Though Herodotus mentions palm-wood casks used in shipping Armenian wine to Babylon in Mesopotamia, the barrel as we know it today was most likely developed by the Celts. Around 350 BC they were already using watertight, barrel-shaped wooden containers that were able to withstand stress and could be rolled and stacked. For nearly 2,000 years, barrels were the most convenient form of shipping or storage container for those who could afford them. All kinds of bulk goods, from nails to gold coins, were stored in them. Bags and most crates were cheaper, but they were not as sturdy and they were more difficult to manhandle for the same weight. The use of barrels for the transportation of bulk goods slowly lost its importance in the 20th century with the introduction of pallet-based logistics and containerization. However, they are still of great importance in the aging of wines and spirits. River Drive’s Role in the Barrel Industry Starting out as a reclaimed lumber company, we w

Afternoon Brief: Constellation Brands Repositions Wine and Spirits Business to a Portfolio of Exclusively Higher-growth, Higher-margin Brands Aligned to Consumer-led Premiumization Trends

Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ), a leading beverage alcohol company, announced today that it has signed an agreement with The Wine Group to divest primarily mainstream wine brands and related vineyards and facilities from its wine portfolio...

We’re in the Business of Making Things Better; Barrels, Spirits, Beer, and the World. While we partner with creative professionals to provide great products to millions of consumers around the globe, 663 million people worldwide lack access to a fundamental human need; Water. Through our partnership with water.org, every barrel sold helps provide one person in the developing world with one year of access to safe water. For More Information, Feel Free to Contact Us.  *Any barrel, of any size, sold or recycled by us.  **The unit of measurement, equivalent to 31 gallons.

Afternoon Brief, June 10th

Warren Winiarski, Famed Napa Valley Winemaker, Dies at 95: Warren Winiarski, co-founder with his wife Barbara of the famed Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, passed away June 7, 2024, as he was preparing for his 60th harvest in the Napa Valley...
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Afternoon Brief, May 30th

Federal Judge Rules Provi’s Antitrust Case Against Southern Glazer’s and RNDC Will Proceed: Today, a federal judge ruled the antitrust complaint filed by Provi, the largest online marketplace for the beverage alcohol industry, against the nation’s two largest wine and spirits distributors, Southern Glazer’s Wines and Spirits (Southern) and Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), will move forward as the court denied a Motion to Dismiss “in its entirety” filed by the defendants...