World's biggest wine brand created in southern France

By Street Instincts: Williamette Valley Vineyards, Inc. (WVVI) produces and sells premium, super premium, and ultra premium variety wines. The prices range from $7-$100+ dollars per 750ml bottle. The company is headquartered in Turner Oregon, where the company owned vineyard resides on 110 acres of land. The company controls 791 acres of vineyard to procure its grapes.

The government is selling off its vintage French wine collection for £5,000 a bottle in a bid to offset the costs of its expensive wine cellar. The government wine cellar, located in the basement of Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace, is used to provide wine for visiting dignitaries at 200 or more events a year.

Most oenophiles approach wine with a simple motto in mind: provenance, provenance, provenance. Nothing is more important than the source. This is why bottles from Romanée-Conti or Château Lafite Rothschild can fetch upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars at wine auctions. But there is one label that is even more thrilling to bring to a dinner party: your own.  

Yesterday's NYT article, Crises in Japan Ripple Across the Global Economy noted: In the wake of Japan's cascading disasters, signs of economic loss can be found in many corners of the globe, from Sendai, on the battered Japanese coast, to Paris to Marion, Ark. ...Volvo, the Swedish carmaker, was working with a 10-day supply left of Japanese-built navigation and climate control systems.

Toyota said sales last year soared 22.6 percent to 9.75 million vehicles, while Nissan saw a 5.8 percent on-year rise to 4.94 million units. Honda, Japan's number-three automaker, recorded sales of 3.81 million vehicles, up from 3.09 million a year earlier, as strong US and Asian demand boosted its results.

By Chris Katje: On Monday, Beam Incorporated (BEAM) announced their acquisition of specialty vodka brand Pinnacle. Along with Pinnnacle, the company also acquired the Calico Jack rum brand. Both liquor brands were purchased from White Rock Distilleries. The move will cost $605 million for Beam, but will grow its vodka line and market share. The acquisition now extends Beam's Vodka line to include: