Hugel, Alsatian wine giant, dead at 84

• From SFGate.com

Jean Hugel, a leading force in resurrecting the Alsatian wine trade after the devastation of World War II and the longtime head of one of the best-known and oldest producers in Alsace, died Tuesday in Ribeauville, Alsace, France. He was 84.

The cause was cancer, his nephew Etienne Hugel said.

For people who began drinking wine in the 1970s and '80s, discovering the wines of Alsace, in their slender, fluted bottles, was no small pleasure. Thanks to Mr. Hugel's efforts to introduce his wines to the rest of the world, many of those bottles bore the name Hugel & Fils.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Tennessee direct-shipping now allowed

Back in January, a federal appeals court upheld Tennessee's ban on direct wine shipments to residents' homes. Now, a new line has been signed by Gov. Phil Bredesen that will allow it.

The law allows wineries that acquire a $300 license to ship up to three cases to Tennessee consumers per year. That raises to 36 the number of states that allow direct shipment of wine.

Bredesen earlier had signed into a law a bill allowing Tennesseans to buy and bring home up to five cases of wine at licensed out-of-state wineries. That was done to overcome the appeals court opinion that found existing rules designed to promote Tennessee wineries were unfair to out-of-state competitors.

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EU drops rosé labeling proposal

Concerns that European wines labeled "rosé" might be mere blends of red and white have been laid to rest.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel announced Monday she was withdrawing the proposed new rule. It had been strongly opposed by winemakers from Spain, France and Italy. Their contention was that mixing red and white wines would turn winemaking into an industry rather than a skill and put thousands of people out of work.

Traditional, quality rosé generally is made from dark-skinned grapes that otherwise would be used for white wine production. The clear juice from crushed grapes is allowed to remain in contact with the grape skins and seeds for a certain amount of time, during which it acquires the pale pink rosé hue before fermentation.

European Union labeling rules apply only to wines produced in EU-member countries. They have no effect on other countries' winemakers, some of which make what they call rosé by the blending method.

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Hong Kong's first winery in operation

You won't find any vineyards on the island of Hong Kong, but you will find wines made there.

A new enterprise, the 8th Estate Winery, has produced Hong Kong's first wine, using grapes that are shipped frozen from other countries. The winery is housed in a high-rise warehouse and has just released its first batch of reds, whites and ice wines.

"There is an initial novelty value, a little bit of a shock seeing a bottle which says 'Product of Hong Kong' because there has never been a wine bottle that has said that before," winery director Lysanne Tusar told the Reuters news service. "We always label where our grapes came from and we are quite proud to say where the varieties are sourced."

All the winery's grapes for 2007 came from Washington state. For 2008 wines, the grapes came from Italy. The white wines include sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, the reds merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

The winery has produced 100,000 bottles; 60,000 have been sold and the rest are being aged. They are being initially distributed to local restaurants and hotels, and thus use no preservatives.

8th Estate was created in response to Hong Kong's decision last year to eliminate taxes on wines in an effort to become Asia's wine hub.

The wine industry estimates that total spending on table wine in Asian economies, excluding Japan, is around $7 billion, which accounts for about 7% of the global market.

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NY political flap may kill wine sales push

The fallout from the shift in power in the New York State Senate yesterday -- what is rather hysterically being called a "coup" by many in the media -- will have to be assessed on an item-by-item basis. (Keep up with the quickly-evolving situation on the Albany Times Union's Capitol Confidential blog.)

One possible victim may be the well-thought-out proposal by Assemblyman Joseph Morelle, D-Monroe County, to allow wine sales in supermarkets. Unlike the earlier flawed proposal by Gov. David Patterson that went nowhere, Morelle's idea broadened the proposal to take into account opposition to such legislation by liquor store owners and others.

However, it remains a volatile and emotional topic that would need extensive debate and attention to go anywhere before the current legislative session is scheduled to end in late June.

If you're a betting person, don't lay any money on wine sales rules changing anytime soon.

[Go here for my earlier report on Morelle's proposal.]

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Delaware latest wine/beer-in-markets battleground

Proponents of a bill that would allow supermarkets to sell wine say it will raise more revenues for the state and give consumers more choice.

Opponents say it would cost more in closed small businesses and lost jobs than it would help in other ways.

The battleground? No, not New York State which is in the second round of debating different proposals. This time it's Delaware.

The difference is that while approval of such proposals would allow both wine and beer to be sold in supermarkets in Delaware, such vendors have sold beer in New York for ages.

Delaware State Rep. John Viola, a Democrat, says the legislation could raise up to $10 million in its first year because it would require supermarkets to pay a $100,000 license fee.

But package store owners claim that is an inflated figure, and that many small businesses selling wine and beer would fold, thus cutting into projected revenues.

One of the major opponents is the Asian-American Business Association, which was a major player in killing such a proposal in 2006.

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NY market wine-sales proponent explains his plan

This week, the New York State Legislature is expected to take up the topic of wine sales in supermarkets once again.

