CrewCrew
FeedSignalsMy Subscriptions
Get Started
Browse all Signals
Official

Wine & Spirits Weekly

Tastings, trends, and the global drinks business.

Crew/1 subscribers/Weekly(Mon 23:35 UTC)
#wine#spirits#drinks#tasting

Latest

Aug 21, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-08-21

The week is defined by significant industry consolidation, highlighted by Precept Wine & Spirits' acquisition of the Miller Family Wine Company portfolio and the administration of London merchant Friarwood. Simultaneously, consumer-facing content surged with the release of the 2026 Rolling Stone Spirit Awards and new limited-edition releases from California distillers. The overarching theme is a market in transition, balancing corporate restructuring and economic pressures against a continued push for premiumization and terroir-driven products.

4 min read/15 sources
Jul 31, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-07-31

Australia's best craft spirits were crowned this week at the Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards, signaling strong momentum in emerging whiskey markets. Meanwhile, major luxury players are recovering—LVMH's wines and spirits division returned to growth driven by Champagne and Cognac resilience, and US tariff relief on Scotch whisky sparked optimism across the spirits trade.

3 min read/15 sources
Jul 17, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-07-17

Bourbon premiumization continues to outpace the broader whiskey market, with the above-$25 segment holding steady near 11 million cases while total category volumes decline. Meanwhile, major spirits competitions and a landmark secondary market recovery in Asia signal divergent market dynamics—premium allocations thrive while standard categories struggle.

4 min read/15 sources
Jul 3, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — July 3, 2026

The spirits competition season heats up with major awards recognizing blended Scotch, vodka, and craft American whiskeys, while the broader wine and spirits industry faces continued headwinds with consolidation and modest recovery forecasted. Industry experts signal cautious optimism at ProWein 2027 despite weak retail sales and ongoing market pressures.

3 min read/15 sources
Jun 19, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-06-19

The International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) 2026 results dominated this week's news, revealing six Scotch whiskies that scored 98+ points and four Irish whiskeys reaching the same elite tier. Meanwhile, frost and hail threats loom over the 2026 U.S. and French wine harvests, while distributor consolidation and premium portfolio expansion signal continued market reshaping in spirits wholesaling.

5 min read/15 sources
Jun 5, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-06-05

The spirits industry faces a surge in premium closures and packaging innovation as brands compete for shelf appeal, while the bulk wine and spirits market enters intense renegotiation. Horse Soldier Farms prepares a major distillery opening and several hidden-gem whiskeys from unconventional regions gain recognition at competitions.

3 min read/15 sources
May 29, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-05-29

Award season reaches a crescendo this week with the 2026 International Spirits Challenge announcing hundreds of medal-winning whiskies, while U.S. wine and spirits sales continue their downward slide despite some bright spots in premium categories. Value-focused consumers are driving renewed interest in mid-range bourbons and scotches that deliver quality without the collector's markup.

4 min read/15 sources
May 22, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-05-22

The biggest story this week is the convergence of two major competition results — the 2026 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) and the ADI International Spirits Competition — arriving simultaneously with grim macro data confirming that U.S. alcohol volumes fell 5% in 2025 and continue contracting into Q1 2026. The week's dominant theme is a widening gap between award-season enthusiasm and the cold reality of shrinking consumer demand, with RTDs remaining the sole bright spot in an otherwise declining market.

5 min read/15 sources
May 15, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-05-15

The wine industry's biggest story this week is tariff relief from the Trump administration, offering a lifeline to importers and producers battered by trade uncertainty. Across the board, competition results, new spirits launches, and distribution mega-deals are reshaping the landscape — pointing to a sector in active consolidation even as drinking habits shift toward low-ABV and non-alcoholic alternatives.

6 min read/15 sources
May 8, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-05-08

The biggest story this week is the major distribution consolidation in the U.S. beverage alcohol sector, with Breakthru Beverage Group announcing plans to acquire Republic National Distributing Company's joint venture interests in Kentucky and Indiana. Across the industry, the week saw fresh spirits launches, Indian whisky making a global splash at the London Spirits Competition, and Wine Spectator's in-depth focus on California's 2024 Pinot Noir vintage.

7 min read/15 sources
May 1, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-05-01

The biggest story this week is the removal of U.S. tariffs on Scotch whisky, triggering widespread relief and celebration across the industry just as Bourbon retailers are bracing for a looming shakeout amid softening demand. Meanwhile, Decanter has delivered its comprehensive verdict on the Bordeaux 2025 vintage, and a fresh wave of new spirits launches and awards news rounds out a busy week for the trade.

6 min read/15 sources
Apr 24, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — 2026-04-24

The 2026 London Spirits Competition dominated headlines this week, crowning category champions across quality, value, and packaging as judged by more than 70 trade professionals. The broader industry story is one of contrasts: while premium competition gold medals pile up, new data confirms the super-premium-plus spirits tier contracted sharply in 2025, underscoring a widening gap between celebrated craftsmanship and challenging commercial realities.

7 min read/15 sources
Apr 10, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — April 10, 2026

The biggest story in wine and spirits this week is bourbon's deepening squeeze: declining consumer demand, ongoing tariff headwinds, and yet paradoxically continued capital investment in new distilleries. Across the industry, the tension between category contraction and brand reinvention is the defining theme, with players from English whisky to Bordeaux chateaux pressing forward with bold new moves even as macroeconomic pressures mount.

6 min read/15 sources
Apr 5, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — April 5, 2026

The biggest story this week is a small Atlanta bourbon brand's surprise sweep of the 2026 WSWA Wine & Spirits Tasting Competition, underscoring a broader shift in whiskey prestige away from legacy names. Across the industry, cautious optimism is emerging as favorable year-over-year comparisons and a flurry of notable new launches signal that the long-running spirits volume decline may finally be bottoming out.

6 min read/15 sources
Mar 29, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — March 29, 2026

The biggest story this week sees the distribution industry rocked by bribery allegations as Southern Glazer's executives face trial, exposing deep structural problems in pay-for-performance wine distribution. Across the broader industry, craft whiskey continues its ascent and the World Whiskies Awards dominate conversation, with single malt results from unexpected regions drawing global attention.

6 min read/15 sources
Mar 27, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — March 27, 2026

The 2026 World Whiskies Awards dominated headlines this week, crowning global champions across categories and underscoring whisky's truly international reach. Meanwhile, retail data from NIQ channels confirmed a deepening structural split in the broader beverage alcohol market: spirits and wine continue to decline while RTDs remain the lone growth category — a trend reshaping distribution priorities across the industry.

6 min read/15 sources
Mar 22, 2026

Wine & Spirits Weekly — March 22, 2026

This week's biggest story is the indictment of Southern Glazer's executives on bribery charges — a seismic legal development that implicates major names across the beverage alcohol distribution chain. Alongside that bombshell, the week was defined by a wave of premium new spirit releases, from aged American bourbons to fresh single-malt whisky bottlings, underscoring the industry's continued push toward premiumization and collectibility.

6 min read/15 sources

Want your own AI intelligence feed?

Create custom signals on any topic. AI curates and delivers 24/7.

Create Signal

Powered by

CrewCrew