Inside This Month
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April 2011 INSIDE THIS MONTH Pag. Prosecco_Drinks_International_Cover_V2.pdf 1 21/03/11 18.10 The No.1 choice for global drinks buyers Best BARS THE US UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT Shutterstock BRAZIL PUTS ITS BEST FOOT FORWARD TO CATCH UP IN WINE BRANDY A DRINK FOR ALL SEASONS DESIGN BEYOND THE BLING zoninprosecco.com Contents Agile Media Ltd, Zurich House, East Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6AS Direct Line: +44(0) 1293 590049 Fax: +44(0) 1293 474010 Angostura CEO Wayne Yip Choy, pictured left, presents the Global Cocktail Challenge winning cheque to champion Andy Griffiths Becoming unaffordable 38 ell, the UK is in a mess. Maybe not as big a News Features mess as Greece, Ireland 05 Business News 24 Brandy and Portugal, but a 08 People and Events There is more to brandy than just cognac financialW morass nevertheless. 12 What’s New and armagnac, as Hamish Smith finds out Still, all the talk about cheap alcohol 14 Travel Retail News being peddled in the UK by multiple 28 Brazilian wine retailers and on-licensees should be evaporating as the Analysis Brazil is big in most things, but in wine it government’s wonderfully termed “tax escalator” kicks in 09 Regional France sits in the shadow of neighbours Chile and with a 7.2% increase (2% above inflation) at the time of Is the rise of Advini – the merger of Argentina. Andrew Catchpole reports the recent Budget statement. It means more than 50p on a southern France-based Jeanjean with bottle of spirits, 15p on a bottle of wine and 4p on a pint Chablis producer Laroche – the shape of 33 Design & Packaging of beer, without the Chancellor really trying. things to come in the home of the world’s Lucy Britner checks out all things luxury. There has been a significant argument from the anti- most famous wines, asks David Longfield? What is the true cost of that crystal alcohol lobby that drink has never been so cheap. On the decanter and fancy oak box? other hand, we’re supposed to be harmonising our taxes 10 WSET – From Our Own with our continental neighbours. Plus, fixing prices is anti- Correspondent 38 Angostura Cocktail Competition competitive and therefore illegal in the European Union. David Wrigley MW, the Wine & Spirit The return of the global challenge – last The fact is, when needs must, the UK Chancellor of the Education Trust’s international director, held in 2008 – lures Lucy Britner to Exchequer has to raise money – and has to be seen to be kicks off the first of a regular series Trinidad. She gets to talk to Angostura doing something to rectify or ameliorate the situation. CEO Wayne Yip Choy (see above left) We all know that a drink, be it a scotch on the rocks, a 16 Profile great glass of wine or a refreshing beer, is an ‘affordable Turning Le Page. Hamish Smith talks to 40 Bar Zone luxury’ – but a luxury nevertheless. Frankly, getting the cognac head Catherine Le Page G’Vine cocktail competition, Britner’s economy sorted out is more important. Blog, royal tributes If it means the death of cheap plonk or poorly made Previews spirits and beer as drinkers become more discerning, all 19 Vinitaly 42 Departure Zone well and good. If it means consumers trading down to The 45th show. Christian Davis previews Bacardi Cruise Competition winners; poor quality or the return of the white van hammering its Stella’s search for a star, the latest drink- way to the Channel ports to pop over to France to buy 20 Best Bars: US related books to hit the high streets cheap booze, then not so good. Tom Sahndham looks at some of the best bars in the United States Christian Davis Editor APRIL 2011 DRINKSINT.COM DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 3 News Nadal aces Bacardi job acardi has made tennis champion Rafael Nadal its global social responsibility ambassador. B Bacardi, which claims to be the largest privately owned spirits company, signed up the world’s number one tennis player to lead its Champions Drink Responsibly campaign. Winner of nine Grand Slam tennis titles, the Spaniard will help spread the message of responsible drinking through a “global multi-faceted communications campaign”, using the likes of YouTube and Facebook. “Rafael Nadal is a world champion at the top of his game whose lifestyle and dedication reflects the values of our company and this campaign,” said Séamus McBride, Bacardi president and CEO. “His global appeal makes him the perfect champion and role model to help us continue to spread the message that we should all know ‘where to draw the line’ when it comes to drinking. “We are now building into the fourth year of the Champions Drink Responsibly campaign, having launched with Michael Schumacher, and we are delighted Rafael has agreed to carry forth our campaign for the next few