Budweiser ranked most valuable alcohol brand in the world →
Budweiser has been ranked 31 in the Interbrand Best Global Brands 2017 losing out to Apple in the number one position. It was valued at more than $15 billion, while Heineken and Corona also featured in the list of 100 brands placing 85 and 93 respectively. Jack Daniel’s was the most valuable spirits brand, valued at more than $5 billion and placing number 82, while Jonnie Walker also featured at 96, one place ahead of Smirnoff vodka. Champagne brand Moët & Chandon snuck in at 99, the only wine brand to make it onto the list. The Top 100 brands have a combined total value of $1,871,730, an increase of 4.2 percent from 2016.
Château Fonroque sold to insurance group owner →
The Guillard family, based in Nantes and which owns insurance group CHG Participations, has bought Château Fonroque in Saint-Émilion for an undisclosed fee. Alain Moueix and the Curat family sold Fonroque to the Guillard family back in July 2017, but the deal has only just been confirmed. Fonroque is certified organic and has 20 hectares under vine.
Gaia Gaja: Italy’s future lies in white wines →
Gaia Gaja, manager of one of Italy’s most prestigious red wine estates, believes the future of Italian wines lies in its white varieties. “Everyone thinks of us as a red wine making country but we’re surrounded by sea and have so much seafood in our cuisine and the quality of our white wines has improved so much, especially in the south in regions like Campania,” says Gaja. Regarding climate change, she commented, “In Italy we have a few cards to play with climate change that we can use to our advantage – we’re surrounded by water and we have a lot of late ripening varieties, so I think more attention will be paid to these around the world now. Italian varieties will become more suitable for planting around the world, which will be a big boost for Italy. Grapes like Aglianico and Nero d’Avola are suited to warm climates,” she added.