Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

New Vine Logistics: Accounts & Alternatives

Yesterday the wine industry woke up to the news that one of its key shipping/compliance/inventory management service firms, New Vine, went under. The disruptions this is causing among its many winery and retail clients, as well as consumers who receive shipments of wine via this operation, are significant.

It appears that New Vine's demise was caused by the same thing that causes most other companies to shut down: Financial Crisis. Though I suspect the details of that financial crisis in all its gory details will eventually come out, there has been a good deal of reporting on the issue. Below are links to various new stories and blog along with links to other similar wine service businesses that those affected by the end of New Vine might want to consider.

NEWS ACCOUNTS

UNDEAD: Suitors Sparring Over New Vine's Bones
Lew Perdue's Wine Industry Insight

DEAD! - New Vine Withers After Amazon Bolts & Investors Pull Plug
Lew Perdue's Wine Industry Insight

New Vine Logistics Suspends Operations
Santa Rosa Press Democrat

New Vine Logistics On Hold: Company Suspends Operations, Seeks Capital
Wines & Vines Magazine

New Vine Logistics Suspends Business Operations
San Francisco Business Times

New Vine Collapses; Amazon Deal Unlikely
Wine & Spirits Daily

Shipping Competitors Field Queries from New Vine Customers
North Bay Business Journal

Wine Shipper Halts Orders Jarring Industry
Wall Street Journal (subscription needed)

Compli Offers Free Services To New Vine Customers For May Orders
Wine Business Monthly

BLOGS
New Vine Logistics Suspends Operations
Winery Website Report

New Vine Logistic Aftermath: Questions
PinotBlogger

Wine Logistics Company's Failure Puts Amazon.com Wine Future at Risk
Luxist

New Vine's Demise & The Future of Direct Shipping
Acan Media

Crisis Communications & New Vine Logistics
Caveman Wines

A Canary in the California Wine Cellar
Vinography

Amazon's Wine Business Partner Runs Into Trouble
TechFlash

Notes on what's now and Why Lions Eat Their Young
The Good Grape

ALTERNATIVE SHIPPING & LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
Bacchus Fulfillment
Copperpeak Logistics
Pack & Ship Direct
Wine Shipping.com
WTN Services
All Ways Cool

My Kind of Governor

I've got to believe that THIS is a step in the right direction and appropriate: A winery owning governor of California.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for California Governor the other day, putting him in a position, I believe, to be the first Winery-owning governor in California's history. Newsom is part owner of Napa Valley's Plumpjack Winery. He is also part owner of the recently opened Cade Winery on Napa Valley's Howell Mountain.

It turns out that the San Francisco Mayor has had his fingers in food and wine for some time. He first dipped his toe in the Food and wine world with the opening of Plumpjack wine store in San Francisco's Filmore District. This would be followed by Plumpjack Cafes, Balboa Cafe and an upscale Squaw Valley resort. Newsom no longer has an interest in Business located in San Francisco, but remains partners in the two Napa Valley wineries.

It's hard to say what it will mean to the California wine industry and wine lovers if Newsom becomes our Governor. I suspect it might not mean that much. But perhaps he can help push CA wines when he takes his trade-related trips around the world. If Newsom does get the Democratic nomination, it is much more likely that his support for gay marriage will be the the focus of far more attention than his involvement in the California wine industry.

But I know this, I quite like the idea of a California Governor owning a CA winery. We've had two actors hold the post, and that seems appropriate. The only other thing that might be as elegantly representative of CA is if our new governor were gay beach bum with a employment history of wearing funny mouse outfits at amusement parks.

The Rich Folks Guide to Wine Buying in a Recession

All wine lovers are reacting to economic down turn in different ways: Fear, apprehension, taking advantage, slowing down.One thing is for sure, though. If you can afford to buy wine, now has never been a better time. Lots of deals out there to choose from and great price/quality ratios across categories.

The thing is, no one thinks of the Rich Folk's interests in time like this. So I thought I might put together a quick "Rich Folk's Guide to Wine Buying in a Recession."

The one thing the Rich Folk need to do right now is start acting like Rich Folk and start representing those deep pockets. It's time for you guys to step up and start to carry the rest of us until we can get back on our feet. That's right. It's time you guys used those savings and assets to pick up some great deals on great wines; but it's also time you stepped in and put some vigor into the mid and high end of the market. And I have some suggestions along those lines.

