Brown-Forman may sell off a winery

BILL DOWD PHOTO

A tractor driver at a Sonoma-Cutrer vineyard in the Russian River Valley.

In the wake of news that Constellation Brands has sold 80% of its stake in its wine holdings comes news that beverage giant Brown-Forman Corp. is exploring “strategic alternatives” for its Mendocino County, CA, wine holdings.

However, a spokesman for Brown-Forman, best known to the public for its Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey, Woodford Reserve bourbon and Finlandia vodka, said the Louisville, KY, company has no plans to sell its Sonoma County winery, Sonoma-Cutrer.

"We concluded we’re very pleased with its brand-building model and that it can continue to do well in our hands," spokesman Phil Lynch told the Santa Rose, CA, Press-Democrat.

Brown-Forman says it is exploring strategic alternatives, including a possible sale, for the Fetzer winery, bottling facility and vineyards in Mendocino County and its other Hopland-based brands.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported Brown-Forman was putting its wine business on the block after several years of sluggish sales.

(Go here for a report on my visit to Sonoma-Cutrer at harvest time.)

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Adulterated Chinese wines seized

In what is no shock to anyone aware of the adulterated products China keeps pumping into the global marketplace, several wineries in what is referred to as "China's Bordeaux region" have been shut down and bottles of their wines pulled from stores after authorities found wine containing several chemical additives.

A report on Chinese state television today said the incident in Changli county in the central province of Hebei -- where a third of China's domestic wines are produced -- showed wineries were doctoring their beverages with sugar water, coloring agents and artificial flavorings, and then falsely using famous brand names.

Huang Weidong, an industry expert, said the additives could cause cardiac irregularities and headaches, and possibly are carcinogenic.

"We are highly concerned about this behavior. To ensure safety measures, we have already started to remove the suspected wines from the shelves," a spokesman for Beijing area Wal-Mart stores told the Global Times newspaper.

The Xinhua news agency reported that provincial authorities had shut down nearly 30 wineries and corporate financial accounts have been frozen.

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Constellation sells off wine supremacy

VICTOR, NY — New York State used to be home to the world’s No. 1 wine producer. That no longer is the case.

Constellation Brands, headquartered in this Rochester suburb, has announced it is selling 80% of its British and Australian wine operations to a private equity firm in Australia for $230 million. That makes Gallo the world’s largest wine producer.

Constellation Brands continues to own Robert Mondavi wines in California, along with such brands as Svedka vodka and such beers as Corona from Mexico, Tsingtao from China and St. Pauli Girl from Germany.

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Study: Wine shipments won't tempt youths

• From the Washington Examiner:

A report from Maryland's comptroller found that allowing shipment of wine from out of state does not contribute to underage drinking, deflating the most comment argument for the state's current ban -- and lawmakers are already lining up to repeal the law.

Comptroller Peter Franchot also found that shipment from out-of-state wineries would not hurt the local liquor industry, although imports from out-of-state retailers could have an impact.

His office examined the 37 states that allow direct shipment along with the District, and identified practices that minimize the risk of underage alcohol consumption. For example, packages should be labeled as containing alcohol, and services such as FedEx and UPS should deliver only to adults 21 or over.

But minors generally were not interested in abusing a direct-ship system to get an illegal fix, said Joseph Shapiro, spokesman for the comptroller's office.

"Their No. 1 one concern is immediacy," Shapiro said. "Your parents are going out of town this weekend, let's have a party, that type of thing. With direct ship, the shipment just takes too long."

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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A wine business on the block

• From the Associated Press

NEW YORK — There may be two more wine businesses up for sale as some parts of the industry struggle with weak sales volumes and pricing.

Brown-Forman Corp., the maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey, is putting its wine business on the block, The Wall Street Journal reported online late Monday, citing unnamed sources. The company, based in Louisville, KY, has reportedly hired Rothschild to run the auction process after its wine business -- which includes brands such as Fetzer and Bonterra Vineyard -- delivered sluggish sales for several years.

The deal could fetch a few hundred million dollars, according to the report. Brown-Forman and Rothschild declined to comment.

The paper also said that people familiar with matter expect Constellation Brands Inc. to sell the bulk of its non-U.S. wine business to an unknown buyer as soon as this week. That deal is reportedly valued between $300 and $400 million.

Constellation Brands, based in Victor, NY, did not return calls seeking comment.

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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Veritas' return stars Châteauneuf-du-Pape

NEW YORK -- The Big Apple's largest commercial wine cellar is again available for consumer now that Veritas has re-opened.

Park B. Smith's restaurant, which returned Tuesday after being revamped and re-staffed since the summer, has an immense wine list of 3,300 selections that range all over the globe and all over vintage years.

Smith's favorites are his Châteauneuf-du-Pape segment, which he is offering at discounted prices although most still will be costly, given their provenance. The wines, from the Rhône region of France, are from a variety of estates, including Domaine Pontifical and Domaine de la Mordorée.

Veritas, after dismissing its staff and locking its doors without public notice back in August, now offers New American fare rather than its former pricey a la carte menu. It is located in the Flatiron District at 43 East 20th Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway. Phone: (212) 353-3700.

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Winds of controversy at NY winery

• From BuffaloNews.com

CAMBRIA, NY -- The owners of Arrowhead Spring Vineyards are planning to sue the Town of Cambria over last week’s rejection of their request to install a wind power turbine on their property.

After a crowded public meeting showed solid opposition last Monday, the town Planning Board voted unanimously against the winery’s proposal.

Owners Duncan and Robin Ross said they shouldn’t have even had to go before the board in the first place, since they say state law is written to encourage windmills on agricultural properties. But, Planning Board Chairman William Amacher and attorney Gary Billingsley said the applicants misled the board by saying that the windmill would have powered only the wine making operation. Once the board found out the windmill also was going to power the Ross home on the site, the project no longer qualified for a simple site plan review under the town’s ordinance, Billingsley said.

That shouldn’t be a big deal, Robin Ross said. “Like 90% of farms in New York State, we have one electric meter,” she said.

“It does make a difference,” Billingsley said. “Under normal circumstances, [Arrowhead] would have needed a special use permit, which requires a public hearing. [Duncan Ross] said it was only for agricultural purposes, which requires only site plan review.”

To obtain a special use permit, a noise study also would be required, Billingsley said. Anonymous fliers distributed around the town helped drum up a hostile crowd.

[Go here for the full story.]

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A celebri-quote: Sofia Coppola

• New York City-born Sofia Coppola, 39, daughter of iconic movie director Francis Ford Coppola and a very competent filmmaker in her own right, discussed her family's California winery during an interview with New York magazine's Grub Street staffers. 

Q: Your father owns a vineyard. Do you ever take any interest in that at all?

A: In the vineyard?

Q: Yes, or in the wine-making process. Are you into that at all?

A: Yeah. My brother made a wine, and I don’t know as much about it as I feel like I should, but I’m going there for the holidays, and I love to be involved in it and visit and see what they’re making. I’m learning. ...

Q: Does anybody stomp on grapes there?

A: Not anymore, but there’s a bottle somewhere from when we first moved there. I was a little kid and stomped on some grapes, and they bottled it and called it Lafitte Sofia. So there’s a bottle somewhere from 1977 or something. [Laughs.] It’s probably in our cellar somewhere. But we don’t stomp on the grapes anymore. It’s more high tech.

[You can read more comments in my Celebri-Quotes archive by clicking here.]

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1st 'Soiree des Grands Crus' set for January

NEW YORK -- Everything you wanted to know about Bordeaux wines may be at your fingertips in January, when 82 Mercer in SoHo hosts the first Soiree des Grands Crus, a social event and vintage wine tasting that will play host to 17 châteaux owners.

They are billed as the new generation of grands crus de Bordeaux estate owners. The wineries make up about 5% of the total production of wines produced in the Bordeaux region. Among featured estate wineries will be Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes, Saint Julien, Margaux, Pauillac, Saint Emilion and Pomerol.

Early Access tickets in very limited number are going for $250, with general admission tickets priced at $185.  Admission includes the fine food and wine pairing  event, featuring 23 Chateaux. Also included is free registration  and participation in the Wine Challenge to win Grands Crus de  Bordeaux. Tickets are available online.

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Musings on a different kind of bug

I was sitting around with some friends the other day, sipping on a lovely Finger Lakes wine and wondering aloud about malolactic fermentations.

OK, so I lied.

But, luckily for those of us who enjoy a lovingly constructed wine, there are people who do think about such things, Take Peter Bell (right), for example. He's the winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards, located on the west side of Seneca Lake, midway between Geneva and Penn Yan. He writes on the vineyard's blog:

"People often stop me on the street and say, 'What do winemakers talk about in late November?' Well, probably the number-one question we ask of each other in this profession is 'So, d’ya getcher deer?'

"Just kidding. It’s 'How are your MLs doing?' MLs in this case are winemaker shorthand for malolactic fermentations. You may recall seeing a picture ... in an earlier post, initiating the process ... with little cups of freeze-dried bacteria. That was a few weeks ago. By now, our MLs are either well under way or wrapped up entirely.

"What’s the point of this procedure? A guaranteed modest reduction in the acidity of the wine, associated with the conversion of malic acid to lactic, is rarely a bad thing in our cool climate. But we also expect an increase in aroma and flavor complexity."

That may be a nugget of wine knowledge many of you didn't have before. Now you do, and it's a fascinating process. You can read the full blog entry by clicking here.

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Pinot Noir again No. 1 in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- A 2009 Pinot Noir has been  named "Champion Wine of the Show" in New Zealand's premier competition, the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

Peregrine Wines' Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 joined its 2008 Riesling -- a winner announced earlier -- among gold medal wines. The facility itself also won the trophy for Champion Open Red Wine.

Steve Smith, chair of judges, said the Peregrine pinot noir was "the finest example of the finest red wine variety in this country" with "wild flowers, thyme and black fruits on the nose."

The question about such awards from many consumers usually is, can I actually find it at my wine merchant? In this case, chances apparently are good.

Grey Hay, co-owner and marketing director of Peregrine, said winning the trophy in the open red wine category was equally important as it meant the pinot noir was produced in a volume that made it available to the public in a reasonable quantity.

"It's not a small volume selection." he said. "That is our standard pinot noir that has been made to that quality. It's a wine that the public can get access to quite easily."

This is the second consecutive year a pinot noir has claimed top honors at the awards, which are organized by New Zealand Winegrowers. You can access the full list of winner here.

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Burgundy auction posits higher prices

• From the Reuters news service

Prices for Burgundy wine jumped by more than a fifth at the 150th annual Beaune Hospices charity auction Sunday, with growers hailing a high quality vintage and a recovery in foreign demand.

The sale of wines from the Hospices domaine, conducted by auction house Christie's, traditionally gives an indication of price trends for the latest vintage and is one of the highlights of the French wine calendar. ...

Burgundy, where viticulture stretches back to at least Roman times and was nurtured during the Middle Ages by Catholic monasteries, is home to some of the world's most expensive wines. Its vineyards nestle in the valleys and slopes west of the Saone River, a tributary of the Rhone in eastern France.

Growers said the 2010 vintage produced unusually low volumes due to a late harvest and small, intensely flavored grapes.

"The very rare coincidence of these two phenomena suggests a high quality vintage," said Roland Masse, manager of the Hospices de Beaune domaine.

[Go here for the full Reuters report.]

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Former USSR state making whiskey

ABC photo

The former Soviet Union republic of Azerbaijan is about to become the first whiskey producer in the Caucus region of Central Asia.

Naig Mammadhasanov (right), general director of the wine-centric beverage company Tovuz-Baltia, told the Azerbajian Business Center's ABC news office that the company has just begun entering the market.

It plans to finish 15,000 bottles by the end of this year, and "the future will depend on market reaction to our new product. At the same time, German businessmen have already expressed interest in whiskey of our production. They say that there is demand for such output."

Tovuz-Baltia already exports 80% of its other output to European Union and and Commonwealth of Independent States markets in Europea and Asia. Only 20% is sold in-country.

The company was founded in December 1989 and focuses primarily on the cultivation of grapes and the production of wine and wine products such as cognac. However, Tovuz-Baltiya has recently introduced new technology and is producing fruit- and berry-based wines and spirits.

"We decided against bringing spirits from Ukraine, Iran and Russia and are producing vodka with our own raw materials. We have started the production of a new brand of alcohol from watermelon, quince, pomegranate and other fruits," Mammadhasanov said.

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Guest comment: Texas victory needs asterisk

By Fred LeBrun
Albany Times Union

ALBANY, NY -- Texas beat New York badly in the first Grape Gridiron Classic, held a couple of weeks ago in Dallas, but at least there should be an asterisk in the record book.

