News Briefs for March 6, 2025

•Southern Glazer’s has appointed Jeri Rippon as senior vice president, general manager of New York, effective immediately. Rippon will oversee strategic operations and commercial execution across the New York market, reporting to Marty Crane, EVP, subregional general manager, New York & Southern Glazer’s Beverage Company of Massachusetts & Rhode Island. Rippon joined Southern Glazer’s in 2020, most recently serving as general manager, vice president, Sapphire Division of New York. Prior to that, she led the Atlantic Division in the New York market.

•On Feb. 26, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves approved a bill permitting wineries to ship wines directly to consumers in the Magnolia State. The law takes effect July 1. Arkansas, Delaware, Rhode Island and Utah are now the only states not to permit direct-to-consumer (DTC) winery shipping or to limit it to just in-person, on-site purchases. But some direct-shipping advocates worry the bill has too many limitations to truly open Mississippi’s wine market. Wine Spectator has the full story.

•Luxco’s Penelope Bourbon has announced the latest batch of Rio, an Amburana oak barrel-finished whiskey that’s part of the brand’s Cooper Series. The 49% abv Bourbon, in addition to its Amburana finish, also finishes in American oak honey barrels before bottling. The whiskey carries a suggested price of $80 a bottle is rolling out now in limited quantities across the U.S. Luxco is the branded spirits unit of MGP, which saw branded sales decline 5% to $241 million last year. Penelope grew 32% to 70,000 cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank.

•Brown-Forman has unveiled the 2025 Kentucky Derby bottling for Woodford Reserve. This year’s label sports “Carrera Dinamica” (Dynamic Race) by Cuban artist Humberto Lahera. The Bourbon inside is Woodford’s flagship release, bottled at 45.2% abv. The Kentucky Derby bottling carries a suggested price of $50 per 1-liter bottle, with limited quantities available now at the Woodford Reserve distillery, through the brand’s website, and through ReserveBar. In 2024, Woodford Reserve grew 4% to 1.47 million cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.

Tagged : Brown-Forman, Luxco, Penelope, Southern Glazer's, Woodford Reserve

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