Now the story is starting to come out of the closet. The Wine Spectator picked up on it (probably by secretly reading this blog) "Diageo Shutters Rosenblum Winery, Moves Production to Napa" http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/42703 The article goes on to state, "The company declined to comment on specific brands or facilities potentially for sale, but its U.S. wine division also includes labels such as Sagelands, Echelon, Canoe Ridge, Jade Mountain and Dynamite, as well as a partnership with Edna Valley Vineyard."
What with Covey Run teetering on the edge of collapse http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2010/05/10/daily65.html it could be a dismal year for wine grape growers in Washington State.
But that doesn't seem to make a difference to people. Everyone still wants to get rich in the wine industry as indicated by this article http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gnKg3X4B3PcKtkftwFE2sa-VRb-QD9FRHPSO0. What are these people thinking (or smoking.) Haven't they heard the old joke?
How do you make a small fortune in the wine industry?
Start with a large one!
Fred Franzia continues to run his bottling line day and night. When he runs out of Bakersfield wine, he pumps out wine from Australia. I predict a significant shrinkage in the Washington wine industry in the next few years. Most Washington wineries are not big enough to get out-of-state distribution, yet the Washington Wine Commission continues to ignore the home crowd in favor of national and international distribution. A few years ago, only one bottle in six consumed in the state was produced in the state. I think the WWC now says they have it up to one in five.
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