Here are summaries of the top stories featured in the “Liquor Industry News” collection from July 11, 2026:
Uncle Nearest Legal Dispute Involves Claims of Ignored Red Flags The receiver for Uncle Nearest has filed a counterclaim against the lender Farm Credit Mid-America. The filing argues that the lender’s oversights and procedural failures effectively allowed the alleged fraud surrounding the company to continue undetected.
Super-Premium Tequila Projected to Shift by 2030 According to a report from the IWSR, while overall volume growth for some mid-tier super-premium Tequilas is currently experiencing a dip, the ultra-high-end segment of the category is projected to see a dramatic spike in total market value by 2030.
Crémant Gains Ground as an Affordable Champagne Alternative With sparkling wine sales continuing to rise globally, French Crémant is seeing a surge in appreciation. The traditional-method sparkling wine is increasingly favored by consumers looking for the quality and complexity of Champagne without the premium price tag.
The Flipboard collection curated by The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) features several recent updates from across the wine and spirits industries:
Wine’s Place at the Dinner Table: An article by Erik Asimov (originally from The New York Times) discusses the concept of gastronomy. He argues that truly eating well inherently involves drinking well, suggesting that modern dining culture may be losing touch with the essential role wine plays at the dinner table.
The Rosé Lifestyle: An piece from BKWine Magazine by Britt Karlsson explores how the Provence region of France masterfully branded and marketed rosé wine, transforming it from a simple beverage into a global symbol of leisure and lifestyle.
The Reality of Going Organic: Writing for The Drinks Business, Amelie Maurice-Jones interviews global wine producers about their transition to organic farming. The article highlights the practical challenges, unexpected hurdles, and key lessons producers wish they had known before committing to the green agenda.
Kentucky Bourbon Trail Expansion: A report from The Spirits Business notes updates to the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which has recently added new distillery stops to its tourism route.
Here is a summary of the featured stories shared in that liquor industry news collection:
Buffalo Trace’s Prohibition Revival: Buffalo Trace Distillery has revived five historic whiskey brands for its new Prohibition Collection. The unique lineup includes the distillery’s highest-proof rye whiskey in modern history, drawing inspiration from the medical exemptions that allowed legal spirits production during the Prohibition era (1920–1933).
California Grape Labeling Debate: A legislative piece touches on how California can protect local agriculture by ensuring that any wine labeled as “American” is made exclusively with American grapes. The state legislature faces a choice between global beverage corporations and local wine growers regarding iconic labeling rights.
Sazerac’s Expansion: Tom Collins Distilling, an affiliate of Buffalo Trace owner Sazerac, has purchased the former Garrard County Distilling property for $20 million, continuing the massive beverage company’s expansion in Kentucky.
New RTD Flavors: The popular ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktail brand, The Finnish Long Drink, is expanding its lineup by exploring a new raspberry flavor.
This Flipboard magazine “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 06-29-26”, curated by Mark Lenzi from The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), contains 17 stories covering a mix of alcohol news, cocktail recipes, history, and wine culture.
Several prominent stories are highlighted from the collection:
Liquor Industry News Overview (from thewonderfulworldofwine.education): This serves as the anchor post for the newsletter/roundup, authored by Mark C. Lenzi (who holds multiple industry credentials like CSW, CSS, and FWS). It introduces new products hitting the market and gives an overview of recent developments across the industry.
11 Discontinued Light Beers Your Grandparents Probably Remember (from mashed.com): A nostalgic look back at the history of light beer. While light beers sometimes get a bad rap for being weak, this piece dives into classic, crisp, and refreshing light brews from decades past that have since been phased out.
Kentucky Coffee Is A Bourbon Cocktail That’s Perfect For Brunch (from mashed.com): An alternative to the classic brunch standard. Instead of a Mimosa or a Bloody Mary, this story highlights a unique, bourbon-infused coffee cocktail designed to elevate brunch for whiskey lovers.
Not France, Not Italy — This Underrated Wine Region Has Some Of The World’s Oldest Producing Grape Vines (from islands.com): An exploratory piece focused on an underrated global wine destination. It skips over traditional powerhouses like France and Italy to look at an overlooked region that boasts incredibly deep historical roots and ancient, still-producing vines.
Based on the Flipboard collection for February 8, 2026, here is a summary of the featured stories:
Football Food and Wine Pairings: A new podcast episode from The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) explores the best wine selections to pair with classic football snacks and meals.