Thanks to legislation being introduced by Assemblyman Joseph Morelle, D-Monroe County (Rochester/Finger Lakes area), shown at right, the debate will be broadened to take into account opposition to such legislation by liquor store owners and others.

An earlier proposal by Gov. David Paterson fizzled out in the face of strong opposition and lack of protections for current wine sellers, primarily liquor store owners who expressed fears they would be driven out of business by expanded competition, particularly from major companies whose reach is much wider than their self-described "mom and pop" status.

I discussed the new approach with Morelle, who said he felt the governor's proposal did nothing to help liquor store owners and did not address drinking-safety concerns for others.

"The concerns are not trivial," Morelle said, "but we cannot remain stuck in a business model created in 1920 when the size of wine industry we now have could not have been foreseen.

"There are only 2,500 sales outlets for the state's 19 million people, and the number of liquor stores gets smaller each year. That does nothing to help nurture our expanding wine industry which is an important part of the state's agricultural picture. We're now the third-largest grower of grapes in the nation, but it is difficult to adequately supply New York wines to consumers because of the limited number of sales outlets."

Morelle listed the main points of his plan:

• More than one liquor store license could be owned by an individual or company. They now are limited to a single location.
• Liquor store owners would be allowed to make purchases on a cooperative basis, thus allowing them to get best-price deals based on larger volume.
• Liquor stores would be able to sell directly to restaurants and taverns of less than 1,000 square feet.
• A medallion system would be put in place to freeze the number of licenses, then allow a small increase in the number each year.
• A product list would be created by the State Liquor Authority (SLA) to allow sales at liquor stores of such things as food items, gift bags, T-shirts, etc., all of which now are prohibited.
• Anyone purchasing any kind of alcoholic beverage would have to provide proof of legal age.

"Our current legislative session runs through the end of June, so I'm not sure how far we'll get with this, but it should expand and energize the discussion," Morelle said. "It's not a small matter and we need to fix it in a fair, thorough way to give more business people an even break."

How open is the wine country politician to discussion?

"I'll talk to anyone with any point of view," he said. "No one wants to hurt anyone, but we can't keep going in this archaic structure. The experience of other states that allow wine sales in supermarkets shows a huge increase in revenues for the state, jobs being created on a variety of levels, and better opportunities for many more people."

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What next for Finger Lakes wineries?

• From the Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle

... The Finger Lakes region's wine industry as we know it has its genesis in the state's 1976 Farm Winery Act, which allowed small farms to sell directly to consumers at farm-site tasting rooms and minimized otherwise prohibitive licensing fees. Since then, the number of wineries in the region has grown from about two dozen to more than 100.

Many of the first generation of winery owners — those launched in the 1970s and 1980s — and others who joined the industry later in life are reaching retirement age.

The question naturally arises, what happens next?

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Illinois targeting alcoholic beverage niches

• From the Bloomington, IL, Pantagraph

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- At the same time Gov. Pat Quinn and lawmakers are considering taxing wine and liquor to fund a statewide construction program, the governor’s proposed budget calls for cuts in state aid to Illinois wineries.

Quinn’s budget plan would slash about $225,000 in funding used for research and advertising. The proposal, however, is subject to change as lawmakers work toward a May 31 scheduled adjournment. ...

Illinois wine industry leaders were in Springfield on Friday trying to make sure they were spared from cuts. Coincidentally, the group said they received last year’s state funding, six months late, the same day.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Florida A&M targets viticulture program

Florida A&M University's efforts to create a viticulture program have taken one step forward and, perhaps, one small step back.

The Leon County Development Review Committee this week approved the university's plan to build a 7,400-square-foot office and 7,200-square-foot greenhouse on nearly 45 acres of land as part of its long-range aim of a viticulture program that will encompass education and the cultivation of grapes for wine making.

However, to build near Interstate 10 the committee said A&M's College of Engineering Sciences Technology and Agriculture will have to add construction of a sidewalk. A consulting engineer for the college contends that is an expense and responsibility the school should not have to accept because a sidewalk project at the plot already is part of a project being undertaken by the state Department of Transportation.

Stay tuned for further developments.

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Newest Texas wine trail making debut

The latest wine trail in Texas will be celebrated when wines from each of the four members are sampled by the public on Saturday, May 23.

The new Dallas Wine Trail consists of the Calais Winery, Inwood Estates Vineyards, Fuqua Winery and Times Ten Cellars. The event will be hosted by Times Ten.

In addition to the wines, hors d'oeuvres will be provided by il Cane Rosso Pizza Napoletana. Tickets, priced at $45 in advance and $50 at the door, are available online.

The ticket price includes 12 tastings, hors d'oeuvres, a Dallas Wine Trail sommelier-style wine glass, a Dallas Wine Trail six-bottle wine tote, and a premium bottle of Dallas wine.

Go here to access information on the other Texas wine trails.

