As a graduate of Windows Wine School it was a privilege to have taken instruction under the world’s premier wine educator Kevin Zraly. And now that Windows Wine School is coming to a close its bittersweet to share Dorothy Gaiter’s article with you: Kevin Zraly Says He Has To ‘Let Go’ Of Windows All good things must come to a close in 2016 but the good news is, when one door closes another opens. We look for more goodness from the Master in the years to come.
The public voting is complete for the 2014 Wine Blog Awards. The public has spoken and these 
lucky winners are the folks who’ve got the juice! A special shout out to Philly’s own Wine School of Pennsylvania. You do Pennsylvania proud.
Best Blog Post of the Year
Lauren Mowery’s Turkish Wines: Vinkara Winery Working to Preserve Indigenous Varieties with Delicious Results, from the blog, Chasing the Vine.
Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog
Jordan Winery’s blog, The Journey of Jordan Winery, organized by Lisa Mattson.
Best Industry/Business Wine Blog:
Tom Wark’s Fermentation: The Daily Wine blog
Best Wine Reviews on a Wine Blog:
Best Single Subject Wine Blog:
Best Winery Blog:
Best Writing On a Wine Blog:
Best New Wine Blog:
Best Overall Wine Blog:
U.S. wine drinkers are the biggest wine consumers in the world. Perhaps that’s good news for the American wine consumer. Because it didn’t take long for some very discerning wine drinkers to realize they were drinking counterfeit wine. In other words, fake wine bottles with fake wine labels were being shipped overseas for consumption, with the expectation it be sold at higher prices. Thanks to some discerning palettes, the worthless wine was readily identifiable. Are you drinking worthless wine? Watch below:
For those of us in the wine industry, the government shutdown has brought the wine approval business to a halt. Federal approval for new wineries and/or wine labels is handled by the Federal Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). For purposes of the government shutdown, the TTB has been deemed non-essential. The Federal Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is not processing COLAs, new wine application permits, label approvals, or importation of wine in bond. Approximately 800,000 of the two million U.S. federal employees have been furloughed.
The suspension of the TTB’s regulatory functions means all reviews of alcohol beverage label permits, formulas are suspended until such time funding is reinstated. This means that many Pennsylvania wineries will not be able to sell their wines until the shutdown ends and their applications can be processed. The legal documents required to bottle and sell the wine has come to a halt, hence having severe financial impact to many of the State’s wineries.
The TTB has posted an Appropriations Lapse Notice. Once government services resume, a horrendous backlog for application processing is anticipated as we are now approaching Day 14 of the shutdown.
New Jersey State Officials are now investigation complaints about mis-labeled drinks used to scam bar and restaurant liquor customers. Samples taken indicate that the liquor sold was not the brand ordered. Dishonest practices used to increase profits have certainly put the owner’s liquor licenses up for suspension and or revocation as per the state’s Alcohol Beverage Commission. For more on these despicable practices see:
Are you’re looking for a guide on American wines and those who make it? Is so you might wish to take a look at this new book by author and wine expert Janis Robinson. Janice takes a look at American winemakers in all fifty states. For more:
Governor Tom Corbett (R) is expected to unveiled his plan to privatize Pennsylvania’s state liquor stores. The Governor proposes one stop shopping by allowing consumers to purchase wine and beer at grocery stores or big box store. The plan anticipates that prices would be driven down and calls for the auctioning off of some 1200 liquor licenses and the closure of some 600 stores. The Governor’s plan would have to be approved by the State’s Legislature. For more:
View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.
The promotion of alcohol brands through the use of internet and social media has caught the eye of the Federal Trade Commission. Wineries, brewers and distillers are under fire by critics for not doing enough to protect its underage viewers. The Federal Trade Commission, empowered to protect consumers from deceptive practices, intends to conduct a study focused on the issues related to underage exposure. For more information read Reuters: FTC Study Taking Aim At Online Marketing of Booze and Kids.
The public is being solicited to assist scientists at Cornell University come up with names
for two new wine grape varieties that will be released as a part of their 2013 breeding program. As part of contest and social media campaign, name submissions will be accepted until Aug. 6. For more information read here: The name game: Contests seeks names for two new grapes.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has ended its ill-fated wine vending program after a year’s experiment with statewide grocery stores. The wine kiosks located at 21 stores throughout the state required customers to swipe their ID, blow into a breathalyzer and look into a security camera to buy their wine. The program came under tough scrutiny with customer complaints, mechanical problems and lagging sales. This week, the PLCB concluded the wine kiosks program after the manufacturer Simple Brands LLC of Montgomery County defaulted on a payment of more than $1 million per Joe Conti, CEO of the PLCB. The end of the kiosks program comes during a time where House Majority Leader Republican 
Mike Turzai has introduced a bill to privatize the state’s liquor system proposing the sale of liquor licenses wherein supermarkets would be able to purchase licenses and sell wine to its customers. Alternatively, the PLCB initially envisioned the wine kiosks program as a way to implement modernization into the state’s liquor control system. Meanwhile as the turf battles continue in the industry, some of us are still looking for ways to “eat local” and “drink local”. Now what say you?
