VinoWeek Episode 54 - Wine for the People

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Wine industry experts are calling for grape growers to reduce the number of vineyards in production because of declining wine sales. We have already noticed some vineyards being ripped out and allowed to go fallow (at least for now) here in Sonoma County. Unfortunately for growers the oversupply of grapes is not a regional problem, but a statewide one. Sarah Klearman asks a number of industry leaders what type of short and long term solutions should be put in place to deal with California’s wine slump.

Craig Camp General Manager at Troon Vineyards in Oregon’s Applegate Valley really knows his way around a winery and his recent post titled 'Wine Kaleidoscope’ is a quick look into the marketing vs reality scene in today’s winemaking world. Craig says, “the wine for the people revolution is happening now”. In this article he offers several ways to avoid the industrial, mass marketed wines and to identify wine of the people.

The underwriters at Lloyds of London, the insurers of Cayuse Vineyards have sued Lafitte Cork and Capsule for allegedly selling defective corks. The damage claim is in excess of 3.5 million.

Bill and I have a good time poking fun at the wine fraud ring that was uncovered in Northern Italy in the Oltrepò Pavese region. Too bad this isn’t the first time for this type of shenanigans. Top managers and winemakers at several cooperatives worked in concert to perpetrate the fraud.

Peter Johnson reports on an unfortunate incident between Paso Robles winemaker Tobin James Shumrick and his unstable neighbor. The situation got out of hand and now the winemaker faces some serious charges.

Bill and I discuss these items and more in this week's addition of VinoWeek. Thanks to everyone for listening. Cheers!