[BND] Your Breakfast Briefing

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, May 20, 2025. The Wine Institute is in town to talk to Congress, TTB and others.

No Bev/Al Tears Over Massie's Defeat

Our friends in Big Media are all excited that President Trump has another scalp attached to his belt – this one that of Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky). But among the bev/al execs we spoke with Tuesday night, there were no tears.

Olivier Perrin to Defend in Dispute Between Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt

Marc-Olivier Perrin, the French winemaker who operates Château Miraval, must defend himself in the United States against charges Perrin and his companies acted in concert with Brad Pitt to prevent Angelina Jolie from exercising her rights in Chateau Miravel.

Ballantine's Finds Authenticity in Music is Key

New global research from Ballantine’s Scotch Whisky finds a staggering 9 in 10 fans say authenticity is the single most important factor in connecting with an artist today. Not perfection. Not production. But realness.

Bronco Wine Revitalizes Legacy Brands Rosenblum and Cycles Gladiator

Family owned Bronco Wine Co., known best to consumers as the winery behind Charles Shaw, a/k/a "Two-Buck Chuckj," continues its evolution with the redevelopment of heritage labels Rosenblum and Cycles Gladiator.

Patriotic Packaging, Sweeps Top Bud Light's Summer Campaign

Bud Light's new summer campaign has three elements: a commercial, packaging and a sweepstakes.

Wild Turkey Debuts the Austin Nichols Archives

It's the first limited collection led by third-generation Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell. 

Tequila Tromba Intros 3.75 L 'Extra Grande' Blanco, Largest Available in U.S.

Equal to five standard 750ml bottles, it is the biggest and boldest release in the brand's history, rooted in the Mexican tradition of the botellón—the communal glass jug used for shared celebration—and reimagined for bars, restaurants, and home entertaining across the US.

4 Firms on Forbes Best Employers for New Grads List

Anheuser-Busch InBev leads the alcohol beverage firms on Forbes list of Best Employers for New Grads. Among all firms listed, AB-InBev is No. 101. Constellation Brands is No. 425. Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits is No. 113 among retail and wholesale firms and is the only bev/al distributor listed.

Responsibility.org Sponsors Webinar on Hemp Beverage Hazards

Responsibility.org is hosting a webinar on what parents and law enforcement need to know to keep kids safe as hemp beverages become more visible and available. Topics will include:

What I'm Reading

AI Won’t Replace Sommeliers, But It Could Help Save Wine

By solving problems for owners, operastor and helping guests avoid the of the judgment of sommeliers. (VinePair)

The Wine Industry's Problem in a Nutshell

One sentence from this Wine Searcher article by W. Blake Gray about the state of the wine industry clearly articulates the problem: “Current market volume is 1 percent smaller than in 2012, while the number of wineries is nearly 50 percent larger.” That really says it all. Demand is flat but the number of wineries has skyrocketed over the past 15 years. The crisis is not simply anti-alcohol sentiment, changing demographics, or bad distribution. It’s oversupply. The hard fact is that the industry expanded way beyond demand. (Food & Wine)