w BEVERAGE MEDIA 75th Anniversary Historical Essay

“Dedicated to News, Profitable Management and Maintenance of Bars, Grills, Taverns and Liquor Licensed Restaurants.”

— Bar & Grill Journal, 1st Issue, Fall 1936

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BEVERAGE MEDIA 75 YEARS

Prohibition, Then Repeal: From Three Tiers, One Publication Emerges

he Roaring Twenties. Flappers shimmied and millions danced the Charleston. Meanwhile, thousands of illicit speakeasies poured a veritable flood of swell cocktails,

cold beer and fizzy Champagne to thirsty imbibers as Brothers Max and Philip Slone, T founders of Bar & Grill Journal. the Prohibition-era ban on beverage alcohol was widely ignored by st otherwise law-abiding citizens. Indeed, soon after inception, the 18th combined with a range of 21 -century communications services. Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was judged an epic national In noting the origin of the company, failure in social engineering. In reaction, a new political movement William Slone, chairman of Beverage Me- st dia Group Inc., explains, “After Repeal, gathered force: Repeal. And with the 21 Amendment’s passage on the responsibility for all beverage alcohol December 5, 1933, Prohibition ended. production split into two critical areas. At the national level, federal authorities es- tablished a sweeping set of laws to regulate With wine, spirits and beer now legal, politan New York marketplace for accurate the production of wine, spirits and beer as two brothers, Philip and Max Slone, both news and insights relevant to licensees, the well as adjudicate, if necessary, interstate practicing lawyers, became adept special- Slone brothers proudly launched in 1936 commerce issues. But, at the same time, ists in handling licenses and other regula- the first trade publication of its kind—Bar owing to the strong states’ rights language tory matters for a new generation of aspir- & Grill Journal—which evolved over the of the 21st Amendment, responsibility for ing tavern and restaurant owners in New next 75 years into a unique network of 34 the distribution and sale of wine, spirits York. Sensing a great need in the metro- state-based beverage alcohol publications and beer was securely placed in the hands of state and local authorities. These de- velopments created the particular struc- ture of our beverage alcohol industry we all work in today.” Jason Glasser, chief executive offi- cer, adds: “Over our 75 years, the unique strength of Beverage Media comes from the fact that we have always mirrored the structure of the U.S. wine, spirits and beer trade. Taken together, our print, online media and host of other communications services are national in reach, but extreme- ly local in addressing specific markets.” The Slone brothers’ intimate associa- tion with all three tiers of the industry set the stage for a publication that grew with the beverage alcohol industry, con- necting suppliers, distributors and licens- ees with timely trade news and informa- tion. In the following decade-by-decade review, we look back at some of the most notable highlights during 75 years of Beverage Media publishing history. Beverage Media’s original 52nd street office, which occupied all five floors, including one floor devoted to a cocktail lounge for visitors and staff. Research and interviews by David Lincoln Ross.

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75 POST-PROHIBITION YEARS In the first four years of Bar & Grill Journal, the editors addressed a host of reader concerns. Would Prohibi- tion return in a new guise? How to profitably integrate food with bever- age alcohol? What new legislation deserves licensee support in Albany? What are the latest cocktail trends to learn and master? And should women be allowed in bars?(!)

America celebrates as the news flashes across the nation that Utah had become the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment. Here, crowds are shown gathering outside a New York club to witness the unloading of the first shipment of legal, tax-paid liquor.

