? UK minimum pricing: British doctors are convinced that raising the price of liquor will reduce alcoholism, using something called minimum pricing. Under one plan, this would raise the price of a 2.99 bottle of red wine (about US$5) 3.76 (about US$6). The British government is expected to announce its plan this week. What ?s interesting about this for U.S. wine drinkers is that some states already have some form of minimum pricing, but not necessarily as a health measure. Rather, it ?s part of the three-tier system, and is more law enforcement than anything else. When Americans want to deal with the health aspects of sin, we tax it, whether strip clubs or cigarettes.
? Ricky Ricardo wine? For all those men who forget anniversaries, birthdays, and the like. Or so seems the idea from the Safeway grocery store chain, which has launched a line of gift-wrapped wines. Because, frankly, can you imagine anyone else going to the grocery store store at the last minute to buy a pre-wrapped bottle of wine to give as a gift?
? Don ?t drink those assets: The latest academic study finds that investing in wine is ?is superior to equity, as it gives both higher return as well as lower standard deviation. ? My math isn ?t good enough to follow the entire discussion, but before we take our 401-Ks to the Live-Ex market, it ?s worth noting there are only 17 years of data in the study. Which, of course, coincide with the wine investment boom but take in the last two recessions.