on the SFGate.com website.

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Late billionaire's wine going to auction

To people of a certain age, the name Doris Duke will ring a bell. A gold-plated bell.

The late, lone heir to the estate of tobacco tycoon James Duke once was known as the "richest little girl in the world." In 1924, at the age of 12, she inherited his $100 million estate derived from both Duke Energy and the American Tobacco Co. which today is known as Fortune Brands.

She was known as a philanthropist and excellent businesswoman whose estate was worth $1.2 billion at the time of her death in 1993.

Among the many things she collected over her lifespan was wine. And, not just any wine. Four lots from her cellars will be up for auction at Christie's in Manhattan on Wednesday, December 9.

Each of the four lots of three bottles of 1929 Chateau d'Yquem has a pre-sale estimate of $15,000 to $24,000.

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NY grape becomes signature Indiana wine

Traminette, a grape hybrid from Cornell University's Agricultural Experiment Station, has been given the designation of the state's first signature wine.

The state, however, is not New York, but rather Indiana.

Confused? Go here to read the whole story.

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A celebri-quote: Elizabeth Hurley

• Actress-model Elizabeth Hurley, 44, told a reporter from London's Daily Mail that she has switched from wine and coffee to vodka to maintain her famous figure.

"I used to drink an awful lot of coffee, but I was told after the age of 40 you have to be careful with coffee and wine. I don’t miss having a glass of wine because I’ve switched to vodka.

"I don’t really like vodka that much but if I’m at a party, I have a small one with a lot of fizzy water and a huge squeeze of lime. Initially it’s like medicine but I’ve gotten used to it now."

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A celebri-quote: Kate Hudson

Like her mom, the actress Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson has never been on the chubby side. Quite the opposite, as discussed in an interview with the actress in the current issue of Elle magazine. She dropped to about 105 pounds for a movie role as a terminally ill woman.

"I love my glass of wine. I love tequila.

"To be in New York for two weeks and not have one beverage! I'm not sure I've ever done that.

"I'm not, like, 110 pounds, but I'm probably heading towards that."

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About that Brunello problem ...

The U.S. government's concern over improper blending of several Italian wines, including by some makers of the popular Brunello di Montalcino, has not been resolved.

Italy requested a meeting with U.S. officials to discuss its ongoing investigation of the situation. Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, Italian ambassador to the U.S., and Luca Zaia, Italian minister of agriculture, told officials of the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade (TTB) board that they are taking full responsibility for the integrity of all 500 Italian wine denominations.

They said none of the mislabeled products that have been the subject of numerous press reports remain on the market. They also cited heightened quality control mandates and an oversight role for the Ministry of Agriculture.

Nevertheles, the TTB said it is continuing to enforce the certification requirement and has no plans to lift it. Industry observers have speculated that court cases against violators taking place in Italy will have to be resolved before the restrictions will be eased.

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California wine center on the block

April L. Dowd photo

COPIA, the Napa, CA, wine and culinary center that teetered on the edge of insolvency through much of its brief history, is up for sale.

The owner is seeking bids for the shuttered facility that declared bankruptcy last December after running out of cash. Bidders have until Nov. 12 to submit proposals for the 17-acre property, according to a real estate company handling the sale.

The $78 million complex offers “an exciting opportunity for a new owner to develop a vibrant and valuable commercial and tourism destination,” he said.

ACA Financial Guaranty Corp., which controls the property, put it on the market. ACA insured the bonds issued to pay for COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. Proceeds from the sale will go to repay the bondholders. The property is worth $25 to $35 million in the current market, according to estimates in bankruptcy court filings.

COPIA was the brainchild of wine pioneer Robert Mondavi, who died last year at age 94. It was financially troubled since its 2001 opening as a facility that included museum exhibition space, a restaurant, expansive gardens, meeting rooms and art galleries.

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Vin de Table becomes Vin de France

It may not mean much to the average wine buyer at first, but the denomination "vin de table" now is "vin de France."

The change comes as a result of the reform of the Common Market Organization (CMO) of the wine sector in Europe and the new category "Vin de France." In the change, ANIVIT (the acronym for National Wine Council of Vins de Table and Vins de
Pays) officially became Anivin de France (National Council of Vin of France).

