COGNAC IS EXPANDING VINEYARD AREA

Cognac Economy is Up

Cognac sales have been rising for four years, thanks to exports. Plans were approved this week to expand its vineyard areas by almost 3,500 ha next year, in addition to the present 75,000 ha in the appellation.

Sales of cognac

In the 2017-18 season (August to July), cognac sales grew for the fourth consecutive year, up 8.2% in volume and 5.4% in value over the previous year. Exports accounted for 98% of sales, still driven by the North American market, with Asia the fastest-growing region.

A record high of 205.9 million bottles were shipped during the campaign, for a turnover of 3.2 billion euros, according to the BNIC.

Source: Vinexpo Newsroom

CALIFORNIA BRANDY IS COMING BACK: SAVE WHISKY DRINK BRANDY

Save Whisky Drink Brandy

California Brandy is coming back!

I have known it for a long time and it is starting to look like I was right.
Why I anticipated this revival?

When I came to California in 1996 for the first time I was surprised by the concept of 'single grape varietal'. A concept rather foreign to me as I was coming from the traditional blended grape varietals from the local appellation which is the way wines are presented in France. This discovery was later to become my impetus for producing Monteru Single Grape Brandyin 2008.

As I ventured into the wine world in the early 2000s in California and later into the distilled spirits it appeared to me that it was just a matter of time before California would reclaim the brandy category it once had.

===>The evidence were:

• California and its concept of wine and entrepreneurial way of life,
• California single grape varietal wine thriving business,
• Micro-brewery and later Micro-distillation boom,
• Spirits venturing into single ingredients such as Rye, specific type of Potatoes, wheat versus corn and etc. I noticed a real interest for studying the process and original ingredients,
• Regain and later explosion for the Mixology, combined with the search of better ingredients,
• People interests for organic, handmade, farm-to-table, sustainability, ... eventually culminating to local is better than far away things. A concept which is well executed by brands such as Tito's Vodka (starting from Texas) or FEW (starting from Chicago's suburbs) for instance.

All of these factors combined and symbiotically moving have increased my confidence in the return of brandy.

Recent Links:
The definitive guide to California brandy old and new
in San Francisco Gate
By Lou Bustamante, October 22, 2018
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/The-definitive-guide-to-California-brandy-old-and-13323980.php

California brandy is better than ever. Will consumers notice?
in San Francisco Chronicle
By Lou Bustamante, Oct. 20, 2018
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/California-brandy-is-better-than-ever-Will-13323976.php?fbclid=IwAR0hGYCS3fCwsy_yeChrX7DnTTvlvXvRxCjme1HK_fS35Yg1758euKLyQAU#photo-16334737

HENNESSY IS 98th ACCORDING TO INTERBRAND TOP 100 BRAND

Interbrand Logo

Source: https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/

by Nicola Carruthers

9th October, 2018

Hennessy (no.98/100), Jack Daniel's (no.84/100) and Johnnie Walker (no.97/100) have been ranked among the top 100 most valuable global brands on the Interbrand Best Global Brands 2018 list.

Brown-Forman-owned Jack Daniel's - which was ranked 84 on the list - moved two places down from last year to make it the highest-ranking spirit brand for the third year in a row. Interbrand valued the brand at US$5.64 billion, up 6% from 2017.

Diageo-owned Johnnie Walker made the list at 97, falling by one place from last year. Returning to the list for the ninth consecutive year, Johnnie Walker was valued at US$4.73bn - up 7% on last year.

A new entry to the list was LVMH-owned Hennessy Cognac at 98, valued at US$4.72bn.

Smirnoff vodka, which is also produced by Diageo, dropped off the top 100 list after ranking at 97 last year.

The spirits brands are three of six alcohol brands to make the list, which also includes beer brands Heineken, Budweiser and Corona.

"I'm very proud to see Johnnie Walker recognised by Interbrand as one of the 2018 Best Global Brands," said John L Williams, global brand director for Johnnie Walker.

"Johnnie Walker has been the world's most popular Scotch for more than 60 years - a true global giant, and yet one that is crafted by a small team of 12 whisky masters with the finest malts from the four corners of Scotland.

"It's an incredibly exciting time to work on this iconic brand - we've just unveiled White Walker in collaboration with HBO and Game of Thrones, and are hard at work in preparation for a new Johnnie Walker brand experience in Edinburgh."

The ranking is based on three key components that contribute to a brand's cumulative value:

1) the financial performance of the brands and services,

2) the role the brand plays in influencing customer choice,

3) and the strength the brand has to command a premium price or secure earnings for the company.

See the FULL LIST at INTERBRAND