News Briefs for March 6, 2015
March 6, 2015•Roberto Conterno, the proprietor and winemaker at Giacomo Conterno, one of Barolo’s leading estates, signed a deal March 4 purchasing nearly 22 acres of the Arione cru from Gigi Rosso, owner of Cantina Gigi Rosso. The price wasn’t disclosed. The total surface area is almost 22 acres, of which almost 15 acres is planted to Nebbiolo for Barolo (8.7 acres), Nebbiolo d’Alba (about 3 acres) and Barbera (about 3 acres). The mostly south-facing vineyards have been in the Rosso family since the 1960s; Bruno Giacosa made three vintages from the property under his label in the 1970s. This purchase expands the Giacomo Conterno estate to nearly 65 acres in the prime Serralunga crus of Arione, Cerretta and Francia. Wine Spectator has more.
•Anheuser-Busch InBev looks poised to lose two owned distributorships in Louisville and Owensboro, Kentucky, respectively, as the state’s Senate passed a bill earlier this week that prohibits out-of-state brewers from owning distributors. (State law already precludes in-state brewers from self-distributing). Local news reports indicate Governor Steve Beshear will sign the bill, which has already passed the Kentucky House of Representatives. Kentucky’s craft brewers and smaller beer distributors have praised the measure, which they said would level the playing field as smaller players look to increase share in the state’s beer market, while ABI has decried it as an assault on its property rights. The push to ban brewers from owning distributors in Kentucky was precipitated by ABI’s acquisition of its Owensboro distributorship last year.
•Beverage alcohol delivery provider Drizly is continuing its Los Angeles expansion with entry into the San Fernando Valley. Starting this month, Drizly’s delivery services will be available throughout the San Fernando Valley’s Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale, Studio City, Universal City and Toluca Lake neighborhoods, among others. In addition to Los Angeles, which Drizly first entered last June, the company operates in Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis, New York, Seattle, St. Louis and Washington D.C. Accessed via its website or free mobile app, Drizly promises beer, wine and spirits deliveries within a 20-40 minute time frame.
•Lucas Bols USA has launched a new Maraschino Cherry flavor under its Bols liqueur brand. The offering, which is 24% abv and retails at $18 a 750-ml., augments Bols liqueurs’ existing 30-flavor range. Bols Maraschino Cherry is now rolling out across both the on- and off-premise segments throughout the country. Lucas Bols’ other brands include Bols genever, Damrak gin and Galliano liqueur.
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Subscribe to Shanken News Daily’s Email Newsletter, delivered to your inbox each morning.Tagged : ABI, Anheuser-Busch, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Drizly, Lucas Bols, Lucas Bols USA, Wine Spectator
