July 2011 INSIDE THIS MONTH The No.1 choice for global drinks buyers BEST BARS THE WORLD'S BEST ELITE BARS IN BRAZIL ISC INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE: TEQUILA & LIQUEURS COCKTAIL CHALLENGE THE FINAL RESULTS AMERICAN WHISKEY INNOVATION IN OVERDRIVE? Contents Agile Media Ltd, Zurich House, East Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6AS Direct Line: +44(0) 1293 590040 Fax: +44(0) 1293 474010 26 22 Thinking drinkers trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, to watch Drinks 58 International contributors Tom Sandham and Ben McFarlandA perform in the Festival News Fringe (page 58) seems a bit of light 05 Business News 26 Wines of Spain relief from the almost continual 07 People and Events Spanish wines have been doing well – onslaught from the anti-alcohol lobby. 08 Travel Retail News and not just from Rioja, finds Andrew The latest revelation has been that older people should 10 What’s New Catchpole stop enjoying the pleasures of alcohol and lower their intake to 11 units of alcohol a week. (Hurrah for women Analysis 38 Wine for a change, only having to drop the equivalent of a 12 Whisky Packaging David Longfield gives a round up of and generous glass of wine a week. Boo-hoo for the boys When is it a case of the Emperor’s New insight into what is appearing on the whose intake is nearly halved). Clothes? Gavin D Smith opines tasting tables As Emma Soames, UK columnist and editor-at-large of over-50s magazine Saga, pointed out: take away food 14 Profile: Simon McMurtrie 26 Closures and (alcoholic) drink and there isn’t much left to enjoy The head of Direct Wines, the largest What stoppers to use for wine? Hamish for probably the majority of older people. Also, they have home delivery wine company in the world, Smith looks at a contentious subject got that far, why not let them enjoy the remainder of their talks to Christian Davis mobile, independent, compos mentis time before the mist 46 Liqueurs thickens and comes down? Events Jaq Bayles finds bartenders waxing lyrical So, to read Tom and Ben’s handout was a pleasant 18 Cocktail Challenge about that most diverse of categories relief and made me smile – as did Ben’s face, a natural Mixology at its best. The final results. comic’s visage. Their debut show is being promoted thus: Lucy Britner reports 50 Best Bars – Brazil “Edinburgh’s only intellectual and interactive elbow- The latest instalment. Tom Sandham bending event will champion alcohol and reveal how it ISC provides the countdown plus insight has played a role in love, literature and learning since the 28 International Spirits Challenge dawn of time.” Here, here. Tequila, liqueurs – the medal winners 44 From Our WSET Correspondent There’s more: “Long before it helped us lose our mobile The Wine & Spirit Education Trust is phones, alcohol has been oiling the wheels of civilisation Features launching Wine Service programmes. and invigorating the minds of history’s greatest heroes David Wrigley MW enthuses – from Jesus Christ (are you sure? We all know he 22 American Whiskey changed water into wine, but…) to Van Gogh to Ernest Lucy Britner strolls down Bourbon Street 56 Bar Zone Hemingway and Winston Churchill…” For more turn to Cocktail comps, Diageo World Class page 58 and if you want to see them, go to: pleasance. 26 Whisky in Spain update, Yotel bar co.uk. A snip at £9/£11. Spain is traditionally a key market for whisky but times are tough. Gavin D 58 Departure Zone Christian Davis The Galloping Editor Smith reports Royal sponsorship, funny men, Book Shelf JULY 2011 DRINKSINT.COM DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 3 News Diageo to take controlling stake in Chinese company hinese regulators have approved Diageo’s Paul Walsh, chief executive of Diageo, said: “We acquisition of an additional 4% stake are privileged to have the unique opportunity to Cin Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing Group participate at scale in super-premium Chinese white (Quanxing) from Chengdu Yingsheng Investment spirits, one of the largest, fastest-growing spirits Holding Co (Yingsheng). segments in the world. The 4% stake is worth RMB140 million (£13 “I am appreciative of the vote of confidence million) and would take Diageo’s holding in Diageo has received from the Chinese authorities and Quanxing to 53%. the tremendous support we have had from our own Quanxing produces a well-known white spirit in government as we seek opportunities for growth in China called Shuijingfang. our business.” Gallo buys Macleod buys Tamdhu distillery Diageo winery an Macleod Distillers has purchased the Tamdhu Idistillery, Speyside, from the Edrington Group. E & J Gallo Winery is to purchase Edna Valley The purchase was concluded on June 28 for an Vineyard from Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines undisclosed sum. Company and Paragon Vineyard Company, Tamdhu has a distillation capacity of four million which held it as a joint venture. litres of alcohol per year and the Tamdhu Single Malt Gallo will continue to partner with Paragon brand was also included in the sale. as a source of grapes for the Edna Valley Leonard Russell (right), managing director of Vineyard wines. Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “Having purchased Edna Valley Vineyard produces a range of Glengoyne Distillery from Edrington in 2003, we wines, specialising in Chardonnay. The purchase are delighted to be acquiring a second distillery includes the winery, the brand and 62 acres, of from them, safe in the knowledge that it has been which 44 acres are planted with Chardonnay and maintained to a very high standard and comes with Pinot Noir. a reputation for producing exceptional quality The Californian vineyard and winery are single malt.” located five miles from the Pacific Ocean in San Ian Curle, chief executive of The Edrington Group, Luis Obispo. said: “From Edrington’s perspective, the sale will further de-complex our business, allowing us to continue to focus on the growth of our five key Death of Phil Parnell brands: The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Brugal, Cutty Sark and Highland Park.” Phil Parnell, executive chairman of the Drambuie Since purchasing Glengoyne distillery in 2003, Ian £1 million” in marketing the Glengoyne brand in the Liqueur Company, has died suddenly. He was Macleod Distillers has more than doubled sales of UK over the next two years. admitted to hospital suffering from cancer of Glengoyne Single Malt. Ian Macleod Distillers recently announced a the pancreas and died on June 16. The company is also investing “upwards of turnover increase of 22% to £31.9 million in 2010. Constellation Wines Diageo has appointed The cost of wines and Budweiser has signed a Australia & Europe has Southern Wine & Spirits of spirits in the UK is three-year agreement with News officially become Accolade America as its distributor increasing rapidly as tax The Football Association to Wines. Its brands include in control states. Southern increases continue to force become the ‘lead partner’ Hardy’s and Echo Falls. The is to provide coverage up prices, according to the of The FA Cup. The English In Brief company was purchased by for Diageo spirits brands latest market report from club competition – the private equity group Champ across all 18 states and will the Wine and Spirit Trade oldest football tournament in December 2010 and represent Diageo’s Chateau Association (WSTA). in the world – will now be Industry stories from announced plans to change & Estate Wines in the five known as The FA Cup with around the globe its name in early 2011. control states for wine. Budweiser. july 2011 DRINKSINT.COM DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 5 News Foster’s turns down takeover offer oster’s has rejected a takeover bid from of $4.90 per share in cash. FSABMiller. Foster’s Group said that it The board of Foster’s said the proposal received an “unsolicited, incomplete, non- “significantly undervalues the company in the binding and conditional proposal” from context of a change of control” and “it does SABMiller to acquire all of the shares in not intend to take any further action in relation Foster’s via a scheme of arrangement at a price to it”. Dailuaine in £20m Pink port quality comes under fire investment project he CEO of the Fladgate Partnership has called for the Tquality standard of rosé port to be raised. Adrian Bridge introduced the Croft Pink Port brand in 2008 – the first of its kind. The category of ‘rosé port’ was then created in July 2009 and opened up the market to competition. He said some producers have been “cutting corners”. Bridge added: “We worked with the IVDP [the regulatory body for port] to create a special category of port. “Some people have reacted by producing something of Morrison Shutterstock/Jean inferior quality. We are arguing that, although it is a new category, it needs to be a quality one.” Bridge said: “Some of the recent products appear to be a blend of red and white port or do not show the sort of quality that should be needed for a special category port”. He added: “As creators of the category we are trying to work with the IVDP in maintaining the standards. Some The River Spey competitors are doing a good job but some others are cutting corners and this will be a problem for consumers if iageo plans to invest £20 million in its which would follow the Dailuaine project. The overall category quality is not maintained.” Speyside whisky facilities in Scotland. company said these would “see production The IVDP’s website describes rosé as a “pink-coloured D The company has submitted a capacity increased at existing distilleries by more wine obtained by light maceration of red grapes, with planning application to Moray council for the than 10 million litres per annum over the next no oxidation during preservation.