Publix Liquor Store Strategy: An article from Tasting Table explains the legal and strategic reasons why Publix supermarkets maintain their liquor sales in entirely separate storefronts rather than inside the main grocery aisles.
Milan’s Top Wine Restaurants: Wine Spectator highlights nine of the best dining locations in Milan, Italy, specifically curated for their exceptional wine lists and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Best Italian Cocktails: In light of the Winter Olympics in Milan, Esquire provides a guide to 15 expert-recommended Italian cocktails, ranging from classic aperitivos to modern drinks.
Jack Daniel’s Rankings: Chowhound reviews and ranks various Jack Daniel’s whiskey flavors, highlighting a specific high-proof variety that stands out for its 20-proof “bonus punch.”
Valentine’s Day Cocktails: Robb Report features a list of 10 cocktail recipes curated by bartender Jason O’Bryan that are considered perfect for Valentine’s Day celebrations.
January 26, 2026, the liquor industry news roundup curated by Mark Lenzi includes the following stories:
Santa Barbara’s New Wine Experience: The Hilt Estate has launched “The Hideaway Experience” at The Barn in Santa Ynez, which is being described as a premier destination for wine tasting in the region.
Brewery Etiquette: A guide on brewery “faux pas” highlights common behaviors—such as indecisiveness at the tap—that cause frustration for staff and other patrons.
Old Fashioned Alternatives: For fans of the classic Old Fashioned, a new feature recommends various cocktail “riffs” and similar drinks to try next.
Non-Alcoholic Beer Rankings: An updated list evaluates the non-alcoholic beer market, identifying 15 brands worth buying and 10 that consumers should avoid.
Weekly Industry Roundup: Mark Lenzi (CSW, CSS, FWS) provides his “Liquor Industry Week In Review,” covering broader trends and insights across the wine and spirits sector.
This Flipboard magazine curated by Mark Lenzi for January 2, 2026, focuses on the transition from New Year’s celebrations into “Dry January” and the emerging trends for the new year.
The following is a summary of the stories featured in the LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 01-01-26 collection:
Understanding “Still-Strength” Spirits: An exploration of what “still-strength” means for curious drinkers. These spirits are bottled directly at the proof they leave the still, without being diluted with water, offering a more intense and pure expression of the production process.
Champagne Industry Challenges: While New Year’s Eve sparked the typical surge in Champagne sales, the industry is currently facing significant headwinds. These include ongoing labor abuse allegations in French vineyards and the looming threat of international tariffs.
The 100 Best Whiskeys of 2025: A year-end retrospective ranking the top whiskeys tasted throughout 2025. The list serves as a guide for enthusiasts looking for the “best of the best” as the new year begins.
Ranking the 100 Best Bourbons of 2025: A specific focus on Bourbon, highlighting the top 100 bottles of the year. The report notes that the whiskey industry faced “existential challenges” in 2025, including trade uncertainty and shifting consumer trends.
Orange Wine Fatigue: For those tired of the skin-fermented “orange wine” trend, experts and sommeliers suggest exploring alternative styles of wine that offer similar complexity without being part of the specific orange wine category.
Global New Year’s Drinks: A cultural look at 10 alcoholic beverages from around the world that are traditionally used for New Year’s toasts, along with travel advice on accepting drinks in different international settings.
This Flipboard magazine “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 12-30-25,” curated by Mark Lenzi (The Wonderful World of Wine), features several key stories reflecting the state of the alcohol industry at the end of 2025. Here is a summary of the featured content:
Industry Trends & Economic Outlook
Whiskey Trends of 2025: Industry insiders report that 2025 was a challenging year for whiskey producers. Factors like tighter economics, category growth slowdown, and tariffs led to a surplus of well-aged barrels. Trends shifted toward ultra-aged bourbons and smaller bottle formats to adapt to changing consumer habits.
The “Breakout” Wines: Despite reports of declining wine consumption, retailers and beverage professionals identified nine “breakout” wines that managed to capture consumer interest in 2025 by offering something unique or high-value.
Resilience of Sustainable Labels: While overall wine sales slumped, brands with sustainable, organic, or biodynamic certifications resisted the downward trend, as consumers increasingly prioritize environmental and political values in their purchases.
Regional News & Sustainability
California Wine Country’s New Strategy: A proposal is being discussed to implement a small fee on every bottle of wine sold to help fund and “save” California’s wine regions, which have seen a decrease in weekend tourism from major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Biodynamics in Champagne: In the face of mounting climate pressures, growers in regions like Épernay and Côte des Bar are arguing that biodynamic farming—focusing on soil health—is essential for producing precise and vibrant wines in a changing climate.
