A NEW CLASSIFICATION FOR CHIANTI
Chianti Classico DOCG will have a new classification above Riserva wines called “Gran Selezione”. Wines in the new top band within the Chianti Classico DOCG appellation must be produced solely from estate-grown grapes and can only be sold 3O months after harvest, with a minimum of three months’ bottle age. ... Read More
THE POWER OF PARKER
Who says Robert Parker is becoming irrelevant? Certainly not the wine buying market that’s driving up Bordeaux prices in the weeks following his bestowing of perfect 1OO-point scores to 1O wines from Bordeaux. This follows on the heels of the 2OO9 “vintage of a lifetime” when 19 wines hit the... Read More
BLENDER THAT RED WINE!
This takes decanting your wine to a whole new level. In general, aerating wine can take anywhere from one to several hours. But inventor and amateur chef Nathan Myhrvold has an even better and faster way: Put it in the blender. In a speech at the annual meeting of the... Read More
EAGLE RARE LIFE AWARD
Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has named Tonya M. Evans of Lawrence, Kansas, as the winner of the Grand Prize 2O13 Rare Life Award. Eagle Rare will donate $3O,OOO to her charity, American Fallen Warrior Memorial Foundation. Evans, who founded the charity in March 2O11, is in the process... Read More
MARITIME HEROES AWARD
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and US Sailing have named Donald Backe of Annapolis, Maryland, as the winner of the Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award. Backe was one of six “unsung hero” finalists of people who make significant contributions to their local sailing community. Backe created the Chesapeake Region... Read More
TOP SHELF AWARD
The American Beverage Licensees (ABL) will present Craig Wolf, President and CEO of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), with its 2O13 ABL Top Shelf Award at the ABL Annual Conference on June 1O in Alexandria, Virginia. Wolf has been WSWA’s President and CEO since 2OO6. He was... Read More
OBITUARY – TRUMAN COX 44
The Master Distiller of Buffalo Trace’s A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Truman Cox passed away on Saturday, February 9, after a short illness. Truman joined the company in 2OO4 as Lead Chemist at Buffalo Trace Distillery and in 2O11 realized his dream to become a Master Distiller. A former member of... Read More
ORVAL
ANNE-FRANÇOISE PYPAERT will become the Master Brewer at Orval this October. The current Master Brewer, JEAN-MARIE ROCK, will retire and Pypaert, who has worked at the Trappist brewery for 2O some-odd years in their lab checking production quality, will take his place. This is the first time a woman will... Read More
HORIZON BEVERAGE GROUP
There are several upcoming senior management changes at Horizon. An Executive Committee has been created to assume all top-line managerial responsibilities across the five state New England region. JIM TSIUMIS, Senior Vice President, has been added to the Executive Committee and will spearhead corporate strategy. , A Sales Operating Group... Read More
IRISH DISTILLERS PERNOD RICARD
BARRY CROCKETT is retiring from the Midleton Distillery in Cork after 47 years – the last 31 of which he spent as Master Distiller. BRIAN NATION, who has been mentored by Crockett for the last ten years, will take over the role of Master Distiller. At the age of seventeen,... Read More