Felline started as a collection of vineyards collaborating on soil analysis. Today, they are committed to the serious cultivation of Puglia’s indigenous grape varieties.
In this recently video, Felline has put together a very Italian take on a Harvest Video.
The flooding in Germany has left hundreds dead and caused millions in property damage, including devastation to the wine region of Ahr. For Dorte and Meike Nakel, the sisters behind some of German’s finest Pinot Noir at Weingut Meyer-Nakel, their experience was life and death. In this Wine-Searcher article, it reads more like a Hollywood disaster movie than a traditional ideal of wine country living.
The sisters had gone to their winery, just outside town, to try and save equipment from the flood. Caught out by the rapid rise of the flood waters, they became trapped in the building. They originally tried to escape onto the roof but, when a large gas tank was washed into it, they realized they needed to get out quickly. This could only be achieved by diving into the flood waters, swimming beneath barrels floating in the cellars, and kicking out a window, through which they were washed by the floodwaters. Carried downstream they eventually found refuge in a tree just outside Dernau. There they stayed for seven hours before being rescued the next morning. Their mother believes the tree that became their refuge was one that had been planted by their grandfather.
There is a lot more to the story than just this paragraph, including how other wineries in the region are working to help. Read the whole article here.
In a recent article by Catherine Rickman in Frenchly, Chateau Minuty was highlighted as one of their 7 Rosés You Should be Drinking this Summer.
Château Minuty (Provence, France) – The bottle is sexy, the wine is delicious. An excellent Grenache and Cinsault blend to share with friends at the barbecue. Flavor is crisp with notes of peach and candied orange.
On June 30th, journalist Brian Freedman of Forbes discussed his top wine of the week - Billecart-Salmon 2008 Elizabeth Rosé Champagne.
My white Wine of the Week—actually, it’s a rosé, and a stunning one, at that—is the Champagne Billecart Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé 2008, a wine that both exemplifies what makes this venerable house so important, and at the same time challenges expectations.
Billecart Salmon has deep roots: They stretch back to 1818, and in the 200-plus years since the marriage of Elisabeth Salmon and Nicolas François Billecart, the house has remained family-owned and operated. Today, it’s helmed by Mathieu Rolland-Billecart, the seventh generation of the family to do so. The wines, as has been my experience for decades now, continue to inspire and impress.
The Brut Rosé NV remains a benchmark of the style, and the Brut Sous Bois NV showcases how profound and delicious an impact creative uses of oak can have on great non-vintage Champagne. But it’s the Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé 2008, which was just released this past May, that I can’t stop thinking about.
Check out the whole article here.
In a new article on Wine Searcher, writer W Blake Gray discussed the effect of record-setting heat on Oregon Pinot Noir. As part of the article, Gray interviewed a number of figures in the Jason Lett of the historic Eyrie Vineyards.
"Vinifera evolved on volcanic sunbaked slopes in much more hostile environments than the Willamette Valley," said Jason Lett, owner of The Eyrie Vineyards in McMinnville. "The vines will get through it flawlessly. When I was out today the vines looked great – no cupped leaves, plenty of tendril growth, lots of vigor. Plus the heat is killing powdery mildew, which, love that."
Read the full article here
In a new article by VinePair, the 2020 M de Minuty was named one of the ”Best Rosé Wines of 2021.”
92 points. This is everything we look for in a Provence rosé. With a chewy yet refreshing texture and balanced acidity, this elegantly creamy wine finishes with a subtle fruit note that stays with you long after the last sip.
Read the whole article here.
A Sommelier Roundtable in Wine Spectator Magazine recently discussed “Green Wines” that are the real deal.
Sommeliers … want to recommend well-made bottles from producers they respect. Who's on the vanguard of going green? We asked nine Wine SpectatorRestaurant Award–winning wine pros which pours from around the world they recommend to eco-conscious—or skeptical—drinkers.
Daniel Tucker Jr., wine director at new 2020 Best of Award of Excellence winner Elements in Princeton, N.J. selected our elite Lebanese wine - Chateau Musar - his pick.
