[BND] Kane's Beverage News Daily

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

The 4 Steps Diageo's Top Marketer Is Taking to Reposition Portfolio for Growth

Cristina Diezhandino, Chief Marketing Officer at Diageo, began her Capital Markets Day presentation by saying that value optimization is not changing. Premiumization remains integral to the company's strategy. and will not change. It is a value creator, she said. But there are four things that are different from what Diageo has done in the past. * The first is an ability to map each category not only by pricing but also by the drivers of choice. * The second is that each product has a clear

Total Alcohol Sales Pressured; Spirits Closes Gap with Beer; RtDs Win Again

Total alcohol dollar sales reached $8.58 billion in the four weeks ended Aug. 1, down 3.5% from a year earlier, according to NIQ, while case volume fell 5% to close 169.7 million cases. On a weekly basis, dollar sales marginally decreased, falling 1.1% to $2.1 billion from the week ended July 25th. "The sequential decline underscores the category's ongoing challenges, as the industry looks to capitalize on remaining summer drinking occasions to help stabilize performance heading into the late-s

Napa Valley Vintner Sued for Smoke Damage that Ruined 2025 Harvest

Jayson Woodbridge and his company, Hundred Acre Wines, are being sued by Outpost Wines, Laelius Winegrowing and Impensata Wines over smoke taint from a 2025 wildfire that ruined harvests from their vineyards on Howell Mountain. After the fire, regional crop losses were estimated at $65 million or more.

Hard Truth Distilling Co. to release Master Distiller's Reserve Dark Roast Rye

Hard Truth Distilling Co. announces the release of its third 2026 Master Distiller's Reserve whiskey: Dark Roast Rye. The whiskey will be the featured release at Hard Truth's Harvest Festival on Saturday, Sept. 26. The new rye features the award-winning Chocolate Malt Rye (RW-3) and Caramel Malt Rye (RW-4) mash bills showcased in previous Master Distiller's Reserve expressions. "By combining our award-winning Caramel Malt Rye and Chocolate Malt Rye, the caramel malted barley and chocolate malt

Bota Box Introduces Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in a 1.5-Liter Box

The 1.5-liter box contains the equivalent amount of two 750-milliliter bottles and carries a suggested retail price of $20, making it an exceptional value for Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Bota Box winemaker Alicia Ysais relied on extensive trial blending of select lots from recent Napa Valley vintages to craft a wine of typicity and character that's ready to drink upon release. "With its generous cherry and blackberry flavors, notes of spice and cedar and bold structure, our Limited Reserve

California Winegrowers Detail Sustainability Progress

About 70% of California winegrape acreage certified to a sustainability program and more than 90% of California wine produced in a certified sustainable winery, according to the 2025 California Wine Community Sustainability Report. Published every five years, the report draws on aggregated vineyard and winery performance data and provides an update on CSWA’s education, outreach, certification and partnership efforts. The latest findings document measurable progress since the 2020 report.

Premium Blend Urges Colombian On-Premise Owners to Host Earthquake Fundraiser

Following the devastating earthquake that struck Colombia Monday morning, Premium Blend is reaching out to Colombian restaurant and bar owners to come together in support of communities impacted by the disaster. Through its Raise a Glass for Colombia initiative, Premium Blend is inviting operators to host a fundraising night at their restaurant or bar featuring cocktails made with Premium Blend products, including El Guitarrón Agave Wine, Santos Sangria® and Brisa Ardiente.

Who & What --

Gina Bianco resigned as executive director of the Oregon Wine Board after the board's nine members voted unanimously to accept her resignation. She was named exeucitive director in December 2023. Before that she was executive directors of Rogue Valley Vintners in Southern. Sally Crawford is the interim executive director.

What I'm Reading

• We're getting mealtimes wrong - here's the best time to have dinner It's not only what you eat that matters – your body clock plays an important role in how you metabolise food. "Have breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and have dinner like a pauper," my Spanish friend and colleague Javier Hirschfeld told me when I asked about typical Spanish eating habits (Washington Post)
• Part of California suddenly sank — and it’s irreversible.