The 1930s launched by visionary publisher Henry R. From Forbidden Fruit to Luce, of Time magazine fame—devoted a Liquor-Fueled Capitalism cover story to the country’s biggest distill- ers, brewers and vintners. Anheuser-Busch, Prior to Prohibition, brewers, distillers and Brown-Forman, National Distillers, Pabst, vintners comprised the fifth largest busi- Schenley, Schlitz and Seagram, among ness grouping in the United States. One others, soared in value. year after Repeal, in 1934, on a combined During the decade, American consum- basis, the beverage alcohol and hospitality ers faced shortages of aged whiskey and industries had been responsible for generat- imported wines, so new categories—such ing millions of new jobs in the depths of the as, younger-aged, blended whiskies like Great Depression and funneling hundreds Rittenhouse Rye as opposed to more costly and suppliers who served them—to a spir- of millions of dollars in direct and indirect “un-cut,” aged whiskies like Old Charter— ited (pun intended) conversation about federal, state and local tax revenues filled the gap until distillers could the news and trends of the day. The publi- to financially strapped government catch up with demand. Meanwhile, cation, besides its growing revenues from agencies. In fact, by the mid-1930s, post-Repeal, licensees were coping a steadily rising subscription base, also one-third of all federal tax receipts with complicated federal, state and pulled in more pages of advertising from were sourced from federal alcohol local alcohol regulations. distillers, brewers and vintners, as well as excise taxes alone. It was the combination of allied industries, including a whole range Not surprisingly then, from these developments—regulatory, of related products and services to assist 1933 to 1940 there was a fran- commercial and legislative—that new licensees in establishing them- tic race to rebuild breweries and telegraphed to the Slone selves in their communities. distillers and replant uprooted brothers a clear publishing vineyard acreage in California and opportunity, one which DRINKS Martini, Manhattan // elsewhere. All this required huge they seized with passion. 30S California wines, echoing capital investments. Restarting these With each issue, the efforts by wine marketing businesses resulted in a financial tidal magazine invited its readers— pioneer Frank Schoonmaker // wave so encompassing that in 1933, comprised of not only licens- Beers, both regional (Rheingold/Rupperts Fortune—the new business magazine ees, but also the distributors in NYC) and national (Pabst)

1933 1933 1934 1936 1937 1938 Heineken resumes exports to U.S.; E & J Gallo The Distilled Spirits The James B. Beam Budweiser Louis M. Martini February 1938 Winery established in Modesto; Bronfman Council of the United States Distilling Co. is incorpo- is first sold purchases 1,000-acre front cover of family forms Joseph E. Seagram & Sons (DISCUS) is formed rated in Clermont, KY in cans vineyard in Napa Valley Bar & Grill Journal

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POST-PROHIBITION 75 YEARS In the first four years of Bar & Grill Journal, the editors addressed a host of reader concerns. Would Prohibi- tion return in a new guise? How to profitably integrate food with bever- age alcohol? What new legislation deserves licensee support in Albany? What are the latest cocktail trends to learn and master? And should women be allowed in bars?(!)

Beverage Media addresses a variety of It’s hard to imagine today, as U.S. concerns affecting both licensees and veterans returning home. military efforts unfortunately take a back seat in the media to celebrities The 1940s both licensees and vet- and economic news, but World War The Industry Responds to War erans returning home. II weighed heavily in domestic daily And, as a sign of the life. Sacrifices were considered an Cover after cover of Beverage Media during publication’s growing World War II showed strong, patriotic im- expression of patriotic duty, as indus- influence, in 1947 ages in support of our troops. And in doz- tries and families from coast to coast Beverage Media an- ens of its articles, Phillip and Max Slone changed the way they lived and nounced the launch advised licensees about how to cope with worked in order to free up resources of a separate Upstate wartime shortages. For example, grain for the war. New York edition Harry Slone, sales to distillers and brewers were at first New Jersey for on- and off- Beverage Journal rationed, then severely reduced as part of premise licensees. the accelerating effort to redirect every Shortly after ex- available foodstuff or strategic material panding in New York, Phil and Max toward the war. Articles also covered how Slone called upon their brother Harry licensees could efficiently recycle glass to head west—to New Jersey. Harry bottles, cardboard containers and wood opened and oversaw the New Jersey cases, even holiday wrapping paper. Beverage Journal. In early 1940, the Slone brothers had changed their publication’s name from Bar & Grill Journal to Beverage Media; the Blended Whiskey, new title reflected their determination to DRINKS Gin, Moscow Mule widen editorial coverage to the entire bev- 40S (Vodka) // Crown erage alcohol business. Royal, launched in Following the war, Beverage Media honor of the British King addressed a variety of concerns affecting and Queen // Lager Beer

