FOR YOUR INFORMATION
We share below a number of recent developments. As always, we rely on FIVS Members to apprise us of noteworthy matters. Please contact the FIVS Secretariat with items that may be of interest.
Argentina: Government to continue promoting wine tourism – Argentina’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Argentine Wine Corporation (COVIAR) have reportedly signed an agreement to continue developing wine tourism to fuel that country’s economic development. The government plans to update its marketing plan, “Argentina Tierra de Vinos,” which promotes the domestic wine market, and will reportedly include the promotion of wine trends and tastes of female travelers.
Russia: Russian wines might be sold via national postal service website in January 2022 – Russia’s Ministry of Finance reportedly has published draft legislation to experiment with selling Russian wines online through a website maintained by Russia’s national post office, beginning 01 January 2022. As part of the experiment, wine would first be delivered only within Moscow, the Moscow region, and Mordovia. The national post office has reportedly begun negotiating with wine producers but cannot officially accept their applications until the legislation has been passed.
Illicit alcohol
Kenya: Governor criticizes government inaction re illicit alcohol deaths – The governor of Nakuru reportedly criticised the national government of Kenya for not taking action following the deaths of 10 individuals and hospitalisations of 9 others after they consumed illicit alcohol, suggesting that police had accepted bribes from illicit traders. Since then, numerous government officers – including chiefs, their assistants, a deputy county commissioner, and a subcounty police commander – have reportedly been suspended.
Drink driving/BAC
Argentina: Federal authority urges Congress to implement 0% BAC limit nationwide; Rosario court reviewing case to overturn zero BAC – Argentina’s Federal Road Safety Council (CFSV) unanimously agreed to ask Congress to implement the draft Zero Alcohol Law on the Wheel, a legislative initiative that was introduced in April 2021 by the Ministry of Transport. Meanwhile, a case in the provincial court in Rosario is considering the validity of a zero alcohol ordinance in that city. The Urban Law Center is reportedly arguing that the ordinance lacked required technical reports and adequate parameters to guarantee the effectiveness of controls carried out on public roads, and seeks to restore the maximum of 0.5 grams of alcohol per liter of blood that previously applied in the case of those driving cars.
Scotland: Stricter drink driving limit did not reduce accidents – Research by the Universities of Bath and Essex published in the Journal of Health Economics reportedly showed no change across all types of traffic accidents involving alcohol after Scotland reduced its drink drive limit in 2014 from 80 to 50 mlg per 100 mml of blood. The results were consistent for men and women, younger and older drivers, and whether accidents occurred during day/night or week/weekend. The findings also found that the reform did not reduce other crimes as had been expected.
Health
Italy: Moderate wine consumption may be linked to healthier heart – A research team at the University of Naples Federico II, which conducted a review of the relative risks and benefits of consuming different food groups, found that drinking two glasses of wine per day was linked with a 32 percent reduction in the relative risk of cardiovascular disease. Any higher consumption though was found to have an adverse effect on an individual’s risk. The team suggested that increased blood flow caused by the consumption of wine resulted in greater amounts of insulin reaching muscle cells, reducing the concentration of glucose in the blood. They also suggested that moderate alcohol consumption lowered fibrinogen levels, clotting factors, and inflammatory markers, reducing the risk of cardiovascular events.
United Kingdom: Light consumption may protect heart health – A new study from University College London found that those who daily consumed approximately one unit of alcohol – equivalent to a small glass of wine or a single serving of gin and tonic – were less likely to die of a heart attack than those who never drank alcohol beverages.
Climate
Global: The effect of extreme weather and rising temperatures on wine regions and the characteristics of their wine – Although global warming could prove beneficial for regions that have been too cool or rainy for grapes to ripen properly, the consequences of extreme weather – such as hailstorms and late frosts – could have greater consequences, particularly surrounding earlier bud break. Regions such as Oregon and southern England may become prime destinations for winemakers seeking new places to plant. Winemakers in areas with extreme heat may need to pick grapes earlier, change water application practices, and increase grape diversity.
- Please contact the FIVS Secretariat if you would like to join our Environmental Working Group.
NOTE: We make no warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information in these FIVS Alerts; nor do we necessarily support or agree with views expressed or contained therein.