1. Get Buying
And I'm not talking the new chic cheap stuff. Get out there and pick up those $40 Cabs that used to be $65. You'll thank me for this advice because now they represent good buys. Plus, if you all take your allotted case, you'll help keep many of the better brands in business. So look in that $30 to $50 range and get buying.

2. Join The Club
Of all the people out there, you Rich Folks are the ones that can encourage wineries most by joining their wine clubs that have taken such a hit while the less comfortable among you have dropped out like flies. But don't feel like it's a burden. Right now wine club members are getting great offers on deals, some up to 50% off of fine wines that just haven't moved. Do your part, but remember that you'll be getting access to great deals.

3. Bid High and Bid Often
Remember too, of all the folks out there you, the Rich Folk, will want to make sure that when all this is over there are still some great wine auction houses that survive the down turn. At the big auction houses the staff in the wine department is most vulnerable because the wine department isn't that important. So get on those cases of 2000 Bordeaux, drop some bucks for the DRCs, keep the prices of the better Aussies and CA cabs appropriately high, and don't forget to throw some cash at the collectible Super Tuscans. You're gonna get good deals and in the long run you can sell it for much more to us Climbers when the economy is better and we start posturing with our money again.

4. Eat Big, Drink Well
For Heaven's sake have some wine with lunch and dinner. Not a cocktail. Not beer. Throw some Rich Folk love at the restaurants that are working hard right now and struggling. They need your support. Plus, you get killer meals along with wine lists that hold bottles that have been reduced in price cause there's too much good stuff left over and not being bought by cheeky tourists and new partners at the legal and accounting firms.

Bottom line, Rich Folk...It's time to step up. This guide will hopefully give you a place to start spending.

Wet Paint & Wine

It's important for me to note that I endorse THIS in no way. THIS only minimizes the serious nature of wine and wine drinking. In fact, THIS purports to be humor, but in reality THIS is just another blow to the industry when the industry needs nothing like THIS.

Is THIS really what people want to read?

Only a few years ago THIS sort of thing would never fly. THIS would have been condemned. THIS really is harmful to a serious pasttime.

Again, I don't recommend you read THIS.

It's THIS I'm talking about.

Ready for That Slap Across the Face

If you've ever been to the Tadich Grill in San Francisco then you know the feeling of being enveloped in the crushing embrace of old school epicurean culture. You know that feeling of wading into a pool of hedonism soaked humanity of the rough and proper sort.

The 21 Club in New York, though probably more compelling to the swinging proper crowd, is also said to exude an old school crush of culinary and imbibiious delights.

Mention of these two bi-coastal icons in a Santa Rosa Press Democrat article got my blood racing today. A new restaurant opened in Santa Rosa, the article reports: Jack & Tony's Restaurant and Whiskey Bar. They describe the place thus:

"It is modeled after legendary restaurants like Tadich Grill in San Francisco and 21 Club in New York, with a whiskey list of more than 100 labels"

100 Whiskeys.

Now this idea will not appeal to everyone. But it appeals to this boy.100 Whiskeys for me to explore under one roof that is there to house aspirations inspired by Tadich Grill and the 21 Club? Maybe my own expectations will be dashed by poor service or the poorly made Manhattan or the crush of Trendys there to stake out a claim in a place they have no business sullying. But maybe a new and better way of living has arrived in my neck of the woods.

What gets my motor running is the thought of dark paneled walls. Leather lined stools. The firm upholstered chairs wrapped half moon around a solid wood table. The glint and sparkle of light reflected off of countless whiskeys, bourbons and ryes sitting on glass shelves behind the bar. The rough murmur of a contented crowd, some in coats, some in ties, some with a hint of cleavage to share.

This is the whiskey culture that appeals to me. But in the end, it all stems from the spirit itself.

Whiskey, Bourbon, Rye, Scotch, Brandy, Cognac, Armagnac. All different, but all the same really. They are the brown ones. They are the drinks that promote a slow attack at the glass. Sure, the occasional shot is called for, but why would one do such a thing with anything other than the lesser brown spirits that are better built for dribbling rather than imbibing. No, the brown spirits are there for us to savor, similar to the way we treat good wine, but, I think, with a bit more respect—for the power they wield.

And it is the power and the bite of these brown spirits that give them much of their appeal. While there are layers and gradations of bite in these different brown spirits due to their distillation and aging requirements, the bite is inescapable and what those of us who love these drinks often crave.

