Ecommerce has broken into markets that barely knew it existed pre-pandemic - and forcasts for the alcohholic drinks sector are very positive. Martin Green reports.

The US spirits industry has applauded the UK’s decision to suspend retaliatory tariffs on American rum, brandy and vodka once it leaves the EU on January 1.

Campari Group has revealed that some of its personal and business data has been compromised after it suffered a targeted ransomware attack.

China has slapped a 212% tariff on Australian wine as diplomatic tensions between the two nations continue to mount.

Leading US online retailer Wine.com has reported a 217% year-on-year revenue increase for the six months to September 30.

Drinks International caught up with Naked Wines’ chief financial officer James Crawford to discuss the firm’s impressive H1 results.

Naked Wines enjoyed 79.6% revenue growth in the six months to September 28 after demand for online wine purchases soared during the lockdown.

UK-based cigar and whisky merchant C.Gars has become the exclusive importer and distributor for Key West First Legal Rum for the UK and EU.

Restaurants and bars in the US added 192,000 jobs in October, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Marussia Beverages has bolstered its spirits portfolio by taking on two Japanese whiskies from Hatozaki.

Legendary Adelaide Hills winemaker Taras Ochota has died after a long battle with illness.

Eighteen trade associations have joined forces to call for an immediate elimination of the retaliatory tariffs that the US and EU have imposed upon spirits, wine and beer.

Mocktails Brands has appointed Craftwork as its UK distributor in a bid to ramp up sales of its premixed alcohol-free cocktails among British consumers.

Diageo stock enjoyed its best session since March after chief executive Ivan Menezes issued a positive trading update ahead of the firm’s annual meeting.

Templeton Rye has released a limited-edition Caribbean Rum Cask Finish expression into the domestic and export markets.

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has been appointed as creative director for SOTO after investing in the premium sake brand.

Diageo will purchase Aviation Gin and several sister brands in a deal worth up to $610 million.

The US government has announced that the existing 25% tariffs will remain on single malt Scotch for the foreseeable future.

The US bar and restaurant industry revived 592,000 jobs across the country in July, according to new statistics from the Bureau of Labor.

Sales of spirits, wine and beer continue to soar in the US off-trade as shoppers shun bars and restaurants in favor of drinking at home.

Lebanese wine producer Ixsir is ramping up its focus on exports after the domestic market was hit by a double whammy of hyperinflation and Covid-19.

A vermouth lover aims to bring finesse and balance to the category with the launch of his small-batch Agora Vermouth.

Chase Distillery has launched a range of gin seltzers in a bid to appeal to health-conscious millennial consumers.

Naked Wines has reported 81% year-on-year revenue growth during April and May as online orders spiked during the coronavirus lockdown.

American whiskey exports to EU have decreased by a third since the bloc imposed a 25% retaliatory tariff in June 2018.

Kevin O’Gorman will take over as master distiller at Jameson producer Irish Distillers after Brian Nation decided to move to a startup in the US.

Zamora Company USA has bolstered its spirits portfolio with the addition of Filipino rum brand Don Papa.

BrewDog has unveiled details of the measures it will take to protect visitors to its bars once they are permitted to reopen.

AB Inbev has warned that Q2 trading will be “materially worse” than the previous three months due to brewery closures and supply chain disruption.

Rémy Cointreau has reported a sales decline of 9% for the 2019/20 financial year as a result of a significant slump in Q4.

Spanish producer Zamora Company has reported that wine and spirits sales in China have recovered as the country emerges from a sweeping coronavirus lockdown.

Engagement with alcoholic drinks brands on social media has increased by more than 300% during the coronavirus lockdown, according to social analytics agency ListenFirst.

Alcoholic beverage sales in the US increased 55% year-on-year during the week to March 21 as shoppers stocked up ahead of a long coronavirus lockdown.

The US off-trade has seen soaring sales of wine, spirits and beer as shoppers stocked up ahead of a lengthy coronavirus lockdown, according to Nielsen stats.

Leading online wine retailer Laithwaite’s has assured customers that it will continue to keep them well stocked after demand shot up amid the coronavirus lockdown.

AB Inbev has drawn down the entirety of a $9bn loan facility from global banks as it bids to ride out the coronavirus outbreak.

Aquavit, ‘the water of life’ was all but dead in the water thanks to younger drinkers’ aversion to it. but now all that is changing, as Hamish Smith discovers

Finally getting its own craft segment, vodka is taking cues from wine and championing the terroir of its base as a flavour provider. Shay Waterworth grows the theory.

New Zealand wine exports to the US have surpassed $500m for the first time, an increase of 11% within the last year.

Scottish whisky distiller William Grant & Sons has bought Tuthilltown Spirits in New York state to expand its whisky portfolio into the US for the first time.

Nearly $500,000 was raised at the Pinot Noir Barrel Auction, a trade-only showcase of rare wines hosted by the Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA).

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has recorded a third quarter of contrasts, with improvements in France but penalisation in the US and Poland. 

The two Spanish wine regions have come together to raise awareness of their wines in the all-important US market.

The value of direct-to-consumer shipments from American wineries increased to $1.46 Billion in 2012, and was greater than the total value of US wine exports, according to the 2013 Direct Shipping Report released by Ship Compliant and Wines & Vines.

Barbera d’Asti Lequilibrio Montalbera 2009

The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement has come into force, representing "significant new access in an expanding spirits market" according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US.

Pernod Ricard launched Absolut Exposure last night at an event at TFWA Cannes.

Bartender Kim Daniel Bergersen of Norway prevailed from a field of 11 finalists at Pilsner Urquell’s International Master Bartender (IMB) competition.

Despite reports of champagne’s struggle to keep cases sales up, Lucy Britner finds that the world has far from fallen out of love with France’s famous export

US craft beer grew by double digits during H1 of 2012 despite the malaise of the US beer market, says the Brewers Association.