The new category replaces Vin de Table, and, for the first time, allows the mention of varietal and vintage on the label.

The new wine councail says its missions "are entirely centered on the development of the new category Vin de France -- wines without geographic denomination, conforming to the missions defined by the CMO of the wine sector." In plain English, that means specifically:

• Ensure a permanent and ongoing association among the different professional bodies of producers and trade professionals.

• Improve the knowledge of the organization and regulation of the markets.

• Develop the exposure, accessibility and penetration of Vin de France, primarily through public relations, tastings and trade exhibitions, publicity, advertising and sales promotion.

• Promote moderate and responsible consumption, notably within the association Vin et Societe. Vin et Societe is a group whose missions are also to promote moderate consumption and to convey the economic, commercial and cultural values of wine.

• Participate in national or regional Research and Development programs, and in collective action by the wine sector as a whole.

The board of directors of Anivin de France was named by the four founding organizations: AGEV (the General Union of French Wine Producers), CFVDP (French Federation of Vin de Pays), VIF (Independent Winegrowers of France) and CCVF (Federation of French Wine Cooperatives) to drive the new category of Vin de France, with or without the mention of varietal and vintage.

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Report slams NY liquor authority

The official word is out concerning the embattled State Liquor Authority, a bumbling bureaucracy that has been assailed on many fronts. Not surprisingly, it reinforces most of the long-standing criticisms of the authority.

The first part of the New York State Law Revision Commission's two-part report on findings and recommendations notes:

The SLA's current nine-month backlog of license applications reflects a failure in the licensing process, jeopardizes public health and safety, and exacerbates the economic crisis currently plaguing New York. Small business owners, and some large ones as well, are forced to suffer ever-mounting expenses for months on end without the income generated from having these licenses. The situation deprives the state of new revenues from sales and income taxes, and it depresses the growth of new jobs in local communities.

Despite that sweeping condemnation, apparently the SLA was not found guilty of The Great Train Robbery, the hanging-chad controversy in George Bush's election, or the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.

The SLA itself was not alone in being chastised by the Commission. In a slap at some in other branches of state government, the Commission said:

"Some people, including those quite familiar with the SLA's budget, have remarked about the backlog: 'What's the big deal, the state has already banked the license fees, the applicants can wait.' This shortsighted view, to be kind, is nothing less than foolish. The 'What's the big deal‚' advocates both in and out of government basically view the SLA as a 'cash cow‚' and care little about the importance of an expeditious, careful and fair licensing process dedicated to the well-being of New York's citizenry and the State itself. ... A New York County [Manhattan] grand jury is in the midst of concluding a criminal investigation into the bribery of SLA licensing examiners by corrupt 'expediters' that is expected to be completed by the end of October. The State Inspector General is also expected to issue a report in the near future detailing the corruption and other problems in the agency."

Among recommendations made by the Commission:

• The SLA should have the authority to declare a moratorium when it deems that the backlog of licenses has ended.
• Give the SLA the needed number of employees to allow it to carry out its mission.
• The SLA should create two positions of regional manager (one for New York City, and one for Albany, Syracuse and Rochester) to oversee daily administration ... including customer service.
• Develop policies that ensure that enforcement focuses on serious violations with an impact on public safety, and more closely monitor businesses with a history of complaints and violations.
• Investigate non-economic incentives such as those adopted by other State agencies to motivate and reward staff and alter the negative agency culture that has evolved over time."
• Owners of restaurants that have a wine, beer or full liquor license pending should be eligible to secure a BYOB (bring your own bottle) permit.

You can go here to read or download Part 1 of the report. The Commission said it "will evaluate the current structure of the SLA in Part 2 of its report."

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Cider: Is there a comeback in the making?

William M. Dowd photo

Over the years, I've occasionally written about cider. Not that sickening sweet diluted stuff sitting in bottles on your supermarket shelf, but real cider. The sort of beverage enjoyed throughout Europe for centuries and in this country until the 20th. (For example, 'All things cider and how to taste them' back in December.)

Brian Palmer, writing for Slate.com, has an interesting take on the topic of cider and speculates on whether it is making a comeback in this country. Here's how he begins:

"During the 1840 presidential election, opponents of William Henry Harrison portrayed him as a hard-drinking bumpkin. In a savvy act of political jujitsu, Harrison embraced the charge, branding his campaign paraphernalia with a portrait of pure Americana: a log cabin and a barrel of cider. Harrison rode the image to a 234-60 Electoral College victory over incumbent Martin Van Buren.

