News Briefs for December 2, 2020
December 3, 2020•Southern Glazer’s has launched a new business-to-customer e-commerce team, aimed at providing its customers with “operational excellence, programming and promotions, digital content, category insights and performance management in the e-commerce area, across channels, as well as with online retailers and beverage alcohol delivery platforms,” in the words of the company. The e-commerce team will report to David Chaplin, Southern Glazer’s chief growth officer. Leading the unit will be Nathan Mansperger as vice president, business-to-customer e-commerce, who joins the wholesale giant from beverage alcohol e-commerce provider Provi, where he served as chief growth officer.
•St. Paul, Minnesota-based Prestige Beverage Group has acquired Windsor Canadian Whisky from Beam Suntory. Financial details weren’t disclosed. While the brand is changing hands, the whisky will continue to be produced at Beam Suntory’s Alberta Distillers Limited. The range—including the original Canadian whisky and a black cherry flavored offering—will remain widely available across the U.S. and Canada. Windsor Canadian joins The Whistler Irish Whiskey, Indoggo gin, and the Kinky portfolio, among others, in Prestige’s portfolio.
•The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch has entered a multi-year partnership with musician Questlove. The partnership will cover events, collaborations, and activations, beginning December 7 with a holiday gift box sold exclusively on online food marketplace Goldbelly. The gift box will include a selection of snacks curated by Questlove, a set of Glencairn glasses, and coasters and cocktail napkins he designed in addition to a redemption code for a bottle of The Balvenie on ReserveBar. The partnership will lead up to a digital series hosted by Questlove called Quest for Craft, slated to premiere in fall 2021. The Balvenie, part of William Grant & Sons, was up 7.5% to 117,000 cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank.
•California’s Chamisal Vineyards is introducing a new San Luis Obispo Pinot Noir on January 1. Rolling out to select retailers, the new offering is the winery’s first wine with a San Luis Obispo designation and will retail at $22 a 750-ml. In addition to Pinot Noir and a selection of Rhone varieties, Chamisal Vineyards also specializes in various expressions of Chardonnay. The winery is part of the Crimson Wine Group portfolio.
•Brown-Forman has launched the winter 2020 iteration of the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection. This season’s whiskey, Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare Bourbon, is blended from Bourbon aged up to 17 years, dating back to 2003, when current master distiller Chris Morris took the helm. Very Fine Rare Bourbon will also feature assistant master distiller Elizabeth McCall’s name on the bottle’s tag for the first time. The whiskey is bottled at 45.2% abv and is now available in select markets across the U.S. for around $130 a 750-ml.
•Italian sparkling brand Gancia has released its inaugural Prosecco Rosé DOC. The new sparkler is a blend of Glera and Pinot Noir, and clocks in at 11% abv. The Prosecco DOC Consortium approved the production of Prosecco Rosé DOC last May; Gancia’s entry into the new category will reach the U.S. market this month, retail priced at $12 a 750-ml. Gancia is part of the Roust Americas portfolio.
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