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'Bama hikes wine alcohol limit

Alabama has raised the limit on alcohol content in wines sold in the state.

Gov. Bob Riley signed legislation Thursday that makes the bill passed last week by the state legislature the law.

The limit for table wine had been 14.9% by volume but now is 16.5%.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Steve French, R-Birmingham. It specifies that the stronger wine may not be sold in convenience stores.

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Brooklyn winery's first vintage due out

New York State's latest wine offering may be coming from a little old place called Brooklyn.

The Red Hook Wine Co. is nearing the end of production of its first vintage, expected to be available for sale in June. It is producing about 500 cases of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, using only grapes grown in the state.

The Grocery in Carroll Gardens and Kevin’s in Red Hook will be among the first restaurants to carry the wine. The wines will carry such Brooklyn-inspired names as "Seven In Heaven," a tribute to Red Hook firefighters who died on September 11, 2001.

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... and just a hint of urine

• From the Herald-Sun of Australia

Cat's pee and sweaty passion fruit are hardly flavors to make your mouth water, but it seems Kiwis can't get enough of them.

These are the core aromas of New Zealand's world-leading sauvignon blanc, according to a six-year study by a team of lucky wine scientists.

The team spent more than $12 million ($9.1 million US) defining the flavors of the country's most popular grape variety, which has a unique flavour and character that has captured the world's interest.

They concluded it was a winning combination of sweet, sweaty passion fruit, asparagus, and cat's pee.

The tests were carried out by an expert sensory panel trained to distinguish between 16 flavors, including canned and fresh asparagus, stone fruit, apple and snow peas.

Thanks to Richard Lovrich for pointing out this story.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Vermont eases wine, spirits sales law

Vermont winemakers and distillers got good news Tuesday when Gov. Jim Douglas signed a bill allowing them to sell more products on-site.

Previously, wineries could offer tastings or sell bottles of wine. Distilleries could do neither.

Now, wineries also may sell glasses of wine on-premises, and distilleries can offer tastings and sell bottles of their spirits.

In addition, wineries will be allowed to sell and offer tastings of other winemakers' wares, rent their sites for events such as weddings, and produce and sell fortified wines such as ports.

Vermont's first winery was founded 25 years ago, and the state now is home to 20.

Ed Metcalfe, of Whitingham, told the Associated Press he was on the fence about opening a distillery in Vermont if he couldn't sell his vodka and specialty liquors on site. He said the new law cinched it for him, allowing him to sell and offer tastings at the distillery he plans in Marlboro.

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Tennessee wine sales bill dropped

There won't be wine sold in Tennessee supermarkets anytime soon.

State Sen. Bill Ketron, the Senate sponsor of a proposal to allow such sales, has formally withdrawn the bill from consideration for the year.

He noted the proposal had drawn strong support among consumers, but also had strong opposition. He plans to revive it in next year's legislative session.

Currently, Tennessee grocery stores are prohibited from selling wine and liquor stores are prohibited from selling beer.

[You can read the proposal, titled SB0120, here.]

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Today New Yorkers pay up to drink up, perhaps

New York State's increased taxes on beer and wine take effect today.

The state has raised the excise tax on beer by about 28%, from 11 to 14 cents a gallon, and about 58% on wine, from 19 to 30 cents a gallon.

Consumers may have to help vendors, barkeeps and restaurateurs pay that tax hike, although it's not mandatory. Some undoubtedly will pass along the increases, but others have said they'll try to absorb the hit of several cents a bottle.

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Moët Hennessy sale talks reported

There are major rumblings in the offices of some of the alcoholic beverage industry's major players.

Several days ago, we heard via the Sunday Telegraph of London that Brown-Forman and Bacardi were discussing merger possibilities.

Now, according to the Financial Times, LVMH may sell some or all of its two-thirds stake in Moët Hennessy, its wine and spirits business, to partner Diageo.

A sale would free up cash for LVMH, the world's biggest luxury goods group, to spend on purchases in the fashion side of its business. Industry watchers have said luxury goods makers Hermès or Gucci could fit well within LVMH's portfolio, which includes Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs.

Moët Hennessy has either created or acquired a handful of well-known brands including Glenmorangie whisky, Belevedere and Chopin vodka, and 10 Cane Rum. It also owns some of the world's best-known champagne brands. Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot account for 34% of its sales.

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Brown-Forman, Bacardi merger possibility reported

There's no official word on the possibility, but the Sunday Telegraph today said Brown-Forman Corp has hired investment bankers to look at a possible merger with rival Bacardi.

The British newspaper said Brown-Forman had hired Lazard to advise it on options ranging from selling individual brands to a merger with Bacardi.

"Brown-Forman and Bacardi are medium-sized, family-controlled businesses that fit well together," the newspaper quoted an unnamed drinks industry insider as saying.

Brown-Forman, headquartered in Louisville, KY, has an extensive brand portfolio that includes Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist and Old Times whiskies; Finlandia vodka; Don Eduardo and Herradura tequilas; Fetzer, Sonoma-Cutrer and Michel Picard wines, and, Tuaca, Chambord and Southern Comfort liqueurs.