"Shortly after the Harrison landslide, Americans would begin to drift away from his beloved libation. ... A century later, cider would be almost completely forgotten. Most Americans now consider cider -- if they consider it at all -- to be in the same category as wine coolers or those enigmatic clear malt beverages: chemically suspect, effeminate alternatives to beer. And who can blame them? America's mass-market ciders are comically weak and inexplicably fizzy. Many are made not from cider apples but from the concentrated juice of eating apples, which is a bit like making wine from seedless table grapes. ... Let's get back to our roots."

Go here for the full essay. And, go here and enter the word CIDER in the search box for a list of related stories.

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NY International Wine Awards to be unveiled

William M. Dowd photo

There's a new wine competition in town. At least there will be in New York City.

Dori Bryant, president of The Polished Palate, and spirits writer Adam Levy tomorrow will announce the debut of the New York International Wine Awards (NYIWA).

The NYIWA is a competition that will award the best wines in various categories as judged by the people on the front line of consumer contact. Trade-only judges will consist of restaurant owners, sommeliers, liquor store buyers, and distributors and importers of fine wine.

Jack Robertiello of Drinks Ink will act as the competition host and lead the judging panel.

Bryant and Levy hosted the premiere New York International Spirits Awards in June 2009. The success of that inaugural event led to the expansion of the franchise to include wine.

The judging for the NYIWA will take place in closed sessions the week of February 6, 2010, at the Astor Center in New York. The deadline for brands to enter is January 22, 2010.

“The NYIWA is the first wine competition to rely solely on the results of trade-only judging," said Bryant. "These judges are the front line of consumer purchases on a daily basis.”

Details and entry forms are available online.

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Wine exciting enough to cry over

When Dick Vermeil (below) was a head coach in the National Football League, he was known for his emotional, teary outbursts as much as for his success in the won-lost columns.

He coached two Super Bowl teams, losing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981 but winning with the St. Louis Rams in 2000.

Now retired from that world and at age 73, Vermeil is working hard on Vermeil Wines, his boutique winery founded last year in Calistoga, CA. Its first offering, Jean-Louis Vermeil Cabernet-Sauvignon named after his late father, has gone to market.

What's the quality level?

Robert Parker Jr., the globally well-regarded critic for the Wine Advocate, said:

"His initial dive into the wine world is impressive. It goes against the rule of thumb that celebrities rarely achieve anything special in the world of wine."

Vermeil, who was born in his great grandfather’s home in Calistoga, leases a 178-acre vineyard near the Silverado Pass from the Frediani family. He is producing only about 1,500 to 2,000 cases of upmarket wines this year -- cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, zinfandel, cabernet franc and a charbono. Most of it will be online or in the winery's store.

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A celebri-quote: James Bond

• Author Ian Fleming's fictitious spy James Bond has uttered many a lasting quote in print and on film. Here's one from the film version of "Goldfinger," as spoken by Sean Connery.

"My dear girl, there are some things that just aren't done, such as drinking Dom Perignon '53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

"That's just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs!"

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MA farmers markets seek wine-sales OK

• From the Boston Herald

Go to any farmers’ market in Massachusetts and you can pick from a mouthwatering array of fruits and vegetables, fresh-baked breads, homemade jams and other products straight from local farms. You can’t, however, sip a chardonnay, sniff a merlot, or purchase any other offerings made at the nearly three dozen farm wineries and vineyards from Cape Cod to the Berkshires.

Now, a group representing winemakers, with the support of state agriculture officials, is pushing to change state law to permit wine to be sold at the roughly 200 farmers’ markets that are held each week in Massachusetts.

It would be a change long overdue, according to Kip Kumler, owner of Turtle Creek Winery in Lincoln and chairman of the Massachusetts Farm Winery and Growers Association. ...

Sen. Jamie Eldredge (top), D-Acton, calls winemaking a "hidden secret" of Massachusetts agriculture. He’s the lead sponsor of a bill that would permit wine tastings and sales at farmers’ markets.

[Go here for the full story.]

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