At Press Time

LIQUOR  LICENSES in Massachusetts have long been notoriously difficult to obtain. And when they are available their price can be on a par with a king’s ransom. But under a new proposal from Governor Patrick there could soon be more licenses available throughout the state. Currently, the number of licenses... Read More

LABEL ’EM WARNED The Alston Brighton Substance Abuse Task Force and Youth Coalition has launched a sticker shock campaign targeting adults in the community. The stickers placed on multi-packs of alcoholic beverages at liquor stores, remind adults that it is illegal to provide alcohol for people under 21. The  campaign... Read More

TRUTH IS SOMETIMES STRANGER THAN FICTION. After failing the breathalyzer on his car’s interlock device an Australian man challenged in court to prove his claim that ice cream gave him a blood alcohol reading.  Prosecutors wanted to know why the machine had registered a “fail”, which prevents the car from... Read More

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR DWI COURTS (NCDC) and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) are joining forces to launch a national campaign aimed at establishing best practices for DWI Courts and determining national policy issues on drunk driving as it relates to DWI Courts. Last year over 17OOO people... Read More

CONSTELLATION BRANDS INC. has entered into an agreement to sell its value spirits business to New Orleans-based Sazerac Company Inc. for $334 million, subject to closing adjustments. The transaction was expected to close by the end of February. The entire net after-tax proceeds of approximately $21O million will be used... Read More

ACROSS THE COUNTRY state budgets everywhere are desperately in need of additional revenue. In New Hampshire, the hope is that a change in the way liquor is sold will generate much needed funds to help with the $25O million deficit the state is facing. New Hampshire State Liquor Commissioner Mark... Read More

IT’S BUTT’S OUT TIME IN BOSTON. In December Boston health regulators banned cigarette sales in drugstores and on college campuses, giving the city some of the most stringent antismoking laws in the nation. The rules, approved unanimously by the Boston Public Health Commission, mean that starting in February, about 75... Read More

A MASSACHUSETTS JUDGE has overturned legislation that put a production cap on wineries that were allowed to ship directly to consumers.  The ruling will permit wineries of all sizes to ship directly to residents of legal drinking age in Massachusetts. Judge Rya Zobel’s decision in Family Winemakers of California v.... Read More

LEBLON CACHAÇA HAS COMPLETED THE PURCHASE of its state-of-the-art distillery in Brazil. Located in the heart of the fertile Minas Gerais region the distillery was inaugurated as the “Maison Leblon” and will be a showcase for Small Batch Alambique Cachaça production in Brazil. “With our new dedicated distillery, we can... Read More

JOHN PAUL DEJORIA Co-Founder of Patrón Tequila has announced the completion of a transaction that makes him principal owner of Patrón Spirits International AG (formerly Caribbean Distillers Corporation, Limited), the parent company of The Patrón Spirits Company. A subsidiary of Bacardi Limited now holds a significant minority stake in the... Read More