Global consumption of spirits is climbing thanks to China’s thirsty middle classes (but Russia leads the way in vodka of course).

• Almost 28billion liters of spirits drunk globally last year – up 2% on 2011 
• Amount of spirits being consumed in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 3%
  
• Research shows China now accounts for 38% of all spirits drunk globally
  
• Fourteen liters of vodka in Russia are drunk for every person in country

A thirst for alcohol among China’s middle classes is driving demand in the global spirits market, it has been revealed.

Almost 28billion liters of spirits were drunk globally last year – an increase of 2 per cent – although this was a far smaller rise than 2011, when volumes went up by 7 per cent, figures showed.

Vodka is the most popular of these thanks to its extreme popularity in Russia, where 2billion liters were drunk in 2012 – equivalent to 14 liters for every person in the country, reported The Economist.

But the growth in Asia last year – almost 450million litres of spirits – was bigger than the size of the entire German market, according to figures from the International Wine & Spirit Research group.

Seven of the top ten growth markets for spirits are from the Asia-Pacific region – and India now accounts for 10 per cent of all spirits drunk globally, the research also found.

But mature European markets such as France, Spain, Germany and Italy were among the largest-declining markets, with their fall being attributed to tax increases and struggling economies.

Maker’s Mark to restore alcohol content of whiskey

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — After backlash from customers, the producer of Maker’s Mark bourbon is reversing a decision to cut the amount of alcohol in bottles of its famous whiskey.

Rob Samuels, Maker’s Mark’s chief operating officer, said Sunday that it is restoring the alcohol volume of its product to its historic level of 45 percent, or 90 proof. Last week, it said it was lowering the amount to 42 percent, or 84 proof, because of a supply shortage.

“We’ve been tremendously humbled over the last week or so,” Samuels, grandson of the brand’s founder, said of customers’ reactions.

The brand known for its square bottles sealed in red wax has struggled to keep up with demand. Distribution has been squeezed, and the brand had to curtail shipments to some overseas markets.

In a tweet Sunday, the company said to its followers: “You spoke. We listened.”

The change in recipe started with a shortage of the bourbon amid an ongoing expansion of the company’s operations that cost tens of millions of dollars.

Maker’s Mark President Bill Samuels, the founder’s son, said the company focused almost exclusively on not altering the taste of the bourbon while stretching the available product and didn’t consider the emotional attachment that customers have to the brand and its composition.

Bill Samuels said the company tinkered with how much water to add and keep the taste the same for about three months before making the announcement about the change Monday. It marked the first time the bourbon brand, more than a half-century old, had altered its proof or alcohol volume.

“Our focus was on the supply problem. That led to us focusing on a solution,” he said. “We got it totally wrong.”

Both Bill and Rob Samuels said customer reaction was immediate. Company officials heard from “thousands and thousands of consumers” that a bourbon shortage was preferable to a change in how the spirits were made, Bill Samuels said.

“They would rather put up with the occasional supply shortage than put up with any change in their hand-made bourbon,” Rob Samuels said.

The change in alcohol volume called for the recipe and process to stay the same, except for a “touch more water” to be added when the whiskey comes out of the barrel for bottling, Rob Samuels said.

When production restarts Monday, those plans are off the table, Bill Samuels said.

“We really made this decision after an enormous amount of thought, and we focused on the wrong things,” he said.

Maker’s Mark is owned by spirits company Beam Inc., based in Deerfield, Ill. Its other brands include Jim Beam bourbon.

Maker’s Mark is made at a distillery near the small town of Loretto, 45 miles south of Louisville.

The bourbon ages in barrels for at least six summers and no longer than seven years before bottling.

The supply shortage at Maker’s comes amid growing demand for Kentucky bourbons in general.

Combined Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey sales from producers or suppliers to wholesalers rose 5.2 percent to 16.9 million cases last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council, a national trade association that released figures last week. Revenue shot up 7.3 percent to $2.2 billion, it said. Premium brands, generally made in smaller batches with heftier prices, led sales and revenue gains.

Kentucky produces 95 percent of the world’s bourbon supply, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. There are 4.9 million bourbon barrels aging in Kentucky, which outnumbers the state’s population.

Italy overtakes France to become world’s largest wine producer

According to the European Commission in 2010 Italy   produced 4.96 billion litres of wine compared to 4.62 billion in France, a   drop of one per cent from last year.