Demographic Shifts
The Gen Z Influence: Marketing experts highlight how Gen Z (born 1997–2012) is quietly reshaping the wine industry. Their relationship with alcohol is different from previous generations, forcing brands to rethink how they communicate and what types of products they offer.
This liquor industry news for December 29, 2025, curated by Mark Lenzi, highlights several key trends and stories focusing on non-alcoholic options, health, and industry insights:
Industry & Product Trends
The Rise of Non-Alcoholic (NA) Sparkling Wines: The news highlights 11 alcohol-free sparkling wines that aim to replicate the “Champagne energy” and complexity of traditional bubbly, making them suitable for holiday celebrations without the alcohol content.
Consumer Regret with NA Brands: Not all non-alcoholic entries are hits; the digest includes a review of a specific NA sparkling wine brand from a well-known producer (Josh Cellars) that missed the mark for reviewers.
Prosecco Mixers: For those drinking traditional spirits, the news features five “unexpected” mixers for Prosecco that offer refreshing alternatives to standard cocktails.
Health & Science
Alcohol and Blood Pressure: A featured article explores the physiological effects of alcohol on blood pressure, specifically addressing whether red wine’s reputation for heart health holds up for those with hypertension.
Global Wine Insights
Beyond the Scores: A story from Marca Chile regarding Viña Santa Sofía emphasizes that while wine scores and points are useful guides for consistency, the true definition of a wine’s quality should be determined by the consumer’s experience in the glass.
Curator Note
The digest is part of “The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW)” series by Mark Lenzi, an industry expert with multiple certifications (CSW, CSS, FWS), aimed at providing a weekly review of trends and news across the liquor and wine sectors.
This December 25, 2025, edition of Liquor Industry News curated by Mark Lenzi on Flipboard is a specialized roundup focusing on end-of-year trends, holiday spirits, and the evolving economic landscape of the beverage alcohol industry.
As a certified wine and spirits expert (owner of Franklin Liquors in Massachusetts and host of The Wonderful World of Wine), Lenzi’s Christmas edition typically emphasizes celebratory themes and industry forecasts for 2026.
This link leads to a Flipboard magazine titled “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 12-22-25,” curated by Mark Lenzi for “The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW).” It features a collection of articles and media focused on the wine and spirits industry as of late December 2025.
Key content featured in this edition includes:
New Year’s Bubbly: A podcast episode (Episode 305) from The Wonderful World of Wine where hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi discuss Champagne, Prosecco, and other sparkling wines for New Year’s Eve.
Industry Trends & News:
An article from TheStreet discussing an iconic 230-year-old Kentucky whiskey brand that has paused distilling for a year due to tariffs and slowing exports.
A piece from The Hub reflecting on the state of the wine world at the end of 2025.
Consumer Guides:
A list of nine budget-friendly U.S. wine regions that rival more expensive destinations (via Mental Floss).
Editor picks for New Year’s wines starting at $10, including Rosé and Prosecco (via Food & Wine).
Gifts & Gear: A section from Wine Enthusiast focusing on wine accessories and “trimmings” for holiday celebrations.
The page also provides links to previous daily editions of Mark Lenzi’s liquor industry news.
The Flipboard magazine “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 12-19-25,” curated by Mark Lenzi (The Wonderful World of Wine), features a collection of articles focused on seasonal beverage trends, holiday hosting, and industry insights.
Here is a summary of the featured stories:
Holiday Entertaining & Gift Guides
Best Wines for Holiday Parties: Recommendations include pouring magnums of Saint-Émilion and Soave Classico, along with Champagne, to elevate festive gatherings.
2025 Sparkling Wine Guide: A comprehensive primer on “all things bubbly,” covering essential terms, trivia, and tips for selecting the right sparkling wine for New Year’s toasts.
Festive Cocktail Upgrades: A guide on using simple, everyday refrigerator ingredients to make cocktails look and taste more seasonal.
Spirits & Mixology
The Best Bloody Mary Recipes: Esquire highlights nine expert-backed recipes for this savory classic, emphasizing its popularity as a “hair-of-the-dog” brunch drink and detailing the best ratios for tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and horseradish.
Beer & Food Pairings
Beer to Avoid with Hot Wings: An article from Chowhound warns against certain beer styles that may clash with or overwhelm the spice of hot wings, suggesting better alternatives for a balanced pairing.
