In the middle of 2021, US wine professionals learned of the launch of a new digital platform to stand alongside Vivino, WineSearcher and CellarTracker. A year after its launch, following the failure to raise a third round of funding, after the earlier investment of $7m, despite recurring revenue of $600,000 that apparently exceeded initial projections, the Drop has effectively closed and Mabray is looking for partners to enable his business to achieve its objectives.

In this exclusive, lengthy interview, he answers some tough questions.

Reading time: 12m 38s

The South African wine industry had an especially tough time during the pandemic, with challenges including restrictions on exports as well as domestic sales. Rico Basson, managing director of Vinpro, a non-profit company that represents close to 2,600 South African wine producers, and Maryna Calow head of communications at Wines of South Africa, speak frankly about the industry today.

Reading time: 9m 50s

Sogrape R&D chief Antonio Graça reveals details of the EU-financed MED-GOLD research project to help three agricultural sectors. 

In an exclusive interview, Antonio Graça spoke to Meininger’s at length about the potential of genotype selection in combating climate change, gene-editing, the role of wild yeasts in terroir character and robot tasters – and MED-GOLD, the climate research project that brings together wine, wheat and olives. Robert Joseph provides a brief summary.

Reading time: 3 minutes 

In this exclusive interview with Antonio Graça head of Research and Development at Sogrape, Meininger’s editor at large, Robert Joseph picked his brain about topics ranging from Portuguese and international grape varieties, to gene-editing, the role of wild yeasts in terroir character, robot tasters – and his latest climate research project that brings together wine, wheat and olives.

Reading time: 17m 55s

In an exclusive broad-ranging interview for Meininger’s, Rob McMillan of the Silicon Valley Bank offered Robert Joseph, editor at large of Meininger’s Wine Business International, a view of the current and future of the US wine industry from the perspective of an informed financial analyst.

Reading time: 12m 40s

Former rock group manager, Washington State winemaker Charles Smith released his first vintage – of just 330 cases - in 2001. Over the next 13 years, he was named Winemaker of the Year by three publications, including the Wine Enthusiast, and his eye-catchingly labeled and full-flavoured wines had become pat of the US wine landscape. In 2016, he sold five of his brands to Constellation for $120m. WEINWIRTSCHAFT asked him a few questions. 

Reading Time: 4m 30s

Carl Robinson, the CEO of Jeroboam, discusses everything from the impact of Covid on the Japanese wine market to where the next big opportunity lies. Interview by Felicity Carter.
 

Two Americans are rolling up their sleeves and diving into wines from German-speaking countries, on a mission to tell the world about them. Felicity Carter speaks to Paula Sidore, the co-founder of TRINK magazine.