Domenico Bosco, from the Italian agricultural workers union Coldiretti, said:”This   result is fruit of the fact that production has been stable in Italy while   in France it has fallen.

“The increase in Italian production must also be compared to the fact   that the territorial size of the French vineyards is far larger than our   ones. Exports are also on the increase – up 15 per cent compared to last   year, which is a very good sign.”

Mr Bosco also pointed out that what would be even more embarrassing for the   French was that production of prosecco – Italy’s version of champagne –   would also exceed that of their neighbours with 420 million litres being   produced compared to 400 million.

Britain buys around 12 per cent of Italian wine and is the third largest   importer behind Germany and the United States.

French wine consumption drops by three billion bottles

French wine consumption has dropped by three billion bottles to just four billion – the equivalent of one bottle per adult each week – in two generations.

In a study in the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small   Business, the pair looked at successive generations and their approach to   wine drinking, dividing the demographic into four groups.

The oldest was those over 65 years who had lived through the Second World War,   followed by those between 40 and 65 who lived through a period of growth and   worldwide development.

Those 30 to 40 – “Generation X”, who grew up through the French crisis of the   1990s, were next, followed by those under 30 – the internet generation.

“Each successive generation represents a general increase in libertarian   attitudes and irreverence towards institutions”, says Dr Poutet.

While all agreed on the value and ’bon homie’ of drinking wine, it was the   over 65s who most linked it with French heritage and were more likely to   drink it daily and share the experience.

The middle groups are much more occasional drinkers and drink more socially   with friends rather than family, and social status is a factor in their wine   consumption.

But for the under-30s, wine consumption is very much the exception rather than   the rule.

Dr Poutet said: “There is a dual gap between the three generations, older,   middle-aged, younger – on the one hand, the consumption frequency gap (from   a daily wine consumption to a festive one, and then exceptional), on the   other, the pleasure gap (evolution from a genuine pleasure towards a more   ostentatious pleasure, more difficult to perceive for the younger   generation).”

The younger generations may still take pride in French wine but have little   awareness of its cultural place in French history, he said.

He explained: “The generational analysis of the representations of wine in   France does seem to be appropriate to explain the deep changes that wine has   undergone in the last 60 years.

“It is precisely the progressive loss of the identity, sacred and imaginary   representations of wine (nation, region, lesser importance of the   transmission of the culture of wine by the father within the family, etc)

over three generations that explains France’s global consumption attitudes,   and especially the steep decline in the volumes of wine consumed.”

“Crystal” has suspended production of “Putinka”

Moscow Distillery “Cristall” in January 2011 suspended the bottling vodka Putinka, one of the most popular vodka in Russia. About this issue on 18 April the newspaper “RBC daily”.
According to the newspaper, ceased production of vodka from the fact that the company “Vineksim”, which places orders for the production of “Putinka, could not agree with the” Crystal “on new contract terms. The “RBC daily” indicate that the plant has raised the price of filling that did not satisfy the “Vineksim”.
“Putinka” until 2011, was one of the major vodka, produced by “Crystal”. For example, in 2009 it had 30.4 percent of the total production of the plant, and in other years, the share of “Putinka” amounted to 41 percent.
In the first quarter of 2011, “Crystal” has increased total production by five percent, therefore, the suspension of the contract with Vineksimom “at the plant not affected. In the “Crystal” and clarify that the warehouses of the plant is up to 72 thousand dal “Putinka.
Brand “Putinka” was coined by Stanislav Kaufman, former vice president of Vineksima. He brought the vodka market in 2003. In 2010, Putinka “held in Russia, second only to the” Green Mark “in the ranking of the most popular vodkas.

Women who drink two glasses of wine a day have better sex than non-drinkers

Go ahead and say yes to that glass of wine – especially if you’re on your way to the bedroom. A new study found that women who drink one or two glasses of wine a day have better sex than those who don’t drink at all.

Researchers from the University of Florence, Italy, surveyed 800 women between the ages of 18 and 50 on their sexual satisfaction, using the Female Sexual Function Index. The index is used by doctors to assess women’s sexual health, based on factors including arousal, orgasm, satisfaction and pain.