Chateau Musar! The family estate was founded in 1930. They are located in one of the oldest winemaking areas in the world, Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. The family has always produced wines naturally with minimal intervention ... with their high-elevation vineyards along the mountain slopes. It was officially certified organic [for its vineyards] in 2006, the first in Lebanon to do so.
In a recent Wine Enthusiast article about the Slow Wine movement and publication by Sophia McDonald Bennett, two of our numerous eco-friendly brands were featured.
Forge Cellars in East Seneca Lake, New York:
Rick Rainey, managing partner of Forge Cellars in the Finger Lakes region of New York, says that the cold, wet climate makes it difficult to grow grapes through organic means. Plus, as a relatively small region, it’s hard to charge prices that would support organic farming.
He uses his vineyards as a sort of demonstration to local growers that there are plenty of things they can do to have a lesser impact on the planet. That includes less frequent spraying, the use of biological alternatives to conventional sprays (such as an insecticide made with giant knotweed extract) and building soil health through compost and cover crops.
“If you use certain methods of organics and biodynamics, you need to go into the vineyards a lot,” he says. Some of these required sprays must be applied with more frequency than their conventional counterparts.
“That leads to greater soil compaction and more carbon emissions from tractors,” he says. “That’s why we’re focused on how we can create a system that enables us to have good prices and farm in a way that is good for the earth.”
Bethel Heights Vineyard in Willamette Valley, Oregon:
Ben Casteel, co-owner and winemaker at Bethel Heights Vineyards in Oregon’sEola-Amity Hills, says all the company’s employees, including the work crew it shares with two other vineyards, receive full health benefits.
“We’ve had the same crew since I was a kid,” he says. “I’ve grown up around a lot of these people. It’s very important for us that our workers feel taken care of and are paid a living wage.”
To read the entire article: click this link.
Two of our brands, From the Tank and Vina Borgia, made the Top Three in a new article in Prevention magazine. “10 Best Boxed Wine Brands to Drink in 2020” was written by Camille Berry.
The bag-in-a-box format isn't just kinder to your wallet, it's also better for the environment. Producing and shipping glass wine bottles requires far more energy and resources than the humble bag-in-a-box combo. With social distancing measures still in place, it'll be a minute before we can go back to hosting large gatherings. But when it's time to throw your first post-pandemic BBQ or backyard bash, consider picking up some boxed wine. At 3L (about 4 bottles of wine), you can keep the wine flowing and your guests happy.
Delicious, organic boxed wine? You bet! Jenny & Francois Selections' organic natural boxed wine “From the Tank” comes in red, white, and rosé versions. With its berry-driven profile mixed with violets, fresh herbs, and a dash of black pepper, From the Tank: Red is a real standout.
Loads of rich berry and cherry aromas and flavors in this delightfully fruity Spanish Garnacha. A touch of pepper and licorice round out the palate. Thanks to its fresh profile, you could easily serve this slightly chilled on a hot day. All that gorgeous fruit means with wine would work equally well in a sangria.
In a recent article in the New York Times, wine writer Eric Asimov spoke about how wine affects him during this pandemic.
In these strange times, I find grounding in wine. Not through self-medication, though I do not disparage the buzz. But simply through the fascinating combination of grape, place and person that can make every good bottle either a new adventure or an old, beloved story.
We were very pleased to discover that he included amongst his choices the beautiful Gaspard Sauvignon Blanc, a delicious natural wine with wide appeal.
Gaspard Vin de France Sauvignon Blanc
Jenny & François is one of the pioneering American importers of natural wines. Gaspard is the name of its private label, and this wine is delicious. Made from sauvignon blanc grown in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley, this wine will not remind you of the more pungent sauvignon blanc associated with New Zealand. It’s a more gentle, resonant style reminiscent of a restrained Sancerre. (Jenny & François Selections, New York)
In a July 8th segment on Fox Business “After the Bell,” our COO Eric Faber was interviewed about wine tariffs. FOX Business' Kristina Partsinevelos reports on the wine industry being hit hard by falling sales to restaurants when coronavirus hit. Cutting Edge Selections COO Eric Faber says 2020 is the year no one saw coming, saying tariffs on the wine industry are one of the last things the business needs right now.
