August: As this issue goes to print, the 2009 harvest is fast approaching and it's looking like it could be a big one though there are reports of shatter here and there. We'll see. The bulk market for wine and grapes has been unusually quiet so is poised for a ramp up in activity. Wineries have been indecisive about making commitments. Sellers have been reluctant to drop price. Economic uncertainty has had some buyers sidelined so there's been a standoff. This dynamic is also playing out with dwindling activity in the market for vineyards and wineries. As one observer put it, "The sellers think it's still 2007 and the buyers think it's the 1930s."

This issue of WBM includes a focus on packaging. If the consumer doesn't like the packaging on your wine bottle, she or he may never find out how great your wine tastes. There are few, if any, consumer goods categories where so many brands compete on the store shelves. Packaging matters even more in relatively low price tiers where consumers don't necessarily know what it is they're buying. Here the packaging even becomes the product.

The total package--the bottle, label, carton and brand name--are key components for establishing unique brand identity. Perception is sometimes as important as reality.

Over the past few years there's been an explosion of new brands and a considerable amount of revenue has come from new wine brands. Now, though, we are actually seeing the proliferation of wine items on store shelves slowing. That's because tighter scrutiny from distributors and retailers is making it more difficult to attain distribution through traditional retail channels. Consumers are also embracing brands they are already familiar with. Still, companies continue to innovate, and we highlight some noteworthy new releases in this month's issue.

A couple of articles focus on glass, too. It seems like every wine trade magazine is writing about lighter glass these days. Our look at lighter glass, however, discusses the ramifications of switching to lighter glass not only with respect to having a lighter carbon footprint, but to being more efficient when it comes to shipping wine via truck or common carrier. How much money do you actually save? We put some numbers behind the discussion.

We also are first with news about a startup company which aims to recycle wine bottles on a large scale. It's been attempted in the past but not very successfully. I always wondered why glass wine bottles weren't recycled.

Cyril Penn, Editor