Wine & Spirits Weekly — April 10, 2026

Top Stories

Bourbon Demand Down, Tariffs Biting — Yet Distillers Keep Building

Reuters reported this week that the American bourbon industry is confronting a troubling paradox: consumer demand is softening, and the ongoing tariff environment is compounding pressure on exports, yet distillers continue to break ground on new facilities. The report frames the bourbon industry's struggles as a microcosm of broader U.S. economic complexity heading into the midterm election cycle. The disconnect between capital investment and flagging demand raises serious questions about overcapacity risk in one of America's most celebrated spirits categories.

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reuters.com

reuters.com

Online English Whisky Awards 2026: Public Voting Now Open

The Online English Whisky Awards 2026 has opened voting to the public, allowing consumers — not a traditional panel of judges — to determine England's best whisky across five categories. The competition is a notable experiment in democratic spirits evaluation, challenging the conventional assumption that expert panels are the gold standard for prestige awards. The move reflects growing interest in consumer-led recognition as English whisky continues its rapid emergence as a serious category on the global stage.

Redemption Whiskey Unveils New Packaging and Reformulated Bourbon

Redemption Whiskey announced a comprehensive brand overhaul this week, debuting striking new packaging and a reformulated bourbon expression. The brand describes the move as entering its "most confident and fearless chapter yet," signaling a deliberate repositioning effort in an increasingly competitive American whiskey market. The simultaneous packaging refresh and liquid reformulation is a high-stakes bet that suggests Redemption is responding to both shelf-presence challenges and evolving consumer palate expectations.

Wine Spectator Begins Bordeaux 2025 Barrel Tastings in St.-Estèphe

Wine Spectator's veteran Bordeaux taster has begun the 2025 en primeur barrel tasting campaign, with an early dispatch from St.-Estèphe describing three châteaux redefining Bordeaux winemaking with "bold new approaches and stunning vintages." The 2025 campaign is drawing significant early attention from the trade, with the St.-Estèphe appellation appearing to be a strong early performer. These reports will shape buying decisions from négociants and collectors worldwide over the coming weeks.

Ratings & Reviews

• Decanter Editors' Picks — April 2026 (Various Regions) — No numerical score: Decanter's editorial team published its April 2026 picks, described as "a clutch of great wines to try," including springtime sparklers, juicy reds, and dessert wines. Among the highlights flagged is the 2023 Isole e Olena from Tuscany. The article notes that not every wine the editors taste makes it onto the formal review page, making this insider selection particularly valuable for readers seeking under-the-radar recommendations.

• Bordeaux 2025 Vintage, St.-Estèphe Barrel Samples (Bordeaux, France) — Early impressions only: Wine Spectator's on-the-ground tasting in St.-Estèphe describes châteaux producing "stunning vintages" with bold new winemaking approaches. While formal scores have not yet been published, the early signals suggest 2025 could be a significant vintage for the appellation. Full barrel-sample scores are expected to follow as the tasting campaign progresses through other key Bordeaux communes.

• Kick Fizz Evening Buzz (CBD/THC Beverage) — 97 points (WSWA 2026): Food & Wine reported this week that Kick Fizz's Evening Buzz earned Best CBD/THC Beverage and Double Gold at the 2026 WSWA Wine & Spirits Tasting Competition, scoring an impressive 97 points. The drink pairs black cherry and vanilla flavors with a 1:1 THC-to-CBD ratio and retails for approximately $14 per four-pack, making it one of the most accessible award-winning alternative beverages on the market.

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foodandwine.com

foodandwine.com

Business & Market Moves

• Redemption Whiskey: The brand launched a sweeping rebrand this week combining new packaging design with a reformulated bourbon liquid. The simultaneous overhaul of both product and presentation is rare in the spirits industry and signals an effort to capture a new consumer audience. Coming amid broader bourbon demand softness reported by Reuters, the timing underscores the urgency of differentiation in the current market.

• Vinitaly 2026 Masterclass Program: Wine Industry Advisor reported (April 1, 2026) that Vinitaly 2026 announced a masterclass program "set to challenge assumptions and bring wine professionals together" at its Verona event. The program's stated aim of challenging industry assumptions reflects a broader push by major wine trade fairs to evolve beyond simple tasting showcases and offer substantive professional education. With Italian white wines receiving particular focus from key consorzi, Vinitaly 2026 is positioning itself as a platform for reframing Italian wine's international narrative.

Trend Analysis

Two converging data points this week paint a nuanced and somewhat contradictory picture of the spirits industry. The Reuters report on bourbon reveals a category under genuine stress — softening demand paired with trade friction from tariffs — yet investment in new distilleries continues unabated, suggesting that producers are betting on a long-term recovery even as short-term signals turn negative. Meanwhile, Redemption Whiskey's full-scale rebrand (new packaging plus reformulated liquid) indicates that established brands are responding to the same pressures not by pulling back, but by doubling down on differentiation. Taken together, these moves suggest the industry is in a consolidation-through-reinvention phase: those with capital are investing and repositioning, while the structural headwinds from tariffs and declining core consumers continue to squeeze those without the resources to adapt. For wine, the early Bordeaux 2025 barrel reports from St.-Estèphe add an optimistic counterpoint — strong vintage signals can reignite collector and trade interest, potentially creating a demand bright spot even as broader beverage alcohol faces headwinds.

What to Watch

• IWSC Kentucky Spirited Judging — Entry Deadline April 24: The International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) is accepting entries until April 24 for its 3rd Annual Spirited Judging in Kentucky, scheduled for June 1–6, 2026. With bourbon demand under pressure, which American whiskeys earn recognition could carry real commercial weight this cycle.

• Bordeaux 2025 En Primeur Campaign: Wine Spectator's tasting campaign has only begun in St.-Estèphe — reports from Pauillac, Margaux, Pomerol, and St.-Émilion are expected in the coming weeks. Early indications of a strong vintage mean trade buyers and collectors should monitor scores closely as they emerge, as demand for allocation could move quickly.

• Online English Whisky Awards 2026 — Voting Window Closing: Public voting is now open for the Online English Whisky Awards 2026 across five categories. As English whisky grows in global profile, the results — determined by consumers rather than a panel — could meaningfully influence retail momentum for the category's leading producers. Industry observers should watch both which brands win and whether consumer preferences diverge from expert-panel rankings.