To truly really appreciate the whiskeys and brandys and scotches, you must be willing to embrace the bite they deliver. The bite of bourbon and whiskey is the equivalent of the soft slap across the face that comes when he's been a bit too fresh. Exhilarating.  Brandy, cognac and Armagnac are the equivalent of a passionate slap on the ass. You either have to be willing to appreciate it or not indulge at all.

So I'm hoping that Jack & Tony's Restaurant and Whiskey Bar, with their 100 Whiskeys, provides the proper environment where one can appreciate a good, passionate slap on the ass and all the while provide that soft chair where the blow can be cushioned and where the glint of brown bottles illuminates just the right, appreciative crowd.

Programming Wine

So, it's late last night. I'm in bed. Ready to soak up some TV. Tivo: nothing. Nothing recorded by me or the little man inside the box that interests me. And then it struck me: Why the heck isn't there "The Wine Channel"?

Now, there is no doubt that across the wine related video is proliferating. We have independents creating Internet-based wine content, wine stores delivering video, wineries producing video and video recordings of wine-related events. But wine simply has not made the prime time leap to Channel Status on Basic Cable. Yes, we have a few wine related show. But there is no "The Wine Channel".

Now, from my perspective I think this is ridiculous. After all, we have the "Speed" channel for Christ's sake. The "Speed" channel? Please! Now I think I get why there is no "The Wine Channel". The Dorks, semi-dorks and wanna-be dorks who would watch it don't begin to gather in the same number as the "speed dorks". And so there's the problem.

The other problem a "The Wine Channel" would have is that there happens to be 24 hours in a day. How are you going to fill up 24 hours with unique, wine-related content. It's not easy. We are talking about fermented grape juice driving a cable channel 24 hours a day. But as any self respecting marketer knows, we really aren't talking about a "Fermented Wine Juice Channel". We are talking about the "Fermented Wine Juice LIFESTYLE Channel.

So, in a bid to be considered as the Programming VP for the (You listening Comcast?) "Winery Channel", allow me to suggest the programming for this new venture.

1. Celebrity Wine
A celebrity that makes or likes wine takes the viewer into their world, discusses their lives, their wines, their wine experienced.

2. The Wine Tasting Party
Five guests and a celebrity host talk and rank brown bagged wines, revealing the top wines at the end of the show.

3. In The Cellar
On location visit to a single winery

4. Wine 101
Teaching the basics of all things a self respecting wine consumer needs to know from decanting, uncorking and glassware to choosing wines, learning about varieties and different countries' wines

5. Wine Travel
Travel adventures to wine regions across the globe.

6. The Wine Store
A reality show that follows 20 people chosen to run two different wine stores in downtown San Francisco. Very interesting and beautiful people compete to be the owners of each store

7. The Wine Movie
It need only have a passing connection to wine. But it's a movie.

8. A Movie & A Bottle
Two very engaging hosts talk about wine between breaks in a movie of any sort. They speculate on how wine could have been incorporated into the film

9. Film Quaffers
Four people, sitting silhouetted in the first row of a movie theater with a film showing above them spend two hours watching the film with the viewer, making terribly witty and dismissive comments about the writing and acting, all while drinking way too much wine throughout the film

10. Wine Shopping
Each day a new winemaker spends an hour standing with a host, promoting his wines, while the viewer can call in and buy the wine: WineShoppingTV, essentially.

11. Wine Gossip
A staff of crack wine bloggers gather on a cool set and spend a half hour noting silly and not so silly news from the world of wine.

12. Wine Spectator TV
They must have their own show. It's a news/variety format where the editors and writers of the Wine Spectator introduce viewers to new wines, to the news of the week, give vintage reports on various wine regions, interview wine people and run a scroll along the bottom with just the names of wines and their ratings.

12. Wine Enthusiast TV
(See Above)

13. Wine & Spirits TV
(See Above)

14. Wine Biz Radio (Live)
Randy Hall and Kaz of Wine Biz Radio video tape and broadcast live their radio show a la Howard Stern

15. The Auction
Wine Auctions are broadcast in part with interviews with buyers as well as sellers and advise on wine investing is offered.

There are of course many other ideas for shows on The Wine Channel. But I think I'll wait until the executives at Comcast call and offer me the job of VP of programming.

Don't Count on Obama as the "Wine President"

I am starting to be a bit concerned with the mountains of hope that are being heaped upon our president elect. Besides the hope that he will be a new kind of president, a war ending president, an economy mixing president, a health-care fixing president and truly green president, it also appears there is hope running around the wine industry that he will be a "Wine President".

