Drinks wholesaler LWC has partnered with Full Circle Brew Co. to launch a limited-edition cask ale to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) next month. db finds out more.

Carlsberg Hong Kong managing director Nathaniel Moxom explains the rationale behind the beer giant’s no and low and alcohol beverage expansion. Rebecca Lo reports.

The Aquaman actor, currently on a promotional tour for his Meili Vodka brand, let slip that he was brought up on better beers than Bud due to his mother’s job at a brewery.

It’s not true that China’s wine market is disappearing, writes ASC Fine Wines executive chairman and CEO, Don St. Pierre Jr. It’s simply shedding its old structure.

Pernod Ricard has launched an internal investigation in India after authorities raided one of its warehouses and arrested an employee. Officials in Rajasthan allege Ballantine’s labels were found being used on bottles of cheap local alcohol.

The London startup converting premium bottles into tube-sized portions plans a public raise following Christmas trading success and corporate orders. Tiny Wine co-founder Harry Crowther sat down with James Bayley to discuss the future of the business and fine wine.

US spirits retained their lead in beverage alcohol market share in 2025 despite a fall in overall revenues, according to Discus. Ready-to-drink cocktails continued to expand rapidly, emerging as the category’s main source of growth.

Mexican authorities have arrested the mayor of Tequila on suspicion of running an extortion scheme targeting Tequila and mezcal producers. Investigators allege the operation involved collusion with the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The Institute of Masters of Wine has named Andrew Jefford as the recipient of its 2026 lifetime achievement award in association with the drinks business. The honour was presented at Vinexposium’s V d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on 8 February 2026.

Yesterday, Barcelona Wine Week 2026 drew to a close following three days packed with tastings, talks and seminars, uniting 26,000 attendees to fly the flag high for Spanish wine. db has rounded up the hottest talking points.

Speaking to db at Hallgarten’s largest-ever tasting, Coterie Holdings CEO, Michael Saunders, argued that premium wine is no longer a niche strategy but a commercial necessity in a polarising UK market.

Dogfish Head Brewery has slaked the thirst of hop chasers in Delaware for the past 30 years. Jessica Mason speaks to its founder Sam Calagione to find out how beer began to “colour outside the lines”.

Last October, Yealands Wine Group quietly split in two following a “disappointing and concerning” year of operating losses. Sarah Neish discovers why the break has been a boon for the New Zealand producer, and what its rebirth might mean for the sector.

Wales will increase its minimum unit price for alcohol from 50p to 65p from October. Ministers say the move is designed to restore the policy’s impact after inflation weakened the existing rate.

As more Americans cut back on alcohol, Dry January is increasingly becoming a moment of substitution rather than abstinence. Cannabis drinks and edibles are gaining ground as consumers rethink intoxication, ritual and wellbeing, writes Kathleen Willcox.

Fine wine merchant Jeroboams has launched its own trading platform and Private Cellar Plan to offer clients a better chance to enjoy and “interact” with the wine collection, while filling a gap in its business model.

VCT Europe has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Provence rosé producer Maison Mirabeau, subject to regulatory approval. The deal brings together two B Corp-certified wine businesses with shared ambitions for premium growth and sustainability.

The UK wine trade body opens its 2026 programme with its largest ever exhibition presence as overseas interest gathers pace. A strong recent harvest adds confidence as producers look to build new routes to market.

According to Cellar Tracker’s CEO, the aptly named Eric LeVine, wine consumption is still in a healthy place, with dry January showing no inroads in the wine community. He talks to Arabella Mileham about the apps’ insights and what it says about today’s collecting, buying and drinking habits.

A beer tap labelled “Rachel Thieves” has appeared on the bar of a Hertfordshire pub in protest of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves introducing crippling tax hikes.

As senior growers step back, Chile’s old-vine vineyards are coming onto the market, creating new opportunities for international investors and winemakers.

A Guinness kebab, marinated in the black stuff, is launching this week just in time for the start of the Six Nations.

China has agreed to halve its import tariffs on Scotch whisky, offering export gains for UK distillers. At home, however, a new rise in excise duty has reignited industry anger over taxation and lost growth.

Pop star Kylie Minogue is set to attend next week’s Wine Paris trade fair, where she will present her portfolio of wines, as well as give out a special award at the exhibition’s The V’Dor Ceremony on Sunday night.

