Liquor Industry News

Liquor Industry News 07-28-25

Franklin Liquors

Liquor Industry News

The Wonderful World Of Wine (WWW)

By: Mark C Lenzi

CSW, CSS, CWAS, FWS, IWS*, SWS, OWE, IWM*

07-28-2025

Liquor Industry Week In Review

The Wonderful World Of Wine (WWW)

This Weeks Highlights:

New Products

Global alcohol volumes fell 1% in 2024

Is Estate Whiskey the Next Big Thing?

The oldest winery in RI is the oldest in New England.

Understanding ‘Blue Weber’: A Redundant Name With a Complicated Past

Agave spirits production accelerated rapidly in the late 1800s and early 20th century, but the industry faced a major challenge: meeting growing demand.

https://vinepair.com/articles/blue-weber-agave-name-explainer/

Increasing trend for reservation versus walk-in winery tastings

Obviously, the fees charged for reserve tastings are pretty much double those of the standard fee

http://winegourd.blogspot.com/2025/07/increasing-trend-for-reservation-versus.html

Color-Coded Branding Sells Seltzer and Scotch — So Why Not Wine?

Despite endless SKUs and fierce shelf competition, color-coded labeling remains an untapped design tool.

https://vinepair.com/articles/wineries-avoiding-color-coded-labels/

Pop, soda or coke? A linguist explains the history behind the various names for the drink

The word you use generally boils down to where you’re from:

Cans of soda are displayed in a case at Kwik Stops Liquor in San Diego, California February 13, 2014. Sodas and most other sugar-sweetened drinks sold in California would be required to carry warning labels for obesity, diabetes and tooth decay under a bill introduced in Sacramento on Thursday and backed by several public health advocacy groups. REUTERS/Sam Hodgson (UNITED STATES – Tags: POLITICS FOOD HEALTH)

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/pop-soda-or-coke-a-linguist-explains-the-history-behind-the-various-names-for-the-drink

Poured, Then Forgotten: The Hidden Economics of the Sommelier

There is a secret that only beverage directors truly understand: we make the restaurant’s numbers work.

https://www.michelegargiulo.com/blog/restaurant-wine-costs-and-the-lost-art-of-sommelier-economics

Richard Smart: The Man Who Changed Wine

We mark the passing of an Australian who changed the way modern wine tastes.

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2025/07/richard-smart-the-man-who-changed-wine

What Exactly Is A ‘Blended’ Whiskey?

To quickly sum up, “blended” refers to whiskey coming from multiple distilleries.

https://www.chowhound.com/1902661/what-is-blended-whiskey/

The Oldest US Brewery Survived Prohibition But Its Beer Still Isn’t Available Nationwide

If you want a swig of Yuengling, you may have to do some traveling.

https://www.tastingtable.com/1900398/yuengling-oldest-brewery-availability/

Bad news about South Africa’s wine industry

South Africa’s wine industry has had a challenging start to 2025, marked by low consumer confidence, market uncertainty, and declining sales.

https://dailyinvestor.com/retail/91421/bad-news-about-south-africas-wine-industry/

Sustainability at Taylor’s Port

Taylor’s Port is deeply committed to sustainability, striving to minimise its environmental impact through innovative practices across all areas of operation.

https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2025-07-06/sustainability-at-taylors-port/99129

These Are 7 of the Most Innovative New Tequilas, According to Experts

Tequila producers are finding exciting ways to innovate within the category without abandoning tradition.

https://www.foodandwine.com/most-innovative-tequilas-11766170

This Prosecco Region Is Embracing Terroir Over Technique — Here’s Why It Matters

Producers of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco are on a quest to focus on terroir. Here’s how the appellation stands apart from the sea of Prosecco DOC.

https://www.foodandwine.com/prosecco-method-technique-terroir-11768529

Did you know? In Virginia, you can buy liquor the day before you turn 21

In 1963, then-Virginia Attorney General Robert Button made a ruling that created a little-known opportunity for those turning 21.

https://www.richmonder.org/did-you-know-in-virginia-you-can-buy-liquor-the-day-before-you-turn-21/

Reciprocal tariffs explained: Impact on your business

If a tariff is a tax on goods imported from other countries, what is a reciprocal tariff?

https://www.avalara.com/blog/en/north-america/2025/07/reciprocal-tariffs-explained.html

New RTD

Suntory Global Spirits’ vodka RTD brand -196has launched a new combo variety pack, featuring four flavors. Each drink is at 5.5% abv and made with vodka, sparkling water, and frozen and crushed fruit. The 8-pack offers two cans each in Strawberry & Watermelon, Lemon & Lime, Strawberry & Pineapple, and Lemon & Raspberry flavors. The new variety pack carries a suggested price of $20 and is now rolling out across the U.S. While relatively new to the U.S. market, -196 is the largest spirits brand globally by volume at more than 30 million cases in 2024, according to Impact Databank. In the U.S., -196 was at 160,000 cases last year, up from 20,000 a year earlier.