Industry & Cultural Perspectives
Wine’s Brighter Future: Author Jon Bonné discusses “The Seven Percenters” and how certain movements in the wine world are attempting to bring back missing elements of character and trail-blazing spirit to the industry.
The magazine is part of a daily series curated by Lenzi that explores the intersection of wine culture, industry news, and consumer tips.
The provided link leads to a Flipboard magazine titled “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 12-18-25,” curated by Mark Lenzi for The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW).
The collection features several articles from December 18, 2025, covering wine industry controversies, sustainability, regional guides, and festive tips:
San Francisco Wine Competition Controversy: The San Francisco International Wine Competition is facing allegations of including Russian wines, which would potentially violate U.S. law.
Sustainability Re-imagined: Dr. Laura Catena of Domaine EdeM is featured for her work in reframing the sustainability debate, focusing on more than just carbon footprint to include broader environmental and social impacts.
Regional Wine Labels: A piece on Alto Adige discusses the linguistic complexities of its labels (Italian vs. German) and how this cultural history defines the region’s unique winemaking identity.
Consumer Guides: * Toscana Wines: A guide identifying 8 of the best red Toscana wines available for under $30.
Festive Cocktails: A recipe and feature for a “Gingerbread White Russian” as part of a holiday cocktail countdown.
Holiday Maintenance Tip: A warning from plumbers regarding a specific “Christmas drink” (likely cream-based or fat-heavy beverages) that should not be poured down the kitchen sink to avoid expensive emergency repairs.
The Flipboard magazine “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 12-17-25,” curated by Mark Lenzi of The Wonderful World of Wine, features a collection of articles highlighting current trends in the wine and spirits sectors.
Here is a summary of the key stories from the December 17, 2025, edition:
Wine Market Trends
Shift Toward Lighter Styles: Consumers are increasingly moving away from heavy, “classic” wine styles in favor of fruit-forward, aromatic, and expressive wines like Sauvignon Blanc.
Gen Z’s Impact: Data indicates that Gen Z is rewriting the wine industry’s rules. They prioritize transparency, values-focused brands, and lighter styles. Their preference for tasting rooms emphasizes social connection over traditional wine-tasting formalities.
The Need for Advertising: One featured article argues that the wine industry must “go to the mattresses” and invest heavily in broad-scale advertising to pull itself out of a current market slump.
Spirit & Cocktail News
New Product Launch: Stoli Group has introduced Stoli Halapeño Pepper, a flavored vodka specifically designed to enhance Bloody Mary cocktails.
Scotch for Beginners: Experts and bartenders suggest that the common misconception of Scotch being exclusively “smoke bombs” is fading. Recommendations are provided for entry-level Scotch whiskies to help newcomers enter the category in 2025.
Health & Science
Alcohol Metabolism: An article from Women’s Health explores how hormonal fluctuations—specifically during the luteal phase—can change how a woman’s body metabolizes alcohol, causing a single glass of wine to feel more potent at certain times of the month.
The “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 12-16-25” magazine on Flipboard, curated by “The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW),” includes several recent stories covering various aspects of the liquor and wine industry.
Key topics in the collection include:
Non-Alcoholic and Low-Alcohol Trends: There is a rise in consumer and producer interest in dealcoholised and low-alcohol wines, although uncertainties about the market remain. Additionally, there is a recipe for a Non-Alcoholic Mojito, highlighting the growing non-alcoholic beverage segment.
Impact of Health/Weight Loss Drugs: The article “‘The role of Ozempic isn’t just about reduced consumption, it’s about a shift in values’” suggests that weight loss medications are quietly influencing how and why people drink, leading to a more selective and health-aware future for alcohol consumption.
Wine Tourism: A global report indicates that wine tourism drives up to 28% of revenue for small wineries, marking it as a key factor for the global wine industry.
Market Rivals and History:
Americans are increasingly hearing about a “surprising rival to Champagne”: English sparkling wine.
A story discusses The Accidental Origin of One of History’s Best Rye Whiskeys.
The Flipboard magazine “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 11-11-25” curated by The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) features several recent articles related to wine and spirits.
Key stories in the magazine include:
Crémant Sales Surge: An analysis of the growing popularity and rising sales of Crémant, a sparkling wine sometimes viewed as a Champagne alternative.
Thanksgiving Wine Advice: Tips from experts to help readers relax and choose the right wines and digestifs for Thanksgiving.
