France: Champagne Lanson is to put disgorgement dates on the back labels of all 75cl bottles of Lanson Black, Rose and Ivory Label NV imported into the UK.

Scotland: The Glenglassaugh distillery has appointed a new customer account manager. Ronnie Routledge will take the post from April 6.

March 16 2010. The champagne generic body CIVC today announced the launch of a new lighter weight champagne bottle.

UK: J Wray & Nephew has appointed two new employees to its sales and marketing team.

Confusion reigns in South Africa as new reports suggest mining applications in the winelands have not been withdrawn.

France: Fitou cooperative Mont Tauch is to place the ‘Winegrowers for Sustainable Development’ logo on every bottle of its wine sold in the UK.

Spain’s Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino invested its two latest members at its 26^th annual ceremony held in London, early March.

Moët Hennessy has released two new Dom Pérignon Rosé cuvées from the 2000 and 1990 vintages.

Australia: Diageo has announced it will secure the marketing and distribution rights to tequila brand Jose Cuervo in Australia, officially effective April 1 2010.

Scotland: Gordon & MacPhail has released a 70 year old single malt whisky.

Members of Romanian Winegrowers are to undergo a benchmarking initiative, designed to identify a ‘Hero Selection’ of wines.

Denmark: Carlsberg has launched Vintage 3 – the third in an exclusive beer trilogy.

Chile: The Asociación de Viñas de Colchagua and the Colchagua Valley Wine Route have estimated a loss of 25 million litres of wine as a result of the earthquake.

UK: Brewer Molson Coors has become the first to be a founding signatory of WRAP’s Courtauld Commitment 2.

Coinciding with the eyecatching relaunch of Black Tower’s Classic range, brand owner Reh Kendermann has also announced a premium extension to the market leading German range.

Leading German wine exporter Reh Kendermann has unveiled radical new looks for its iconic global brand Black Tower.

Portugal: Boutique port producer Andresen has released a 100 year old port.

Scottish Government plans to introduce alcohol minimum pricing have suffered a further setback, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

Millésime Bio has reported record numbers at its organic wine trade fair, held in Montpellier, France this January 25-27.

UK: Coors has launched a cold-activated can for its Coors Light brand.

Chile: Vinos de Chile has assessed earthquake damage and reported limited damage, though this amounts to a loss US$250 million.

The Miguel Torres Chile winery has been affected by the earthquake that has shaken the country.

The winery said it was important to show support for its 'fellow countrymen' and has postponed the opening of the Don Maximiano Icon Winery. It also said it was too soon to give an accurate assessment of the damage to homes and wineries in the south.

The UK director of Wines of Chile, the generic body representing the Chilean wine industry, has released a statement following the catastrophic earthquake in the country.

Veuve Clicquot has taken the uncertainty out of the process of ageing vintage champagnes with its recently launched Cave Privée Collection.

Europe’s spirits producers have launched a catalogue of industry-led programmes to reduce alcohol related harm.

Diageo has launched a scathing attack on Bacardi over the Captain Morgan rum, US Virgin Islands saga. Diageo has accused Bacardi of scheming to protect subsidies at the expense of the economic stability of the US Virgin Islands.  Bacardi has insisted the dispute is about the appropriate use of taxpayers’ money.

First Cape wine is launching lower-alcohol (5.5% abv) extension of its First Cape brand.