What the Cork Can Tell You About the Age of Your Champagne

How can you determine if the wine was recently bottled or has been sitting in a dusty corner for decades?

https://vinepair.com/articles/what-cork-shape-says-about-champagne/

Why is this wine so wonderfully/ outrageously cheap?

Should we be celebrating heavily-discounted wines, or bemoaning their existence?

https://robertejoseph.substack.com/p/why-is-this-wine-so-wonderfully-outrageously?utm_medium=newsletter

Sober, all too sober

How can we convert abstemious younger drinkers to the joys of wine?

https://worldoffinewine.com/news-features/sober-young-people-wine

New grape varieties approved for Ontario’s VQA certified wines

In 2024, more than $433.6 million in VQA wines were sold worldwide

https://www.pelhamtoday.ca/local-news/new-grape-varieties-approved-for-ontarios-vqa-certified-wines-10822384

The Definitive Timeline of Bourbon ‘Taters’

As far as I know, no one has ever definitively determined the etymology of the word “tater” as it applies to the bourbon industry.

https://vinepair.com/articles/bourbon-tater-timeline/

Ménage à Trois Wines Launches Light Sauvignon Blanc

Wine brand Ménage à Trois has launched a Light Sauvignon Blanc to add to its top-selling portfolio of wines.

https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2025/07/09/menage-a-trois-wines-launches-light-sauvignon-blanc/

Where Is Greek Wine Today?

There are maybe 1,300 wineries in Greece – Bordeaux alone has almost five times as many.

https://timatkin.com/where-is-greek-wine-today/

The oldest winery in RI is the oldest in New England.

How to get a drink there this summer

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/history/2025/07/08/what-is-the-oldest-winery-in-rhode-island-sakkonet-vineyard-little-compton/84489237007/

Searching for Italy’s Wines
A Stanley Tucci Flashback

https://wineeconomist.com/2025/07/08/tucci-2/

Alcohol sales changed subtly after Canada legalized cannabis

Drinking might decrease, for example, if people used cannabis in place of alcohol.

https://phys.org/news/2025-07-alcohol-sales-subtly-canada-legalized.html

Vodka production plummets in Russia

Western sanctions hit beverage sector.

https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-vodka-production-sanctions-alcohol-ukraine-war/

BarrelSpeak: Deciphering the Code

Barrels are phenomenally important vessels in wine production.

https://www.ediblemontereybay.com/blog/barrel-speak-understanding-the-code/

Why Wine Still Matters

Time, Place, and the Persistence of Meaning in a Glass

https://www.palatexposure.com/opinion/why-wine-still-matters/

WINE IN COCKTAILS: A TABOO OR A TREND WORTH TOASTING?

Let’s be honest, for some wine lovers, the idea of mixing wine into a cocktail feels completely wrong.

https://www.lancashirebusinessview.co.uk/latest-news-and-features/wine-in-cocktails-a-taboo-or-a-trend-worth-toasting-7411

Laura Catena, the scientific heart of Argentine wine

A doctor, scientist, and key figure in Argentine wine worldwide, she combines family legacy, academic knowledge, and passion for the land.

https://www.timeout.com/buenos-aires/laura-catena-argentine-wine-leader-catena-zapata-winery

New Bourbon

Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits has introduced Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon: Gold Roast Bourbon, a 6-Year Tennessee Bourbon finished with whole roasted Arabica coffee beans. Made with coffee beans from Tennessee-based Muletown Coffee Roasters, the new entry is bottled at 46% abv and retails at $50. It’s launching nationally next month. The whiskey is aged in new American oak barrels and passed through the Lincoln County process, then infused with cold-steeped, custom-roasted Arabica coffee beans sourced from the Agalta region of Honduras.

Why the weight of your wine bottle is important

How to Drink Better: Biggest contributor to a wine’s carbon footprint is the glass bottle containing it

https://www.irishtimes.com/food/drink/2025/07/13/why-the-weight-of-your-wine-bottle-is-important/

If You’re Going To Shake That Bottle Of Champagne, You Must Follow This Rule

The reason you don’t want to shake a bottle of Champagne and open it right away is because pressure will force the cork to pop out and you’ll lose a lot of wine in the spray.

https://www.tastingtable.com/1907482/shake-champagne-bottle-timing-rule/

French wine and cheese makers say U.S. tariffs would hit hard

A 30% duty would be “disastrous” for France’s food industry, said Jean-François Loiseau, president of food lobby group ANIA, while Francois Xavier Huard, CEO of dairy association FNIL, said: “It’s a real shock for milk and cheese producers – this is an important market for us”.

https://www.reuters.com/business/french-wine-cheese-makers-say-us-tariffs-would-hit-hard-2025-07-13/

The oldest winery in NH opened almost 40 years ago.

How to get a drink there this summer

https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/history/2025/07/12/what-is-the-oldest-winery-in-new-hampshire-flag-hill-lee/84562872007/

Wine pairings with Sherry Wines

Best unexpected pairings with Sherry

https://www.sherry.wine/news/wine-pairings-with-sherry-wines-best-unexpected-pairings-with-sherry

The Most Expensive Bourbons of 2025

Our quest for the world’s priciest spirits starts in familiar territory – Kentucky.

