News Briefs for January 29, 2015
January 29, 2015•The Fladgate Partnership is releasing two single quinta vintage Ports nationwide to the U.S. market, Croft Quinta da Roêda 2012 and Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas 2012 Ports. Produced from grapes in each Port house’s best single vineyard in years without a general vintage declaration, single quinta vintage Ports are also trodden by foot and fermentation is stopped by the addition of brandy before all residual sugars have been fermented. Croft Quinta da Roêda Vintage Port 2012 ($47.99/20% abv) spent two years in wood and was bottled unfiltered for a nose of fruitiness and palate of crisp acidity with dense tannins, the company says. Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port 2012 ($52.99/20% abv) spent two years aging in vat before bottling for woodland fruit aromas and clean, berry fruit flavors.
•Anchor Distilling Company is launching two new vermouths from Tempus Fugit Spirits in the U.S. market. The first, Alessio Vermouth di Torino Rosso, is at 17% abv and retails at $22 a 750-ml. The second, Alessio Vermouth Chinato, is 16.5% abv and retails at $25 a 750-ml. The brand is named for 16th century Italian physician, alchemist, humanist, inventor and cartographer Alessio Piemontese, creator of “several elixirs that are distinct ancestors to the herbal wine-tonic that later became known as vermouth,” Anchor says.
•Crimson Wine Group has promoted Ted Seghesio to general manager of Seghesio Family Vineyards, adding to his role as winemaker. Having led winemaking at Seghesio for 32 years, Ted will now also oversee all winery and cellar operations at the Sonoma-based winery. Known for highly rated Zinfandels and Italian varietals, Seghesio Family Vineyards was acquired by Crimson in 2011.
•Retail chains Albertsons and Safeway have gained U.S. Federal Trade Commission approval for their $9.2 billion merger after agreeing to divest 168 stores in eight states to ease antitrust concerns. The merged company will sell those stores—located across Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming—to Haggen Holdings, LLC, Supervalu Inc., Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. and Associated Food Stores Inc. Prior to the divestiture, Albertsons and Safeway operated roughly 2,400 stores between them. The merger is expected to close within the next week.
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Tagged : Albertsons, Alessio Vermouth Chinato, Alessio Vermouth di Torino Rosso, Anchor Distilling Company, Associated Food Stores, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Crimson Wine Group, Croft, Haggen Holdings, Safeway, Seghesio Family Vineyards, Supervalu Inc., Taylor Fladgate, Tempus Fugit Spirits, The Fladgate Partnership, U.S. Federal Trade Commission