Faber’s interview appears at the 2:19 minute mark in the video.
FOX Business' Kristina Partsinevelos reports on the wine industry being hit hard by falling sales to restaurants when coronavirus hit. Cutting Edge Selections COO Eric Faber says 2020 is the year no one saw coming, saying tariffs on the wine industry are one of the last things the business needs right now.
Check it out on the Fox Business website: https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6170236815001/
Transcript (starting at 2:19):
Jackie DeAngelis:
Yeah, well here to discuss the impact on the wine industry is Eric Faber, Cutting Edge Selections, chief operating officer, and general manager. Eric, good to see you. I think Kristina has set the landscape, set the scene for us pretty well. Your industry facing two major issues here. The first would be tariffs, and that was an issue before the Coronavirus. And now of course, consumption is down because of the pandemic. How do you think that the wine industry is going to rebound from everything that's happening and which is worse?
Eric Faber:
Well, it's very difficult to say how we're going to rebound at this point. Obviously, 2020 is a year none of us really saw coming. For our industry, we started the year with a fight over the initial tariffs that were levied. And then moving into the pandemic of course, no one really was able to predict that. And it has had a very drastic effect on our sales really industry-wide.
Eric Faber:
In terms of how we rebound from this, one of the big things is as things reopen, being able to offer good price points to restaurants and retailers, specifically as these are industries, the whole wine industry works on pretty notoriously slim margins, as does the restaurant industry. Looking at adding a tariff right now is, is pretty much the last thing we need in order to get our business back on track. And it's something that we're very concerned about.
Jackie DeAngelis:
And what are some examples of ways that you could manage the cost rather than just passing it straight off to the consumers? Buying in bulk, is that an option? Working with the wineries, international wineries that is, to create better deals? I mean, it's a tough time to try to create those cost savings, right?
Eric Faber:
It's a very difficult time to do that. Everybody is hurting right now based on the level of sales that we're seeing really globally, even outside the United States. We have worked with wineries really since the beginning of the tariff issue to try and lower our margins a little bit and lower their margins a little bit, to try and keep the prices down for consumers. But every state has its own unique set of laws when it comes to the regulation of alcohol.
Eric Faber:
As an example in Ohio, where we're based, we have to charge a certain margin to retailers or restaurants by law so that the state can get its tax revenue from that, which means when the wine arrives, we pay the tariff on the wine. It's not paid by anybody in Europe. We have to pass the price increases along to the consumer. It's not necessarily the same in every state, but each state has their own very unique laws that make this very, very problematic.
Jackie DeAngelis:
In Kristina's report, she talked about one of the aspects to this being that there may be more consumption of domestic wines. You obviously are an importer, you import wine from other countries, your thoughts on how you could work or restructure your business in some way, if there is a way, to work with some of the domestic producers?
Eric Faber:
Well, we're actually a distributor as well as an importer, so we work with nearly 100 domestic wineries already. Certainly there is some small opportunity for there to be more sales there, but it would be very incorrect to look at domestic wineries and think they can simply up production of wine to fill the gap left by wines that are going to become more expensive or maybe no longer available, if the tariff goes through at 100%.
Eric Faber:
It takes years for vines to grow to a point where you can make quality wines out of them. And it's also important to note that wine from different parts of the world, even if it's Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc from California doesn't have the same taste and flavor profile of Sauvignon Blanc from certain regions of France or from New Zealand.
Jackie DeAngelis:
Yeah.
Eric Faber:
As a result, you're really limiting consumer choice by putting a tariff on things. And it's important to remember the tariff is being placed because of a dispute between Boeing and Airbus.
Jackie DeAngelis:
Yeah.
Eric Faber:
So our industry is really being shaken to its core for something that we had nothing to do with. We're really being thrown in the middle of something at the worst possible time.
Jackie DeAngelis:
You bring up some great points, Eric, and as consumers of international wine, we had nothing to do with it either.
