Barbera d’Asti Lequilibrio Montalbera 2009

The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement has come into force, representing "significant new access in an expanding spirits market" according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US.

Pernod Ricard launched Absolut Exposure last night at an event at TFWA Cannes.

Bartender Kim Daniel Bergersen of Norway prevailed from a field of 11 finalists at Pilsner Urquell’s International Master Bartender (IMB) competition.

Despite reports of champagne’s struggle to keep cases sales up, Lucy Britner finds that the world has far from fallen out of love with France’s famous export

US craft beer grew by double digits during H1 of 2012 despite the malaise of the US beer market, says the Brewers Association.

Gruppo Campari has announced sales growth of 5% for H1 of 2012, with strong performances in North America and Asia Pacific offsetting difficulties in Germany, Italy and South America.

Heaven Hill Distilleries has introduced Larceny, a super-premium wheat bourbon, to the US market.

The Avalon Group has announced distributor Emporia Brands will roll out its Irish Whiskey brand The Wild Geese to the UK market.

Treasury Wine Estates and Accolade Wines has announced that TWE will pack wine for Accolade in Australia with Accolade will pack wine for TWE in the UK.

Wemyss Malts has released Darnley’s View Spiced Gin to Europe and selected Asian markets, with the US to follow.

The organiser of South Africa’s famous Nederburg Auction, has announced that US economics professor and ‘wine economist’, Mike Veseth, will make a keynote speech on Saturday September 29 at Nederburg in Paarl.

Inver House Distillers, the Scotland-based spirits arm of International Beverage Holdings has reported a 28% increase in turnover for the year ending December 2011.

Despite challenging Portuguese economic conditions, Vinho Verde exports are on the increase and will become more competitive in the global market place, according to the Vinho Verde Commission (CVRVV).

The Macallan 64 Year Old Lalique Cire Perdue is world’s most expensive whisky sold at auction – that’s official.

Sales of Captain Morgan rum will one day catch up with Bacardi, according to Diageo.

Vergelegen, one of South Africa’s best wine producers, has unveiled a new wine, DNA.

One of South Africa’s best and certainly most controversial winemakers, André van Rensburg, was in London yesterday for the unveiling of his new wine, DNA.

Morrison Bowmore Distillers has granted Campari America exclusive US distribution rights for its McClelland’s scotch range.

Halewood International has expanded the distribution of its Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer brand into the US and Canada.

Concha y Toro, the largest wine producer in Latin America, is committed to developing and improving the Californian wine producer, Fetzer, which it bought from Brown Forman in March 2011.

Gruppo Campari has announced group pre-tax profit of €52.8 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2012. 

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands has announced a £2m first-year investment for the launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey in the UK.

Rémy Cointreau's consolidated turnover for the 2011/12 financial year was €1,026.1 million, an increase of 13% (up 15.6% organically) compared with the previous year.

Diageo has opened a US$5m Captain Morgan visitors’ centre as part of of its new distillery in the US Virgin Islands.