Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/498427
18 WINES&VINES May 2015 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS L os Angeles, Calif.—Alo- pecia, anorexia, ataxia— these are hardly the characteristic physical attributes of those who frequent tasting rooms and wine shows, let alone the 13% of the population marketers term "high-frequency wine consumers" who drink wine several times a week or even daily. But a lawsuit launched March 19 in California claims that wine consumers risk chronic poisoning from inorganic arsenic, a heavy metal whose toxic effects include the loss of hair, weight and coordination. The suit, which seeks certifica- tion as a class action, argues that wines from 28 named parties in- cluding The Wine Group, Constel- lation Wines, Trader Joe's Co., Treasury Wine Estates and Hahn Family Wines contained "unaccept- ably high levels of inorganic arse- nic," and that its presence in the wines was not disclosed. (Organic arsenic is less harmful, and typically metabolized with no ill effects.) The plaintiffs include Doris Charles, Alvin Jones, Jason Peltier and Jennifer Peltier, private indi- viduals represented by the Los Angeles law firm of Kabateck Brown Kellner LLP. The firm didn't respond to Wines & Vines' request for comment re- garding the motivation of the suit, but court documents don't indicate any of the plaintiffs have suffered as a result of wine consumption. Nevertheless, the suit seeks a declaration, "Exposure to inor- ganic arsenic to consumers when drinking their wines is unlawful," and various orders requiring the defendants to notify class members of their "unlawful and deceptive conduct," to advertise the risks of consuming inorganic arsenic on wine labels, and an order enjoining the defendants from marketing, advertising, distributing and sell- ing their products in "the unlawful manner" described in the suit. "Compensatory damages and res- titutionary disgorgement" as ap- propriate are also sought. The legal action has sparked headlines that echo concerns re- garding inorganic arsenic in rice, and similar attention in 2013 to the element's presence in beer. Arsenic in both beer and wine can be associated with the environ- ment in which the raw materials were grown—or, more typically, the diatomaceous earth tradition- ally used to filter the beverages. The amount of arsenic at issue is minimal. W h i l e t e s t s b y B e v e r a g e Grades, a third-party lab in Colo- rado not party to the lawsuit, sug- gest that many wines meet the standard for drinking water of 10 parts per billion (ppb) in the United States and Canada, a small number posted levels up to five times as high. Yet all of the wines fell below 50 ppb, as did the beers that were the focus of attention in 2013. There's no threshold of toler- ance for arsenic in wine in the TOP STORY Lawsuit Threatens Wineries' Reputations "They touch on a consumer concern to make sure that the food supply is safe." —Susan Ebeler, University of California, Davis QST offers its clients……. Professionally fabricated stainless tanks 35 years of tank fabrication experience Performance & reliability guarantees Custom designs & modern features Quick & competitive tank project pricing On site tank repairs & modifications Special application tanks of all sizes "In stock tanks" from 500 to 10,000 gallons 510 Caletti Ave. Windsor, Ca. 95492 Phone 707-837-2721 or Toll-Free 877-598-0672 www.qualitystainless.com Company Website winetanks@aol.com email contact/sales info Custom Fabricated Tanks for the perfect size & fit… or Ready to Ship "Stock Tanks" Either way QST is ready to assist our clients! Call QST today for information or pricing! QUALITY STAINLESS TANKS