In the recent Wall Street Journal Article “Battered U.S. Wine Importers Brace for Higher Tariffs,” journalist Josh Zumbrun discusses the challenges facing wine companies due to existing and potential tariffs on wine.
The piece featured a lengthy interview with Eric Faber, COO of Cutting Edge Selections.
Take Eric Faber, the chief executive of Cutting Edge Selections, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based wine distributor. Ohio laws require a markup of at least 25% between wholesaler and retailer and an additional 33% between retailer and customer. That means he can’t absorb the increased cost from the tariff.
“We saw a slowdown in sales for virtually every item that took a price increase,” said Mr. Faber. Even before the pandemic hit, Mr. Faber estimates he lost between 8% and 13% of his sales.
During the pandemic, Mr. Faber took a loan from the Payroll Protection Program so that he wouldn’t have to lay off workers. But the salesmen in his business work on commission and the sales environment is difficult.
“There’s absolutely no reason to drag in small businesses, particularly in the United States, because of a dispute between two of the largest aircraft companies in the world,” Mr. Faber said.
To read the full article (paywall) click here.
We know that all of us are dealing with many concerns right now, and we don’t intend to take a lot of your time. However, we feel it necessary to let you know a few changes we will be making at this point that may slightly affect the way we do business with you. We are trying to limit the disruption as much as possible, but some small changes are inevitable.
First, we want to assure you that Cutting Edge is committed to providing safe and sanitary services to all of our customers. We are implementing additional measures to ensure the cleanliness of our facilities and vehicles along with some new temporary policies designed to protect our employees as well as yours.
1. Effective immediately, we are suspending our delivery minimums in order to ensure those who are doing carry-out service can still receive product without too great a financial burden.
2. We are asking our Sales Team to work from home, except in cases where physically visiting an account is necessary and the Sales Rep agrees to service the account in person.
3. We are suspending all public tastings, ride withs, and sampling of product until further notice.
4. In order to prevent any disease spread, we will not be offering printing services until further notice.
5. We are immediately suspending all customer pick-ups at the warehouse until further notice.
6. We are suspending all charitable donations in order to put the focus on maintaining the pay scale for all our employees.
7. We are asking that all customers, when signing invoices and checks, please use their own pens.
· Delivery days and driver routes may be altered during the time of restaurant shutdown. You rep will keep you informed of any necessary changes.
· Should it become necessary due to health concerns, you may have a different rep than normal contact you about your orders. Your normal Sales Rep will still receive the commission and remain your rep when things go back to normal.
· Unfortunately, Cutting Edge will not be allowing returns on previously delivered orders.
· We will be allowing split cases, with the normal bottle charge.
Of course, in this time of uncertainty we urge everyone to stay safe, be reasonable, and work with those around you to support those who are in need.
In times like this, we often fear the worst but as a society we have countless times shown the resiliency to overcome and this will be no different. While there are many real concerns from a public health and financial standpoint that we all share, our family continues to believe in the mantra so often heard coming from our founder, Mark. It’s Good To Be Us, and together we can weather this storm.
Two Cutting Edge Selections Champagne Brands - Bollinger and Billecart-Salmon - were featured in a recent Vinepair article by Eliot Routh, “The 10 Most Popular Champagne Brands in The World’s Top Bars.”
While half the list was made up of bottles from large luxury brands, we were very pleased to find two worthy selections from our portfolio.
#5 - BOLLINGER
A Champagne house with an anglo accent, Bollinger’s English connection stretches back to 1884, when it received a Royal Warrant. It is, reportedly, one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favorites. Further adding to its deep-rooted British credentials, Bollinger is releasing a special edition bottle in connection with April’s upcoming James Bond film, “No Time to Die.”
#8 - BILLECART-SALMON
A mid-size, family-run producer, Billecart-Salmon is well-regarded by sommeliers and drinks writers alike, claiming fourth place on VinePair’s 2019 list of the Best Champagnes to Buy Right Now.