Vodka Rankings: A list ranking 19 popular American vodkas from worst to best, noting that vodka remains the most popular liquor in the U.S.
Cocktail and Wine Pairing Tips: Articles providing advice on simple fall twists for classic cocktails and suggestions for pairing wine with everyday takeout.
Social Media Discussion: A piece from The VinePair Podcast discussing the question of whether sommeliers should be posting photos of bottles they sell on social media.
The Flipboard magazine titled “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 11-10-25” curated by Mark Lenzi (@MarkLenzi) features several recent stories related to wine, whiskey, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Here are the most recent stories included in the magazine:
10 Old Fashioned Recipes That Prove Less Is More (from FOOD & WINE): Discusses the essentials and subtle changes that enhance the classic Old Fashioned cocktail.
How Oak Gives Wine and Whiskey Their Character (from FOOD & WINE): Explores the transformative role of oak barrels in aging both wine and spirits.
A Sommelier’s Tips for Ordering Wine With Confidence, Even on a Budget (from CNET): Offers advice on selecting a bottle of wine in a restaurant setting without overspending or feeling intimidated.
25 Non-Alcoholic Thanksgiving Drinks Everyone Can Toast To (from immigrantstable.com): Provides recipes for non-alcoholic mocktails suitable for Thanksgiving.
It’s not a wine train — it’s Amtrak. But it takes you to California’s coolest wine region (from sfstandard.com): Highlights using Amtrak to travel to the Paso Robles wine region in California.
Not all joven tequila is equal: Know the difference (from The Manual): Explains the nature and characteristics of Joven tequila.
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 320 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Unveiling Perfection: Napa’s New Icon with Jayson Hu From a world-class collector to a visionary creator, Jayson Hu is redefining the pinnacle of Napa Valley luxury. In this episode, Kim and Mark sit down with […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 319 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Wine Digital Marketing With Molly Bossardt In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), hosts Kim and Mark sit down with Molly Bossardt of Bread & Butter Digital Marketing to pull back the […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 318 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Sip, Sense, and Savor: Unlocking the Mindful Glass with Carrie Boyle Cheers, wine lovers! In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), your hosts Kim and Mark sit down with the incredibly multi-talented […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 317 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Tariffs, Triumphs, and the Supreme Court: A Conversation with Victor Owen Schwartz In this landmark episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), hosts Kim and Mark sit down with a true titan of the […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 316 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! From Food Critic to Wine Titan With Meridith May In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), Kim and Mark sit down with a true powerhouse of the industry: Meridith May. As the […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 315 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Sustainability with Sandra Taylor In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), hosts Kim and Mark dive deep into the world of sustainable viticulture with special guest Sandra Taylor. As the author of […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 314 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! From Prescriptions to Stills with GlenPharmer Distillery In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), hosts Kim and Mark sit down with Beth and Patrick Downing, the visionary owners of Franklin, Massachusetts’ own […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 313 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Decoding the Wine Label with Marie Cheslik Ever feel like you need a PhD and a Rosetta Stone just to pick a decent bottle of Cabernet? You aren’t alone. This week on The Wonderful World […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 312 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Parenting, Wine, and Playful Rhymes 🍷 Grab a glass and settle in! In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), Kim and Mark sit down with the witty and insightful Danielle Frank, author […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 311 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! The Liquid Jazz Experience with Inventor Michael Fors In this episode, Kim and Mark dive into the art of aeration with Michael Fors, a Massachusetts-based wine inventor and the creator of The Liquid Jazz Experience. […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 310 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Uncorking a New Way to Learn with Mistral Wine Cards In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), Kim and Mark sit down with Seth Cysewski, the visionary founder and inventor of Mistral […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 309 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Decoding Non-Alcoholic Wine with Rachel Martin Get ready for groundbreaking wine education on The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) as Kim and Mark host Rachel Martin, the visionary Founder and CEO of Oceano Wines ( […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 308 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Talking Whiskey With Colonel Craig Duncan Grab a glass 🥃 and join us for a very special episode as Kim and Mark take their first deep dive into the world of whiskey! We're thrilled to […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 307 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Wine Social Media Star Kelly Axelrad Dive into a fascinating episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) as hosts Kim and Mark sit down with the powerhouse wine entrepreneur and social media superstar, Kelly […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 306 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! A Spirited Sip with a Wine Maverick Raymond Blake Join hosts Kim and Mark on as they uncork a fantastic conversation with acclaimed Irish wine author, Raymond Blake. In this spirited episode, Raymond takes us […]
