Best Press Releases for 03.31.25

Welcome to the world of wine’s press releases coming to me. The only way to evaluate all this info is to look trends straight in the face, and study the facts. As I put bits and pieces together, we can all comprise the global perspective and form our own opinions. Enjoy the ride.

• The global economic situation is proving a challenge ~ From Austrian Wine Report
• Just Not Enough Horses ~ From California State Fair
• Napa | Sonoma Women to Watch in Wine~ From Meghan Zobeck, Brittany Sherwood, to Phyllis Zouzounis
• Glancy Wine Education Foundation Expands ~ From Glancy Wine Education Foundation

 

From Austrian Wine

“The global economic situation is proving a challenge, for Austrian wine exports, as of March 3, 2025. What was already beginning to show has been confirmed, by figures from Statistics Austria. Austria’s wine exports fell slightly in 2024, as a result of the difficult market situation around the world. Export value fell six percent to €233.3 million and volume by 1.7% to 64.2 million litres.”

Based on current exchange rates, €233.3 million is equivalent to approximately $251.89 million in US dollars. As it happens over the long term, however, the trend continues to be an upward one: since the last downturn in exports in 2015, Austria’s wine exports have increased by almost €90 million (+62.7%), according to artificial intelligence.

From an 2024 Austrian Wine Report: “In 2024, Austrian Wine organized a total of 148 events, ”which presented 6,122 different wines, from 980 Austrian wineries. Link above. Most of the events took place abroad, because for many years now, exports have played a key strategic role within the Austrian wine industry.” This infographic tells it quite well. If you’d like further education, just visit the link above.

 

Then there is a report from Cal Expo, which is a modern double-edged sword.

Just Not Enough Horses

Cal Expo makes a difficult change, with the suspension of thoroughbred horse racing for the 2025 California State Fair. This is according to the Exposition for the California Exposition & State Fair. It’s with great sadness from them and perhaps it’s a growing trend? “…State Fair announces the suspension of live thoroughbred horse racing for the 2025 California State Fair. The legacy of thoroughbred horse racing has been an enduring part of the State Fair, since 1854. That was when the first live races were held at the Pioneer Race Course in San Francisco.

According to the press release, perhaps it’s due to the closure of Golden Gate Fields in June 2024. There are maybe two aspects. One is the growing uncertainty surrounding racing in Northern California. There “are simply no horses available to keep this tradition alive in 2025,” according to Tom Martine. Tom is CEO of the California Exposition & State Fair. He’s quoted,  “We’ve explored every possible avenue” and with a heavy heart. Continuing. “We’ve come to the unfortunate decision that it is simply not feasible to continue racing this summer.”

Tough Decision Sign of the Times?

I can imagine it’s a tough decision, from them, which “marks the end of an era.” He goes on to say,  it doesn’t erase memories made on these tracks or champions crowned.” There were  “many thrills that so many people experienced from the grandstands.” Cal Expo & State Fair remain committed to exploring new opportunities that honor the past while embracing the future. This way, they want to  ensure the Fair continues to be a place of excitement, community, and celebration.

For animal rights enthusiasts, they may be scoring a win. Still, how lovely it has always been to visit with horses in their stalls. I wish that would remain for children to see this marvelous animals. This now means that kids will most likely not get the field trips, from parents who want to go to fairs so their children can connect with animals.

 

Women To Watch In Wine

Meghan Zobeck (left)

A Colorado native, Meghan Zobeckfell became in love with wine and winemaking while she was negotiating contracts for the NFL. She shifted careers and fully immersed herself in the wine industry. She participated in harvests around the world. This included internationally with Colchagua Valley, Chile, Piedmont, Italy, Bordeaux, and France. In California, she has experience at Screaming Eagle and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, both in Napa Valley. Over the past few years, she has been actively transitioning vineyards into regenerative farming. This helps the vineyard function as a system designed by nature. It includes diverse cover crops, pollinator gardens, and the use of animals instead of tilling.

Brittany Sherwood (center)

Growing up in Long Beach, California, Brittany Sherwood at Heitz Cellars was fascinated with biology and living organisms. Brittany took “Introduction to Winemaking” to fulfill a course requirement at U.C. Davis. There she discovered the class opened a whole new world of what living organisms could be. So, and changed her major from pre-med to Viticulture and Enology. A work-study program allowed her to gain invaluable experience in differing wine regions. This included France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain, as well as an internship in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Brittany joined Heitz as an official team member in 2013. As winemaker, she oversees and manages both the production and laboratory team. This helps to ensure quality every step of the way. This includes from crush and fermentation to the wines’ extensive aging and determining, when they are ready for bottling.

Phyllis Zouzounis (right)

Phyllis Zouzounis  is a wine business friend since I came into wine in 1993. We met in New Orleans, at the New Orleans Food & Wine Fest. Having dinner together there, we discovered each other’s talents. She, the inveterate Dry Creek Valley winemaker, and I was the inveterate PR person. Both of us were out marketing California wine brands, 30 years ago. We are still both doing it. Phyllis is making wines under her Zouzounis wine brand label. I’m marketing her wines through my Diaz Communications company. This is where it leads, ultimately, when leaders lead. Consequently, Phyllis and I applaud Meghan Zobeck and Brittany Sherwood for joining our ranks.

 

Glancy Wine Education Foundation Expands

A new partnership broadens wine education opportunities across the US. This is through the International Wine Center, American Wine School, and Association of African American Vintners.

It is called the Glancy Wine Education Foundation (GWEF). This expansion is meant to become a national scholarship organization through strategic partnerships. The union involves the International Wine Center (New York), the American Wine School (Midwest), and the Association of African American Vintners (California).

Nationally Funding Wine Education

for Under Served Communities

This is also combined with the foundation’s existing partnership with the San Francisco Wine School. And these collaborations significantly extend GWEF’s geographic reach. It enables more aspiring wine professionals across the United States to be able to access high-quality wine education.

The Foundation’s new alliance, with the International Wine Center, brings considerable growth. GWEF scholarship opportunities in New York and the partnership with American Wine School extends access to virtual and in-person classes. This includes multiple Midwestern cities including Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.

Personal Admired Growth

The January 2025 launch of GWEF’s collaboration with the Association of African American Vintners, AAAV members now have enhanced access. The benefits are toward professional wine education, through GWEF scholarships.

To think that I inspired the Association of African American Vintners into a marketing group in 2002, my husband built their first website, and we served the group for their first year, simply gives me goose bumps. Congratulations to everyone picking up the mantel.

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Written by Jo Diaz, edited by Jose Diaz, owners of Diaz Communications, helping to make stars realize their dreams. To reprint, please contact Jo Diaz.