News Briefs for October 4, 2021
October 5, 2021•Wild Turkey Master’s Keep One, Woodford Reserve Chocolate Malt Whisper, and newcomers from High West and Castle & Key are among the offerings featured in Whisky Advocate’s latest weekly roundup. The magazine’s website has all the details.
•New York-based Sycamore Partners has completed its acquisition of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates from Altria for $1.2 billion. Originally announced in July, the deal sees Sycamore gain the largest wine business in the Pacific Northwest—and the eighth-largest in the U.S.—with annual volume of more than 7.3 million cases, according to Impact Databank.
•Napa, California’s The Plumpjack Collection of Wines has released Adaptation, the company’s latest Napa Cab. The wine, from the 2018 vintage, is sourced from vineyards in Howell Mountain, Oak Knoll, Stags Leap, and Carneros, and is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 2% Petite Sirah. The wine was made by Jeff Owens and aged in 50% new oak and 50% one-fill oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. Adaptation is now available for a suggested retail price of $78 a 750-ml.
•Following its $475 million purchase of Luxco earlier this year, MGP Ingredients is now consolidating its branded business—including labels like George Remus and Rossville Union—under the Luxco name. Additionally, MGP’s 174-year-old Indiana distillery, formerly owned by Seagram and Pernod Ricard respectively, will now be known as Ross & Squibb Distillery in relation to its branded production. The new name pays tribute to two historic Lawrenceburg distilleries: Ross, from George Ross, original founder of Rossville Distillery, which was located on the same campus; and Squibb, from the distillery purchased by George Remus in 1921. The rebrand unites the two labels in Indiana distilling history, according to the company. For its sizable contract production, the Indiana distillery will continue to be known under its current moniker of MGPI of Indiana, LLC.
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