Bacardi Ltd., headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, has about 200 products. Among them are Bacardi rum; Bosford, Bombay and Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose and 42 Below vodka; Cazadores tequila; Noilly Pratt vermouth; Dewar's, William Lawson's, Aberfeldy, Glen Deveron and Craigallachie Scotch whiskies, and B&B and Benedictine liqueurs.

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'Wine terrorists' on the move in France

• From Agence France Presse:

UZES, France -- In Languedoc-Roussillon in the sunny south of France, a shadowy group has taken to "wine terrorism" to try to force the state to do more for producers hit by falling prices and cheap imports.

In a night-time raid last month its militants broke into a wine cooperative in Nimes and poured the equivalent of 1.2 million bottles of red, white and rose down the drain in their third attack in as many weeks.

"At 7 am, when the first person arrived ... he saw that all the vats were open and empty, with what was left of the wine all over the ground," said Jean Foch, the director of the Vignerons des Garrigues cooperative.

The wasted wine was worth around 630,000 euros ($830,000 US), he said, adding that most of it was from Languedoc-Roussillon, which in terms of volume is the biggest wine-producing region in the world.

Scrawled on the empty vats were the letters "CRAV", which in French stands for the Regional Committee for Viticultural Action, a secretive group that recently resumed a campaign it began several years ago.

The CRAV hates merchants who bring in cheap foreign wine from neighbouring Italy or Spain and has called for the state to guarantee prices for local producers.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Old Noilly Pratt is new again

For as long as I can remember, I insisted any cocktails requiring dry vermouth as an ingredient be made with Noilly Pratt.

I own no stock in the company, know no one connected with it, and get no special treatment from said firm. What prompted my stance was simply this: The flavor and consistent quality of Noilly Pratt French Vermouth were above reproach. Or so I thought.

Eventually, I discovered that the version sold outside the U.S. borders, which I've tried in such diverse locations as Scotland, France and Ireland, has had more oomph, more quality. It's obvious that somewhere along the line, the original 1813 recipe was not being used in the French dry vermouth being shipped here.

Noilly Pratt recently officially announced what has been buzzing around the industry blogosphere for a while -- "the return of its original, classic blend to the U.S. market."

Ludovic Miazga of Noilly Pratt, France, says, "While U.S. consumers continue to explore the world of cocktails, they have turned their attention to authentic and sophisticated blends that speak to heritage and tradition.

"When early mixologists were writing the first cocktail books around the turn of the century, they reached for the original Noilly Pratt to provide an essential flavor and complex touch to their classic cocktails of the future. Now, once again, cocktail enthusiasts may taste the classics as they were meant to be enjoyed."

Noilly Pratt is aged for two or more years, and aged outdoors in oak casks for a full year before being blended with a secret combination of herbs and spices. In the aging court, called L'Enclos, the wines are directly exposed to the elements through the changes of season.

The vermouth was created by Joseph Noilly in 1813. It is a classic French apéritif created from Picpoul and Clairette grapes. The dry, full-bodied aged wines are infused with a blend of 20 herbs and spices, macerated directly in the wine for three weeks.

Noilly Pratt's packaging also has been changed. The new bottle shape, its designers say, was inspired by the Eiffel Tower and includes a pebbled surface to reflect the weathering effects the outdoor aging has on the wine. L’Enclos, the enclosure at the Noilly Pratt facility in Marseillan, France, is pictured on the front of the bottle. The suggested retail price of the 750ml bottle is $10.99.

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EU blocks some California wine imports

• From the New York Times:

Europeans, who have long chafed at California wineries using geographic terms like Champagne and Chablis to describe their wines, have banned the importation of some U.S. wines using such terms as "clos" and "chateau" on wine labels.

Those French words, along with other terms like "classic," "tawny," "noble," "ruby" and "vintage," are all strictly regulated wine terms in Europe, with specific rules for who gets to use them and when.

Now, the European Union is contending that U.S. vintners must adhere to the same EU rules for wines using terms regarded as "traditional expressions" in order to avoid confusion.

The wine trade spat could affect a number of California wine brands including one of Sonoma County's signature wines, Clos du Bois.

"Their justification is that these terms are traditionally used in specific countries and that if other countries used these terms, it creates confusion on the part of consumers," said Joe Rollo, export director for the San Francisco-based trade group Wine Institute.

The EU has been trying to persuade other nations to cease using such terms since 2002, but not very aggressively. It never enforced the 2002 rules, and in 2006, when the last major trade agreement with the United States was struck, American vintners were given a three-year exemption. That waiver ended March 10. U.S. trade officials declined to comment.

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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Court case may impact Texas wine sales

• From the Dallas News:

A Dallas case to determine whether Texans can cut out the middleman and buy wine directly from out-of-state stores pits consumers' rights against the state and wholesalers that would suffer a loss of business.

