Esporão, the leading family-run Portuguese wine company, has appointed Barwell & Jones to be its exclusive UK agent

The board of Accolade Wines has announced that CEO Troy Christensen will be leaving his position today (November 30).

The WSTA has slammed UK Government proposals for a 45p minimum unit price for alcohol, branding the strategy untargeted and unfair.

Accolade calls for unity

28 November, 2012

Accolade Wines has called for unity across the drinks trade in a bid to encourage the UK government to re-think the alcohol duty escalator. The company's WineNation 2012 report claimed tax is having “a crippling effect” across the industry.

Agave India has rolled out a six-strong range of spirits and pre-mixed cocktails to Maharashtra, following their launch in Goa last year.

Rabobank, the Dutch bank which focuses on the wine trade, has identified Mexico, Brazil, Poland and Nigeria as future growth markets for wine consumption.

US: Corks rule in new report

22 November, 2012

US: Screw caps are closing the gap on synthetic cork wine closures, according to research by Wine Intelligence. But natural cork still remains the most popular closure. 

Wines of Argentina, Wines of Chile and Wines of South Africa have come together to launch a collaborative generic tasting for 2013 - called The Beautiful South.

Vinexpo 2013 dates confirmed

19 November, 2012

The 17th Vinexpo exhibition is to be held from 16-20 June 2013 at the Bordeaux Lake Exhibition Centre.

Bordeaux wine consultant Olivier Dauga has announced that his Prix Raisin award will be increased to include marketing and financial services for the winner in 2013.

A major exhibition about scotch whisky, Scotland’s 'national drink', will open on 29 November at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

Messe Düsseldorf Group, organiser of Prowein, has struck a deal with China International Exhibitions to create Prowine China – a show hoped to become the “leading wine fair in China”.

Major scotch exhibition

16 November, 2012

A major exhibition about scotch whisky, Scotland’s national drink, will open on 29 November at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

US: William Grant will no longer distribute Stolichnaya vodka in the US after the current contract for importation, distribution and marketing expires on December 31, 2013. 

Online wholesale business, Ooberstock, has signed up Diageo’s Guinness and C&C’s Magners cider to its portfolio of brands.

Gruppo Campari has seen only moderate growth so far in 2012 after a heel-dragging performance in Europe tempered advances in emerging markets.

Diageo plc, United Breweries (Holdings) Limited and United Spirits Limited have announced agreements under which Diageo would acquire a 27.4% stake in USL, the leading spirits company in India.

Diageo has announced three changes to the executive committee, with immediate effect.

Pernod Ricard has announced that the lawsuit brought against the company, Diageo and Seagram in New York by a number of regional departments of Colombia, has been dismissed, without prejudice.

Gruppo Campari has initiated its tender offer for 100% of the issued shares of Lascelles deMercado Co Limited, which owns J Wray & Nephew and Appleton rums.

French cooperative Les Vignobles Foncalieu has acquired Château Haut Gléon in AOC Corbières, Languedoc.

Hankey Bannister 40 YO was named Supreme Champion spirit at the International Spirits Challenge awards dinner last night (Nov 5).

Bacardi announces job moves

05 November, 2012

Bacardi Limited has appointed Dmitry “Dima” Ivanov, 36, to the role of senior global category director of rums.

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard and the Irish Whiskey Society (IWS) have collaborated to create a limited edition single pot still whiskey.

Diageo has been named overall winner at the This is Africa Beyond Business Awards 2012 in the Large Company category. 

Panama axes US spirits duty

01 November, 2012

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.

Diageo has not enquired about increasing its stake in Zacapa, the Guatemalan rum brand of which it owns a 50% share, Drinks International has been told.

Bacardi appoints new CFO

29 October, 2012

Bacardi Limited has announced the retirement of senior vice president and chief financial officer Jacques Croisetière, 58. He will be replaced by Joseph J. Schena, 54.

Paul Medder, Wine Intelligence's country manager for Brazil, offers the latest on plans to introduce protectionism in the burgeoning Brazilian wine market.

Jancis Robinson MW has been awarded the Commendador do Ordem do Mérito Empresarial – Classe do Mérito Agricola - for services to Portuguese Wine at a private event hosted by the Portuguese ambassador at his residence in London.

UK alcohol charity Drinkaware has appointed Elaine Hindal as its new chief executive. She succeeds Chris Sorek, who returned to the US earlier in the year. Hindal is to take up the post in January 2013.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has called for further sanctions on producers and distributors of imitation scotch in China.

SABMiller has announced that chairman and managing director of The South African Breweries (Pty) Limited, Norman Adami, will become the new chairman, SABMiller Beverages South Africa.

Chivas Brothers, the scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, intends to build a new malt whisky distillery and has begun the planning process for a site in Speyside.

Stock Spirits Group has sold orange liqueur brand Gran Gala to its US importer Sazerac Company, for an undisclosed sum.

The Italia del Vino Consortium has called on the entire Italian wine sector to work together to construct and enact a national strategy to attack emerging markets for wine.

Diageo has announced that it has applied for planning permission to double the capacity of Glen Ord, a Highland malt whisky distillery near Inverness.

The People's Republic of China has recognised Napa Valley's Geographic Indication (GI) status.  

English Wine Producers has announced that harvesting of varieties for sparkling wine production for the 2012 vintage is now underway.

Wine producers looking for growth opportunities in Europe should be thinking about Finland, Norway and Sweden, according to a report from Wine Intelligence.

Duffy new Absolut boss

10 October, 2012

Pernod Ricard has announced that Paul Duffy has been appointed chairman & CEO of Absolut.

A series of actions designed to strengthen and expand existing efforts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, have been agreed by the world’s leading producers of beer, wine and spirits.

The 28th Nedbank Cape Winemakers’ Guild Auction recorded the highest turnover ever of R5,739,000*, excluding VAT, with a sellout of all the wines.

William Grant & Sons, the independent family distiller which owns Glenfiddich has topped the £1 billion turnover mark for the first time.

Guala Closures, a leading maker of aluminium closures for spirits and wines, has bought the Metal Closures division of South African company, MCG Industries.

Brazil recognises Napa

05 October, 2012

The Napa Valley Vintners Association (NVVA) has announced that Brazil has recognised the famous Californian wine producing region has Geographical Indication (GI) status.

Maison Sichel, the Bordeaux-based producer and negociant, has announced the appointment of the 23-year-old son of Sichel’s current president and managing director to the business

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has announced that scotch whisky exports have increased in value by 12% in the 12 months to the end of June 2012.

Steve Gerrard has been appointed managing director of UK wine agency Barwell & Jones with immediate effect.

The BNIC’s seventh annual La Part Des Anges charity auction has raised a record €136,800/£108,500 from the sale of fine and rare cognacs.

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