California Passes Bill on Japanese Shochu - Wine & Spirits Magazine

California Passes Bill on Japanese Shochu


Japanese Shochu can now be sold in California under the Type 41 license. (Photo: Jack Shanahan)

The California State Legislature passed AB 416, stating that Japanese Shochu—a distillate from grains and vegetables like barley and sweet potatoes—with an ABV of 24 percent or less can now be sold to establishments with Type 41 liquor licenses. Type 41 licenses previously included the sale of beer, wine and Korean Soju, and many Japanese products were labeled with the Korean term. The new regulation allows for the cultural distinction between the two distillates.

This page is regularly updated as Wine & Spirits’ News In Brief section, where we publish news from around the wine world. A new thread of this section is published annually.

March 6, 2024

New Winemaker Appointed at Bedell Cellars

Marin Brennan (Photo: Alejandra Villa)

Bedell Cellars, a founding member of Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing, announced Marin Brennan as the new winemaker. Brennan joined the Bedell winemaking team in 2011 and will continue to collaborate with Richard Olsen-Harbich, whose new title is Director of Winemaking.

March 5, 2024

Domaine Carneros Appoints Allison Wilson Director of Vineyard Operations

Allison Wilson (Photo courtesy of the winery)

Allison Cellini Wilson is the new Director of Vineyard Operations at Domaine Carneros, the winery founded by Champagne Taittinger in Napa Valley known for its traditional method sparkling wines and pinot noir. Before joining Domaine Carneros, Wilson spent nine years at Cliff Lede as Viticulturist and then Director of Vineyard Operations. Wilson will lead a team including Viticulturist Gita Mallya and Vineyard Manager Jorge Flores, overseeing six estate vineyards with over 400 acres in the Carneros AVA

February 22, 2024

Jancis Robinson MW OBE Awarded 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

Jancis Robinson (Photo courtesy of IMW)

Jancis Robinson MW OBE is the recipient of the 2024 Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) Lifetime Achievement Award. Julian Gore-Booth, IMW executive director, and Patrick Schmitt MW, editor-in-chief of the drinks business, presented the award at Vinexposium’s V d’Or on February 12, 2024. The award acknowledges Robinson’s contribution to the global wine community as a wine writer, critic and TV presenter, with more than 20 books published—including her work on The World Atlas of Wine and The Oxford Companion to Wine—and wine website JancisRobinson.com. In 1984, Robinson became the first person working outside of the wine trade to pass the Master of Wine exam. And in 2003, she was ordained with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II; Robinson also personally advised the queen on her wine cellar.

February 22, 2024

Vinos de Pueblo Approved in Rioja

Rioja winemakers can now list individual pueblos and vineyards on their labels. (Photo Juan Carlos Sancha)

The Consejo Regulador (DOCa), Rioja’s ruling body, has adapted its rules to allow Vino de Pueblo instead of the previous Vino de Municipio. The change came in response to demands from producers who are focused on emphasizing terroir distinctions in their labeling. The Consejo Regulador had added Vinos de Municipio, for wines vinified in specific municipalities, and Vinos de Zona, for subregions like Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, in 2017, allowing these specifications to be more visible with larger font size on labels. This most recent change allows the 144 municipalities within Rioja to be designated as pueblos or villages on wine labels. The DOCa will also allow producers to designate the vineyard on the bottle, using “viñedo en…” if the wine is made from grapes entirely from that pueblo.

February 6, 2024

Talley Vineyards’ Eric Johnson Promoted to Director of Viticulture and Winemaking

Eric Johnson (Photo courtesy of the winery)

On January 26, 2024, President and CEO Brian Talley announced Eric Johnson as Director of Viticulture and Winemaking. Johnson has been with the Talley team since 2007, and as winemaker since 2010. In this new role, Johnson will guide production across seven estate vineyards, spanning 129 acres across the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA.

February 5, 2024

Raptor Ridge Welcomes New Winemaker

Benjamin DiCristina (Photo courtesy of the winery)

On January 23, 2024, Willamette Valley’s Raptor Ridge Winery announced Benjamin DiCristina as the new winemaker, joining founder and winegrower Scott Schull. DiCristina is a Certified Oregon Master Gardener, holding degrees both in horticulture and oenology, with experience at Sine Qua Non, Evening Land and Argyle.

This page is regularly updated as Wine & Spirits’ News In Brief section, where we publish news from around the wine world. A new thread of this section is published annually.

January 23, 2024

Domaines Barons de Rothschild Acquires William Fèvre

The William Fèvre estate in Chablis (Photo courtesy of Domaines Barons de Rothschild)

On January 12, 2024, Domaines Barons de Rothschild, whose estates include Bordeaux’s Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Duhart-Milon and Château L’Evangile, acquired William Fèvre from Artémis Domaines. William Fèvre is known for its Chablis, with 90 parcels and over 177 acres, covering village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. This is Domaines Barons de Rothschild’s first estate in Burgundy.

CEO of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Saskia de Rothschild said, “We are lucky to have the chance to write a new chapter of William Fèvre’s story with Didier Seguier and the team. We have a lot in common, may it be in terms of viticulture with an organic and sustainable approach. Chablis is a magical territory, with an atypical terroir and a family, vigneron spirit that we have long admired. We cannot wait to progress together.”

January 9, 2024

Practical Magic

WineAmerica, the national association comprised of more than 400 American wineries, has just released a new web-based resource, The Magic of Wine. As it turns out, it’s much more pragmatic than magical. This is, in fact, a valuable compilation of wine facts and quotes, toasts in different languages, tasting profiles, agricultural aspects and economic benefits, an education tool for the trade as well as for wine drinkers. Click on the link to explore this new resource: https://wineamerica.org/the-magic-of-wine/

Based in Los Angeles, California, Alissa Bica is the Associate Editor and Spirits Critic at Wine & Spirits. She is also a sommelier at 71 Above and co-runs the home wine tasting company, Côte Brune and Blonde. In any rare moments of free time, she writes about obscure grape varieties in the blog Off the Beaten Wine Path.


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