Alcohol duty will now rise by 3.66%, pushing the UK to the top of Europe’s wine tax league and adding fresh pressure on pubs, producers and consumers alike.

Derek Prentice MBE is known widely across the industry as one of London’s most experienced brewers. Decorated with lifetime achievement awards, he is, as many will attest, a bit of a legend. In a new series, Jessica Mason reports.

California’s drought-free declaration marks a psychological turning point after decades of water stress. But industry leaders tell db that long-term discipline, not short-term relief, must continue to shape vineyard and winery decisions.

Anthony George Pigé Leschallas led Mentzendorff through a defining period and helped establish Bollinger as one of Britain’s most distinguished Champagne brands. His life and legacy are remembered here by Alan Montague-Dennis, director of prestige sales at Mentzendorff.

Good storage allows wine to age slowly, gracefully and without complaint. In the second of a two-part series, experts outline the smartest solutions for modern homes and serious collections alike.

The Wine Society has delivered the biggest Christmas in its 151-year history, posting record festive sales and its highest ever member participation. Champagne and fine wine led growth as shoppers spent more and bought in greater volumes during the nine-week trading period.

In a landmark moment, India and the EU have signed a trade deal that will see the 150% tariffs on European produce, including wine, spirits and beer, slashed in half, and then further reduced.

As January draws to a close, db speaks with Julian Braithwaite, chief executive of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), to ask whether scientific research really supports the idea that a month without beer, wine or spirits is good for our health.

UK pubs are to benefit from a government support package worth £100m that is due to be unveiled by the Chancellor today, it has been reported.

New IWSR data shows no and low alcohol and alcohol adjacent drinks are booming, driven by very different consumer motivations and occasions.

New data from consumer intelligence platform Tastewise shows once-viral food and drink formats are slipping fast – raising questions for brands building 2026 strategies on short-term

A resurgence in cider is being celebrated across the international market with “emerging and exciting flavour profiles” and “experimentation”. db finds out more about how the trend is taking shape.

UK low and no alcohol drinks expert and Club Soda founder Laura Willoughby MBE is to swim 140km in 140 different pools to mark 140 years of The Drinks Trust.

JD Wetherspoon has trimmed its profit expectations after higher energy, wage and repair costs offset steady like-for-like sales growth. The pub group also confirmed a fresh round of openings and disposals as it reshapes its estate.

The EU Mercosur trade agreement would remove tariffs and cut red tape for European wine exports to South America. But a new legal referral could delay ratification by up to 20 months, leaving EU wine producers facing millions of euros in continued costs.

The Global Merlot Masters 2026 will bring Merlot's diverse and distinct expressions together, as db's expert panel seeks out the very best examples from around the world.

Despite the challenges of making German wine and getting it into the hands of buyers in Great Britain, managing director of The Wine Barn, Iris Ellmann says that it’s worth the effort – Germany’s whites and reds are better than ever, and ripe for the UK on-trade.

New Zealand’s Emergency Minister has described parts of the country’s North Island as looking “like a war zone” after enduring brutal storms for the last 48 hours. Sarah Neish reports.

Pubs, bars and restaurants enter 2026 with labour costs rising, business rates revalued and alcohol duty increasing. A House of Lords debate today will put government policy and its side effects on staffing and prices under the spotlight.

Maltby & Greek co-founder Stef Kokotos shares which Greek white wine trends to watch out for this year. Plus, db reveals why death threats preceded the rising quality of one of the country’s most underestimated white varieties.

French President Emmanuel Macron has hit back at “bullies” after US President Donald Trump threatened to put 200% tariffs on French wine.

Majestic “significantly” outperformed retail booze sales in December, reporting its best ever Christmas trading, the tenth consecutive year it has seen sales rise.

The number of bottles of Champagne shipped worldwide, including the domestic market, totalled 266m in 2025 ­– representing a decline of 5m bottles, or a drop of 2% on the previous year.

Maltby & Greek is about to release its first own-label range “to address a gap in the market for entry-level, quality Greek wines”. Sarah Neish find out why the launch is a brave move, but one that might just pay off.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 200% on French wine and Champagne amid the French president’s intentions to decline an invitation to join his ‘Board of Peace’ initiative.

Winemakers in Chile’s Itata and Bio Bio valleys are on alert as fast-moving wildfires spread across the centre-south of the country. A national state of catastrophe has been declared as growers prepare to defend vineyards amid extreme conditions.