Women who drank two glasses of wine a day scored an average of 27.3 points out of a possible 36 on the satisfaction scale, while those who stopped at one glass scored a 25.9 average. Non-drinkers averaged a 24.4.

Top-10 of the largest world alcoholic marks on sales volume.

Newspaper Handelsblatt has made a top-10 of the largest world alcoholic marks on sales volume.

On the first place — Russian vodka Smirnoff most widely sold in the world. For a year on a planet it has been bought up 310 million 0,7-liter bottles of this vodka. Mark Smirnoff just as CaptainMorgan, Baileys and JohnnieWalker, belongs to concern Diageo.

The second place in renkinge occupies Bacardi. This firm realized worldwide 240 million bottles of the rum. Its headquarters is on the Bermudas. The companies belong more other 200 brands, in particular Martiniи vodka GreyGoose.

On the third place — Scottish JohnnieWalker (Diageo). With result of 190 million bottles it became the most sold grade of whisky.

The fourth place in a rating with result of 130 million sold bottles is occupied with vodka Absolut which lets out Vin and Spirit. This Swedish manufacturer belongs to the French company PernodRicard.

On the fifth place — American whisky JackDaniels of which in the world has been sold 125 million bottles. Based in 1866 distillerija belongs Brown-Forman-Corporation (USA).

The seventh and eighth places (93 million bottles) were divided by tequila of mark JoseCuervo and the Irish creamy liquor Baileys (Diageo). On the ninth place there was a unique representative of Germany — 35-degree grassy liquor Jаеgermeister. It it has been sold in the world of 82 million bottles.

United States Drinks Most Wine

United States last year edged out France to become the No. 1 wine-consuming nation on Earth.

The fact that Americans drink more wine than any other country is surprising given that annual U.S. consumption stands at just 2.6 gallons per capita. Still, Fredrikson maintains that a variety of factors led the U.S. wine market to this point. For example, during the past three or four decades wine has gradually crossed into the American mainstream to become an acceptable beverage to drink with dinner rather than being reserved for special occasions. Additionally, young people today adopt a penchant for wine at an earlier age—particularly young men, who have traditionally gravitated to beer instead.

U.S. wine exports jumped 1.9% by volume (to 47.3 million cases) and 26.6% by value (to $1.14 billion) during 2010, according to the Gomberg-Fredrikson report, which analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The European Union imports 38% of total U.S. wine exports by value, while Canada represents the No. 1 single country importing U.S. wine at 27% of total exports by value. Hong Kong, Japan and China lag behind, with 10%, less than 7% and 4%, respectively.

Sulphite-free wine

AN ORGANIC WINE IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A WINE MADE OUT OF GRAPES THAT WERE GROWN ORGANICALLY.
Organic wines are produced using organically grown grapes. No pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, or synthetic chemicals of any kind are allowed on the vines or in the soil. Strict rules govern the winemaking process and storage conditions of all imported and domestic wines that acquire certification. Moreover, organic winemakers often avoid many of the chemical substances used to stabilize conventional wines.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SULFITE-FREE WINE.
Totally sulfite-free wines are an accident of nature; but wines low in sulfites or free of added sulfites do exist. Let us explain. Sulfites are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process. Fermenting yeasts present on all grape skins generate naturally occurring sulfites in amounts ranging from 6 to 40 parts per million (ppm.).

According to Professor Roger Boulton, Ph.D., University of California at Davis, Department of Viticulture and Enology, even if no sulfur dioxide is added to wine, fermenting yeasts will produce SO₂ from the naturally occurring inorganic sulfates in all grape juices. Thus, says Boulton, it is impossible for any wine to be completely free of sulfur dioxide.

WHAT ABOUT ADDED SULFITES?
Although technical advances permit the industry to add much less sulfur, most serious winemakers and enology professors concur that to make a consistently stable wine, some sulfites must be added to those naturally present. A handful of winemakers go beyond that; they use no added sulfites at all. However, sulfite agents, when properly handled, are not intrinsically toxic to humans or to the environment, and many feel they are essential in order to prevent oxidation or bacterial spoilage. Therefore, American and European organic winemaking standards allow for the addition of strictly regulated amounts of SO₂.

In the U.S., wines can contain up to 350ppm of sulfites. Organic winemaking standards, as adopted recently (12/2000) by the USDA, limit the use of sulfites to 100ppm in all finished products. However, most organic wines contain less than 40ppm of sulfites.

