June 2011 INSIDE THIS MONTH The No.1 choice for global drinks buyers ISC THE INTERNAtiONAL SPIRits CHALLENGE – VODKA, GIN AND OTHER WHITE SPIRITS IRISH WHISKEY POT STILL – THE NEW CATEGORY RHÔNE VALLEY SOME GREAT CLASSIC WINES AT REASONABLE PRICES COGNAC SUPPLEMENTWITHISSU THISE Contents Agile Media Ltd, Zurich House, East Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6AS Direct Line: +44(0) 1293 590049 30 Fax: +44(0) 1293 474010 40 Time for change am just recovering from three days at the London International Wine Fair. I love it. An opportunity to catch up with so many people. But much as I love the fair, I think it is time for Ia drastic overhaul and by that I mean taking it back to London. The show has been shrinking and it doesn’t need the purpose-built halls out at ExCel anymore. Anyone who knows the show knows that moving it out to Docklands ‘lost’ all the West End sommeliers and bartenders who would pop in before or between service. Despite gallant efforts to resuscitate the spirits/on-trade 44 element, Distil – as it has become – has withered back to a sideshow. News 40 The Rhône It may be nostalgia – and we British do love the good 05 Business News The Rhône is in rude health but it has to ol’ days – but there was a buzz about Olympia, for all its 08 People and Events fight harder than neighbours in Burgundy faults. 10 Travel Retail News and Bordeaux. Lucy Britner reports Without question, the momentum is with ProWein. 12 What’s New I have not been for three years but everyone who has 44 Rosé Wine attended comments on that being the show to go to. Analysis Rosé has gone from cheap and cheerful Vinexpo? Well, Vinexpo is Vinexpo, love it or loathe 16 The World Whisky Conference to a serious category. Hamish Smith is it. Usually by the time we get to June, all the important David Longfield and Ian Buxton report on in the pink launches have already been seen at ProWein and/or LIWF. the recent gathering But back to London. This year it was noticeable that 49 Wine Zone the walls are coming in and there was a coffee station in 20 Profile: Noël Bougrier Touriga Nacional, the major grape of the middle, taking up what would otherwise be prime Christian Davis meets one of France’s Portugal and port. David Longfield reports territory. The big corporate stands have all but gone. most influential wine producers But then the Specialist Independent Importers’ Tasting 51 From our WSET Correspondent (SITT) was set up specifically because many of the smaller 23 Vinexpo David Wrigley talks to Jude Mullins players were dissatisfied with the size, corporate feel and Lucy Britner previews the Bordeaux show about what is going on in Australia expense of the Brintex show at ExCel. Also, getting to and from ExCel is not good. The ISC 52 Bar Zone London Underground and DLR (Docklands Light 25 International Spirits Challenge Mad Men cocktail; Tia Maria & Paloma Railway) struggle to cope with commuters, let alone Vodka, gin, other white spirits – going Faith; Chivas celebrates “all things gin”, exhibition visitors swarming in and out. Standing for the gongs plus molecular mixologist crushed up on the Jubilee line and DLR brought home the fact that there is nothing especially convenient about Features 54 Departure Zone soulless ExCel. Balvenie’s den; Shirley Bassey with Balfour So, time for Brintex to take a deep breath and make 36 Irish Whiskey rosé; Vedett Extra Blond; Jack Daniel’s that big decision. Make a virtue of getting smaller. Take Irish Distillers’ introduction of two single spot the difference the London wine trade fair back to London proper. pot still whiskeys heralds a new category. Christian Davis imbibes Christian Davis Editor JUNE 2011 DRINKSINT.COM DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 3 News Two top executives leave in sweeping Diageo shake-up iageo, the largest drinks company in Stuart Fletcher is leaving. Walsh said that he has the world, has announced a major also decided to put Diageo’s sales and commercial Dorganisational shake-up which results organisations within its market companies. And in two senior executives leaving and power being as a result of this move chief customer officer Ron devolved to regions. Anderson is also leaving. Diageo CEO Paul Walsh said: “The regional The transition is scheduled to be in place by the variation in the pace of economic growth has created middle of Diageo’s 2012 financial year. significant change and new opportunities for Diageo Walsh has already announced an employee as a global business. consultation process on significant changes which “In order to capture these opportunities Diageo are proposed to Diageo’s European organisation. has begun a review of our operating model across The changes are seen as a move by the drinks giant the business to ensure that all our resources are to decentralise and devolve as its near rival, Pernod deployed closer to the market and in those areas Ricard, has