Arguments before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later this month will be closely watched by wine connoisseurs, wholesalers, retailers and legislators because similar lawsuits are springing up all over the country, and the issue is likely to end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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Wineries Unlimited trade show set

Wineries Unlimited 2009, the largest vineyard and winery trade show and conference east of the Rocky Mountains, has released its schedule for the March 10-13 event.

Two day-long programs will be running concurrently on Friday, March 13, during the event at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA, just outside Philadelphia:

• A workshop on red wine production by Dr. Christian Butzke of Purdue University
• A seminar on winery planning and design by Dr. Bruce Zoecklein of Virginia Tech

The trade show and conference is produced by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine. In addition to the concurrent events, the conference will offer sessions for industry newcomers and two days of multi-track sessions on viticulture, enology and finance/management/marketing.

The buyers' trade show on March 11-12 is for the Eastern wine industry, and will present more than 100,000 square feet of exhibitor space including an anticipated 330 exhibitor booths on two levels of the convention center.

A silent auction will benefit scholarship programs of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture’s eastern section. A live auction will be held at the "Best of the East" grand tasting and gala.

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Proctors winefest may be The Next Big Thing

William M. Dowd photos
(J Maxwell photo courtesy Fox.com)

Noted wine author Kevin Zraly speaks with a fan while autographing his books.
SCHENECTADY, NY -- We may have seen the start of a whopper of a wine festival today.

The event was the inaugural Capital Region Wine Festival at Proctors, a splashy wine and food event that drew local and national celebrities as well as 800 or so visitors to the historic Proctors theater complex in downtown. The likes of J Maxwell (left), the Clifton Park chef who has so far survived four rounds of Gordon Ramsay's bellowing on this season's Fox Network show "Hell's Kitchen," and wine expert and author Kevin Zraly were among the faces spotted making the rounds.

More than 60 wineries as well as various food merchants, restaurants and caterers doled out tasting samples to a crowd that included 650 pre-sold tickets and several hundred more walk-ups at $50 a head for the grand tasting rounds that took up two full performance and public spaces in the complex. That's not counting the crowd at a dinner gala Friday night.

In addition, a series of paid and free seminars was held in the main theater to set up the day, with a nice crowd attending the finale -- a two-man dog-and-pony show by yours truly and Fred LeBrun, a journalism and wine judging colleague.

Since the overall theme of the event was "Romancing the Grape," we stayed under that umbrella with "Grape Expectations ... and how to achieve them," a half-hour seminar on how to extract the most enjoyment from the lands and the people who produce the wines you try, how to travel well in wine country foreign and domestic, and how to create home winetasting events that expand the fun aspects of wine sampling.

As far as timing is concerned, holding such an event in February picks up the torch laid down, or dropped, by The Desmond, the Colonie, NY, convention/hotel complex that had a nationally renowned wine festival each February for years but stopped it several years ago.

The board and management of Proctors, as the cultural heart of Schenectady and one of the Capital Region's premier performing arts spaces, was smart to seize on this gap in the social schedule. Drawing both young and mid-life wine lovers to an event in such numbers bodes well for this to become an annual attraction as big as The Desmond's had been.

Even without packages created as tie-ins with local hotels and other businesses, something the Proctors staff will be looking at for next month, this was a great start.

Some glimpses from the event:

Chef Denny DeLorenzo (right), whose new Schenectady restaurant is in the works, speaks with friends outside the GE Theater, part of the Proctors complex.

That's not a grape stomper, but it is the blowup symbol of Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, the Modesto, CA, winemaker.

Charmaine Ushkow pours a sample of wine from Heron Hill in New York's Finger Lakes.

Food played a prominent role in the wine festival, as can be seen in this buffet line for Riverstone Manor, restaurant and banquet caterer in Glenville, NY.

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I'm baaack

William M. Dowd photo

Mmmm. Cheeseburger in Paradise!

I just returned last night (Wednesday) from a business trip to St. Croix, in the American Virgin Islands, thus the lack of recent posts until I set loose a flurry of them today.

Thanks to the gazillion readers (actually 1.87 gazillion by show of hands) who kept checking back in that quiet period. It was nice you were reading while I was enjoying a cheeseburger and a tropical breeze.

Since I was one hour ahead of the continental U.S. (much of the Caribbean goes by Atlantic Time), I have looked into the future for you. I can report that ...

What's that? I'm not allowed to reveal the future? OK, Sarah Connor, if you say so.

And now, we return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

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LEED winery building a NY first

New York is about to get its first LEED-certified winery building, in the Finger Lakes.

The Red Tail Ridge Winery, owned by the married team of Nancy Irelan and Mike Schnelle (right), was opened near Penn Yan in 2007 after they moved from California.

LEED is the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a Green Building Rating System that encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. Certification is done on a third-party basis and can be achieved at various levels.

