That includes teaching people about wine.

The Society of Wine Educators' 35th Annual Conference will take place August 3-5 in Providence, R.I., and this year will offer a creative take on the theme, "A Food and Wine Experience."

Also elected were Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars in St. Helena, first vice chairman; Chris Fehrnstrom of Constellation Wines U.S. in San Francisco, second vice chairman; Carolyn Wente of Wente Family Estates in Livermore, treasurer; and Greg Coleman of E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, secretary. Robert P. (Bobby) Koch is President and CEO of Wine Institute.

Now, at age 75, Hess has decided to take life a little easier. He has announced his retirement from day-to-day operations of his far-flung wine company, but will remain as Chairman of the Board.

They also can be big businesses. Very big.

We were reminded of this recently when Brown-Forman sold Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino County, California, to Chilean wine producer Vina Concha y Toro.

SIRI compiles data based on items scanned at major supermarkets and drug stores. For the first quarter of 2011, dollar sales at retail for wines from Argentina increased by an impressive 34 percent.

Beginning this summer, renowned Bordeaux winemaker Philippe Bascaules will assume the position of Estate Manager and Winemaker at the newly renamed Inglenook.

Long a maker of one of the finest wines in the world--crafted from the Viognier grape--some vintages of that decade were modest at best, even as surrounding estates produced wines of great stature.

Wine industry consultant Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates compiles the statistics.

Because Oregon's Willamette Valley Vineyards is a publicly-traded company, we're able to take a look at its financial results, and its numbers tell what many believe is a common tale in the wine business today.

According to the report issued for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2010, WVV's case revenues increased to $4.6 million in the quarter. That represented a 5.5% increase over the same quarter in 2009...

Corporate dollars can purchase equipment, land and even personnel, all of which can contribute to better wine in the bottle.

Corporate influence also can place too much emphasis on the bottom line, substituting quantity for quality with an eye ever focused on expansion...