SULFITES IN ORGANIC WINE COMPANY WINES
Our line of wines is regularly analyzed by the local BATF laboratory. On average the reds have about 40ppm of total sulfites (20 to 60) while the whites, along with the sparkling, show up around 70 ppm (50 to 90). Some show none at all (Cartagene or certain vintages of Guy Chaumont wines). This does not represent a criterion by itself for us. We know that all our producers are striving to use the smallest possible amount of sulfites given their respective situation.

WHY DO WINEMAKERS ADD SULFITES TO WINE?
Sulfur has been used as a preservative in winemaking for quite some time. To prevent wine spoilage, European winemakers pioneered the use of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) two hundred years ago. Unfortunately, freshly pressed grape juice has a tendency to spoil due to contamination from bacteria and wild yeasts present on the grape skins. Not only does sulfur dioxide inhibit the growth of molds and bacteria, but it also stops oxidation (browning) and preserves the wine’s natural flavor.

SULFITES IN OTHER PRODUCTS.
According to Mitchell Zeller of the Washington, D.C. based Center for Science in the Public Interest, sulfites exist in a wide variety of products at levels that are comparable to, or in excess of the concentration that is found in wine. The presence of sulfites ranging from 6 to 6000 ppm is found in products such as fruit juices, dried fruits, fruit concentrates, syrups, sugar, jams, gelatins, cake toppings, baked goods, pizza dough, frozen and dehydrated potatoes, processed vegetables, cheeses, as well as in many prescription drugs.

“CONTAINS SULFITES”
In the United States, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates and limits the use of sulfites in wine and has done so for many decades. On January 1, 1987, a Federal regulation was passed requiring that as of January 1, 1988, all imported and domestic wines, beers and spirits exceeding 10 parts per million of sulfites bear the mention “Contains Sulfites” on their label. Wines that contain less than 10 ppm sulfites are not required to put “Contains Sulfites” on their labels; however, this does not mean the wine is “sulfite-free” or contains no sulfites. As established earlier, all wines naturally contain some sulfites.

WHO IS AT RISK?
The FDA says only about .4% of the population, or about a million people, is considered highly allergic to sulfites. According to Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, an allergist and clinical immunologist who has performed extensive research on SO ₂, sulfites pose no danger to about 99.75% of the population; the highest risk group are asthmatics (about 5% of the population) and only about 5% of this group is allergic to sulfites.

Many people, however, have little tolerance for sulfites. They are considered sulfite-sensitive. Even for moderate wine drinkers, the average level of sulfites found in many commercial wines can cause heartburns or other side effects. Unpleasant reactions include burning sensations, hives, cramps, and flushing of the skin. For them, organic wines are an especially good choice since they contain minimal amounts of sulfites that will in most cases lie below their threshold level.

Red Wine and Health

In addition to bringing out the flavor in food, and being delicious on its own, red wine is strongly linked to a variety of health benefits. Studies have shown that drinking wine in moderation — a glass or two a day — can lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

Health Benefits of Red Wine

Have you ever wondered why people living in certain regions of France have a relatively low occurrence of heart attacks, despite their high-fat diet? Their heart health may be linked to red wine that many French people drink with meals. Experts have identified a potential link between red wine and health, identifying some specific health benefits that appear to be linked to moderate consumption of red wine.

Some of health benefits of red wine include:

Antioxidants: Its antioxidant content may be one of the biggest health benefits of red wine. Antioxidants are molecule compounds that repair cell damage caused by harmful oxygen byproducts in the body. Some research has found that antioxidants can help reduce the risk of certain kinds of cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration and diabetes — and red wine is full of them.

The skins and seeds of red grapes carry a particularly powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. When red wine is made, the skins and seeds are fermented in the grapes’ juices, causing red wine to have high levels of resveratrol.

Cancer prevention: Resveratrol has also been shown to minimize the risks of some types of cancer. It helps prevent DNA mutations that could lead to cancer, and it prohibits new blood cells from encouraging cancer growth.

Heart disease and stroke prevention: Resveratrol may help reduce the risk for heart disease and strokes. It has blood-thinning capabilities, which helps prevent blood clots from forming. In addition, resveratrol lowers levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, also known as “bad” cholesterol) in the blood, preventing the buildup of plaque in the arteries