With vineyards, it can include strategically located diversion and drainage ditches that direct stormwater runoff to an irrigation pond. Red Tail Ridge is working with the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) to certify such green measures as:

• Locally-sourced and recycled-content building materials
• A geothermal system
• Efficient lighting
• Natural daylighting

The building was designed by Edge Architecture of Rochester, with Sustainable Performance Consulting Inc. as part of the project team. The target is for completion of the new building to be open in time for the fall harvest.

Details of various LEED rating systems are available online.

Ireland and Schnelle have planted such Finger Lakes grape staples as pinot, chardonnay and riesling, but also planted teroldego vines. As Ireland explains it on the Red Tail Ridge Web site:

"We ... believe that experimentation is an important step towards unlocking our vineyard's, and the region's, potential. For this reason, we have planted teroldego — a red Italian grape variety grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto — in our vineyard and are optimistic about the future of these vines. Wines produced from teroldego have been compared to zinfandel due to their deep color, brambly blackberriness, solid acidity and moderate tannin structure. We are eager to see how these vines and wines develop, and we look forward to more experimentation in the future."

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Anti-tax protest doesn't make a splash

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Presidents and master distillers from some of Kentucky's leading distilleries joined a protest Tuesday in Frankfort over a proposed retail tax on all alcohol products. However, on Wednesday the bill they were fighting received approval in one section of the state legislature.

The current liquor taxes include an 11% wholesale tax on packaged liquor, a 6% tax on drinks purchased in bars and restaurants, an 8-cent-per-gallon tax on beer, a 50-cent-per-gallon tax on wine and a $1.92-per-gallon tax on distilled spirits.

The protest was in reaction to a House committee approval for a 6% additional tax on alcoholic beverages in stores. The measure then passed the full house Wednesday and is expected to go to the full senate by the weekend, according to Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville.

More than 400 people — many of whom work in Kentucky's signature bourbon industry — attended the Tuesday rally, which culminated in the bourbon "tea party," a play on the Boston Tea Party, the most famous American colonial tax protest.

A convoy of trucks from breweries and distilleries circled the Capitol building while individuals such as Wild Turkey's iconic master distiller Jimmy Russell (shown above in cap, leading a tour group at the distillery) poured bottles of bourbon on the Capitol's front steps in protest.

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Champagne sales lose some bubbles

There doesn't seem to be much to celebrate these days, what with social unrest, economic doldrums, terrorism and civil war. So, it should come as no surprise the beverage most associated with celebrating is suffering a sales slump.

France's Champagne Vintners' Committee this week announced shipments of Champagne within the country and abroad fell 4.8% in 2008 compared to the previous year.

One consolation may be that the 322,453,852 bottles sold is slightly more than in 2006.

The industry group said in a statement that exports to European Union consumers outside France were down 6.5% per cent in bottle terms, and non-European exports were down 6.2& per cent in 2008. Shipments within France were down 3.6%.

Daniel Lorson, a spokesman for the committee, said the 2008 figures also suffer by comparison to 2007's which he termed "a record year in all senses.''

To support that view, one need only look at the 2007 figures which show France's wine and spirit industry scored record exports with an especially strong performance from Champagne, the country's leading French wine-producing region. Champagne exports were worth $3.06 billion in 2007, a 10.4% surge year-over-year.

"We have all the assets to resist the crisis over the long term," Lorson said. "The boat is solid, the sails are solid, the crew is solid. We can weather this storm."

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Super Bowl Sunday getting a little winey

It's almost Suds & Snacks Day, better known as Super Bowl Sunday. For the non-believers, SB XLIII (43) will be played this coming Sunday when the Arizona Cardinals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa Bay.

According to the folks at Nielsen, who measure everything from TV viewership to consumption of corn chips, mass merchandiser stores such as Wal-Mart recorded snack sales of $595 million in the two weeks leading up to last year’s game, up 5% from the previous year.

To wash down all that junk food, Super Bowl Sunday ranks as the eighth-highest beer-selling day of the year, with 51.7 million cases sold last year. That's behind the No. 1 selling day, July 4th.

And where is most of the beer sold? In the city that hosts the game and in the two cities that are home to the participating teams.

Once past the beer gut .. er, glut ... wine is doing better with Super Bowl Sunday drinkers. According to Nielsen, NFL fans spent 14% more on wine in 2007 than in 2006, outpacing the U.S. wine growth overall by 14%.

Eatswise, potato chips topped the list with a sales volume of nearly $147 million, although that's a slight dropoff from the prior year while tortilla chips jumped 20% to come in No. 2 at $125.5 million.

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UK becomes world's top wine importer

It may not have the largest population, but the United Kingdom now ranks as the top wine importing nation in the world.

Imports topped 1.6 billion bottles in 2007, according to research by ther industry group Vinexpo. The top five suppliers to the UK in order of volume:

• Australia
• France
• United States
• Italy
• Spain

Wines imported from the U.S. increased by 34.5% between 2003 and 2007. France was the only country in the top five which saw a drop, Vinexpo said.