Just a month or so ago, the Texas Department of Agriculture came up with the idea for a friendly competition between these two wine-producing states, and it's a good one. Using a hurry-up offense, a Dallas-based wine educator and blogger, Jeff Siegel, and Texas wine blogger Russ Kane came up with 11 wines chosen from the 200 wineries in the Lone Star State. Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, picked New York's team.

The wine-to-wine blind taste-off in various red and white categories, with 40 Texas winemakers, sellers and members of the trade participating, took place at El Centro College the same evening the New York Giants were beating up the Dallas Cowboys.

Virginia wine consultant and blogger Richard Leahy and I were the non-Texas voters in the room, and I certainly agree that Texas beat us that night fair and square, wine against wine. We hang our heads.

However, here's why there's an asterisk.

[Go here for the rest of his commentary.]

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NY college, winery teaming up

Freedom Run Winery photo

 CAMBRIA, NY -- While some people are concerned about college students paying too much attention to alcoholic beverages, at Niagara County Community College the interest is being channeled in a positive way.

NCCC and Freedom Run Winery have entered into an agreement for the business to host a school vineyard and serve as the working lab for students studying "Winery Operations," the college’s newest two-year degree program. Also part of the effort is the Niagara Falls Culinary and Hospitality Institute.

The partnership, announced Monday at the winery (part of the tasting room is shown above), "is our first concrete step (in opening) the culinary institute," said NCCC President James Klyczek. "It’s a significant development."

The degree program will consist of 20% classroom work and 80% hands-on experience in all aspects of viniculture, from the planting of vines to picking and processing of the fruit through bottling and sale of finished wines, Klyczek said.

Freedom Run Winery donated an acre of land last spring on which the school's first 300 grape vines were planted. Half are Merlot, half are Chardonnay. Klyczek said the school’s long-term goal is to see wine produced under the Culinary Institute name and served and sold in its restaurant and its wine boutique which is stocked with Niagara Wine Trail wines.

"There’s a real need in Niagara County for anyone with winemaking experience," said Kurt Guba, cellar master for Freedom Run Winery. "It’s exciting to think you can study at a local college and get a job, a career, locally."

Niagara Falls Culinary and Hospitality Institute is to be the new focal point of the college's culinary and hospitality/tourism degree programs, sited in a section of the former Rainbow Mall in downtown Niagara Falls.

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Blowing the dust off a good find

Bill Dowd photo

Sometimes a wine gets lost in the cellar, under coats of dust and indifference. Sometimes they're well past their drinkability when re-discovered. Sometimes they're a pleasant surprise.

The creators of this red Bordeaux, a 60-40% blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, said at the time of its release "It has excellent balance  and flavor which makes it enjoyable when young." What they didn't say -- or perhaps couldn't reliably predict -- was that it is enjoyable at the ripe old age of 13.

The northern Médoc region of France is recognized as an excellent terroir, with its fine gravel soil that allows strong root growth. As part of the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) of Bordeaux, its bold wines are noted for their longevity.

I found this cru bourgeois on a long-neglected shelf in my cellar while looking for something with some body to sip with Constant Companion on a chilly evening this week. We both were pleased with the rich, ruby color and the bold, fruity nose. On the palate, notes of blackberry and plum joined together to lead the way to a long, dry finish.

If you can find a bottle of this '97, seize the wine. Suggested retail price: About $25.

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Wine tips for holiday imbibers

Traditional dining centerpieces for American holiday tables are, by generations-long consensus, turkey for Thanksgiving and ham or roast beef for Christmas. Side dishes may vary, thus allowing for some individuality such as ethnic preferences or personal likes and dislikes. But, when it comes to the wines accompanying the feasts, we're all over the map.

Again, some of that has to do with personal preferences, but in my experience I've found that too often the wines are chosen to appeal more to people who rarely drink except at holiday gatherings. (As an oldtime comedian put it, I feel sorry for such people because when they get up in the morning that's as good as they're going to feel all day.)

I took an informal survey of wine vendors at the recent Pride of New York Harvest Fest held in Albany to see what New York State wines -- not necessarily made just with grapes -- they would suggest to appeal to such occasional drinkers as well as to people with more experienced palates sharing the meal with them. Here's what we came up with, along with my tasting notes from the event.

