News Briefs for June 24, 2011
June 24, 2011• Washington’s Hogue Cellars is moving to screwcap closures across 100% of its wine production. Screwcap closures with Saranex liners, which are slightly permeable to oxygen, allow for the best ratio of oxygen to come into contact with the wine, the company says, touting a recently-completed five-year study. Coman Dinn, director of winemaking at Hogue, said the study shows that wines aged under the right screwcap closure over five years were better preserved, aged well and were deemed the highest quality when compared to natural cork closures. The results of this study follow a similar one conducted in 2004 by Hogue, which compared natural cork closures, synthetic closures and screwcaps, finding that screwcap closures best retained flavor out of the three.
• Darden restaurant chain The Capital Grille is introducing its Generous Pour Wine Event this summer, allowing consumers to experience a guided tasting of nine rare and limited vintage varietals for $25 per person. Taking place through September 4, the Generous Pour program will feature several whites and reds selected by master sommelier George Miliotes, including a Tarima Hill Monastrell 2009, Chalk Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Marquis de la Tour NV, and Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot 2006, among others. Consumers will have the option of either sampling all nine wines or choosing multiple tastings of their favorites, with custom wine flights available upon request.
• Thornton, Colorado’s DaveCo Liquors—billed as the world’s largest liquor store at around 100,073 square feet—is facing a 52-page indictment consisting of racketeering, theft and tax evasion charges. Co-owners Hani D. Sawaged, Ghassan D. Sawaged and Bassam Dahoud Sawaged have been accused of stealing more than $450,000 in city and state tax revenue by faking millions of dollars of merchandise returns between 2007 and 2008. The indictment also accuses the Sawaged brothers of taking more than $5 million in cash from DaveCo, a portion of which was used to pay various distributors. According to local media, arrest warrants have been issued for all three.
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