1944 1944 1948 1949 Distillers resume com- Faced with declining inventories, War-induced Chivas Brothers Ltd. mercial production for 11 distillers apply to become restrictions on beer is acquired by first time since 1942 spirit blends production are lifted Seagram & Sons

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The 1950s men—perhaps emblematic of a “Mad Post-War Growth and Men” man’s world—were genuine em- Life & Affluence – When Whiskey and pire builders. Beer Reigned Supreme As advertisements in Beverage Me- Times.... dia show, it also was an era when whis- In retro- Although the decade be- key—especially Ameri- spect, the gan with the Korean War can whiskies, blends and ’50s gave (1950-1953), overall the bourbon—dominated the birth to United States economy market along with regional truly national was poised for tremendous beer brands. Wine was not brands, thanks in part to the grow- expansion in the ’50s. Sub- as widely appreciated as it ing popularity of news, feature and urbs bloomed in former would be in the decades to lifestyle magazines. Dozens of ads cornfields, factories oper- come; although the Gallo for Bud, Schlitz and Miller, as well ated at near capacity, un- brothers and other Italian as for Schenley, Seagram’s 7 and employment dropped to re- and ethnic wine produc- Old Forester, reached millions of cord lows and pay packets ers were beginning to make readers of Time, Life, Esquire and a grew year after year. Rising inroads in the general mar- racy newcomer called Playboy. affluence drove consumers ket with generic varieties to enjoy some of the finer christened Hearty Burgun- things in life, and the cov- dy and Moun- ers of Beverage Media in this de- tain Chablis, their core New York City retailers cade amply illustrated the decade’s business was still propri- like Sherry-Lehmann, most popular libations, enjoyed etary fortified wine Morrell’s, and 67 Wine & at summer picnics, around the brands like Thun- Spirits, among others. Whiskey Thanksgiving table and during dominates derbird or Canan- By the end of 1959, the key year-end holidays. the market. daigua’s Richards Wild total U.S. spirits sales With Dwight D. “Ike” Eisen- Irish Rose. These forti- hit nearly 100 million hower in office as President (1953-1960), fied and jug wine brands 9-liter cases; wine sales it was a peaceful of the 1950s established a reached nearly 70 mil- period when larger- strong foundation for Ameri- lion 9-liter cases; while than-life personalities ca’s growing awareness of fine beer sales reached ap- dominated the drinks wines, a trend accelerated by proximately 87 million business—giants such noted wine importers and writ- 31.5 gallon barrels. as August “Auggie” ers such as Frank Schoonmaker, Jr. and Busch of Anheuser- , as well as by pioneering Lewis S. Rosenstiel, White/ Busch, Lewis “Lew” Schenley Black Industries DRINKS Rosenstiel of Schen- 50S Russian, ley Industries, Samuel Bloody Mary “Mr. Sam” Bronfman // Hearty of Seagram Distill- Burgundy, Thunderbird, ers, John Martin of Wild Irish Rose, Night Heublein, and Ernest Train, Virginia Dare // Full- and Julio Gallo of E calorie beer brands—Bud, Samuel Bronfman, & J Gallo Winery, to Seagram Schlitz, Miller High Life name but a few. These Distillers

1950 1951 1951 1952 1952 1958 1962 Efforts to reinstate Prohibition in November 1951 First pre-Thanksgiving Anheuser-Busch Beverage Media wins Blue Book issue January 1962 cover Arizona, Arkansas, Oregon and front cover of release of Beaujolais celebrates 100th Brown-Forman Press for 25th anniversary of Beverage Media South Dakota are defeated Beverage Media Nouveau anniversary Award of Repeal Upstate NY edition

