News Briefs for November 18, 2024
November 18, 2024•Treasury Wine Estates has expanded its partnership with Snoop Dogg, releasing Cali Smooth, the latest from the 19 Crimes brand. The wine is a blend of 65% Petite Sirah, 30% Zinfandel, and 5% Merlot from Lodi, California. The initial release is from the 2022 vintage and comes in at 13% abv. 19 Crimes Cali Smooth is now available in retailers across the U.S. Last year, 19 Crimes was at just under 2.1 million cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.
•Santo Tequila, the brand from Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar, saw 4,040 cases valued at $1 million stolen in recent days, as thieves targeted two truckloads in Laredo, Texas. The company says that while it’s working to replenish the lost cases, the best-case scenario is a 40-day out of stock situation due to the theft, which is being investigated. “Our primary focus right now is to work with our distillery partner in Mexico to replenish the stolen goods in time for the important holiday shopping season and with our shipping company to safeguard this from happening again in the future,” said Santo CEO Dan Butkus.
•Mezcal Amarás has announced Lumbre, a new ultra-limited edition mezcal. The 46% abv mezcal is made using its namesake agave varietal, wild fermentation, and traditional mezcal production techniques. The bottling is limited—only 399 bottles will be released globally, with the U.S. receiving 184 700-ml. bottles—and carries a suggested price of $300. The mezcal is now available in select retailers across the U.S. and through Remedy Liquor and on BlockBar. In the U.S., Mezcal Amarás is handled by Suntory Global Spirits.
•Lalo Tequila has debuted a new limited-edition high-proof bottling of the brand’s Blanco Tequila. The new spirit is bottled at 54% abv and made from highlands agave that’s distilled twice. Lalo High Proof is the first offshoot from the brand and is now rolling out across the U.S. for a suggested price of $75 a bottle.