The evidence that Obama is something of a connoisseur or even a simple wine lover is, I think, quite scant.  What we have is a People Magazine article in which a bottle of Kendall Jackson wine is seen in a photo sitting on a counter in the Obama home. Then we have the fact that the Obama's home in Chicago has a 1000-bottle wine cellar. Taken together, what this means is that the Obama bought a very nice home and drink wine occasionally. But I don't think it means that Obama will necessarily be the Wine-Lover-In-Chief.

Over the past few weeks I've spoke with three different wineries that are actively angling to get their wines in the White House or in inaugural events. Achieving the latter isn't so tough to do as long as you don't have your sights set on the official events and are willing to have your wine served at balls sponsored by industries, associations and interest groups. Still, there is a sense that this president will be a real "Wine President". I don't think we should get our hopes up.

Today the Santa Rosa Press Democrat ran a story by Kevin McCallum that outlines the No Sponsorship policies that the Obama transition team has placed on the official balls and events associated with the inauguration. Still, it looks like Korbel will continue to be the American Sparkling wine of choice for the inaugural events.

I'm sure the new president will, like most recent presidents, highlight American wines at state dinners and such. And I suspect, and hope, that the wines of Illinois will be highlighted in the White House. But what I don't expect is any public display of wine loving on the part of Barack Obama. And that's OK. Despite the fact that he could single handedly give the American wine industry a bump by proclaiming his love of our wines and being willing to associate himself with wine drinking, I think we have a better chance of him living up to the hope that he will be the Economy Fixing or War Ending or Green President.

Important New Wine Information Source...Read It!

A new voice has come to the world of on-line wine information/reporting and it's an important one. Actually, the voice is not new.

Lew Perdue is among the most experienced reporters/publishers to work in the wine industry. Many of you who read FERMENTATION will know and remember Lew. To some of you, he's probably a new name. He founded both Wine Business Insider as well as Wine Business Monthly, two publications that remain among the most important wine trade publications in America.

Yesterday, Lew Perdue launched WINE INDUSTRY INSIGHT. Currently it is in the form of a blog but may take on another form down the road. For now, it is instantly one of the best and most provocative on-line reads concerning the business of wine.

First and foremost, Lew is an investigative reporter. If you comb through the various posts at Wine Industry Insight you'll see that is immediately true. But Lew's voice is also born for blogging. His latest entry at the new sight is a combination hands-on reporting and editorializing on the issue of the the proposed Gallo expansion of the Russian River Valley as well as the archaic way the TTB goes about considering AVA proposals and the way they provide information to the public. It's very good stuff.

I'd love to see Lew look closely at the relationship between American wine wholesalers and the creation of state regulations. It would be an important series of stories.

But there's more background about Lew Perdue you need to know.

-He worked in the wine business as both an importer and wholesaler
-He's written numerous successful novels
-He took on the author of "The Da Vinci Code" in a very credible plagerism lawsuit
-He's been a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch and TheStreet.com
-He's worked in poliltics as an aid to a Governor and U.S. Senator

If Lew Perdue throws himself into Wine Industry Insight, then there is an important new source of investigative wine reporting that will need to be reckoned with by a lot of different people. Lew Perdue is not the kind of person who pulls punches.

The FERMENTATION 2008 Wineogram

Hey, Let's Kill The French Wine Industry!!

If I got together some co-conspirators, huddled in a dark place with candles aglow and hatched a diabolical plan to destroy the French wine industry, one of the things at the top of my LIST OF DIABOLICAL THINGS TO DESTROY THE FRENCH WINE INDUSTRY would be to ban free tastings of wine.

But since I don't know any dark places, have no candles and can't think of a single person who would want to conspire to destroy the French wine industry...Oh...wait, it appears there are some potential co-conspirators out there for me to huddle with.

But they beat me to the most obvious plan for destroying the most prestigious industry the French possess.

These French! They have no sense of efficiency.Clearly they are attempting to destroy the French wine industry, but their problem is that they are going about it in drips and drabs. And this is what separates the Boy countries from the Men Countries. There are much easier, quicker and effective ways to kill the cash cow of France.

Come'on you guys! Think straight and just do the following as quickly as possible and be done with it.

1. Enact Prohibition
2. Put a 90% tax on the sale of all grapes for production purposes
3. Ban all visual representations of wine in public

That should do the trick.