As we approach the season for Champagne, Wine Enthusiast Magazine has released a list of their 15 Best Champagnes for Less than $100. We were excited to see three of our Champagnes had made their way onto the list. Two are still available, but one had already sold out.
Collet Champagne NV Blanc de Blanc Premier Cru Brut - 93 points
Chardonnay from three of the Côte des Blancs villages gives a strongly mineral character that has benefited from five years aging to produce a tight, taut wine that is just reaching maturity. Drink now.
Ayala Champagne NV Brut Majeur - 91 points
Part of the Bollinger group, this nonvintage cuvée is sophisticated, with ripe fruit, acidity and tangy orange-zest flavors all in balance. A final fresh twist gives a great lift.
Billecart-Salmon 2008 Vintage Extra Brut Champagne - 95 points
Building on the structured Pinot Noir, often a hallmark of this producer’s Champagnes, this wine is densely textured and full of white fruits from the Chardonnay. Still young, it remains on the fruit spectrum so wait until 2021 for the full glory of the maturity to come through.
The Billecart-Salmon was already sold out at the time of this posting. But you’ll want to grab the next vintage when available because this Champagne is always exceptional.
To read the whole list of Champagnes, click here.
VinePair just released their list of the 50 Best Wines of 2019 and Chateau Montelena 2016 Napa Chardonnay is at the top of that list. In order to select the Top 50, the editors started with wines that had received A+ ratings. “All bottles must be readily available in the U.S., offer great value for money, and be drinking well right now.”
#1 - Chateau Montelena 2016 Napa Chardonnay
Though its history stretches back to the late 19th century, Chateau Montelena is best known for the success of its Napa Valley Chardonnay during the now-legendary 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting. Deemed by a group of (mainly) French judges to be the best Chardonnay of 10 bottles from California and Burgundy, the victory signified a coming-of-age for America’s wine industry, helping place Napa Valley on the map of the world’s finest wine regions. Produced on the 40th anniversary of that historic event, Chateau Montelena’s 2016 Napa Valley Chardonnay shows that the estate is continuing to operate at the highest level. It offers a blueprint for what oaked American Chardonnay should taste like — beyond butter. Instead, elegance and power shine through in the grape’s mineral-driven flavors of fresh melon, apple, and honeysuckle. Meanwhile, careful and considered oak aging provides nutmeg notes and a soft, creamy texture. Buy this wine and raise a glass to the past, present, and future of Napa winemaking.
To see the complete list of 50 Wines, click here.
Read all about the upcoming wine tariffs and the damage they will cause here in our official statement
Or listen to our management discuss the tariffs and their impact
December 17, 2019
Open Letter Regarding Newly Proposed Tariff Actions
As some of you are likely already aware, a first round of tariffs has already gone through on certain European wines as a result of the WTO ruling against the business practices of the EU regarding Airbus. This tariff increased the tax on non-sparkling wines from France, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom that are equal to or below 14% alcohol to 25% ad valorem, or an increase of roughly 1500%. This tariff also included a massive list of additional items such as whiskey, clothing, a wide array of agricultural products, and much more.
Recently, two additional tariff actions have been proposed by the US Trade Representative that may take effect as soon as the middle of January and could include 100% ad valorem increases on ALL EUROPEAN WINES. While the previously implemented tariff is already beginning to have an effect on pricing of the affected products around the country, the newly proposed tariffs will likely have a much greater impact and could be crippling to all levels of the wine industry, along with a large number of other important sectors of our economy.
You can find details on the newly proposed tariffs at the bottom of this letter.
It is worth noting that the tariffs are not paid by the producers or the European governments, but are instead paid by the importer when the product arrives at US Customs, after which the price increases are passed on to retailers and restaurants and finally to the consumer. Thus, the tariffs are in practice being solely levied against American companies and consumers, and not against any of the parties responsible for the transgressions that have created the impetus for these actions.
We don’t have to tell you how devastating these tariffs would be. Essentially doubling the price of every bottle of wine from Europe will likely create a de-facto ‘prohibition’ on those products and cause a crippling affect throughout our industry. As we all know, these products are not so simply replaceable with domestic wines or wines from other countries which won’t be affected. To begin with, wine is a cultural product and certain styles and regions cannot be replicated. Additionally, wine is not like most other products where producers who are not subject to the tariffs can simply produce more. There is a finite amount available.
