Papapietro Perry Winery and Four Roses Bourbon Take Top Honors (March 6, 2026) — Winners have been announced in the fifth annual Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. A pinot noir from Papapietro Perry (Sonoma County, Calif.) and a small batch bourbon from Four Roses Distillery (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) topped their fields to be named Best of the Best. The competition was established in 2022, in conjunction with Los Angeles-based beverage professionals (representing both the on- and off-premise channels), to highlight the best of the best wine and spirits producers in the world, and to introduce those producers to the largest market of consumers in the United States. Judging took place February 18-19, 2026. Competition this year was stellar, says event producer Debra Del Fiorentino of Wine Competitions Management & Production: “Year after year, our judges continue to be impressed with the depth in each category. The quality of product was fantastic!” Wh

Wakefield Taylors Wines and 1800 Milenio Take Top Honors July 14, 2025 — Winners have been announced in the 18th annual Women’s International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWWSC). The competition, which took place recently in Santa Rosa, Calif., was founded on the premise that the majority of wine purchased for home consumption is bought by women. The IWWSC judging panels consist entirely of professional women in the wine and spirits industries — winemakers, distillers, marketers, buyers, sommeliers, educators and journalists.  This year, Wakefield Taylor Wines 2024 Estate Riesling and 1800 Milenio Extra-Aged Añejo took top honors. Wakefield Taylor, a heritage winery in Australia’s Clare Valley (a region known for quality Reislings), wowed judges with its “mouthwatering citrus blooms” and “gentle salinity.”  A representative from 1800 Mileno remarked, “1800 Milenio is backed by 11 generations of tequila-making e

The calendar flip from 2024 to 2025 heralded several new packaging regulations, rulemaking updates, and bills with significant implications for consumer packaged goods in North America and Europe. Recent packaging legislation is reshaping packaging requirements for waste reduction, recyclable materials, circularity, and sustainability. However, actions by the Trump Administration may defer regulatory action at the U.S. federal level and shift packaging-related policies. EPR Packaging Laws Five U.S. states—California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota—have passed extended producer responsibility laws for packaging. While each state's requirements vary, they share common goals of reducing packaging waste, enhancing recycling efforts, and holding producers (e.g., brand owners) accountable for the life cycle of their products. Since the start of the year, nine states have introduced or re-introduced EPR packaging bills. They include Washington, Tennessee, Hawaii

Garrison Brothers Distillery and Ledson Winery Take Top Honors  (March 17, 2025) — Winners have been announced in the fourth annual Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. A merlot from Ledson Vineyards & Winery (Sonoma County, Calif.) and a small batch bourbon from Garrison Brothers Distillery (Hye, Texas.) topped their fields to be named Best of the Best. The competition was established in 2022, in conjunction with Los Angeles-based beverage professionals (representing both the on- and off-premise channels), to highlight the best of the best wine and spirits producers in the world, and to introduce those producers to the largest market of consumers in the United States. Judging took place February 25-26, 2025. Says event producer Debra Del Fiorentino of Wine Competitions Management & Production, “Year after year, our judges continue to be impressed with the depth in each category. The quality of product was fantastic!” Competition this ye

Afternoon Brief: Alecia Moore, Winemaker and Two Wolves Wine Founder, Announced as Keynote Speaker for 2025 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

The Unified Wine and Grape Symposium is proud to welcome Alecia Moore, winemaker and founder of Two Wolves Wine, as the keynote luncheon speaker to kick off the 2025 show on Tuesday, January 28...

San Jose, CA, December 3, 2024 – LibDib, the leading web-based alcohol distributor, proudly announces its recognition for “Best Technology Innovation” by Beverage Wholesaler in their prestigious Distributor Best Practices Awards. This accolade underscores LibDib's commitment to transforming the beverage alcohol industry through cutting-edge technology, specifically the company's LibTech SaaS division.  "We are absolutely thrilled to receive this recognition as it’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team to push the boundaries of what's possible in the beverage distribution space,” said Richard Brashears, COO of LibDib and General Manager of the LibTech Division. “Our mission has always been to transform the industry through cutting-edge technology and this recognition affirms that we have built the leading platform. The LibTech division now brings this platform to any beverage alcohol industry player.&rdquo

LibDib SaaS Division’s Proven Technology Gains Traction with Midsized Wholesalers Across the Country  San Jose, CA, and Nashville, TN, July 1, 2024𑁋LibDib is pleased to announce that Best Brands has implemented LibTech’s innovative ordering and reporting platform as part of an ongoing digital transformation initiative. LibTech provides comprehensive experiences for numerous stakeholders, including:   Best Brands Sales Teams: Providing on and offline sales ordering capabilities including access to real-time pricing and availability information, a collaborative Sales Customer shared cart, sell sheets, and lists.   A Robust Distributor Data Experience: Dashboards, reporting and analytics to easily manage sales teams’ daily routes, activities and goals.  “LibDib has proven to create the best online and offline experience for the distribution industry,” said Ryan Moses, Chief Executive Officer, Best Brands. “I am thrilled to wo

Afternoon Brief, May 29th

Oregon Wineries Sue Pacificorp for $100 Million for Smoke Damage: Some 30 wineries in Willamette Valley are suing Warren Buffett’s energy company PacifiCorp for negligence surrounding the 2020 wildfires that caused catastrophic smoke taint to their crops...

OAK FARM VINEYARDS AND STEELBOUND DISTILLERY TAKE TOP HONORS IN 2024 LOS ANGELES INVITATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS CHALLENGE  MARCH 6, 2024 – Winners have been announced in the third annual Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. A Barbera from Oak Farm Vineyards in Lodi, Calif., and a Bourbon from Steelbound Brewery & Distillery in Ellicotville, N.Y., topped their fields to be named Best of the Best.  The competition was established in 2022, in conjunction with Los Angeles-based beverage professionals (representing both the on- and off-premise channels), to highlight the best of the best wine and spirits producers in the world, and to introduce those producers to the largest market of consumers in the United States.  Judging took place February 26-28, 2024. Says event producer Debra Del Fiorentino of Wine & Spirits Competitions Management & Production, “The competition grew again this year to attract close to 1,100 entries, and our

Best of the Best Awarded to Garrison Brothers Distillery’s Guadalupe Whiskey December 18, 2023 (Santa Rosa, Calif.) — Winners have been announced for the 2023 Craft Distillers Spirits Competition, which took place in Santa Rosa, Calif., earlier this month. Taking the top spot this year is Guadalupe, a Texas straight bourbon whiskey finished in a port cask from Garrison Brothers Distilling in Hye, Texas. Judges described Guadalupe as “Very elegant”; “Warm finish”; “Delicious.” Garrison Brothers Master Distiller Donnis Todd says, “What sets Guadalupe apart is the unique Texas climate, with its dramatic temperature fluctuations, and our careful selection of the right wet port barrels. This combination is key to Guadalupe’s distinctiveness. Our goal was to capture and highlight the port notes, offering bourbon enthusiasts the same thrilling experience I get when discovering these exceptional barrels in our barns. “The visc