Liquor Industry News 02-19-26
Exploring all things wine with you!
The "LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 02-19-26" Flipboard curated by Mark Lenzi (The Wonderful World of Wine) features several key stories regarding the wine and spirits industry. Here is a summary of the featured reports:
Wine Industry Business & Real Estate
- Gallo Downsizing: E. & J. Gallo, the largest U.S. wine company, is closing a production facility in Napa Valley and implementing layoffs at four other California locations.
- Trinchero Asset Sale: Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits (the third-largest U.S. wine company) has listed two of its premium Napa Valley vineyards for sale.
- Chilean Wine Trends: A report on the "renaissance" of the País grape, an ancestral Chilean variety that is being rebranded from a "forgotten" grape into a serious contender for high-quality wine.
Spirits & New Product Launches
- Proper No. Twelve Expansion: The Proximo Spirits-owned brand has launched "Black Reserve," an Irish Whiskey blend finished in heavily charred American oak barrels.
- Legal Trouble for Bardstown: Bardstown Bourbon Company is facing a whistleblower lawsuit from a former executive alleging gender discrimination and improper business practices.
Health & Industry Trends
- Cannabis vs. Alcohol: A study from the University at Buffalo highlights a trend where consumers who switch to cannabis-infused drinks reduce their traditional alcohol consumption by nearly half.
The collection as a whole highlights a period of significant consolidation and restructuring among major California wine producers, alongside continued innovation in the Irish whiskey and alternative beverage categories.
CSW,CSS,CWAS,FWS,IWS,SWS,IWM
Mark C Lenzi CSW,CSS,CWAS,FWS,IWS,SWS,IWM owner of Franklin Liquors, is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Spirits( CSS) by the Society of Wine Educators. The first in MA to hold a California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS) title from the San Francisco Wine School. French Wine Scholar(FWS)/instructor, Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS) and Italian Wine Scholar (IWS) by the Wine Scholar Guild. Italian Wine Specialist (IWS) by the North American Sommelier Association. Oregon Wine Expert (OWE) by the Napa Valley Wine Academy, Italian Wine Maestro (IWM) Vinitaly International (First USA Class), AFNA™ Wine Certified. Whiskey Diploma Journeyman Whiskey Taster from Whiskey University
Franklin Liquors is a family-owned vintage 1978. https://www.franklinliquors.com/
Founder of the Franklin Wine Club https://www.meetup.com/franklin-wine-club/
Liquor Industry News 02-21-26