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2025/07/the-most-expensive-bourbons-of-2025

The Ultimate Guide to Heaven Hill’s Mash Bills

Heaven Hill is one of America’s largest whiskey producers, and the family-owned company has some eye-popping production numbers by any measure.

https://vinepair.com/articles/heaven-hill-mash-bill-guide/

New Wine

Ste Michelle Wine Estates is launching Estival, dedicated to aromatic white wines from the Columbia Valley region of Washington State. The first release is a Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills sub-AVA. The brand’s name is rooted in the Latin notion of “hibernating in summer,” according to the company. The first vintage of Estival is rolling out now in limited quantities and will be targeted to top restaurants across the country.

Understanding Tannins in Wine: A Complete Guide

Wine lovers often encounter the term “tannins” when discussing their favorite bottles, but what exactly are these mysterious compounds that play such a crucial role in wine structure and flavor?

https://www.coravin.com/blogs/community/understanding-tannins-in-wine

How Sommeliers Decide Between a Glass or a Bottle — and Save Money Every Time

This wine ordering hack could cut your restaurant bill every single time.

https://www.foodandwine.com/wine-by-glass-or-bottle-cheaper-11772914

Spicing it up: Is jalapeño wine a fun trend or a bad idea?

Winemakers weigh in

https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/lifestyle/food/2025/07/16/jalapeo-infused-wine-this-summers-viral-drink/85245303007/

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Judge a Rosé By Its Color

One of the biggest misconceptions about rosé, however, is that the shade of the wine itself dictates how sweet or dry it is.

https://vinepair.com/articles/dont-judge-rose-by-color/

“Super Tuscans”: A Wine That’s One of A Kind

Ornellaia, a winery in the coastal Bolgheri sub-region, was one of the pioneers in this style of wine.

https://sharpmagazine.com/2025/07/16/ornellaia-super-tuscan-wine/

Is Estate Whiskey the Next Big Thing?

If you’re looking for a positive trend in the American whiskey world, think of the small-but-expanding number of estate-grown whiskeys.

https://www.insidehook.com/whiskey/estate-whiskey-jephta-creed

Lodi Grapegrowers Pray for Tariffs

While tariffs have wine importers running scared, growers in Lodi see them as a lifeline to save their vineyards.

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2025/07/lodi-grapegrowers-pray-for-tariffs

Explore Flavors in Wine

Ever watch a sommelier sniff and sip a wine and rattle a bunch of stuff that they smell and taste in the wine? Then you sit there scratching your head in wonderment, thinking “How do they do that?”

https://verovino.com/vero-blog/flavor-taste-winetasting-fruity-herbal-floral-spices

Weight Loss Drugs: the Black Swan that’s Threatening the Wine Industry

A few years ago, nobody had heard of Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro. Now they are part of a growing number of people’s daily life. And a possible threat to wine.

https://robertejoseph.substack.com/p/weight-loss-drugs-the-black-swan

Alcohol-free beer can cause gout, claims Korean rheumatologist

Non-alcoholic beer is often viewed as a healthier option, but one eminent doctor in Seoul warns that it can still trigger the inflammatory disease gout.

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/07/alcohol-free-beer-can-cause-gout-claims-korean-rheumatologist/

Economic Impact Of U.S. Wine Industry Reaches $323 Billion, Supporting Family Wineries

A conversation with Jim Tresize, President of Wine America, highlights the importance of small family wine businesses across America, and their positive impact on the U.S. economy.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizthach/2025/07/15/economic-impact-of-us-wine-industry-reaches-323-billion-supporting-family-wineries/

Everything You Need to Know About Pine Ridge Vineyards’ Chenin Blanc + Viognier

Here are just a few of the ways this bright, beloved blend stands out.

https://vinepair.com/articles/pine-ridge-vineyards-infographic/?utm_source=The+Drop+by+VinePair&utm_campaign=455467165c-JULY_15_2025&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b653fb8c99-455467165c-38937345&mc_cid=455467165c&mc_eid=d42ed911dc

Existential Threat? Anatomy of Italy’s Wine Crisis

Recent reports from Italy, for example, paint an increasingly clear picture of a major wine-producing country in crisis.

https://wineeconomist.com/2025/07/15/crisis-italy/

Global alcohol volumes fell 1% in 2024

The dip was driven by declines in the US and China, but IWSR highlights emerging growth opportunities, from Tequila and no-alcohol beer in the US to premiumisation trends in China, Canada and Spain.

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/07/global-alcohol-volumes-fell-1-in-2024/

Old Grand-Dad unveils 7YO bonded Bourbon

James B Beam Distilling, the home of Jim Beam, has released its annual Old Grand-Dad seven-year-old Bourbon.

https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2025/07/old-grand-dad-unveils-7yo-bonded-bourbon/

EU General Court blocks ‘Nero Champagne’ trademark

In a pivotal ruling with wide-reaching implications for the protection of geographical indications, the EU General Court has sided with Comité Champagne and INAO in rejecting the ‘Nero Champagne’ EU trade mark application.