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Hallgarten & Novum Wines, a UK-based wine wholesaler, has reached an agreement to distribute the wines of Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné in the UK. The wines will be exclusively available to the UK hospitality and retail sectors. This addition to Hallgarten & Novum's portfolio is part of their plan to expand their premium wine offerings and grow their business. Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné, a family-owned winery since 2006, is known for its organic and biodynamic farming practices and has vineyards in various appellations in the northern Rhône region. Hallgarten & Novum Wines was acquired by Coterie Holdings in December 2023 and recently became the UK distributor for Australia's Brown Family Wine Group. [Extracted from the article]

Workers at Jacob's Creek winery in Australia have reached an agreement with Pernod Ricard to end their strike. The employees received a 5% wage increase, backdated to July 1st, as well as an additional day off per year and an increase in medically certified days off. The workers were seeking pay levels that align with Australia's Consumer Price Index, which has increased by 16% in the last three years, while their pay has only gone up by 7%. The United Workers Union, representing the workers, sees this as a significant victory but acknowledges that the fight is not over, as the winery will soon be under new ownership. Pernod Ricard recently struck a deal to sell a number of its wine assets, including Jacob's Creek, to Australian Wine Holdco Limited. The sale is expected to be completed by the first half of 2025. [Extracted from the article]

French vintners are expected to produce lower volumes of wine in the 2024 harvest due to climatic challenges and health issues impacting vineyards. The national Ministry of Agriculture's statistical department has forecasted a decline of 10% to 16% in wine production compared to the previous year, and a 3% to 10% drop compared to average annual production figures since 2019. Specific wine categories, such as AOP wines and eaux-de-vie fruit brandies, are expected to see significant decreases in volumes. The decline in production is attributed to health issues, climate-related challenges, mildew, and episodes of frost or hail. [Extracted from the article]

Spain-based wine-and-spirits group González Byass has acquired the US business of Chile's Viña Santa Carolina. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed. Viña Santa Carolina's US arm, Carolina Wine Brands USA, will be absorbed into González Byass' US business, González Byass USA. Viña Santa Carolina will retain a minority share in its US unit. The deal will strengthen González Byass' national footprint and add resources to its sales efforts across the country. [Extracted from the article]

The European Union (EU) has called on member states to join a wine-policy group to address challenges and opportunities in the wine sector. The High-Level Group on Wine Policy will discuss issues such as declining consumption and climate change and propose solutions. The EU estimates that its wine sector creates 31 billion full-time jobs and contributes around €130bn ($141.84bn) to its GDP. Wine consumption has been falling globally, including in EU countries like France, Italy, and Germany. Some experts suggest that a lack of branding may be contributing to the decline in global wine consumption. [Extracted from the article]

Gruppo Lunelli, a family-run company in Italy, has been steadily growing its presence in the global sparkling wine market. The CEO, Matteo Lunelli, believes that sparkling wine is the most promising category in the wine market due to its contemporary appeal and association with conviviality. He sees a trend towards premium sparkling wines and believes that Italian sparkling wine, such as Ferrari Trento, has the potential to position itself in the high-end segment. Gruppo Lunelli's strongest markets are currently Italy, the US, Germany, and Japan, but they are also exploring opportunities in Mexico, the Middle East, and the UK. The company focuses on building its brand through on-trade channels, such as restaurants and bars, and aims to increase its global sales outside of Italy. While they are cautious about entering the retail market, they plan to expand their presence in independent retailers and eventually multiple retailers. Gruppo Lunelli is open to mergers and acquisitions but is selective in seeking brands with a long tradition and excellent products. They do not currently plan to venture into non-alcoholic wines due to the lack of technology to produce authentic wines without alcohol. [Extracted from the article]

France's Château Montrose owners, Martin and Olivier Bouygues, have acquired US wine estate RvD Vineyards and renamed it "Lost Mountain Vineyards." The purchase was made through their family wine portfolio, Eutopia Estates. The Bouygues family also owns other vineyards in Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, Burgundy, and Cognac, as well as a truffle farm. The acquisition marks their first venture outside of French wine. Eutopia Estates plans to re-launch the brand with two new wines, while keeping RvD's original logo. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. [Extracted from the article]

French wine business, Domaine Faiveley, has acquired majority control of US peer Williams Selyem. The California-based winery, known for its Pinot Noir, will retain a significant minority stake in the business. Domaine Faiveley had previously acquired a minority stake in Williams Selyem in 2020, with the intention of a smooth ownership transition in the future. The Dyson family, who have run Williams Selyem for 25 years, will continue to be involved, with John Dyson remaining as chief executive. [Extracted from the article]

US whiskey producer Uncle Nearest has acquired Square One Organic Spirits, a distillery that specializes in vodka. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Uncle Nearest plans to introduce a new line of organic vodkas made with corn, rebrand Square One's vodka, and move production from Virginia to Tennessee. This move into vodka follows Uncle Nearest's previous expansion into Cognac. Square One is an organic spirits company based in Virginia, and its products are currently available in 30 US states and Washington DC. [Extracted from the article]

Les Grands Chais de France, a wine company, is closing one of the facilities associated with its recently acquired German wine group, Langguth. The Traben-Trarbach winery, located on the Moselle river, will be shut down as it is not considered competitive. This decision will affect 133 employees, although the company has offered contracts to some of them at other sites. Les Grands Chais de France plans to expand the second Langguth site, which is considered the centerpiece of its operations. The company has been expanding its footprint globally in recent years, acquiring properties in Hungary, Spain, South Africa, and Chile. [Extracted from the article]

