Market Watch, April 2016

mwNEWS WATCHConstellation Launches MajorCasa Noble Tequila CampaignConstellation is backing its upscale Casa Noble Tequila with a multimillion dollar U S campaign and packaging relaunch The biggest marketing investment in the brand to date the ad campaign will run under the tag line The Noble Pursuit The brand almost doubled U S sales last year and has tripled distribution according to cofounder Jose Hermosillo Our goal is to nearly double again for 2016 he adds Constellation will also cross promote Casa Noble in tandem with its Mexican beer portfolio Acquired by Constellation in 2014 the brands triple distilled organic Tequila comes in Crystal 40 a 750 ml bottle Reposado 50 and Añejo 60 expressions and is backed by celebrity equity partner Carlos Santana Vision Signs Douglas Laing And Reh KendermannNew Jerseys Vision Wine Spirits has been named the exclusive U S importer for Germanys Reh Kendermann wines as well as Douglas Laing Co s Remarkable Regional Malts collection The Reh Kendermann accord will see Vision take on brands like Black Tower and Carl Reh retailing around 9 to 11 a 750 ml bottle Meanwhile Vision will handle Douglas Laing whiskies including Timorous Beastie Highland Malt 60 Scallywag Speyside Malt 70 Rock Oyster Island Malt 70 and Big Peat Islay Malt 70 Wyoming WhiskeyExpands Into The SoutheastWyoming Whiskey is entering several new Southeastern markets this year In 2016 the Kirby Wyoming based brand will enter Florida Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Alabama and Louisiana and its exploring entry into Georgia and Tennessee In addition the company has reduced the SRP of its flagship Wyoming Small Batch Bourbon to 3999 a 750 ml bottle from around 45 Launched in 2012 Wyoming Whiskey also offers a Single Barrel Bourbon 60 and Barrel Strength Bourbon 199 with additional releases planned for later this year Balcones Begins ProductionAt New DistilleryBalcones Distilling Co has begun produc tion at its new 145 million distillery in Waco Texas the Waco Tribune reported The new location features four story copper stills larger fermentation tanks and bottling equipment and a tasting room and gift shop The expansion will allow Balcones to quadruple production A second set of stills planned for next year will double capacity again Balcones original distillery will continue to be used for specialty releases Supplier News WineGallo Grows LUX StableWith Renato RattiE J Gallo has inked a deal with Renato Ratti winery to become the Piedmont producers exclusive U S importer Renato Ratti will join Lux Wines Gallos growing luxury wine group which includes other top Italian brands Allegrini Poggio al Tesoro and Pieropan Lux Wines will distribute Rattis Barolo Marcenasco Barolo Conca Barolo Rocche dellAnnunziata Langhe Nebbiolo and Barbera dAsti labels Ratti produces several top Barolos including single vineyard wines that have been named to Wine Spectators Top 100 in previous years The Mark Wine Group Adds Charles Smith Wines Austin Texas based wine sales and marketing firm The Mark Wine Group has unveiled a new partnership with Washington states Charles Smith Wines and it began representing the groups Charles Smith Wines ViNO Wines of Substance K Vintners Sixto and Casa Smith brands in on premise national accounts in March Charles Smith Wines sells more than 750000 cases annually The company joins Hahn Family Wines The Hess Collection and Mionetto USA among other producers in The Mark Wine Groups stable The Texas marketer which specializes in connecting family owned independent wineries to a network of more than 150 national restaurant and hotel chain partners rose 30 percent to reach 235000 cases in 2015 Palm Bays Esprit du Vin Eyes New Opportunities In BordeauxPalm Bay Internationals Esprit du Vin Fine Wine Merchants division EDV has been named the exclusive U S importer for Bordeauxs Domaine de lA the flag ship winery of renowned winemaker and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt and the company told Shanken News Daily its on the hunt for more Bordeaux offer ings It remains rare for a Bordeaux winery to go exclusive with one importer in the United States rather than selling to negoçiants But EDV believes that more 8000 to 15000 case Bordeaux châteaux will ultimately follow the lead of Domaine de lA around 40 a 750 ml bottle in going exclusive with pricing stability being one of the key benefits Fellow Bordeaux label Château Greysac about 25 which has been with EDV exclusively for the past five years has grown around 5 percent annually and is now north of 13000 cases in the United States Chinese Billionaire MakesBordeaux Winery BuyJack Ma founder and chairman of Alibaba and one of the richest people in China has acquired Château de Sours a 198 acre Bordeaux estate in Entre Deux Mers Ma purchased the estate for more than 16 million three times the value of similar châteaux from Martin Krajewski who will remain on board as a consultant Located in the town of Saint Quentin de Baron Château de Sours dates back to 1785 112 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM APRIL 2016MARKET WATCH ISSN 0277 9277 is published 11 times a year January February March April May June July August September October November and December and one special issue in September by M Shanken Communications Inc Worldwide Plaza 825 Eighth Avenue 33rd Floor New York NY 10019 212 684 4224 Periodicals paid at New York NY and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address changes to MARKET WATCH P O Box 1260 Skokie IL 60076 Subscription rates are United States 60 per year Canada 70 per year Foreign 85 per year Canadian and foreign subscriptions are payable in advance in U S funds Subscription inquiries Please write to Market Watch P O Box 1260 Skokie IL 60076 or call 1 800 848 7113 Return postage must accompany all unsolicited materials if they are to be returned and no responsibility can be assumed for such material All Letters to the Editor should be sent to the Editor at the aforementioned address All rights in 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