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form The Bev- pleasures of fine erage Network. French wines And, following from not only military service, the Médoc châ- Max’s son, Wil- teaux, but other liam, and Phil’s great European son, Gerald, en- winemaking re- tered the busi- gions as well, ness, bringing including Bur- the next gen- g u n d y a n d eration into a Champagne in proud family business. France, Tus- The U.S. drinks cany and Piedmont in Italy and the market evolved rap- Rhine in (then) West Germany. idly in this tumultu- ous decade of social change—the drive for racial equality, women’s rights and vehement, sometimes violent pro- The 1960s tests about our escalating involvement in DRINKS From Camelot to Flower Power, South Vietnam. Woodstock, flower power 60S Beverage Media Tracks the and rock music obliged one beverage alco- Trends hol marketer after another to get with the times, be groovy and introduce hip cocktails Tequila Sunrise, Southern Comfort With Jack and Jacqueline Kennedy and and new products. // Almaden, Mateus, Lancers, Blue Nun, their two children entering the White And from the Old World, the Bob White and Red from House, the Camelot years of the early much-heralded 1959 vintage in Bor- Winery // Michelob, Lowenbrau, Heineken 1960s opened with great promise and deaux, France, opened the eyes of optimism. Beverage Media tracked the many wine-loving Americans to the explosive growth of the bev- erage alcohol business at all three tiers, with newsmaker interviews, analysis of local and national sales trends and timely coverage of new products and categories then developing. The Slone family pub- lishing enterprise was also rapidly evolving and grow- ing, with other publishers from around the nation joining Beverage Media to

1958 1962 1964 1966 1968 1968 Blue Book issue January 1962 cover U.S. Congress in 1964 declares Robert Mondavi Tenuta San Guido Heublein for 25th anniversary of Beverage Media bourbon to be a “distinctive establishes his winery releases first “Super introduces of Repeal Upstate NY edition product of the United States” in Napa Valley Tuscan” blend, Sassicaia cocktails in a can

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The 1970s America Discovers Table Wine, Light Beer and White Spirits

During the Nixon and Ford administra- tions, both U.S. and foreign-owned beer, wine and spirits companies continued to enjoy robust growth. And while there were some very early signs of consolida- tion—when one major drinks company In TV ads, Orson Welles touted Paul Masson: “We will sell no wine before its time.” gobbled up a smaller competitor—there was not a great deal of merger and acquisi- tion activity yet at the supplier and dis- drinks, namely the Screwdriver, Gin & tributor levels. Tonic and Rum & Coke. One of the most dramat- The 1970s, in retro- As a reflection of wine trending ic developments of this ex- spect, represented a brave away from fortifieds toward table citing decade was America’s new era for advertising. wines, the drinks industry saw the discovery of the pleasures Spirits got edgy, with Early incredible rise in this decade of the of wine, exemplified by the Times encouraging drink- “GAMIT” range—a handy acronym “I’ll-have-a-glass-of-white- ers to “Make Yourself a for Gallo, Almaden, Masson, Ingle- wine-please” order at bars Swinger” and a Sauza Te- nook and Taylor brands. or restaurants. Significantly, quila model promising “If this was the decade when you’ve got the salt, I’ve got sales of table wine (both the Sauza.” Orson Welles generic and wines) became known to a new not so much for his films as for his TV overtook fortified and des- generation of Americans ads touting Paul Masson, in which he sert wine sales for the first intoned, “We will sell no wine before its time since Repeal. time.” (Ironically, Welles was dropped In the beer realm, growing health con- in the early 1980s when he admitted cerns prompted consumers to migrate to publicly that he actually did not drink low-calorie or light beers, while environ- Paul Masson wine.) And beer got funny, mentally conscious consumers started to with a series of TV commercials fea- assert pressure on industry leaders to come turing former professional athletes up with better materials for recycling and arguing over whether Miller Lite earth-friendly production processes. “tastes great” or is “less filling.” Keeping in tune with the times, Beverage Media coverage included de- bate over controversial Federal Excise Vodka, Gin, Rum & Tax increases, trendy new cocktails DRINKS Coke // Chablis from and exclusive newsmaker interviews 70S California, White with wine, spirits and beer executives. Zinfandel, Domaine Meanwhile, white spirits—vodka, gin Chandon, Beaujolais and rum—rose in prominence as the Nouveau // Light Beers (Miller Lite, foundation of popular if simple bar Bud, Amstel Light), Corona

