Wine News

Fortune Brands Inc. disclosed this morning that it has definitively agreed to sell its U.S. wine business to industry rival Constellation Brands Inc. for $885 million, as the Deerfield-based conglomerate moves to sharpen its focus on higher-margin segments.

The sale, which will generate an after-tax gain for Fortune of between $50 million and $60 million, includes such brands as Clos du Bois, Geyser Peak and other wine brands, along with 1,500 acres in associated vineyards and wine-making assets. Read more

“It's perseverance and hard work”

South Australian winemaker Michael Fragos says there's no secret behind being named the world's best. via Manawatu Evening Standard

“These are wines to be enjoyed in the spirit of celebration. What better way to brighten up a cold, grey November day.”

TORONTO, Nov. 6 /CNW/ - The LCBO is celebrating 25 years of offering nouveau wine by releasing six nouveau wines at 400 liquor stores starting at 10:00 a.m. on November 15, 2007. via Canada NewsWire

In the newly released Winemaker's Answer Book , Alison Crowe uncorks solutions to common problems facing winemakers. via Wine Business Online

“Have you told Joseph about the 1996?”

From the sublime to the transcendental-in 15 years, Joseph Ward has tasted them all. via Conde Nast Traveler

Pardon the pun, but winemaker Charlie Hoppes is really hopping at this time of the year. via Tri-cityherald.com

A new book, "Wine Across America: A Photographic Road Trip," takes a look at wineries in all 50 states. via FloridaToday.com

Long before cognac, there was brandy. Long before brandy, there was wine. And before that came the grapes. via The Journal News

Eric Welch, owner of Vines to Wines, built the pergola and grape arbor at the 105-year-old home in Sherman Hill. via Http

Wine and food go together, that much is clear. In an ideal world, wine makes food taste better.

But it doesn't always do so, and therein lies the mystique of food and wine matching. While it's true that certain wines and foods exhibit an affinity, far too much effort is spent on worrying about which wine is 'appropriate.'

It would be more appropriate to worry about whether the wine will taste good to you and your guests. That ought to be the only priority. Find something that you like to drink and buy it. If guests are coming over, have a few different styles of wine so that they can find a wine they like to drink as well. Read more

We have a mystery on our hands. Why are wines showing up in Vintages releases priced higher than the original deal negotiated with the winery and the wine agencies that bring in the wines from around the world? ... via The Toronto Star

“We presume that many people are choosing quality rather than quantity.”

The first batch of 2007 Beaujolais Nouveau arrived in Japan Friday but shipments are set to drop sharply amid signs that the country's love affair with the wine is waning. via XtraMSN Real Estate

I am easily asked twice a week one very fundamental question about wine, which is, "What makes a good wine good and a bad wine bad?" When we look at the world of wine and the thousands of varieties out there as ... via The Ashland Daily Tidings

My top four wines tasted during October 2007: Artadi Rioja, Heidsieck Champagne, Artazuri Grenache and Empreinte du Temps from the Roussillon. via Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages

“The fact that we detected DNA of olives may mean that Chios exported more than wine”

Genetic analysis has revealed the contents of an ancient shipwreck dating back to the era of the Roman Republic and Athenian Empire. via MSNBC

“No one expects good products to come from Ethiopia, which is a huge problem”

Nestled in the hills of southern Ethiopia lies a resource that could catapult this nation forward: coffee.

Connoisseurs worldwide savor the beans from Yirgacheffe for their distinctive flavor. And at a time when more consumers are targeting specialty brews, Ethiopia is poised to reap the rewards of a product that commands $10 per pound in the United States.

But while upscale consumers are willing to pay top dollar for the beans, farmers in Ethiopia sell their product for a pittance - less than $1 per pound. "It's like growers of Dom Perignon Champagne getting the same price as growers of bulk wine," says Ron Layton, founder and chief executive of Light Years, IP, a Washington-based group that helps producers in poor countries get better prices. Read more

“If she's really a supporter of the Kansas wine industry there's plenty of time left as a governor that's she's just going to be able to show that publicly.”

Governor Sebelius has winemakers popping their corks. She was at a democratic fundraiser in Washington when she made a comment about the amount of wine it produces. via KBSL 10

As a general thing, I think people look pretty good drinking wine. More so than when drinking beer - especially if you're holding your brew wrapped in a napkin, as if the condensation would melt your sugary ... via The Tennessean

OK, so everyone's got their favourite, but what makes a restaurant the best? Taste, atmosphere, setting, presentation, service, value? And who's the best judge? The public at large, renowned food critics, ... via Sunday Times