Compass Box appoints Nishat Gupte as CEO

Following the recent announcement of Neil Everitt to the role of chairman, Scotch whisky maker Compass Box has announced the appointment of Nishat Gupte as the company’s new CEO.

Boutinot launches low-alcohol canned wine range

Boutinot, the Greater Manchester importer-producer, has announced the launch of its new Tuttavia low alcohol canned wines brand. The project has been developed in collaboration with Piemontese co-operative, Araldica Vini.

Chivas Brothers grain network achieves first FSA Gold for distilling wheat

Chivas Brothers has announced that over 120 of their contracted farmers have achieved the UK’s first FSA Gold verification for distilling wheat, as part of their ongoing sustainability efforts and long-standing partnership with Simpsons Malt.

IWCA announces new climate impact calculator for Latin America

International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), in collaboration with a number of leading Chilean and Argentinian wineries, has announced the launch of the first greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator for the Latin America wine industry.

Freixenet Copestick appoints Maria Lopez as new sales director

Sparkling-wine specialists, Freixenet Copestick, has added Maria Lopez to their leadership team in the position of sales director.

TWP Wines expands range with vintages from new region

Amidst a slate of new wines, Italian wine producer, TWP Wines, has added two labels from the famed white wine region, Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Laurent Delaunay’s new range aims to disrupt Burgundy category

Laurent Delaunay, the fifth-generation Burgundian winemaker, has launched a new eponymous range called Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages. The range offers classic styles from Burgundy as well as Beaujolais, at a more affordable price point.

Global Scotch sales: Slight decline with £5.4bn exported in 2024

Figures from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) reveals that the total global export value for Scotch whisky stood at £5.4bn for 2024. This represents a slight decline of 3.7% in exports by value compared to 2023.

Oregon and Washington's winemaking coalition

Once again presenting a united front, Washington and Oregon returned to the UK on Thursday (6 February) to showcase the unique offering of the Pacific Northwest as North America’s answer to Burgundy and Bordeaux.

New Zealand pioneer Peter Babich passes away

Peter Babich, second generation head of the Babich family and a giant of the New Zealand wine industry, has passed away at the age of 92.

American whiskey shipments brought forward to protect against tariffs

Premium spirits company Luxco has brought forward its transatlantic shipping schedules of American whiskey amidst uncertainty about trade tariffs between the UK, EU and US.

Friday Read: Reviving Armenia

Justin Keay speaks to Armenian star, Zorik Gharibian, who grew up in Italy and turned his back on a successful career in fashion in order to make wine in his ancestral homeland. As the founder and winemaker of Zorah Wines, Gharibian has played a pivotal role in helping shape the country’s modern wine industry, most recently having just revived a range of once-extinct native varieties.

Cooke takes Thistledown out of Alliance

Giles Cooke MW is parting with Alliance Wine Group to take its Australian Thistledown winemaking project solo.

Wines from Spain Annual Tasting breaks new ground in London and Manchester

Leading Spanish importers are gearing up to descend on the Science Museum’s new Illuminate venue in London as well heading to Manchester for the first time this April, where 20 wineries seeking distribution will present their new offerings for the UK market.

Berkmann announces Australian portfolio expansion

Berkmann Wine Cellars has announced the additions of Kooyong from the Mornington Peninsula and South Australia’s Rieslingfreak.

Mentzendorff adds Napa Valley icon to portfolio

France makes good on its large tasting ‘gamble’

France’s increasing regional complexity has made its tasting format something of an intermittent affair in recent times, with the country’s myriad interprofessional bodies usually heading up smaller regional tastings throughout the year.

US Whiskey producers anticipate new government guidelines

The recent decision by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to set specific identity regulations for ‘American single malt whiskey’ will come into effect on Monday 19 January.

Liberty expands Spanish portfolio offerings

Liberty Wines has announced new additions to its Spanish portfolio by becoming the exclusive UK distributor for Casa Castillo from Jumilla and Celler del Roure from Valencia.

SWA highlights daily loss for HMRC of £500,000 duty

SWA chief executive has claimed the industry is “not crying wolf” over the impact of the double-digit rise in spirit duty since August 2023. According to Treasury figures, the revenue from spirits duty fell by £255m for the period running 1 August 2023 to 30 November 2024, which equates to an eye-watering half a million-pound loss in revenue every day for HMRC.