Glazer’s, the Dallas-based wine, spirits and malt beverage distributors, has appointed Jim Oliver as senior vice president of fine wine.

Jeff Clarke has been appointed chief winemaker at Marlborough’s Ara Wines.

Cork producer Amorim recorded double-digit volume growth in 2010.

Brown-Forman has sold its Fetzer wine business to Concha y Toro for US$238 million. The transaction is expected to close in April 2011.

Clink! Wines, distributors to the UK and mainland Europe, has appointed Mariola Martinez as operations manager.

The South African government has increased excise duty on spirits by 10% and wine by 8%.

Foster’s Group has announced a proposal to demerge Treasury Wine Estates at a cost of AU$151m.

The Australian wine market faces tough challenges ahead because of a growing reliance on discounting, according to Wine Intelligence.

Former Wine Australia boss Paul Henry is to join wine research company Wine Intelligence as associate director.

New Zealand: An organic wine group has set a goal for 20% of New Zealand vineyards to be organic by 2020.

French wine barrel manufacturer, Groupe Charlois, has expanded into the US with the purchase of Winemakers Cooperage (WC) from Treasury Wine Estates.

Brown-Forman, the major US drinks company, has announced a strategic review with a view to offloading its Californina-based wine assets.

Constellation Brands, hitherto, the world's leading wine company, has announced that it has sold its Australian and UK business, (Constellation Wines Australia and Europe, CWAE), to CHAMP, an Australian private equity group.

Pernod Ricard has announced the completion of the sale, by its affiliate Pernod Ricard New Zealand, of Lindauer and other New Zealand wine brands from Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay together with their inventories and assets.

Bordeaux Wine Council has announced the release of a mobile phone application called Smart Bordeaux.

Former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan will deliver the keynote address at the World Climate Change and Wine Congress 2011.

A Pinot Noir from the Central Otago region has been named Champion Wine at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

Wine producer François Lurton has said he expects China to become the largest wine producing country in the world.

Paul Henry, outgoing general manager, market development for the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC), has accused retailers of being only interested in “volume and price” and described retailer consolidation and price compression as direct threats to proprietary brands.

An Estonian has been named Best Baltic Sommelier after winning the Vana Tallinn Grand Prix 2010.

Following a strategic review of its global operations, Pernod Ricard has confirmed that its key international wine properties will be grouped and managed under one business – Premium Wine Brands.

Two Asian wine experts are to host an introduction to the Institute of Masters of Wine education programme at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair in early November.

Wines Of South Africa’s (WOSA) first Sommelier World Cup has been won by an American.

Pernod Ricard New Zealand has announced the disposal of its Lindauer wine brand. The company has also announced the sale of several other New Zealand wine brands from Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay together with their related inventories and assets.

G H Mumm has released its 2002 vintage champagne to the UK and Italy.

Treasury Wine Estates brand Coldstream Hills has completed a $5m upgrade of its winemaking facilities

The United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA) has unveiled new wine schemes for English and Welsh still wines, in line with the wine regime changes implemented by the EU.  A new wine scheme for sparkling wines will be introduced later this year.

Langton’s Classification, the quinquennial (occurring every five years) guide to Australia’s best performing and most prized wines, has been published.

McWilliam’s winery has won Best White Wine at the invitation only Tri Nations Wine Challenge. The contest featured wines from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The winery won Best White Wine of Show Trophy and Best Other White trophy for its flagship 2005 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon.

Concha y Toro, the largest wine producer in South America, has announced a deal with the Manchester United for its wine brands to become the official wine of the world famous football club.

The Foster’s Group (Foster’s) board of directors has rejected an offer for its Treasury Wine Estates. Foster’s received an “unsolicited expression of interest” from an international private equity firm to acquire the wine assets of Treasury Wine Estates. The proposal involved a cash consideration of between $2.3billion and $2.7billion for 100% of the assets.

International Beverage Holdings is celebrating 49 awards in various international drinks competitions, including 13 awards in the International Spirits Challenge.

Pernod Ricard has created a new brand company for its wines and made several organisational changes to its overall structure.

Pernod Ricard has announced the disposal, by its subsidiary Domecq Bodegas, of Spanish wine brands Marqués de Arienzo and Viña Eguίa. The sale also includes the related Bodega and 358 hectares of vineyards and lands.

As part of a previously-announced review of its wine operations, Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines has announced that it has sold its Barton & Guestier Bordeaux business to French Wine concern Castel Freres SAS. The sale includes brands, inventory and land, including Chateau Magnol.  The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pernod Ricard has decided to dump the Montana brand name and re-name New Zealand’s flagship Sauvignon Blanc, Brancott Estate.

The results of the English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition are in. 

A record number of medals were awarded across the style categories by a judging panel of five Masters of Wine, chaired by Susan McCraith MW.  According to the organisers, results showed the quality of the 2009 vintage, particularly in the dry white and still rosé categories. Sparkling wines were consistently impressive.

US: Foster's Wine Estates has announced long-term distribution agreements with Southern Wine & Spirits in three US markets.

South Africa-based wine company Origin Wine has announced growth in Holland, and Denmark for its brands Stormhoek and Fairhills.

Foster’s Group plans to create separate stock exchange listings for its beer and wine divisions.

Research commissioned by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) in the UK, has shown a further shift to the off-trade in terms of wine consumption.

A major scientific study into the storage of wine in different forms of packaging has revealed that the bag-in-box, single-layer PET and small multi-layer PET altered the character of white wines when stored over six months, with oxidation clearly noticeable.

Australian wine brand Wolf Blass is to launch a sparkling rosé wine at the London International Wine Fair.

Red is the most popular choice of wine for Asian women, according to new research.

Italian wine producer Guerrieri Rizzardi has announced the re-appointment of Rupert Dean, as international sales & marketing manager.

The South African wine industry has launched a new sustainability seal, as a guarantee of environmentally-sensitive production.

Off trade wine supplier Off Piste has appointed a new chairman. Jerry Lockspeiser, who founded Bottle Green in 1990, is to help guide the business’s strategic development.

UK wine retailer Naked Wines has launched a new service that allows UK wine drinkers to buy wines for less than they cost at the cellar door.

Chile: The Asociación de Viñas de Colchagua and the Colchagua Valley Wine Route have estimated a loss of 25 million litres of wine as a result of the earthquake.

First Cape wine is launching lower-alcohol (5.5% abv) extension of its First Cape brand.