achieved. where the potential for growth is greatest.” It is also a shift away from traditional, mature From July 1, the company is changing its markets such as Europe where future growth is, international division, creating two autonomous at best, limited. Walsh wants to maximise and regions – Diageo Latin America and Caribbean and concentrate resources in new emerging markets such Diageo Africa. As a result international president as in Asia, central and South America. Whisky regulations enforced to stop company ‘passing off’ he Scotch Whisky The Glasgow-based company’s This followed their advertising Association has enforced commitment follows an SWA of 14 brands of ‘whisky’, Tits 2009 regulations for action in the Scottish Court of including Golden Dollar, Sir the first time in Scotland. The Session. This is the first time Edwins and Paddington, each regulations have lead to a company legal action has been taken in bearing the name ‘Scottish Spirits’, undertaking not to pass off its Scotland using the Scotch Whisky in a manner that suggested the products as genuine scotch whisky. Regulations 2009, which now products were genuine scotch The (SWA) said in a statement regulate the making, bottling and whisky. that it “welcomed undertakings labelling of scotch whisky. SWA investigations found that Moët & Chandon has launched a champagne designed to be served over ice. Moët Ice from Reynald & Sons and its sole The SWA took action against the spirits were manufactured in Imperial is a new assemblage made of 40%-50% director, Reynald Grattagliano, Reynald & Sons and Grattagliano Panama and consisted of unaged Pinot noir, 30%-40% Pinot Meunier and 10%- that they will not engage in to prevent them selling or neutral alcohol and flavourings. 20% Chardonnay. The champagne is demi-sec activities that might pass off a advertising spirits in a way that The brands were bottled by and it has been on trial in 200-250 outlets in the uS, France, Germany and in select uK on-trade spirit as scotch whisky when it falsely suggests that they are Scottish Spirits, a Panamanian outlets. is not”. scotch whisky. company. The WSTA has launched Berry Bros & Rudd Spirits Treasury Wine estates Stolichnaya is to roll out a unit to tackle fraud has appointed Maxxium UK has announced that the its 4 Elements bottle, News in the uK wine and to distribute No. 3 London scheme of arrangement for after its debut in Beirut spirits industry. It will Dry Gin. Since its launch the demerger of Treasury increased Stoli Red sales work with police and in 2010, the brand has Wine estates from Foster’s sevenfold. The travel retail In Brief customs to combat issues been distributed by Inspirit Group was implemented on exclusive, designed by Yuri such as identity theft, Brands. Friday 20 May 2011. Gorbachev, made its debut counterfeiting and wine in Phoenicia-Aer Rianta. Industry stories from investment fraud. around the globe june 2011 DRINKSINT.COM DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 5 News johnnie Walker Double Black is ‘game changer’ iageo Global Travel and one third the size of its 102-year-old Steve White, recently-appointed Middle East, has claimed the cousin, without taking sales away. marketing director for GTME and Dtravel retail-exclusive launch The ‘dialled up’ version of Johnnie former marketing and innovation of Johnnie Walker Double Black a Walker Black label is described as director for Diageo’s Johnnie Walker year ago as a “game changer”. “innovation around a crown jewel”. global brand team, said: “It has been By the final quarter of 2010 (latest Jonathan Driver, brand ambassador exclusive to the travel retail channel available data) JWDB has climbed to for Diageo, quipped that Double Black for the past 12 months and though, the number eight travel retail brand by is “smoke on steroids”, continuing going forward, we are planning to value, overtaking the likes of Absolut and emphasising the Johnnie Walker allow a small number of domestic Blue Label, Jack Daniel’s and Famous style and heritage of west coast of markets to have the product for Grouse. Scotland scotch with Islay whisky and limited periods only, travel retail GTME said Johnnie Walker Double increased charring of the inside of the remains the principal channel for Black has already grown to about oak barrels. Johnnie Walker Double Black.” Girelli creates Labels key to wine success in China new company ine producers looking to producers faced higher demands was easy for Chinese consumers to Stefano Girelli, one of Italy’s leading, Wexport to China for the first on packaging than in more mature pronounce, while Château Mouton- most innovative wine producers, has time need to get to grips with demands markets for imported wine around Rothschild had hit a bull’s eye by using re-emerged with a new company – for high-quality packaging and the world, at a seminar hosted by the Chinese characters on packaging.