Wine Profitability, Premiumization and Getting Into On-Premise

Meininger’s Wine Business International interviews Chris Indelicato, CEO of Delicato Family Vineyards.  A CPA by training, he explains his financial approach at one of the U.S.’s top 10 wine companies.  Read the interview here.

A Wine Stopper That Does Double Duty

Rabbit’s new stopper also removes foil from a bottle of wine.

In the foil removal department, it does a better job than most. You put the rubbery cylinder over the neck of the bottle, forcing it down. Squeeze it and turn the bottle. That’s it. A tap releases the foil caught inside.  Rabbit Pinch Foil Cutter & Bottle Stopper, $10, rabbitwine.com.  Read more at The New York Times.

Tim Atkin MW: Sorry Mr. Parker, but the World Has Moved On

Robert Parker is one of the most talked about and divisive individuals in the world of wine. Now into his seventies and the twilight of his career, he still has the power to ignite heated discussions – even if his sway over the wineries, domaines and châteaux that once trembled before his judgments has largely vanished, says Tim Atkin, MW.

To some, Parker is a consumer champion: a straight-talking guy who always told it like it was. To others, he’s personally responsible for promoting a smooth, ripe, concentrated style of red wine that’s dismissed as “international” – or, worse, “Parkerized” – imposing his tastes on the market like some crazed dictator. The truth, as it often does, lies somewhere between these two poles.  Read more here from Harpers Wine & Spirit.