Despite the UK being a big importer, the per-capita amount of wine drunk is well behind that of France (58.8 litres), Italy (56.4 litres) and Switzerland (49.2 litres). The UK is 13th in the world.

The research also covered the sale of spirits in the UK, where vodka came out on top: 96 million bottles were sold in 2007. Consumption of vodka is expected to grow faster than any other spirit with a rise of 20% by 2012.

While overall spirit consumption rose to 336 million bottles in 2007 and is expected to grow by another 6% by 2012, the popularity of Scotch whisky dropped. Consumption fell by just over 11% from 2003 to 2007 and will continue falling by nearly 7% to 2012, the research predicted.

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Prominent LI winemaker Palmer dies

Bob Palmer died Friday at age 74 of a blood infection.

He founded Palmer Vineyards in Aquebogue, Long Island, in 1983, and built it into one of the most prominent wine labels from that sector of New York State.

Palmer, a past president of the Long Island Wine Council, had an extensive career in marketing and public relations before and after getting into the wine business.
His wife said he changed his surname from the original Prignano for business reasons because it was hard to spell.

[Click here for a full story from Newsday.com.]

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Concours Mondial de Bruxelles coming up

This year's Concours Mondial de Bruxelles will be held in Valencia, Spain, on April 25-27.

Registration now is open online, through March 2.

Since its creation in 1994, the Concours has billed itself the “wine world championship” with more than 6,000 participating products from four continents. As a whole, these samples represent 450 million marketed bottles. The jury of wine professionals is made up of people from 40 nationalities to ensure the diversity and the unique character of the event.

For a look at the results of last year's competition, held in Bordeaux, France, go here.

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Luxury list has a champagne topper

The Luxury Institute today released its annual Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) for the wine and spirits industry.

The results of the index compiled by the independent New York-based company "are utilized by consumer-centric luxury brand executives to independently monitor how target consumers truly rate their brands in terms of critical luxury metrics," according to the Institute announcement.

Rankings are derived from a survey of high net-worth consumers who rated more than 100 brands in 10 wine and spirits categories. The top-rated brands in each category are:

• Champagne and Sparkling Wine: Dom Perignon
• Cognac: Courvoisier
• Gin: Hendricks
• Liqueurs: Grand Marnier
• Rum: 10 Cane
• Scotch: Macallan
• Table Wines: Opus One
• Tequila: Patron
• Vodka: Grey Goose
• Whiskey: Woodford Reserve

A national sample of more than 1,200 wealthy American consumers was surveyed online by the Luxury Institute. The respondents had an average weighted income of $342,000 and an average weighted net-worth of $2.9 million. The LBSI asked them to rate the brands along four main "pillars" of brand stature:

1. Consistently superior quality.
2. Uniqueness and exclusivity.
3. Social status as a product consumed by people who are admired and respected.
4. Self enhancement, in that the brand makes the consumer "feel special" across all aspects of the customer experience.

In addition, the survey measures three critical "outcome" metrics, which are compared to the category LBSI:

1. Worthiness of a significant price premium.
2. Willingness to recommend brands to people they care about and why, or why not.
3. Brand preference as the brand most likely to be considered the next time a purchase is made.

"We've found that those brands committed to excellence are genuinely interested in where they stand in the mind of the high net-worth consumer," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "For the rest, we caution that this is not the time to 'fly blind' as the final verdict on whether, or not, you qualify as a luxury brand is that of the hard-core luxury consumer."

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California champagne cocktails for The Day

They're making it too easy for us drinks journalists.

I usually spend a lot of time searching for cocktail recipes to share with you; for example, in my monthly "What Will They Think of Next?" feature.

But with the imminent Presidential Inauguration, companies are scrambling over themselves to come up with special cocktail recipes for the occasion. I've already shared the wine lineup for an inaugural lunch menu ("California wines get presidential meal seal"), and one set of cocktails from Heaven Hill Distilleries ("Time for 'change, inaugural cocktail style".

Now, Korbel California Champagne is getting into the act with something in addition to a special inaugural bubbly it's supplying for the aforementioned luncheon. Here are a few inaugural-inspired champagne cocktails from Korbel.

STARS-AND-STRIPES

2 ounces Korbel Brut or Extra Dry
2 ounces Cranberry Juice

Pour Korbel into large champagne flute. Slowly stir in cranberry juice. Garnish with frozen cranberries.


PRESIDENTIAL PUNCH

3 ounces Korbel Brut or Extra Dry
2 ounces lemonade
1 ounce Blue Curaçao

In a tall glass, pour Korbel. Add lemonade, blue curaçao and ice.

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California wines get presidential meal seal

There are wineries in every state of the Union, but it appears only those from California will grace the table when Barack Obama, Joseph Biden and about 200 guests sit down for the traditional Inaugural Luncheon in the Capitol in Washington, DC, on Inaugural Day, Jan. 20.

