VinoWeek Episode 16 - The 2015 Harvest is in Full Swing

It looks to be an excellent vintage for Champagne according to Claude Giraud. If the weather holds there will be lots of smiling wine growers throughout France. The harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon has started in Napa Valley.  Growers are seeing lower yields but the quality thus far appears to be excellent.  Jessie Duarte fills us in on what's happening in the regions up and down the valley.

W. Blake Gray finds an intern working at a Napa Valley winery to explain what one does in a winery at harvest time. The mystery writer, fresh out of a four year program of viticulture and enology with several harvests under his belt, already seems to have a fairly good grasp of how the wine business works. It's a good read.

The Sonoma County Wine Auction set a new record this year. All the proceeds go to charity and in this article by Peg Melnik you can see who the big spenders were.

Cynthia Sewell writes an article about wine exclusives in the state of Idaho and asks, "Are Idaho Officials Enforcing the Rules?".

Over the last few months we've seen some consolidation in the wine business.  Now it seems as though we may start seeing consolidation in the beer business. Bill Swindell reports for the Press Democrat on the Lagunitas, Heineken partnership.  Bill and I kick around a few ideas on what this partnership could mean for the craft beer business.

Thanks for listening and tell a fellow wino about us. Cheers!