Carl Giavanti, a seasoned wine publicist, has introduced Wine Characters, a new initiative to celebrate the unique stories behind winemakers and their wines. The project focuses on small to medium-sized producers, offering a fresh way for them to share their personal narratives with a broader audience.

Held on February 28 and 29, the sessions are part of the Biden Administration’s rulemaking process after the Department of the Treasury’s February 2022 report on “Competition in the Markets for Beer, Wine, and Spirits” following the President’s Executive Order 14036 to “to reduce the trend of corporate consolidation, increase competition, and deliver concrete benefits to America’s consumers, workers, and small businesses.”

The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will host a special webinar on Feb. 23 for small wineries related to this year's expansion of California's recycling program to include wine and distilled spirits bottles, the department announced.

The issue of retailer DTC shipping is heating up with the state of Ohio acknowledging that the 6th Circuit’s decision in Block v. Canepa presents a circuit split on the issue of whether direct shipping restrictions are upheld as a matter of law, like in the 4th and 8th Circuit, or whether they require a factual inquiry as indicated by the 1st and 7th Circuit. Read the article by Irish Liquor Lawyer.

The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), a nonprofit organization that recommends model legislation for states, is pursuing harmful policies that threaten the Direct to Consumer (DTC) wine shipping industry, particularly with its recommendations that fulfillment houses be licensed and comply with complex administrative requirements.    

"We all agree that keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors is a responsible thing to do. But my question is if WSWA is crusading against DTC shipping as a responsible way to combat minor access to alcohol, why is it proposing an alternative that is less safe, then the activity you choose to ban?"  Read the article by Irish Liquor Lawyer here.

A recent legal case provides some interesting insight into how governmental regulatory agencies, including the national regulatory agency the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the myriad state alcohol beverage control boards (ABCs), enforce marketing and social media promotions executed by wineries and their wholesalers and importers.

The three-tier system of alcohol distribution is nearly 90 years old. Yet, despite massive cultural, economic, social, and technological changes that have occurred since the 1930s, the system still governs how alcohol is distributed in most states. A new website, “Fermenting Change”, has launched outlining the various ways this archaic system harms the alcohol industry and prevents consumers from accessing the products they want. The new website also offers an alternative to the three-tier system necessary to bring alcohol regulation into the 21st century.

The 51-page document, shared with VinePair by RNDC’s PR firm, alleges that Sazerac’s initial lawsuit lacked proper context and contained incorrect information about RNDC. The distributor claims that Sazerac attempted to work outside of the three-tier system of alcohol distribution and took an overreaching role — in conflict with U.S. distributor regulations — in selling the product.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank this week has stunned the financial world and the tech industry, a sector in which the bank was heavily invested. But there’s been little mention in consumer news about the bank’s other area of interest: the wine industry.