• Glenora Wine Cellars Cranberry Chablis ($9.99): This is part of Glenora's Fruit Series, and the cranberry aspect is perfect for a turkey dinner. The lightness of the chablis base is a nice starter before cranberry juice from concentrate is added. There is virtually none of the tartness one associates with cranberries; instead, there is a certain freshness and crispness to the concoction, with a slightly sweet and clean finish.

• Knapp  Loganberry ($9.95): The loganberry once was a staple of American home winemakers, but is a comparative rarity these days. Knapp, known for a wide variety of fruit wines, uses a Vidal Blanc base, then adds berry juice from concentrate. While the alcohol content is a touch higher than in many other fruit wines (6% vs. 4%), this is not a "hot" wine that might bother the less experienced imbiber. Fruit-forward taste, bold enough to stand up to those rich pies and cakes we serve as holiday desserts.

• Pazdar Blackberry ($15): This wine is strictly what its name says it is -- 100% blackberry, with no grape base. The deep, dark color and the crisp, satisfying taste of the berry makes this a great wine with heavier meats such as roasts, or even a good dessert wine that pairs wonderfully with chocolate.

• Anthony Road 2008 Cabernet Franc Lemberger ($17.99): This well-constructed blend has only been out a few weeks, and it is immediately drinkable. It will go with any menu, given its medium body, stone fruit notes and  hints of pepper and cocoa.

• Thousand Islands Winery Seaway Blues ($13.49): I was surprised by this wine, packaged in blue glass that gives no hint of the color or density before pouring. It's a potent blueberry style I'd recommend as a dessert wine that isn't terribly sweet (12% residual sugar) and has a clean finish one wants in a final wine note for the meal.

• Amici Vineyards Marechal Foch Frontenac ($13.99): This is an 80-20% blend of the two cold weather grapes. It provides both spice and tartness good in a main-dish wine. Smooth on the tongue, clean and lengthy finish.

• Heron Hill Eastern Wild Turkey Blush ($9.99): The winery's Game Bird Series offers red, white and now this delicate blend of Riesling and Cabernet Franc. It's a festive bright rosé pink color. Opening aromatic notes are a mix of florals, cranberry and citrus. Finishes clean with just a hint of spice.

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Oklahoma growers may leave grapes to rot

• From The Oklahoman's NewsOK website:

Harvest is under way at Oklahoma vineyards, but some grapes will be left to rot on the vine because of poor sales, growers said.

Mack Hayes quit watering some of his vines this summer when it became clear he wouldn't sell all his grapes to wineries.

"If you can't move them, there's no need to harvest them," said Hayes, owner of Ozark Grapes in Mayes County.

Andrew Snyder, president of the Oklahoma Grape Growers and Wine Makers Association, said about 50 tons of grapes will go to waste this year because most Oklahoma wineries are buying bulk wine or juice concentrate from out of state to bottle and sell here. That's worth about $312,500 in unproduced wine.

"It's cheaper to buy bulk wine from California and put it in a bottle than it is to grow grapes in Oklahoma and bottle true Oklahoma wine," Snyder said. "There are enough Oklahoma grapes out there. It's just a business model decision that many wineries are making."

[Full story here.]

Pennsylvania wineries target world toasting record

Pennsylvania wineries are thinking big this month. Very big.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 14, concurrent wine tastings will be conducted in 30 counties across the state, linked by video for what is being billed as "The Great Pennsylvania Wine Toast."

Wine lover and motor of Nazareth, PA, will serve as toastmaster for the event, leading the crowds at 58 different locations in a simultaneous toast by video link under the sponsorship of the Pennsylvania Winery Association.

The current record is held by the United Kingdom. Last year, 17,429 participants at 400 pubs across the UK set that record by raising their wine glasses in unison.