Certainly, our business will be greatly affected by this, but importers and distributors will not be the only ones who will suffer as a result. We feel it necessary to again mention that wine is not the only product subject to these actions. Food products, liquor, beer, clothing, industrial goods, and many more items from most of the EU will be hit.
The effect on American small businesses will be vast and crippling. By increasing prices on alcohol and food products, many restaurants and retailers will suffer greatly. Increases on consumer goods will punish small retailers. If the first tariff was a difficult pill for those in these industries, the newly proposed tariffs are nothing short of a poison pill that will lead to downsizing, lay-offs, reduced pay, and the loss of benefits.
From the viewpoint of the American economy, these tariffs are at best short-sighted in their goals and at worst have the potential to be the beginning of a drastic economic downturn. Higher unemployment and lower consumer spending are the pitfalls of an economy and are the two most clear results of this trade dispute.
While the USTR may claim this will raise revenue in the form of increased tariffs, that only works if people continue to purchase the products. We have spoken to many of our partners in the industry and the consensus is clearly that sales will decrease. Equally important is the tax revenue generated by the sales of these good domestically, which fund not just the Federal Government but our local and state governments as well. As you can see, the economic implications here can be vast and create problems for more than just companies like Cutting Edge or small wine shops.
With the knowledge that these proposed actions could be so devastating, the question becomes what can we all do to prevent them from being implemented? There is an avenue provided by the USTR for American businesses and consumers where it invites written comments to be submitted for review before a decision is made. We STRONGLY encourage all of you to submit written testimony in opposition to the tariffs.
For our part, we will be submitting written testimony of our own and are working with trade organizations to lobby the government on our behalf. We have attempted to contact our elected officials, which has so far yielded returns only in form-letter responses if we receive any response at all. Clearly, more people are needed to speak up and make this important!
You can reach out to your elected Representatives as well as the Office of the US Trade Representative to voice complaints and concerns.
HOW TO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE USTR
To submit written testimony in regards to proposed USTR Action on French Sparkling Wines as a result of the French Digital Services Tax, visit www.regulations.gov and search for USTR-2019-0009. Written testimony must be delivered by Monday, January 6 to be considered.
To submit written testimony in regards to the USTR Action regarding the potential tariff increases on ALL European wines as a result of the WTO ruling against the EU and Airbus, visit www.regulations.gov and search for USTR-2019-0003. Written testimony must be submitted by Monday, January 13 to be considered.
When submitting written testimony to the USTR it is important to note that these comments will be on the public record, so we have been advised that being factual about the impact this would have on your business is the best possible way to make the argument successful. It is important to note the type of your business and number of employees, the significance of the affected products to your company, and the economic impact that you would anticipate if the tariff is imposed, both in profitability and potential downsizing needs as a result. If you are submitting as an individual who works for a business that will affected, noting the potential loss of income and benefits is important. If you are a consumer who buys wine or affected goods, noting the change in your ability to purchase these products and therefore the loss of revenue for small business is important.
For any who submit testimony, it is important to note that by creating job loss and stifling the sales of products will ultimately lead to lower tax revenue for local and state governments as well as the and the Federal Government.
To contact your elected officials, you can visit www.usa.gov/elected-officials to find contact information.
While we are not a political organization, we hope you agree this is not a political issue but rather an economic issue that could be devastating to all. Cutting Edge, our team, and our suppliers and import partners strongly urge you to use all possible avenues to help fight against this. Tell your employees and peers in the industry to take action and urge anyone you can think of who will be affected to speak out as well.
Truly, it seems our only hope is for the USTR to be made aware of the potentially crippling affect these actions could have for our industry, on our businesses, in the lives of our employees, and subsequently on our economy as a whole. No matter your political beliefs, these actions will certainly have serious repercussions for all of us.