1975 1975 1976 1977 1979 1979 1982 Stuck fermentation Miller Lite is introduced, With memorable jingle “Riunite on ice, The industry begins shift to the Brown-Forman Grupo Modelo Bordeaux vintage helps Sutter Home featuring lower carbs that’s nice,” Banfi’s Riunite Lambrusco metric system, marking the begin- buys Southern begins importing hailed by launch White Zin and calories becomes America’s #1 wine import ning of the end for “fifths” of liquor Comfort Corona to the U.S. Robert M. Parker Jr.

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of scale and im- prove their route to market. Nota- bly, beginning in the mid-eighties, French business- man Bernard Ar- nault combined two iconic luxury companies, Louis Vuitton and Moët Distribution Hennessy, into one global giant—LVMH. At the start of the decade, there were In 1987, The Seagram Company, Ltd., con- generally dozens of small distribu- trolled by the Bronfman family, engineered tors in a given market, representing a then eye-popping $1.2 billion acquisition the major spirits and/or wine brands, of Martell Cognac. sometimes just covering a section of Meanwhile, scores of small, family- a large city. Consolidation, how- owned beverage alcohol wholesalers faced ever, quickly brought change, with The 1980s unrelenting pressure to either grow or surviving distributorships achieving Boomers: A New Generation of succumb to buy-outs. As the costs of la- statewide coverage. Wine Lovers, Cocktailians and bor and transportation increased, and as Micro-Beer Lovers the retail and hospitality tier experienced waves of consolidation of their own, less- As millions of prosperous efficient wholesalers started to sell NDC and Wirtz also built massive multi- baby-boomers reached legal out to competitors or simply close state operations. In the beer sector, Reyes drinking age, their arrival their doors. Holding LLC and Ben E. Keith, among gave rise to a new genera- Over time, the strong got bigger others, likewise built up strong multi-state tion of brands, with the sky- and stronger. Surviving distributors wholesaling operations. rocketing rise of Absolut strived to achieve statewide cover- In wine, wine coolers cooled off at the Vodka perhaps the most age, and soon the industry saw the end of decade as so-called “fighting vari- noteworthy example. Pow- rise of big, multi-state distributor- etals” began cropping up in California, led ered by simple yet evocative ships. For wine and spirits, Southern by Glen Ellen and Kendall-Jackson. In spir- advertising, Absolut man- Wine & Spirits of America emerged its, the decade saw a definite rise in status aged to separate its vodka, as the second tier’s leader, while for bartenders—er, make that mixologists— even though the product is other players including Glazer’s, Charmer, evident in the 1988 release of the romantic technically tasteless and odorless. Then drama Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise. the brand shook up the category in an un- precedented way, introducing the first fla- Scotch on the vored vodka, Absolut Peppar, in 1986; the DRINKS Rocks, Absolut, vodka flavor parade began, and continues S Captain Morgan // to accelerate 25 years later. 80 Wine Coolers— During this go-go decade, both do- Bartles & Jaymes, mestic and foreign suppliers initiated a Seagram’s // Anchor sweeping series of mergers and acquisitions Steam, Sam Adams to drive costs down, increase economies

1979 1982 1984 1984 1984 1986 1986 1987 Grupo Modelo Bordeaux vintage National Minimum Jim Koch establishes the Seagram’s First flavored New York State Schieffelin & begins importing hailed by Drinking Age Act raises Boston Beer Co., maker Coolers vodka: Absolut allows credit card Somerset is Corona to the U.S. Robert M. Parker Jr. legal drinking age to 21 of Samuel Adams debut Peppar sales in liquor stores formed

