Weekly Wine News Around the Web

New Era for Remnants of Crushpad?: Despite ongoing issues with existing clients, the new owners of Sonoma, Calif.-based custom-crush and micro-winery Crushpad are pledging to rebuild trust with its inherited customers, according to this Santa Rosa Press Democrat report. Crushpad’s assets were sold earlier this week, and the new owners are attempting to untangle a myriad of issues at the faltering concern.

Change at OR Wine Institute: An evaluation of the Oregon Wine Institute’s role as a center for research and promotion of the state’s wine industry is underway, according to this report. The organization has tapped wine industry veteran Bill Nelson to help architect a strategy for going forward amid continued growth in the state’s wine-related economy. In unrelated Oregon wine news, another American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation may be on the way for Oregon’s Willamette Valley, according to this report.

Another Day, Another Alcohol Study: A new Swedish study claims that long-term responsible drinking helps to lower the risk of arthritis, according to this report in the Wine Spectator. The study focused on women and tracked a group from 1987 to 1997, according to the report.

France’s Duboeuf Bets on New Label Growth: One of the more widely known imports from France, George Duboeuf (owned by Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits) is pondering new vineyard acquisitions and betting big on a recent label addition to its portfolio, according to this report. The HobNob brand has turned into a big growth driver for the company and will be extended, making up for continued contraction in Duboeuf brand sales, the report said.