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED TARIFFS
The first proposed tariff is a new 100% ad valorem import tax on all French sparkling wines, which comes as a response to the French Digital Services Tax. This tax also includes 100% ad valorem tariffs on other French products like cheese, cosmetics, and clothing accessories. The Digital Services Tax, which is effectively a tax on large digital services companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook, is set for 3% and only affects the largest companies in that sector and it is important to note that it applies to companies from all over the world, not just those based in the United States. Most of the affected companies have already levied a 3% increase in their services to offset this cost within France.
The second and more profound proposed tariff is essentially a broadening by the US Trade Office of the original tariffs levied by the US in response the WTO ruling regarding the EU and Airbus. The claim, from the office of US Trade Rep Robert Lighthizer, is that Airbus and the EU have not corrected the behavior that led to the ruling and as such should be penalized at a higher level. The proposed additional tariffs are broadly defined, but allows the potential for both increasing the existing tariff from 25% ad valorem to up to 100% ad valorem and adding additional products. This could include ALL European Wines and Spirits, as well as a laundry list of other agricultural and textile related goods sold in small retailers around the country. As with the first tariff, it penalizes the offending Civil Aviation less than producers and companies who have NO AFFILITION with aviation on any level.
More importantly, it conveniently does not mention that the WTO is still yet to rule on charges by the European Union against the United States and Boeing. It is possibly, and even likely, that this ruling will be larger than the original ruling against Airbus.
*ad valorem taxes mean a tax on the value of the product being importer: essentially, if a product costs an importer $10 to bring into the United States, a 100% ad valorem tax would be $10, raising the total cost of the product to $20, or doubling the price.
Our hope is that this letter cause you to speak out, not just on behalf of how this will affect our business, but on how it will affect your own business and the potential affects it could have on your life.
It is only by working together that we will be able to stop these harmful actions before they are enacted,
Esther Mobley, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, just released her list of the 2019 Winemakers to Watch: The Rising Stars of West Coast Wine. She talked about how competitive this year’s list in with the west coast having an “embarrassment of riches.”
One of the winemakers Mobley profiled was Byron Elmendorf of Boeger Winery.
From a distance, it would be easy to see Byron Elmendorf as an anomaly in the Sierra foothills. … Elmendorf, who is the head winemaker at Boeger Winery in Placerville, sees himself as part of a larger generational shift. Many of the foothills’ pioneering winemakers are reaching the ends of their careers, “and now they’re making room for new people to come in and start a new era,” he says.
…
Elmendorf brings a worldly perspective to his winemaking. The son of foreign aid workers, he was born in Honduras and raised in Ecuador and India, then studied plant biology at Brown University in Rhode Island. After spending a few years as a climate-change consultant in Washington, D.C., he entered the life of a traveling harvest intern, working in New Zealand, Canada, France’s Rhone Valley and California. He joined Boeger full time in 2015.
For more on Byron Elmendorf and the other winemakers featured, check out the article here.
A recent article by The Corkscrew Concierge highlighted Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon as a perfect expensive gift for the holiday season.
As it happens during this time of year, one of the often-asked questions is what impressive (expensive) bottle of wine to gift. And when I ask what type of wine they were thinking, the answer in many instances is ‘Cabernet Sauvignon.’ So since I’m always asked the question, it seems fitting that I share some Cabs that I think are worthy of gifting. Some of these are well-known (because hey, why mess with a classic?), while others may not be as well known. And all are generally available for purchase.
Chateau Montelena 2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
While gaining fame when it’s Chardonnay was awarded top scores at the above-mentioned Judgment of Paris, the Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely my favorite varietal from this historic producer. I still remember a few years ago pulling a 1996 Cab out of the cellar, drinking it over the course of several hours, and just being wowed at the greatness from beginning to end. The 2015 is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Amazingly vibrant dark fruit alongside mocha, leather, cedar, and spice. Rich and full-bodied with approachable tannins that soften up with some time in the decanter. As always, a pleasurable sip. It can certainly be enjoyed now with some decanter time, but will undoubtedly improve with a little more time in the cellar.
Check out the entire article here.
