Listen to Industry News and other Insights on the Bevcast Podcast Channel on Soundcloud. Bevcast Weekly News is a news series giving you a quick look at the most important news, trends and developments of the week.

Bevcast Weekly News is brought to you by London Wine Competition, which is an international wine competition that Beverage Trade Network hosts in London every year where wines are judged by Quality, Value and Package.

Submission is now open for the 2019 London Wine Competition. Registration ends on 25th Jan 2019. Please visit LondonWineCompetition.com for more information on how winning a London Wine Competition medal can help you grow your wine brand.

So gear up for your week ahead - these are our top stories of the week.

*To listen to the full Podcast and more, kindly stay tuned into BevCast channel on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Stitcher.

2018 a Record Year for Sparkling Wine and Champagne

According to year-end data from the Wine & Spirits Trade Association, combined sales of sparkling wine and Champagne reached £2.2 billion in 2018. That marks a 10% gain in sales value and a 7% increase in sales volume. The most popular non-Champagne sparkling wine was French Crémant wine.

Diageo Completes $550 Million Brand Sale to Sazerac

Some of the most popular spirits brands in the world – including Seagram’s VO whiskey, Parrot Bay rum liqueur, Romana Sambuca and Popov Vodka – now have a new owner. Drinks conglomerate Diageo has wrapped up its sale of 19 “non-priority” brands to U.S. company Sazerac for nearly half a billion dollars.

America’s Fastest-Growing Beer Brands Now Include Mexican Imports

In the U.S. beer market, the fastest growth is not coming from established domestic brands. Instead, the star performers over the past five years have included Mexican imports like Modelo Especial, Dos Equis, Corona Light and Corona Extra. During the period 2012-2017, sales of Modelo Especial grew by 127%.

Top Spirits Producer in China Ramping Up Production For 2019

Chinese Baijiu brand Moutai plans to sell nearly 31,000 tons of product in 2019, a nearly 10 percent increase from 2018 levels. Of that total, 17,000 tons will be sent to traditional distributors, and the remaining 14,000 tons will be earmarked for e-commerce retail channels within China.

Government Shutdown in the United States Could Impact Alcohol Beverage Industry

Heading into 2019, the U.S. appears to be no closer to ending its government shutdown, creating uncertainty for wine, beer and spirits companies. Most notably, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau – better known as the TTB – has suspended the majority of its operations until the shutdown ends.

Hungarian Wine Producers Looking For New Export Markets

In the 30-year period from 1985 to 2016, sales of Hungarian wine have barely increased. Moreover, only 20 percent of all Hungarian wine is exported abroad, and most of that is bulk wine. That is leading to pressure for a new organization in Hungary to help crack Western export markets.

London’s Oldest Wine Merchant Expanding Its Operations in the United States

Berry Bros. & Rudd has launched a new luxury Cellar Service for U.S.-based customers looking to create a world-class wine cellar. Berry Bros. & Rudd will use technology originally developed for Berry’s Broking Exchange (BBX), a fine wine global marketplace, to authenticate the quality and provenance of each wine.

The Prisoner Wine Company Re-Imagines the Napa Winery Experience

The world’s top-selling premium red blend recently opened its doors to an innovative winery experience. The Prisoner Wine Company transformed the Franciscan Estate Winery in Napa Valley into a “steampunk” winery – complete with mirrors and lots of shiny metal – all inspired by the Francisco Goya etching on its bottles.

Alibaba Analyzes Drinking Habits of Chinese Consumers in 3,000 Cities

In the search for new domestic markets for e-commerce alcohol sales, Alibaba analyzed wine, beer and spirits consumption data from across China. The city of Kunshan, located 70 kilometers from Shanghai, ranked highest for overall consumption. In terms of imported spirits, the city of Dali in Yunnan province ranked highest.

Small Size Spirits Continue to Grow in Popularity

While 750 ml continues to be the industry standard for spirits, a survey of National Alcohol Beverage Control Association data shows growing momentum for single-serve, small size packages. These include smaller 50 ml, 100 ml, 200 ml and 375 ml servings. Sales of smaller size spirits have spiked since 2012.

Top On-Premise Beer Trends of 2018 Include Decline for Craft Beer

According to Beerboard, the company behind the digital menu displays at Buffalo Wild Wings, craft beer saw a slight decline in the U.S. on-premise market in 2018. Domestic beer accounted for more than one-half of all transactions, while the share of craft beer fell from 35.9% to 33.7% in 2018.

E&J Gallo Bringing Back Thunderbird Wine

With a hip new re-branding meant to appeal to young wine drinkers, low-budget wine Thunderbird is ready to re-launch. The wine will retain its distinctive bird logo but will now come in sleek black bottles and will be available in three different varietals. The launch party featured motorcycles and rock’n’roll.

A Year-End Ranking of the Most Popular Italian Wines

Based on reviews and ratings on Vivino, the most popular wine app in the world, Italy’s Wine News has generated a list of the most popular Italian wines. Coming in at #1 was Tignanello di Antinori from Tuscany, with 75,522 votes. The runner-up was Sassicaia della Tenuta San Guido.

American Craft Brewery Creating World’s First Craft Beer Airline

Ohio-based BrewDog will transform a Boeing 767 flight from London to Columbus into the ultimate craft beer experience, including beers specifically designed to taste better at high altitude. There will also be beer cocktails and special food and beer pairings. BrewDog also plans to open a craft beer hotel.

Investors Re-Thinking Multi-Billion-Dollar Cannabis Investment by Constellation Brands

Keep a close eye on Constellation Brands, which recently invested over $4 billion into Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth. Stock market investors originally sold off shares of the company, thinking it had overpaid. But as the Canadian cannabis adult use market shows signs of growth, opinions are growing more positive.

Futuristic Smart Bottles Will Launch in Asian Wine Market

Beverage tech company Omniaz has created a new “smart bottle” experience for the Asian market that will feature a mobile app, blockchain technology and the Internet of Things. Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea will be home to a rollout of 180,000 smart bottles.

Hong Kong Celebrates 10 Years as Tax-Free Haven For Wine

A lot has changed since Hong Kong opened its doors to the global wine industry back in 2008, including the development of a vibrant mid-market. In just 10 years, Hong Kong has become the #1 wine auction capital. Hong Kong also has the highest number of wine importers per capita.

Your Holiday Wine Gift Was Probably a “Re-Gift”

A new survey by Bordeaux Wines indicates that many Americans like to “re-gift” bottles of wine that they receive as gifts. Nearly one-third admitted “re-gifting” wine to someone else. Wine remains the most popular alcoholic beverage to give as a gift, named as the first choice by 59% of participants.

Sparkling Wines from Oregon A Big Hit Over the New Year’s Holiday

Oregon wine producers in the Willamette Valley – once primarily known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - are now turning their attention to sparkling wine production. Food & Wine magazine recently featured Oregon sparkling wines as a possible alternative to champagne. Two names to watch include Argyle and Soter.

Craft Beer Enthusiasts Celebrate New Year’s Eve With a Keg Drop

While the rest of the nation was focused on the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square, the residents of Asheville, North Carolina turned their attention to Thirsty Monk Brewery’s sixth annual New Year’s Eve Keg Drop Celebration, featuring a two-story golden keg.

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Thank you again for listening to Bevcast. Once again, a quick reminder to enter your wines in the 2019 London Wine Competition, the international wine competition that is organized by Beverage Trade Network every year in London that rates wines by Quality, Value and Package.

That’s it for now.