Product News
by Wines & Vines staff
Winery and Vineyard Equipment
Hand truck with powered lift
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Editor's Letter
by Jim Gordon
Academia and Industry Must Meet
The American Society for Enology and Viticulture has been promoting the wine industry’s health by supporting research and education for 64 years. That’s why this is our 64th annual Enology and Viticulture Issue, which coincides with the annual conference of the ASEV (see page 46 for more details about this month’s conference in Monterey, Calif.).
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Inquiring Winemaker
by Steve Pessagno
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
If you exclude my one-year internship stint, 2012 marked my 30th harvest as a winemaker. I don’t have to tell my winemaking colleagues that this is the one profession that makes your non-winemaking friends envious. You are never bored, you make decisions on the spot every day, you drink great wines and eat well, you’re always learning something, and you meet the most interesting people—many of whom become good friends.
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Wine Industry Data Center
by Jim Gordon
Fast-Growing Sales Accompany Lower Prices
The premium wine category with the biggest price reduction enjoyed the biggest percentage gain in sales during the past 52 weeks, according to March data from the Symphony IRI Group (SIG). Domestic table wines priced at $20 and higher came down in price by $3.62 per case, yet they rang up sales of $238 million (a 15% increase).![]()
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Vineyard View
by Cliff Ohmart
How is Biodiversity Measured?
Increasing biodiversity in and around vineyards is often touted as one of the goals of sustainable winegrowing, and it is frequently mentioned as an important component of other sustainable cropping systems.
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Viewpoint
by Chris Appleby
Is There a Market for Sulfite-Free Wine?
Consumers are increasingly seeking out natural food products, a trend that stems from a growing suspicion of additives and chemical preservatives. Because natural foods are commonly linked to good health and being better for the environment, products marketed in this way are often priced at a premium. Within the wine industry, these marketing campaigns are sometimes manifested through the fast-growing organic sector that, among other things, forgoes the use of added sulfites.
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Marketing Matters
by Dixie Lee Huey
Managing Direct Consumer Sales
There have been some particularly hot challenge topics in the industry during the past few years—distributor consolidation, price pressure, brand proliferation and, of course, the economy. These trends and the down part of the economic cycle are real, and in an acute way they necessitate a focus on marketing-driven sales strategies. Wishful thinking, status quo and avoidance do not sell wine. Thankfully, proactive measures do, especially when implemented on a consistent basis, measured and improved for maximum efficacy.
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Wine East Opinion
by Hudson Cattell
Eastern Fruit Wines are 'Stealth' Wines
I’ve seen the term “stealth” applied to wines that get little notice; that is, they “fly under the radar.” Fruit wines could be called stealth wines simply because in comparison with grape wines they get little attention in the wine world, even though increasingly more wineries are making them and many consumers like them. But they could also qualify as stealth wines because they are all too often the subjects of hidden discrimination that takes place without explanation.
| Off-Premise Sales » | Month | 12 Months | ||
| May 2012 | $365 million | 6% |
$4,866 million | 6% |
| May 2013 | $386 million | $5,149 million | ||
| Direct-to-Consumer Shipments » | Month | 12 Months | ||
| May 2012 | $108 million | 17% |
$1,349 million | 11% |
| May 2013 | $127 million | $1,503 million | ||
| Winery Job Index » | Month | 12 Months | ||
| May 2012 | 220 | 32% |
151 | 19% |
| May 2013 | 291 | 180 | ||



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Sommelier / Wine Serve... | |
| Mountain View, CA DTC, Tasting Room and Retai | |
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Harvest Intern Positio... | |
| Dallas, OR Winemaking and Production | |
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Winemaker | |
| Sonoma County, CA Winemaking and Production | |
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Direct To Consumer Ema... | |
| Napa, CA DTC, Tasting Room and Retai | |
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Events Manager | |
| Rutherford, CA DTC, Tasting Room and Retai | |
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Harvest Enologist | |
| St. Helena, CA Winemaking and Production | |
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Full Time Bartender (W... | |
| New York, NY DTC, Tasting Room and Retai | |
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Senior Enologist | |
| American Canyon, CA Winemaking and Production | |
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Fine Wine Specialist | |
| Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley, CA Sales and Marketing | |
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Portfolio Analyst | |
| Benicia, CA Sales and Marketing | |
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