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Pernod Ricard followed up solid U.S. sales growth in its last fiscal year with a strong first quarter (ending September 30). After achieving a 4% rise in U.S. sales in the 12 months ending June 30, 2016, Pernod’s upswing continued in the first three months of its current 2016-17 fiscal year, as the French drinks giant’s sales advanced by 4.8% in the U.S.
First-quarter growth was driven by Irish whiskey brand Jameson, which enjoyed a double-digit sales gain after a recent price increase further boosted value growth. Even after years of remarkable progress, Jameson shows no sign of slowing down. In 2015, the brand jumped by 21% to 2.43 million cases in the U.S. market, according to Impact Databank.
Pernod’s U.S. performance has also been bolstered by positive trends for Malibu, as well as the recent launches of the upscale Martell Blue Swift and Chivas Ultis. Blue Swift is a VSOP Cognac finished in Kentucky Bourbon barrels for five to seven months that retails for around $50, and represents the first in a series of new products that Martell has in the pipeline. Ultis, the first blended malt Scotch whisky released under the Chivas Regal brand name, retails for about $200.
Meanwhile, Absolut continues to struggle. But the iconic vodka’s decline eased in fiscal 2015-16, and that trend extended into the first quarter. Absolut was down by 1.6% to 4.04 million cases in 2015, according to Impact Databank, and if the brand doesn’t reverse its negative trajectory by year-end, it may end up under the 4-million-case mark for the first time in more than a decade.
Pernod also achieved marked growth outside the U.S., with overall first-quarter sales up 4% to €2.2 billion ($2.4b). Sales rose in the Americas region (+8%), Europe (+2%) and emerging markets (+6%) and were essentially flat in Asia and Africa.
A single bottle of Yamazaki 50-year-old set the new world record for the most expensive standard-sized bottle of whisky sold at auction. The record-breaking hammer price of $109,585/£84,520/HK$850,000 was set at Poly Auction, Hong Kong this month during their Prestige Collections sale (with buyer’s premiums added: HK$1,003,000). Yamazaki is part of Beam Suntory’s Japanese whisky portfolio. Whisky Advocate has the full story.
Copper Cane Wine & Provisions, led by Joe Wagner, has unveiled Quilt, a new Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The first Cabernet in the Copper Cane portfolio, Quilt is drawn from six Napa Valley AVAs: Oakville, St. Helena, Atlas Peak, Coombsville, Calistoga and Howell Mountain. Retailing at $45 a bottle, Quilt is rolling out now to restaurants and fine wine retailers nationwide. The new Cabernet will be joined by a Quilt Napa Valley Chardonnay next spring. Copper Cane’s other brands include Belle Glos, Elouan, Beran Zinfandels, Carne Humana, Steorra Sparkling and Böen Pinot Noir.
•Lawyers who filed a suit last month in an Illinois federal court challenging a ban on wine sales by out-of-state retailers have launched another salvo, this time in Missouri. Meanwhile, in Michigan, legislators are considering a bill that would allow in-state shipping by retailers but explicitly ban sales by out-of-state stores. Supporters of allowing wine consumers to have access to more wines by legalizing retailer sales across state lines hope the fights will eventually lead to the U.S. Supreme Court. Wine Spectator has a full report.
•Australian wine exports to the U.S. grew 4% by value to $344 million for the 12 months through September, according to trade group Wine Australia. The average value of Australian wine exports to the U.S. was up 12% to $2.25 per liter for the period, marking the highest average value for the category in seven years. Growth was most pronounced at the high end, as exports priced at $8 (A$10) or more per liter grew 21% to $30 million, while shipments within the $3.90-$5.80 (A$5-A$7.49) per liter range increased 14% to $18 million. The $2-$3.80 (A$2.50-A$4.99) and below $2 ($A2.49) categories rose 3% and 5%, respectively.
•Sonoma’s 3 Badge Beverage Corp. has extended its Gehricke wine brand with a new Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($35). The newcomer, limited to 1,077 cases, features 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Petit Verdot (6%), Petite Sirah (5%) and Malbec (4%), and is aged 18 months in French oak. The Gehricke brand also offers a variety of small-lot wines from Sonoma County, including a Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Los Carneros Pinot Noir and Sonoma Valley Zinfandel.
•Leopold Bros., the independently-owned family distillery in Denver, Colorado, is entering two new states this week through The Winebow Group’s distribution network. In Florida, The Winebow Group’s Stacole Fine Wines will handle 13 Leopold Bros. SKUs, including gin, Aperitivo, whiskies, liqueurs, absinthe and amaro. Meanwhile, Leopold Bros. products are also debuting in South Carolina through The Winebow Group’s Country Vintner subsidiary.
•Crispin Cider, part of MillerCoors’s Tenth and Blake craft and import unit, is extending its barrel-aged program with Bourbon Char, a limited-release aged hard apple cider finished with a smoked maple syrup. It’s at 6.9% abv and available in select markets in 22-ounce bottles. Meanwhile, the company is rolling out its Original and Pacific Pear ciders in six-packs of bottles nationwide.
•Portland, Oregon’s BridgePort Brewing Company is adding to its year-round lineup with the release of Stumptown Oatmeal Red Ale (ORA). The new brew was dry-hopped and features Nugget, Sterling, Cascade and Mt. Hood hops, as well as flaked oatmeal, caramel malt and specialty malts Red-X and Midnight Wheat. Stumptown Oatmeal Red Ale (5.6% abv) is available in 22-ounce bottles, six-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on draft. The company’s portfolio also includes the Stumptown Series, BridgePort IPA, Hop Czar Imperial IPA, Kingpin and seasonal offerings.
•Correction: In yesterday’s issue, Johnnie Walker’s and Buchanan’s volume numbers were incorrectly stated in the text (all numbers in the accompanying table were correct). Johnnie Walker’s correct U.S. percentage growth for last year was -5.5% to 1.6 million cases, while Buchanan’s was up 9.5% to 465,000 cases.
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