Here’s a round-up of this week’s top stories from the global spirits & wine categories. Click the links to view our round-ups for beer & cider and soft drinks & bottled water.

• What’s coming up in spirits in 2018? – Predictions for the Year Ahead – Comment

Rounding off our series of category forecasts for the year ahead, white spirits commentator Richard Woodard looks at what 2018 has in store for gin, Tequila, rum, vodka…

• Why Minimum Unit Pricing could prove a win for both consumers and the drinks industry – Analysis

Towards the end of last year, the UK Supreme Court cleared the path for the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in Scotland. The decision has prompted many questions: Is this the right approach to tackle the issue of irresponsible drinking? Are moderate drinkers being punished for the actions of a few? Indeed, is the Scottish Government using a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Laura Foster investigates.

• Key trends for the spirits category in 2018 – Focus

Continuing his series of category forecasts for 2018, Euromonitor’s senior alcoholic drinks analyst, Spiros Malandrakis, drills down into what the year ahead could have in store for the spirits sector.

• Baijiu, vodka and the white spirits challenge for Diageo – Analysis

The trials and tribulations of the white spirits category proved of interest to the analyst community in their notes following the release of Diageo’s first-half results. On the one hand, baijiu is having a great time in China. On the other, vodka continues to struggle in the US.

• Treasury Wine Estates looks to “transform” US routes-to-market ahead of M&A push

Treasury Wine Estates has embarked on an overhaul of its distribution agreements in 15 “key states” in the US.

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• Treasury Wine Estates goes up-market as volumes dip on steadying sales in H1 2018 – results

Treasury Wine Estates has pronounced the integration of the recently-purchased Diageo wine assets as complete, with the group’s sales in the first half of fiscal-2018 inching up on slowing volumes.

• Treasury Wine Estates half-year fiscal-2018 by region – results data

Here, just-drinks looks at the group’s first-half performance on a regional basis. 

• Irish gin on course for strong 2018 as exports accelerate

Irish gin is expected to make further global inroads this year after exports more than trebled in 2017, according to a new report.

• Bacardi names Vijay Subramaniam MD Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa

Bacardi has appointed Vijay Subramaniam to the role of managing director for Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa (AMEA). 

• Scotch Whisky Association secures China trademark renewal

The Scotch Whisky Association has capped a high-level trade trip to China with a deal that renews the trademark for Scotch in the country.

• Distilled Spirits Council hails “banner year” for spirits sector in US – figures

The spirits category has continued to take share in the US, as the industry celebrates consumer confidence in the market. 

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