FREIXENET
FREIXENET is running the “Mini Mobile Tour” – an interactive campaign consisting of in-person and online promotions. Throughout the fall the tour will visit several key markets with pop-up events and hosted parties featuring a duo of Mini Coopers wrapped in the brand’s signature black and gold. The body wrap... Read More
ROTY…THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT
Ben Weiner (left), owner of Sav-Mor Liquors in Somerville, is this year’s Massachusetts recipient of the Brown Forman Distillers’ Retailer of the Year Award, being presented by Richard Hurley (right), President of the MassPack. Mr. Weiner was selected by a group of his fellow Bay State retailers, and received this... Read More
PATRICK RICARD
Patrick Ricard, 67, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pernod Ricard, died suddenly on August 17 after suffering a heart attack on the family-owned island of Bendor in southern France. Ricard was the son of Paul Ricard, who first commercialized pastis, an anise-flavored liqueur, in 1932. He was managing... Read More
HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERIES
BERNIE LUBBERS has been hired as American Whiskey Brand Ambassador. In his new role he will support the sales and marketing efforts of the company’s American Whiskey Collection among both consumers and trade. In addition, he will educate these parties on history, production, laws and standards of the whiskies. Lubbers... Read More
BUD LIGHT SCORES A PLATINUM HIT
Anheuser-Busch InBev has finally scored with a long over-due hit: Bud Light Platinum. The brewer reported that it has shipped more than 1 million barrels of the beer in the past five months. That’s the equivalent of about 331 million 12-ounce bottles. Platinum will also be released in 22-ounce bottles,... Read More
WILL CIDER BE THE APPLE OF HEINEKEN’S EYE?
Cider sales throughout the US have been on fire for the last year and bigger brewers are getting in on the action. Heineken USA added Strongbow cider to its portfolio beginning January 1, 2O13. Strongbow, the second largest cider brand in the US, is a crisp premium imported cider from... Read More
BEER ON TAP AT THE WHITEHOUSE
It’s official: Craft beer mania has hit the White House. The Obama administration recently confirmed it has added a small beer brewery to the White House. Officials discussed the brewery after President Obama told some Iowa residents that he had some of its product stocked aboard the bus he used... Read More
THE WORLD IS THIRSTY FOR BEER
Sales in the US may be virtually stagnant but a new report says the world’s thirst for beer hit a new high last year, with China leading the way. The report released in late August by the research arm of Japanese brewery Kirin Holdings said it was the 27th consecutive... Read More
KNOCKOFF WINE WITH YOUR KNOCKOFF GUCCI?
Always be wary of wines claiming to be from Chateau Margaux bearing cheesy labels. The Shanghai police department is reported to have busted a wine counterfeiting gang, seizing thousands of bottles of fake “first growths” in the process. The six-person gang along with their leader were arrested and police discovered... Read More
THE AMAZING WINE ISOTOPE ANALYZER
As the raids in Shanghai will testify, wine fraud is big business. Experts estimate that as much as 5% of all wine sold in secondary markets is counterfeit. Knockoff labels not withstanding, usually the only way to find out if a wine is a fake is to open it. A... Read More