According to data from the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) Observatory and the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), Italians are drinking less wine but are still interested in the category. In 2023, Italy had an estimated 29.4 million wine drinkers, with the number of daily drinkers decreasing to 11.7 million. However, the number of wine drinkers in Italy has actually increased by 2% since 2011, driven by growing interest from women. The UIV noted changing habits, with drinkers becoming more responsible and exploring other beverages such as apéritifs. Non-daily wine drinkers now make up 60% of total wine drinkers, up from 48% in 2011. Italy is the third-largest wine consuming nation in the world, behind the US and France. [Extracted from the article]

Argentina's wine industry has faced challenges in recent years due to high inflation, volatile exchange rates, and disappointing export numbers. However, the new government's tough economic policies have led to a decrease in inflation rates, which has improved the competitiveness of exporting companies. Despite this, exports have been hindered by unreliable exchange rates, tax regimes, and a lack of free-trade agreements. The industry is hopeful that economic conditions will improve, leading to more investment and a general uplift of the economy. The popularity of Malbec, Argentina's flagship varietal, remains strong both domestically and internationally, and winemakers are exploring new styles of Malbec. Additionally, there is growing interest in other grape varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah in the domestic market. Water scarcity and erratic weather events are pressing environmental issues facing winemakers in Argentina. Despite these challenges, Argentina's winemakers remain hopeful and confident in the quality of their wines. [Extracted from the article]

Fever-Tree, a UK mixer company, has partnered with French wine producer Maison Mirabeau to create a new product called Fever-Tree and Mirabeau Rosé Spritz. This pink Rosé Spritz is made with a blend of Mirabeau Forever Summer Rosé wine and Fever-Tree raspberry and orange blossom soda, with an alcohol content of 8%. The collaboration was driven by the increasing demand for "lower alcohol" ready-to-drink beverages and spritzes. Fever-Tree's CEO, Tim Warrillow, expressed the company's commitment to delivering quality and flavor while catering to consumer preferences. Maison Mirabeau is a French rosé wine brand that acquired Domaine Mirabeau in 2019. Fever-Tree is a supplier of carbonated mixers for alcoholic spirits and operates in over 90 countries. In 2023, the company's revenue was £364.4m, with adjusted EBITDA of £30.5m and a profit of £15.4m. [Extracted from the article]

Accolade Wines and Pernod Ricard have declined to comment on reports that they are in talks regarding Pernod Ricard's wine assets in Australia. Pernod Ricard's wine portfolio in New Zealand includes Brancott Estate and Stoneleigh, while in Australia it produces St Hugo, Jacob's Creek, and George Wyndham. Earlier this year, Australian Vintage confirmed discussions about a potential merger with Accolade Wines. Accolade Wines recently urged red-grape growers in Australia to accept a buyout package due to oversupplies caused by China's wine tariffs and declining alcohol consumption. [Extracted from the article]

Pernod Ricard, a global drinks company, has acquired the Aux Terres de Ravel estate in France's Côtes-de-Provence region to expand its wine portfolio. The estate includes premium brands such as Symphonie, Fantastique, and Marguerite en Provence, and consists of 280 hectares of vineyards. The acquisition was made through local winery Sainte Marguerite en Provence, which has been majority-owned by Pernod Ricard since 2022. As part of the deal, 20 hectares of the estate will be sold to young winemakers as part of a support program. The transaction is expected to be completed in the summer. [Extracted from the article]

Belgium-based canned-wine producer, The French Kiss Club, is expanding into the UK market. The company is increasing production and has secured festival listings for the summer. It aims to have its wines listed in UK retailers by June or early July. The French Kiss Club sees the UK as a promising market due to its more developed canned wine category. The company's target audience is 25-34-year-olds, but it has also reached a wider and older audience. The company closed its first fundraising round in September 2023, raising €500,000 ($541,000). Its portfolio includes white and rosé wines in still and sparkling versions, with prices ranging from £3.50 to £4. The UK format will be 187ml, compared to the standard 250ml can sold in Belgium and the Netherlands. [Extracted from the article]

This section offers news briefs on the global beverage industry as of January 11, 2015. Japanese brewing and distilling company Suntory has completed its acquisition of the Lucozade and Ribena drinks brands from pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). French dairy and water group Danone will appeal a court ruling in the British Virgin Islands over its trademark dispute with partner Wahaha. Producers in France have opposed the country's wine classification system.

The article reports on the addition of 16 hectares of vineyards to the assets owned by wine producer Les Domaines Paul Mas in 2014. Topics covered include the total hectares of vineyards owned by the company in France as well as the overall sales posted by the firm in 2013. Also mentioned is the exports of its products to other European nations.

The article presents a reprint of the article "Bumper Provence harvest to relieve supply pressure" by Stuart Todd, which appeared on October 31, 2014 on the website www.just-drinks.com. It reports that the harvest in wine-growing region in France's Provence will see a rise of around 11 percent driving export trade of wine. It also mentions growth of alcoholic beverage industry in the U.S.

The article discusses the report by Fédération des Exportateurs de Vins et Spiritueux deFrance (FEVS), that showed decline in French wine and spirits export sales in first half of 2014, increase in vodka sales, and increases in champagne volume and value.

The article reports that Ackerman has acquired fellow French wine producer Les Celliers du Prieuré/Valentin Fleur.