wine industry

National

Fred Franzia, creator of 'Two Buck Chuck' and champion of affordable wine, has died

10:10am September 15, 2022

by Wynne Davis

The California winemaker firmly believed that no bottle of wine should cost more than $10. He created a business that struck bargain wine gold with Charles Shaw — also known as "Two Buck Chuck."

A vineyard in Tarija, Bolivia, the center of the country's wine industry. A growing number of wineries here are improving their techniques, ramping up production and starting to export, as global interest in Bolivia's award-winning wines grows.

Grown At High Altitudes, Bolivia's Wines Are Rising Stars

4:22pm November 08, 2019

by John Otis

There's not a ton of room to grow grapes in Bolivia; many of its vineyards are located in mile-high mountain valleys and foothills. The country's wine output may be small, but it's winning big awards.

Outside of risks from the fire's heat — and any health risks related to a long-term power outage — the main health concern in wildfire conditions is smoke, which produces particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs, increasing the risk o

Health & Safety

Smoke And Power Outages Near California Wildfires Hit Farmworkers Hard

8:29pm October 29, 2019

by Anna Maria Barry-Jester

October marks not only fire season in California, but also the peak of the grape harvest. In areas not imminently threatened, some workers labor through heat and smoke to save harvests and paychecks.

Charles Brain helps hand harvest grapes in a Shiraz vineyard in the Swartland wine region of South Africa. Lubanzi Wines, which was started by Brain and his partner, Walker Brown, earned its B Corp certification this year.

Why Some Wineries Are Becoming 'Certified B Corp' — And What That Means

1:17pm May 13, 2019

by Shana Clarke

To be certified, a business must operate according to three principles of sustainability: people, planet and profit. B Corp wineries are investing in farmworkers, but some say it's still not enough.

Jerry Eisterhold runs Vox Vineyards in Weston, Mo. He's working to save long-lost American wine grape varietals.

Midwestern Vintner Saves The Forgotten Grapes That Saved Europe's Wines

10:49am May 03, 2018

by Laura Ziegler

Jerry Eisterhold wanted to make unique wines. It all started when he pulled a random, rare book from his shelf — a book written by a 19th-century horticulturist whose work had fallen into obscurity.

With the new tariff in effect, most American wines will incur duties of 29 percent.

Should California Winemakers Be Worried About China's Tariffs?

1:19pm April 12, 2018

California produces about 85 percent of American wine, which is worth about $1.5 billion in exports. As of now, China imports little U.S. wine, but it's one of the world's fastest-growing markets.

'The Sideways Effect': How A Wine-Obsessed Film Reshaped The Industry

8:36pm July 05, 2017

by Kristen Hartke

The 2004 movie about an obsessive wine snob helped boost California's pinot noir production by 170 percent. And merlot? The wine so famously maligned in the film has finally bounced back.