Archive for March, 2016

We know that the average winery today has nearly 60% of their sales made direct largely through wine clubs and tasting rooms. How do we know that? Through an annual survey conducted by SVB.If you have a club or a tasting room, how do you know you are p... Read more

As the whiskey category continues to soar, The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has begun building a Napa-Valley style tourism experience to enhance consumer appeal. The founders of the newly minted Bardstown Bourbon Co. (BBC) are looking to capitalize on that g... Read more

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has expanded the Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Oregon. The AVA expansion, a long term initiative of WineAmerica member King Estate, was approved on March 3. The Willamette Valley AVA expansion will allow many wineries who currently label their wine with a state or county […] Read more

Small Bills Bubbling Under the Radar With the presidential election in full swing, and with many Senators and Members of Congress seeking re-election, there will not be many substantive bills either passed or signed into law.  However, several bills that could impact the wine and grape industries are active. GMO Labeling The Senate Agriculture Committee passed […] Read more

3.7.2016 By Michael Kaiser The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has finalized the rule repealing country of origin labeling rules (COOL) for certain muscle cuts of meat. The repeal, as authorized by the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, will allow the the US to avoid costly tariffs places on goods, including wine, exported into Canada and Mexico. […] Read more