Gallo

The FTC wanted to ensure that the two companies would remain competitive with each other. To that end, it is requiring that Constellation retain its sparkling wine Cook’s for at least four years in order to compete with André, Gallo’s low-priced sparkling wine. Constellation had hoped to sell Gallo its J. Roget sparkling wine brand, but the FTC has said that Constellation must keep it for at least four years in order to compete with Gallo for the share of on-premise sparkling wine sales at places like restaurants, casinos and hotels. … [Read more...] about Gallo finalizes $810 million purchase from Constellation, one of the biggest wine acquisitions in modern history

This week, I’m sharing a beautifully herbal Cabernet Franc from Napa’s Lang & Reed, which has staked its identity on Loire-style wines — mostly Cab Franc, but also Chenin Blanc — since its founding in 1993 by John Skupny (pictured above) and Tracey Skupny. That’s always made it something of an iconoclast in Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme. Their 2017 North Coast Cab Franc, at $29 their most affordable red wine, is fresh, piney and wintery in the best possible sense. … [Read more...] about With the big Williams Selyem deal, a California wine icon aims to avoid a common fate: a soulless private equity future

Smoked turkey breast: Justin and I went for the low-hanging fruit on this one: Since the turkey comes sliced, we used it for sandwiches. Because we’re basically mind-melded at this point, we both used King’s Hawaiian bread, which I think is spiritually similar to the classic white bread slices that tend to accompany barbecue, but just a little bit fancier. Justin’s turkey sandwiches featured black pepper bacon, a good counterpoint to the mild turkey, and mashed avocado to moisten the whole package. I had mine with sauerkraut, Russian dressing and cheese, essentially making a Rachel/turkey Reuben. I’d suggest gently heating up the turkey in a pan with a touch of chicken stock or water just to moisten it up, since it likely dried out in the fridge. … [Read more...] about How to make the most of your Horn Barbecue trip

The stressful news events that January has brought so far — a mob storming the Capitol, a runoff election in Georgia, calls for the president’s impeachment — may have been a test for some of the sober-curious. Mackenzie Lopez, who works for Caldwell Vineyard in Napa, started off the month with the intention of going alcohol-free; she’d observed “sober October” in 2020 and enjoyed the effects. Then on Jan. 6, the day of the attack on the Capitol, she couldn’t help but break her vow. She felt like she needed a drink after seeing “the insanity that was all over the news,” she said. … [Read more...] about Dry January is easier during COVID for some in the Bay Area. For others, it’s just another stressor

That choice may eventually lie with Katherine Tai, Biden’s pick for U.S. Trade Representative, but the timeline on which she might act was unclear. Aneff, of the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance, said the nomination of Tai was a “boon” for the wine industry but still thought it unlikely that a new trade team would be in place by the next specified date for reviewing the tariff schedule, in February. That means the current wine tariffs could be in place for most of 2021. … [Read more...] about A new wine tariff could make French wines 25% more expensive in the Bay Area