Episode description

Today in Wine News

Crystal Springs of Napa Valley becomes the first new sub-AVA in Napa Valley since 2011, thanks to some boundary pushing and boundary-pushing bigwigs in the world of wine. Louis Vuitton Moёt Hennessy has inked a deal as a Global Partner for Formula 1, potentially restoring Moёt & Chandon champagnes to the top of racing’s most prominent podium. Alsace is keeping the marketing game alive and well with their new “Gewurz” campaign. And an accomplished New York City sommelier has died in a drive-by shooting.

Keep listening to learn more.

It’s Thursday, October 24.

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In The News

Here are some highlights from the week:

Wine students, update your maps… Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA has become the first new sub-AVA in Napa Valley since 2011. The new AVA boasts 4,117 total acres, clocking in as one of the smallest American Viticultural Areas in the United States.

* “Napa’s Newest AVA Carves A Space” (W. Blake Gray/WineSearcher)

LVMH and Formula 1 have closed on a 10-year partnership deal. No official numbers or specific brand information for the deal have been disclosed as of the publication date of this podcast, but when that information does become public, we’ll update you in a future episode of The Wine Press.

* “LVMH Wine the Race for Formula 1 Sponsorship” (Meininger’s International)

CIVA, Alsace’s wine marketing board is catching on to some Gewurztraminer slang by splashing “Gewurz” in bold letters on prominent bus stop signs and billboards across France. The Alsatian wine marketing board will spend over 500,000 Euro on their total annual marketing efforts this year, in an effort to “put Alsace firmly front of mind”.

* “Alsace wines stripped back to just ‘Gewurz’” (Vitisphere)

And finally, Vernand Florara, a sommelier at Cafe Boulud in New York City, was killed in a drive-by shooting a block away from his Manhattan home earlier this month. He was 46 years old. Visitation and funeral services will be held in Bonita, California from November 6-8.

* “Sommelier killed in New York City” (Louis Thomas/The Drinks Business)

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That’s all the news this week. Thank you for listening to The Wine Press! 

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We’ll be back next Thursday with a new crop of wine news. Until then, cheers and happy drinking!

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