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ing new editorial and marketing products Social Responsibility driven by the latest technologies. Accord- ing to Roth, “Our growing suite of services As the decade progressed, the drinks introduced in the late 1990s enabled us to industry mounted a variety of social communicate with our subscribers both in responsibility campaigns, supporting print and online.” national ad campaigns to promote Meanwhile, in the pages of Beverage moderation and combat underage Media, editors tracked the highly profit- drinking, and funding programs for able growth of premium, super-premium designated-driver awareness. and luxury wine and spirits brands, while also tracking the growth of new Internet- related sales channels and the challenges, and opportunities, they offered.

Consolidation And, of course, con- solidation continued at all three tiers of The 1990s the industry. Allied Domecq was formed Boom Times for Wine, Luxury via a 1994 merger between Allied Lyons of Brands and the Rise of the the UK and Pedro Domecq of Spain, only Internet to be itself auctioned off to Pernod Ricard in 2005, which then spun off a number If there was one single “tipping point” in of brands to Fortune Brands (Beam) and the 1990s, it came early on, with CBS’s Diageo, the latter company the result of now-famous November 1991 60 Minutes a dramatic 1997 merger of two British gi- broadcast exploring the so-called “French Meanwhile, in the same year, after an ants in the global drinks business, Guin- Paradox,” which suggested that French epic lobbying battle, the U.S. government ness and Grand Metropolitan. men and women live longer lives and en- increased the federal excise tax (FET) on The decade/century ended anticlimac- joy lower rates of heart disease despite their beverage alcohol, putting pressure on the tically, with a feared Millennium-induced notoriously higher-fat diets and relatively overall sales of beer, wine and spirits. The shortage of Champagne—much like the little exercise. Why? Well, wine, and es- decade also saw a marked rise of anti-alco- threat of the so-called Y2K computer pecially red wine, seemed to be part of the hol campaigns. bug—never materializing. answer, according to doctors interviewed During this decade, the company con- by Morley Safer in the news piece. tinued to serve the needs of the local li- Faster than you can uncork a bottle, censee via its still growing list of state DRINKS Single Malt sales of wine, and particularly reds, shot S publications. Working closely together, 90 Scotch, Hennessy up across retail shops, supermarkets and Bill Slone, Jason Glasser, former IBM ex- Cognac, vintage- restaurants. It was good news for wine- ecutive Michael Roth and now third-gen- dated Armagnac, Sex makers around the world, and in retro- eration family member Jody Slone under- on the Beach // Merlot, Clas- spect is credited with tilting the Ameri- took a host of initiatives to enhance the sified Growth Bordeaux, Grand can palate from white wines toward red, capabilities of the company, including: Cru Burgundy, Vintage Port, and for launching the decade-long rise in improving communications among its Champagne for the Millennium popularity of Merlot. publications and, simultaneously, launch- // Micro-Brewed Beer, Zima

1991 1992 1993 1996 1997 1997 Century Council is formed; Jim Beam Brands Wine and Spirits Seagram runs TV and radio ads, August Sidney Frank introduces emblematic of industry introduces small- Wholesalers of America ending spirits industry’s voluntary front cover of New Jersey Grey Goose Vodka during a efforts of social responsibility batch bourbons celebrates 50th anniversary ban on certain types of advertising Beverage Journal flight on the Concorde