years,” added McBride. Brick Brewing £6,000 at stake in Gin Mare buys Seagram bartender competition Canada rights he owners of Mediterranean gin brand Gin Mare Brick Brewing Company has acquired the Thave launched a bartender competition that Canadian rights to the Seagram Coolers brand culminates in a grand final on the island of Ibiza in from Corby Distilleries. September with a winner’s purse of £6,000. Brick acquired the rights for a purchase price Spanish-based owners Global Premium Brands of $7.3 million, which comprised a $4.9 million (GPB) have two strands to the challenge. One is for cash payment to Corby and the issuance of UK bar staff, the other is open to bartenders from a secured promissory note for the remaining countries where Gin Mare is available – Spain (two balance to be paid over the next four years. entrants), France (1), Portugal (1), the Netherlands Seagram Coolers was established in the 1980s, (1), Switzerland (1) and two from Australia where it is with the launch of Seagram Wild Berry Vodka distributed by Suntory. Cooler. The three categories in the competition are The brand is currently available in all Canadian Mediterranean Martini, gin & tonic and and ‘freestyle’, provinces except Quebec and, according to the a cocktail based on the four core values of Gin Mare – company, is among the top-selling spirit-based lifestyle, gastronomy, escape and climate. coolers families in Canada. The range consists The UK heat takes place at Imbibe in July with the other heats being of Wild Berry, Vodka Spritzer, Cream Swirl and staged in their countries by the Gin Mare distributors. The final will Elquila. take place at a luxury villa (pictured) on Ibiza from September 1-3. Diageo has announced it Although the UK’s Bacardi Global Travel Beam Global Spirits & Wine is to invest £3.5 million in Chancellor of the Exchequer retail has announced that has acquired the low-calorie News expanding and upgrading stated “no change” in the Michael Halpern, president cocktail brand Skinnygirl, its Caol ila single malt Budget (March 23) on the of international Shoppes, created by natural foods scotch whisky distillery duty and VAT on alcohol, has won its Spirit for life chef and reality TV star In Brief on the island of islay. he has not touched the award for his contribution Bethenny Frankel. The The distillery currently tax escalator which sees a to the americas travel brand’s flagship RTD produces 5.7 million litres 2% rise above inflation on retail industry. product is Skinnygirl Industry stories from a year. it will increase by alcoholic drinks every year. Margarita. around the globe 700,000 litres. april 2011 DRINKSINT.COM DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 5 News US drinks events to Jack Daniel’s taste of help suppliers grow he Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) honey creates a buzz Twill offer a US Drinks Conference business programme at the 68th Annual Convention & Exposition, April 10-13, ack Daniel’s has released a honey whiskey tradition, and we think our friends will be in Orlando. – the brand’s first launch in nearly a pleasantly surprised with the new offering that The USDC, established in 2007 by Brand Action Team, Jgeneration. has everyone abuzz here in Lynchburg.” MHW and Next Level Marketing, will co-ordinate the Tennessee Honey launches throughout the US A statement from Jack Daniel’s said Tennessee business-related programmes at this year’s convention. from April and the drink is described as Jack Honey is to be available in all US states by this It aims to provide “practical information” that suppliers Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey “mingled summer in 5cl, 37.5cl, 75cl and 1-litre bottle and distributors can use to “introduce and grow brands in with a proprietary honey liqueur resulting in a sizes. the US market”. unique, smooth offering”. Tennessee Honey will be offered at a suggested The USDC says its programmes are targeted at Jack Daniel’s master taster Jeff Norman said: retail price of $22 for a 75cl bottle. wholesalers and wine and spirit suppliers. “In every sense of the word, this is a natural. “Whether it’s chilled straight or served in Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey brings together drinks with other mixers such as lemonade, tea two complementary tastes in a new way. or ginger ale, we think our friends will really “The quality and character of Tennessee love its unique taste and smooth character,” Super-premium Honey is in keeping with the Jack Daniel’s Norman added. Russian Smirnoff iageo has announced the launch of Dsuper premium vodka Smirnov Titul to the Russian market. The release is a continuation of Diageo’s “strategic and tactical innovations” programme in Russia – an emerging market for the drinks group that has grown 31% in net sales during the past six months.