America's Wine Industry Is Booming

A Stunning Visualization Of America's Wine Industry -- Business Insider

America's wine industry is booming.

But a new study from Michigan State Professor Philip Howard shows "industry" maybe something of a misnomer. While you may see a wide variety of American labels at your local wine shop, the vast majority are merely offshoots of mega producers, most of them concentrated in California, Professor Howard found.

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My Comment: An impressive graphical interface.

A Wine Estate For Sale In Malibu

Rosenthal Wine Estate in Malibu Is Listed for $59.5 Million -- Wall Street Journal

A 235-acre Malibu, Calif., wine estate has listed for $59.5 million. The seller is George I. Rosenthal, the chairman of Raleigh Enterprise, which owns and operates commercial real estate, hotels, and movie and TV studio complexes.

Mr. Rosenthal assembled the Rosenthal Wine Estate beginning in 1977. The property includes a 12,000-square-foot hacienda-style main residence with two swimming pools. There are also horse stables and two guesthouses, including one with an additional pool.

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My Comment: A wine estate in Malibu .... who would have known.

Chateau Latour Exits Decades-Old 'En Primeur' System

Chateau Latour. Wikipedia

Good News For Wine Buyers As Chateau Latour Exits Decades-Old 'En Primeur' System -- The Telegraph

For decades fine wine lovers have spent thousands of pounds buying wine before it has been bottled in the hope that they will one day own a classic vintage, only to be disappointed.

However in a move that will take the gamble out of buying expensive wine, feted Bordeaux wine producer Chateau Latour has said it will stop selling its wine en primeur – while it is still in the barrel.

Wine traders – or negociants – in France usually buy top wine long before it has been bottled and sell it on at high prices if the wine is expected to be high quality.

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My Comment: Kudos to Chateau Latour .... it's about time.

Treating Wine As A Conventional Investment Opportunity

Bankers Quit Wall Street to Find $50 Million for New Wine Trust -- SFGate/Bloomberg

April 10 (Bloomberg) -- Brian Mota didn't find it easy to give up the familiar turf of private equity for wine investing.

Mota, 38, had been evaluating more conventional investment opportunities at WallerSutton Capital in Greenwich, Connecticut, after leaving JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s investment-banking unit. Then he saw a way to treat wine in a similar fashion.

He hooked up with former investment banker Timothy Clew, 40, an active collector of wine, and after sending out feelers, they began The Wine Trust in earnest in 2010.

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My Comment: It is mentioned only in passing in this article, but the Live-ex Wine Exchange website is here.