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The 2000s A Look Forward Industry Acceleration, Wine in Against this backdrop of boom and bust as Everyone Gets Online the U.S. marketplace turbulence, Beverage Me- By 2010, essentially dia Group shifted its focus to becoming a Amidst all the Millennial excitement, riding two straight de- technology company as much as it was a the Internet boom ushered in a complex cades of steady growth publishing company. By creating an online new sales channel: online ordering. The exchange, Beverage Media was now able to in consumption, the United powerful, ever-widening reach of this support suppliers, wholesalers and retailers States became the single larg- new technology intensified industry de- with an e-commerce system that would in- est wine-drinking nation bate, primarily in the wine sector, over crease operational efficiency for buyers and in the world (by volume, direct-to-consumer shipments that by- sellers. The company also launched into not per capita), outpacing passed both distributors and licensees. the business of hosting and designing web- such old world stalwarts as The issue reached the U.S. Supreme sites for retailers to sell wine, spirits and Court, which in 2005 ruled (on a 5-4 vote) France, Italy and Spain. Total wine beer efficiently to consumers. that states must give out-of-state wineries sales topped the 300 million case Reflecting on the evolution of the com- the same legal treatment accorded to in- level by 2010, even despite Ameri- pany his father and uncle founded in 1936, state wines. In what became known as the ca’s damaging economic crises. Bill Slone recalls talking to his father one “Granholm” decision, the Justices ruled day about the railroad companies that were that, in this situation, the Federal Interstate once a dominant factor in the nation’s econ- st Commerce law trumped the 21 Amend- unabated. Seagram was sold to a French con- omy. On hearing his son’s account, Max ment, and that regulations in Michigan glomerate, Vivendi, in 2000, which in turn, asked, “Why don’t they dominate any lon- and New York were discriminatory. Far auctioned off such iconic brands as Mumm, ger?” After Bill hesitated, Max said, “They from being definitive, however, the ruling Perrier-Jouët and Martell to Pernod Ricard, thought they were in the railway business, essentially pushed the responsibility of re- among others. In 2002, SAB, a South Afri- but they weren’t. They were in the transpor- solving direct-shipping issues back to indi- can brewing conglomerate, acquired Miller tation business.” Laughing today, Slone says vidual states, setting off new legal battles in Brewing, from Philip Morris, creating SAB- his father’s insight is still true; he applies it this ongoing and divisive issue. Miller. In that same year, Grupo Campari of to Beverage Media, noting, “We have to keep As the decade started, “drinking less Italy acquired a controlling interest in Skyy in mind we are not in the printing or web and drinking better” was wine’s catch Spirits, eventually gaining majority control business, we are in communications!” phrase; but indeed Americans were drink- in 2005. In 2004, Bacardi paid a reported $2 Summing up, Slone says, “We have a ing more wine every year—with rising billion to acquire unique position here at Beverage Media, be- consumption embracing everything from Grey Goose from cause we really touch all three tiers of the cult Cabs to Two-Buck Chuck. In spirits, Sidney Frank, industry, and we have an opportunity to absinthe returned (legally); bourbon expe- while in the same year Constellation connect everyone in this great business; it’s rienced a small-batch-fueled renaissance; Brands bought Robert Mondavi Corp. in our DNA and we take on this role with and vodka flavors went wild, both in an for $1 billion. great passion.” ■ explosion of branded varieties and the rise Next, Molson, Canada’s leading of bar-made infusions. Tequila showed off brewer, merged with Coors in 2005, Cosmopolitan, its premium side as Patron became the first DRINKS which in turn merged with SABMiller, S Artisanal Whiskies, $40+ tequila to hit the million-case mark. in 2007, to create MillerCoors. Then, 00 Flavored Vodkas // in the biggest drinks deal of the decade, grower Champagne, Consolidation Continues Anheuser-Busch was acquired by In-Bev, [yellow tail], Spanish At the global level, mergers activity in the a Brazilian-based worldwide brewing gi- Wines, Prosecco, Organic wines drinks business also continued, seemingly ant, for a mind-boggling $52 billion. // Craft Beers

1997 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Sidney Frank introduces The Casella family and Diageo, Pernod Ricard Austin Nichols Regulation and taxation of Film Sideways puts Supreme Court Grey Goose Vodka during a W.J. Deutsch introduce acquire Seagram’s becomes Pernod alcohol is officially transferred in the issues “Granholm” flight on the Concorde [yellow tail] to the U.S. liquor & wine empire Ricard USA from IRS and ATF to TTB spotlight ruling

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