Participating wineries:

Adams County:
Adams County Winery (Ortanna) (717-334-4631)
Hauser Estate (Biglerville) (717-334-4888)
Reids Orchard (Orrtanna) (717-677-7466)

Bedford County:
Briar Valley Winery (Bedford) (814-623-0900)

Berks County:
Blair Vineyards (Mertztown) (610-682-0075)
Kog Hill(Morgantown) (610-913-6609)
Long Trout Winery (Auburn) (570-366-6443)
Manatawny Creek Winery (Douglassville) (610-689-9804)
Pinnacle Ridge (Kuttown) (610-756-4481)

Bradford County:
Antler Ridge Winery (Rome) (570-247-7222)
Grovedale Winery (Wyalusing) (570-746-1400)
Laddsburg Mountain Winery (New Albany) (570-363-2476)

Bucks County:
Crossing Vineyards (Washington Crossing) (215-493-6500)
Sand Castle Winery (Erwinna) (800-PA2-WINE)

Butler County:
Rustic Acres (Butler) (724-283-6236)

Centre County:
Seven Mountains Wine Cellars (Spring Mills) (814-364-1000)

Chester County:
Black Walnut Winery (Sadsburyville) (610-857-5566)
Chaddsford Winery (Chadds Ford) (610-388-6221)
Paradocx Vineyard (Landenberg) (610-255-4159)

Clarion County:
Deer Creek Winery (Shippenville) (814-354-7392)

Clearfield County:
Evergreen Valley Winery (Luthersburg) (814-583-7575)
Stone Mountain Wine Cellars (Pine Grove) (570-739-4418)

Dauphin County:
Cullari Winery (Hershey) (717-533-8985)
Westhanover Winery (Harrisburg) (717-652-3711)

Erie County:
Arrowhead Wine Cellars (North East) (814-725-5509)
Courtyard Wineries (North East) (814-725-0236)
Heritage Wine Cellars (North East) (800-747-0083)
Lakeview Wine Cellars (North East) (814-725-4440)
Mazza Vineyards (North East) (800-796-9463)
Penn Shore Vineyards (North East) (814-725-8688)

Elk County:
Winery at Wilcox (Wilcox) (814-929-5598)

Fayette County:
Christian W. Klay (Chalk Hill) (724-439-3424)

Franklin County:
Tuscarora Mt. Winery (Chambersburg) (717-261-9463)

Indiana County:
Windgate Winery (Smicksburg) (814-257-8797)

Lancaster County:
Mt. Hope Winery (Manheim) (717-665-7021 x129)
Tamanend Winery (Lancaster) (717-560-9463)
Twin Brook Winery (Gap) (717-442-4915)

Lehigh County:
Blue Mountain Winery (New Tripoli) (610-298-3068)
Clover Hill Winery (Breinigsville) (1-888-CLOVERHILL)
Vynecrest Winery (Breinigsville) (800-361-0725)

Luzerne County:
Bartolai Winery (West Pittson) (570-388-8466)

McKean County:
Flickerwood Wine Cellars (Kane) (814-837-7566)

Mifflin County:
Brookmere Winery & Vineyard Inn (Belleville) (717-935-5380)

Montgomery County:
Boyd's Cardinal Hollow Winery (North Wales) (215-661-9580)

Northampton County:
Amore Winery (Nazareth) (610-837-1334)
Franklin Hill Vineyards(Bangor) (610-588-8708)

Perry County:
Hunters Valley Winery (Liverpool) (717-444-7211)

Schuylkill County:
Benigna's Creek (Klingerstown) (570-425-3090)
Galen Glen Winery (Andreas) (570-386-3682)

Snyder County:
Shade Mountain Winery (Middleburg) (570-837-3644)

Sullivan County:
Eagle Rock Winery (Laporte) (570-946-7767)
Winterland Winery (Lopez) (570-928-7771)

Westmoreland County:
Greendance, The Winery at Sand Hill (Mount Pleasant) (724-547-6500)

York County:
Allegro Vineyards (Brogue) (717-927-9148)
High Rock Winery (Hanover) (717-633-1288)
Hummingbird Ridge Winery (York Haven) (717-315-0209)
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery (Wrightsville) (717-252-WINE)
Naylor Wine Cellars (Stewartstown) (800-292-3370)

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Poll: Drinking moves from bars to homes

• From TIME magazine

When the going gets tough, the tough, um, go drinking. That's the word from a new Gallup poll showing that 67% of Americans are hitting the bottle, the most since 1985. Another sign of challenging economic times: more and more of those rounds are happening in the kitchen, not at the corner pub.

A new report by Mintel International, a market-research firm, shows that a growing number of Americans are guzzling down wine and spirits at home as opposed to in bars and restaurants, and many are trading down to cheaper brands as they seek fiscally conscious ways to party in a sluggish economy.

[Go here for the full story.]

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