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FEBRUARY NEWS Headlines NEWS BYTES Long Meadow Ranch expands T he Hall family, owners of Long Meadow Ranch Winery, purchased 32 acres of vines in Rutherford, Calif., as part of a deal to expand winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Long Meadow." the family's estate to 90 acres with 74 acres planted. Chris Hall, the winery's executive vice president, general manager and the son of winery founders Ted and Laddie Hall, said the transaction ensures the winery has the land and grapes to meet its expansion goals. The Washington's specialty wine and spirits shops such as Wine World and Spirits (above) are having the most success after the implementation of state liquor-privatization Initiative 1183. Results of Washington Liquor Privatization Specialty shops say variety has kept them afloat S eattle, Wash.—Privatization of the liquor business under Washington state Initiative 1183—and the subsequent closure of state-run liquor stores May 31, 2012—has given some highend wine shops a new kind of customer. Wine shops that have added fine Scotch, bourbon and artisan eaux de vie to their offerings have found spirits enthusiasts equally enthused about their selection of wines. "People who are usually high-end spirit enthusiasts are winesandvines.com usually also people Learn more: Search keywords who like wine," "II83 fallout." said David LeClaire, founder and general manager of Wine World and Spirits just across U.S. Interstate 5 from Seattle's University District. LeClaire cast his ballot against I-1183, which ultimately won 58.7% of the vote in the state's November 2011 general election. His concerns were rooted in changes to legislation affecting the state's wine industry that were part and parcel of the ballot initiative. However, many voters believed that the state's exit from the business of liquor sales would increase selection. LeClaire said it hasn't happened in quite the way people expected. "People 14 W in es & V i ne s F E B R UARY 20 13 new property gives Long Meadow Ranch the space to build an onsite winery dedicated to expanding its successful Sauvignon Blanc program. TRINCHERO BUSINESS agreement W ashington vintners Charles Smith and Charles Bieler announced a deal with Trinchero Family Estates (TFE) to manage their voted for this thinking they're going to get a great selection of spirits everywhere," he told Wines & Vines. But instead of a great selection everywhere, it simply made a great selection possible, and just a few retailers are capitalizing on it. The majority of retailers are focusing on key moneymaking brands such as Baileys, Captain Morgan and Jack Daniels, which move at volumes that make competitive pricing profitable. "The selection has really gone down in probably 95% of the places that sell spirits," LeClaire said. This is where Wine World, which opened two years ago with 23,000 square feet originally dedicated exclusively to wine, has benefitted. While it can't compete on price, it offers the selection people can't find elsewhere, knowledgeable staff and a willingness to order what shoppers want. Michael Teer of the Pike and Western Wine Shop opposite Seattle's Pike Place market—as well as Soul Wine in the South Lake Union neighborhood—told Wines & Vines in August that good relationships with Washington state wineries and smaller distributors were keeping his shops stocked with interesting products. —Peter Mitham joint venture Charles & Charles. The company is the first Washington wine for Trinchero, which holds the Sutter Home, Ménage à Trois and winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Charles & Charles." Joel Gott brands. While Smith and Bieler will continue to oversee winemaking, TFE will handle sales, distribution and marketing. Herbicide scarcity expected B rad Hanson, cooperative extension weed specialist for the University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, alerted growers that glufosinate (Rely 280) is going to be in very short supply in California during 2013 and possi- winesandvines.com Learn more: Search keywords "Glufosinate." bly into 2014. Strong demand from the cotton, corn, soybean and other industries is to blame for the shortage.