Good Morning and Happy Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Hoopes Vineyard's Challenge to County Costly, Ordered to Pay Millions in Fines, Attorney Fees

A Napa County judge rejected Hoopes Vineyard's contention that Napa County's rules on wine tastings, public winery tours, etc., are vague and unevenly applied. 

Santos Spirits Names David Szydlik CEO

A former Chief Operating Officer for Two Sons Imports and former owner of Cantera Negra Tequila, Szydlik assumes his new role as former Santo President and CEO Dan Butkus moves to a partner position within the company. 

House of Smith Expands Salesforce, Plans U.S. Expansion

House of Smith (HOS), Washington State's largest winemaker-owned winery, has assembled a powerful, nationwide sales force to spearhead aggressive US expansion plans. T

Consumer Confidence Falls Sharply: Conference Board

"Confidence collapsed in January, as consumer concerns about both the present situation and expectations for the future deepened,"

Services Sector Sees Expansion in January

Economic activity in the services sector continued to expand in January, say the nation’s purchasing and supply executives 

British University Develops Handheld, AI-Powered Grape Ripeness Detector

A portable optical sensor which uses machine learning to give winemakers instant, accurate ripeness data, removing the need for manual sampling and slow destructive testing, has been developed by a pair of researchers at Queen Mary University of London.

Sotol Romo Launches During Super Bowl Week in San Francisco

Sotol Romo, an ultra-premium Mexican spirit made from 100% Dasylirion (sotol), will make its global launch during Super Bowl Week in San Francisco, introducing what experts describe as the third pillar of Mexican spirits: tequila, mezcal, and sotol.

Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction Includes "United We Stand" Military Barrel

The inaugural Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration (KBCA) will include "United We Stand," a special military barrel created through an unprecedented collaboration among four acclaimed American whiskey producers with deep ties to veteran and military philanthropy. J. Mattingly 1845, Heritage Distilling, Four Branches Bourbon and Pursuit Spirits

King of Kentucky Small Batch Collection Honors USA250

King of Kentucky Small Batch, a limited-edition collection, celebrates a historic moment: the 250th anniversary of the United States and the creation of Kentucky County, Va., which became the State of Kentucky.

Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. – Joel

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