The menu itself has been "designed to reflect the theme of the 2009 Inaugural ceremonies, 'A New Birth of Freedom,' which celebrates the bicentennial of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln," according to an announcement from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

Curious that no wines were selected from the state of Lincoln's birth (Kentucky) or principal residence (Illinois).

Can't get enough? The announcement further states:

"The menu, created by Design Cuisine, a catering company based in Arlington, Virginia, draws on historic ties to the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Growing up in the frontier regions of Kentucky and Indiana, the 16th President favored simple foods including root vegetables and wild game. As his tastes matured, he became fond of stewed and scalloped oysters. For dessert or a snack, nothing pleased him more than a fresh apple or an apple cake."

The official menu:

First Course: Seafood stew, paired with Duckhorn Vineyards 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from the Napa Valley in California.

Second Course: A Brace of American Birds (pheasant and duck), served with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes, paired with Goldeneye 2005 Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley in California, the same company that produces Duckhorn.

Third Course: Apple cinnamon sponge cake and sweet cream glacé, paired with Korbel Natural "Special Inaugural Cuvée" from California.

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Christian Wolffer dies in swimming accident

Christian Wolffer (right), 70, a Long Island, NY, wine pioneer and owner of Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, died New Year's Eve while swimming in Brazil.

The O Globo newspaper said Wolffer was swimming in Paraty, near Rio de Janeiro, while on vacation when a boat's propeller or propellers cut two deep wounds in his back. He was rescued by Brazilian actor Rodrigo Hilbert and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

His company Web site gives this background for the German-born entrepreneur:

"The quintessential entrepreneur, Hamburg-born Christian Wölffer is a master at managing an array of international enterprises. His career encompasses investment banking, venture capital, real estate, agriculture, and entertainment parks. In the wine realm, Wölffer Estate Vineyard is a labor of love and the realization of a lifelong dream.

"Wölffer’s career began in post-war Hamburg at age 17 as a trainee at a bank and then at an import/export company. He later moved to Mexico with the German chemical company BASF to manage their sales force, followed by a position with Intergráfica in Mexico managing sales throughout South America. Moving to Canada in 1971, he established a real estate brokerage and eventually segued into real estate development. He then moved to the U.S., to found Euro Investors, Inc., a venture capital company that finances a variety of enterprises in Hawaii and Florida. He now holds investments in Argentina, as well as throughout the U.S.A.

"This accomplished businessman is most at home at his Eastern Long Island retreat in the heart of the Hamptons. He purchased the land in 1978 as a 14-acre parcel with a farmhouse surrounded by potato fields. By 1987, Christian Wölffer had founded his vineyard near this very site.

"In 1997, Wölffer completed work on his state-of-the-art winery, unquestionably the most stylish on Long Island. The rustic, Tuscan-style building, with its warm ochre walls, is set on a rise overlooking the vineyards to the east and the gently rolling Hamptons landscape to the west. The winery and vineyards were renamed Wölffer EstateVineyard and a legacy in Long Island winemaking was born.

"Now 20 years later, Wölffer’s one-time weekend getaway on the East End’s South Shore embraces more than 170 acres and includes his acclaimed 55-acre Wölffer Estate Vineyard as well as his home, stables, and grazing land for his thoroughbreds. The 100-acre Wölffer Estate Stables, an extraordinary equestrian center used for schooling, breeding, year-round boarding and instruction, is an 80-stall facility with the largest indoor riding field on the East Coast. Wölffer Estate Vineyard & Stables is also one of the sponsors of the annual Hampton Classic Horse Show, a world-class equestrian event held in nearby Bridgehampton."

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Is NY's wine industry in trouble?

The recession that has forced several New York-only wine stores to close, put a crimp in expansion plans by some wineries because of the lack of investment capital, and Gov. David Patterson's threatened cutbacks on state assistance have combined to put the nation's third-largest wine industry in jeopardy.

New York trails only California and Oregon in total wine production. However, many of the several hundred wineries are small operations and need assistance in getting to market and getting the word out to consumers.

Patterson's proposed 2009-2010 state austerity budget calls for the elimination of funding for the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, the statewide trade association headquartered in Canandaigua. Its current budget is $3.8 million, but only $1 million of that comes from industry sources. The rest comes from the state.

NYSW&GF President Jim Trezise. above, ("NY's Trezise a man of integrity"), an indefatigable spokesman and activist on behlf of the state's wine industry, says, “If the governor’s proposal is adopted, the foundation’s programs and operations will cease in March, if not before.”

That would be a phenomenal blow to the industry. The NYSW&GF lobbies on behalf of the industry in Albany and Washington, DC, runs the prestigious annual New York Wine & Food Classic competition for wines produced in the state, provides advice and counseling for all areas of the industry, and prosyletizes for state wine producers worldwide.

[Go here for New York Times wine writer Howard G. Goldberg's summary of the situation.

[And, go here for the Seneca Lake Winery Association president's take on it.]

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