News Briefs for July 22, 2024

•Italian wine brand Bolla, part of the Frederick Wildman & Sons portfolio in the U.S., has revamped its La Fondazione tier of wines. Among the changes, the line has been repackaged, with additions including sealing wax and a coat of arms. La Fondazione now includes a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC, Chianti DOCG, and Valpolicella which which has been upgraded to Classico DOC. Further, Bolla has added a Soave Classico DOC to the range. The revamped La Fondazione lineup is now rolling out nationally, backed by online advertising, social media, events, and influencer marketing. Part of Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV), Bolla had U.S. volume of 300,000 cases last year, according to Impact Databank.

•Kauai, Hawaii-based Koloa Rum Company has expanded its distribution footprint, entering a host of new states with RNDC and other distributor partners. The expanded deal with RNDC brings Koloa and the distributor’s partnership to 20 states, up from 12 before. The new markets with RNDC are Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, Michigan, Maryland, and Washington D.C. In addition, Koloa has kicked off sales in Arkansas through Moon Distributors, Massachusetts through Main Street Wine, and Tennessee through Best Brands Incorporated. This distribution expansion brings Koloa’s footprint to 36 states and Washington, D.C.

•Japan’s Kanosuke Distillery is launching a trio of whiskies in the U.S. for the first time. The whiskies, imported by High Road Wine & Spirits, are distilled in Kagoshima Prefecture on Kyushu using a trio of pot stills. Kanosuke’s single malt (48% abv) is matured in a combination of ex-Shochu, ex-Sherry, and ex-Bourbon casks and retails at $100 a 700-ml. The second whisky is Hioki, a pot still grain whisky, aged in new American oak and ex-Bourbon barrels before bottling at 51% abv. It retails for $110. The final U.S. release from the distillery is Kanosuke Double Distillery Blended Japanese Whisky, a blend of the distillery’s single malt and grain whiskies, bottled at 53% abv and retailing for $120 a 700-ml. The trio of whiskies is rolling out now in California and New York.

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