US Briefs

27 August, 2008
Page 11 
  • Russell's Reserve Rye Whiskey, a 6 Year Old small-batch rye made by Austin Nichols, master distiller Jimmy Russell and his son, Eddie Russell , has entered the super-premium market. Much of the new interest in rye is driven by bartenders who like its complexity in various cocktails, such as the Manhattan . Pernod Ricard has also rolled out Wild Turkey American Spirit, a 15 Year Old 100 per cent proof bourbon, also made by Jimmy and Eddie Russell.
  • Sanford & Benedict, a classic California vineyard, has been purchased by the Terlato Wine Group. The vineyard is considered one of the top Pinot Noir vineyards in the state. Terlato is a wine production and marketing group based in Chicago that already owns Sanford & Benedict winery.
  • Paul Dolan, former winemaker for Fetzer vineyards and pioneering grower of organic grapes, is launching his own range of organic and biodynamic wines . The organically grown Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are from Mendocino County. The line will expand as more organic vineyards come into production.
  • Imported wines continue a strong run in the US, with imports up by 7 per cent in August . The value of imports was up by 12 per cent.
  • Although the final numbers have not yet been crunched, it appears that the 2007 California wine harvest will be smaller than predicted . This could lead to lower bulk wine inventories for some varieties.