•Burgundy’s biggest name in charity auctions had an impressive year, despite a challenging vintage. On Nov. 17, the 164th Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction raised a grand total of $15.2 million to support the Hospices Civils de Beaune hospital network. This is the fourth year the event, the world’s longest-running charity wine auction, has been organized by Sotheby’s. The event featured plenty of star power, with actors Eva Longoria, Dominic West, Jean Reno, and Zabou Breitman taking the podium to lead the bidding on the premier lot. Wine Spectator has a full report.

•Control state spirits volume slipped 0.6% in the 12 months through October, while dollar sales inched upward by 0.4%. October provided a boost to the results, which benefited from five extra selling days versus the previous year. Overall, control state spirits volume was up 4.7% in October, led by new canned cocktail volume in Pennsylvania, while wine volume decreased 4.9%. The on-premise spirits channel grew by 6% in volume for the month, with 4.9% growth in dollar sales. The on-premise wine channel was down 3.5% in volume and 2.7% in value for October.

•California winemaker Scheid Family Wines saw revenues dip 6% to $26 million in the six months through August. Case goods sales declined 6% to $21 million, as “the bottled wine business across the entire market slowed in the first few months of calendar 2024,” according to the company. “It continues to be a difficult time for the wine industry,” said president and CEO Scott Scheid. “Bulk wine prices remain depressed and the market for cased goods, which has been impacted by distributor and retailer destocking, continues to be challenging.” Scheid’s portfolio includes Scheid Vineyards, Sunny with a Chance of Flowers, VDR (Very Dark Red), Grandeur (organically certified), Fog & Light, Metz Road, District 7, Ryder Estate, and Hoxie, a premium wine spritzer. The Sunny with a Chance of Flowers brand topped 100,000 cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank.