Wine-Searcher – Congress Resists Biden Liquor Guidelines
W. Blake Gray on the push to implement the Biden Administration’s Dietary Guidelines, and the damage it may cause. From the Article:
The stakes are high. If the Biden appointees get their way, and the Dietary Guidelines for Adults say what teetotalling Biden wants – that no amount of alcohol is safe to drink – it would be devastating not just for the liquor industry, but for restaurants and possibly the US economy as a whole.
This is not an exaggeration. When Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to end the Great Depression, one of his first steps was to end Prohibition. Not only did that put breweries and wineries back to work, hiring thousands of workers; it sent Americans out to legal restaurants and bars instead of speakeasies. It revitalized the economy.
To be clear, Biden is not himself sitting in a Washington office attempting to convince Americans, against all evidence, that moderate drinking is bad for us.
But the secretive committee he put in place to do just that is still operating. And Congress has just asked them – again – to stop.
SevenFifty Daily – The Plight of California’s Grape Growers
So, did you know that an “American Wine” can have up to 25% of foreign imported grapes in it? I didn’t either. 😀 From the article:
Though the dip in demand is hurting California growers at all levels of the quality spectrum—even Napa Valley wine growers had trouble selling grapes in 2024—those in high-volume production areas face additional challenges.
Lodi growers such as Spencer, whose family farms 40 acres of wine grapes in Lodi, says California’s largest wine companies are contributing to the problem of unharvested grapes. Instead of buying more locally grown fruit, he explains, they are blending cheaper foreign wines into their products and labeling them with the American appellation of origin.
Though federal law allows U.S. wineries to include up to 25 percent imported wine in these products, Spencer says the practice is misleading to consumers and an insult to California grape growers. The motivation, he says, is cost.
Meininger’s International – Wine Accounts for Over Half of EU Alcohol Exports
A short article, but the bottom line is that the EU needs the US to buy its wine; the infographic says it all. From the article:
… wine worth €16.8bn (approx. $18.1bn) was exported from the EU to non-EU countries in 2024. The total value of alcoholic beverage exports was €29.8bn (approx. $32.2bn).
While wine (including fortified wines) thus accounted for 56.2% …
The largest exporter by value to non-EU countries was France with a total value of €12.1bn (40.6%), followed by Italy with €6bn (20.2%).
Looking at the most important export markets becomes slightly concerning considering the current discussions about tariffs, tariff pauses, and the general approach to international trade of US President Donald Trump’s administration: Here, the USA accounted for almost one-third (28.9%) of the export value with €8.9bn.
And the latest stats I have show that ALL of the EU and UK import less that $500 million is US made wine. Now that is quite a trade disparity.
Wine Business – Uncertainty Makes for a Gloomy Economic Road Ahead, Yet There’s Still Economic Development Opportunity for Napa
Dr. Robert Eyler, chair of the economics department at Sonoma State University and a member of the Redwood Credit Union Board of Directors, shared insights on the future of Napa Valley’s economy in a talk on May 1. Key Takeaways:
Tobin James Cellars in Paso Robles, CA (B1 R1 C2 D4)
Tobin James Cellars in Paso Robles blends bold wines with a lively, saloon-inspired tasting room. Known for its crowd-pleasing Zinfandels and welcoming vibe, this winery invites guests to sip, relax, and enjoy a taste of the Old West—without needing a reservation or a cowboy hat.
2023 GlassMen Wines Sonoma County Pinot Noir 89 Points – $35
The 2023 GlassMen Wines Sonoma County Pinot Noir is a solid, no-nonsense Pinot that delivers exactly what you want for its $35 price tag: vibrant fruit, subtle complexity, and an easygoing personality. It’s not trying to be a collector’s item, and that’s part of its charm. Whether you’re opening it for a weeknight dinner or sharing it at a gathering, it’s a wine that strikes a nice balance between approachability and substance.
From the house-made pastas to the warm, welcoming service, this is the kind of restaurant that makes you want to come back again and again.
Whether you’re staying at South Point or just looking for a solid Italian meal away from the chaos of the Strip, Don Vito’s delivers.
Corkage Fee is $20 per Bottle / No Limit
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