News Briefs for September 25, 2017

•California’s Foley Family Wines has named former Jackson Family Wines president Hugh Reimers as chief administrative officer, with plans to eventually transition him to the role of president. Reimers had been with Jackson Family Wines since 2009, serving as president of the company since November 2015. He has also previously held leadership roles with Constellation Wines U.S. The Foley Family portfolio, which sells around 1.3 million cases, includes the Chalk Hill, Chalone, Kuleto, Sebastiani, Foley Johnson and Two Sisters brands, among others.

•William Grant & Sons has unveiled Glenfiddich Winter Storm, the latest expression in Glenfiddich’s Experimental Series. The 43%-abv single malt Scotch is made with various Glenfiddich aged malts that have been finished for up to six months in French oak ice wine casks, sourced from Canada’s Peller Estate winery. Glenfiddich Winter Storm is limited to 650 nine-liter cases and will be available in select markets, retail priced at $250 a bottle. Glenfiddich Winter Storm joins the India Pale Ale Cask Finish and Project XX labels in the brand’s Experimental Series.

•Moët Hennessy is debuting a new “Winter Collection” of sparkling wines under its Chandon California brand, which will hit the market nationwide from October through December. Chandon’s winter offerings will include Brut and Rosé sparklers ($24 a 750-ml.) packaged in bottles created by fashion designer and brand ambassador Rebecca Minkoff that feature holographic foil. Chandon, the top domestic sparkling wine retailing above $15 a bottle, grew 9% by volume last year and is poised to cross the half-million case mark for 2017.

•Chicago-based restaurant chain Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises has confirmed its succession plan, naming the son of its founder and long-time chairman, Rich Melman, to the post of president. R. J. Melman, 38, has recently run a Lettuce division that featured such brands as RPM, Ramen-San and Summer House Santa Monica. Rich Melman, 75, has headed the company, which encompasses 130 restaurants, since he started it in 1971 with a casual eatery called R.J. Grunts in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

•Quintessential Wines has named Dianna Michniewicz as strategic national accounts manager, on-premise. Michniewicz, who has two decades’ experience in the industry, has been with Quintessential for six years, working in sales and operations.

Tagged : Foley Family Wines, Glenfiddich, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Moet Hennessy, Quintessential Wines, William Grant & Sons

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