Having consumed 9.4 million cases of still light wines in 2006, Uruguay is the fourth largest market in Latin America, and its volumes are 13% lower than in 1998. Uruguay is traditionally a wine producer and is the leading supplier of its own domestic market with a 98% share. (Source: Revue Vinicole Internationale – The IWSR)

The Boisset group, a wine and spirits trader with €277 million turnover, is to sell its spirits division to La Martiniquaise for an undisclosed sum. Having been built up over time, this business is worth about €85 million. Through this acquisition, La Martiniquaise, one of the leading French spirits groups with nearly €700 million turnover, widens its product range. Boisset, on the other hand, should use the money from this sale to strengthen its portfolio of wines, especially sparkling wines. (Source: Les Echos)

Wine consumption per capita more than doubled from 2.5 litres in 1996 to over 5 in 2007. There is a good reason to believe that in the next 15 years, the gap between Russian and European levels of consumption may close entirely. Official figures report that consumption in Russia grew from 500m litres of still wine and 100m litres of sparkling in 2000 to 800m litres of still and 220m of sparkling in 2007. (Source: Wine Business International)

“We need to show young people that quality has more to offer in terms of enjoyment and excitement than quantity,” says Jean-Robert Pitte, President of the French Mission for Food Heritage and Cultures. (Source: La Revue du Vin de France)

Franco-Polish spirits group Belvedere is reported to be preparing to sell its star liqueur Marie Brizard and various whisky brands acquired for high prices two years ago, in order to reduce debts. This would represent the end of the Group’s ambitious expansion plans to become a world market leader capable of rivalling Pernod-Ricard, for example. (Source: Le Figaro Economie)

Fortune Brands has announced that it has finalised its transactions with Pernod Ricard and has notably received €160 million in compensation for the premature termination of the joint-venture agreement regarding the distribution of spirits in the US. Fortune Brands added that it has acquired the rum brand Cruzan from the French group for €70 million. (Source: Reuters)

Diageo has just announced that it has increased its shareholding in the traditional Sichuan distillery Quanxing from 43% to 49%. Diageo, who “has confidence in the potential of Chinese spirits”, undertakes to strengthen its support of the Shui Jing Fang brand internationally, under which Quanxing’s top premium products are sold. (Source: VSB)