A year ago I had the pleasure of speaking at VitiNord, a great conference focused on cold climate grapes held in Burlington, Vermont. “Cold is Cool, and Small is Big” was my theme, touting the great wines that can come from cold-hardy Minnesota varieties as well as the combined economic impact of the many states … Read more

Shutdown Postponed A few days before the November 17 deadline, the House passed a two-step Continuing Resolution that was accepted by the Senate and signed by the President, averting a government shutdown while establishing new deadlines of late January and early February to adopt a new budget—or go through the same fire drill again. That’s … Read more

WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries, installed three new Directors on its 17-member Board during its Fall Retreat in Traverse City, Michigan on November 14. The three new Directors are Kelly Bostock of Dos Cabezas WineWorks in Arizona; Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, California; and Dave Kostelnik of Early Mountain Vineyards in Virginia. They were elected by a vote of WineAmerica’s membership … Read more

Utah is an interesting state in a number of ways, but wine production is not one of them, nor is it a large consuming state given the religious orientation of most residents. To some extent the popular ski areas account for wine’s economic impact, since many skiers often enjoy a glass or two as part … Read more

Shutdown Countdown: One Week A week from today is the deadline for Congress to avoid a potentially catastrophic government shutdown, and there’s still a long way to go with lots of obstacles. A Continuing Resolution (CR) is needed to keep the government functioning, and right now there are three different versions which are all DOA … Read more