News Briefs for April 13, 2021

•One of Napa’s Valley’s most prominent vintners, Bill Harlan, is stepping away from Harlan Estate after 40 years. “I have often said that, when I reach the age of 80, the time will have come to turn over the leadership of our family winegrowing domain to the next generation,” Harlan wrote in a letter to Wine Spectator. Harlan turns the reins over to his son Will, who will oversee Harlan Estate and Bond, as well as Promontory, at which he has held a leadership role since 2017. Will will also continue to oversee The Mascot, a brand he founded using grapes that didn’t make the cut for the Harlan Estate Cabernet blend. Wine Spectator has the full story.

•Laphroaig 10 Year Old Sherry Cask, Mizunara-Finished Rabbit Hole, and newcomers from Glen Scotia and Four Gate are among the offerings featured in Whisky Advocate’s latest weekly roundup. The magazine’s website has all the details.

•Santa Margherita USA has expanded its flagship wine brand with a new rosé. The 12.5% abv wine is made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Nero grapes sourced from vineyards in Italy’s Tre Venezie region. Santa Margherita Rosé is set to hit shelves in the coming weeks in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and California, and will retail for around $25 a 750-ml. The new rosé joins Santa Margherita’s popular Pinot Grigio expression along with its other wines, which include a Prosecco, a sparkling rosé, a Chianti Classico Reserva, and Rive di Refrontolo, a higher-end Prosecco.

•St. Paul, Minnesota-based Prestige Beverage Group has added two new whiskies—Tullibardine and Highland Queen—to its portfolio. Tullibardine adds a new single malt to Prestige’s range, including a variety of cask-finished whiskies as well as luxury-priced vintage offerings which can date back decades. Highland Queen is a new contender in blended Scotch for Prestige, which will market the brand’s lineup from its entry level to its luxury-priced blends.

•Illinois-based importer Winesellers Ltd has named Matthew Johnson as executive vice president of sales. A 25-year industry veteran, Johnson was most recently senior vice president of national sales for Opici Wines & Spirits. In his new role he will report to brothers and co-presidents of Winesellers Ltd, Adam Sager and Jordan Sager.

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