Exclusive: Deutsch Revamps U.S. Sales Structure

Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits has restructured its sales organization to better align itself with its largest distributor partner, the newly-formed Southern Glazer’s. Slated to go into effect between April 1 and May 1 (around the same time the Southern-Glazer’s merger is set to close), the new sales configuration will feature two zones, including the Zenith zone, which will comprise all states in which Deutsch is aligned with Southern Glazer’s, and the Apex zone, which will include all remaining markets. Each zone will feature three regional divisions.

Deutsch is aligned with Southern Glazer’s in more than 25 states, including such key markets as California, New York, Florida and Texas. According to Deutsch, Southern Glazer’s collectively accounts for nearly 60% of the supplier’s national volume.

As part of the restructuring, Ryan Rowder has been appointed senior vice president of the Zenith zone. Concurrently, Mark Salmon has been named division vice president of Zenith’s East region; Kipp Little named division vice president of Zenith’s Central region; and Craig Driver named division vice president of the zone’s West region. Meanwhile, Jeff Corbett has been appointed senior vice president of the Apex unit, which will also comprise Steve DiCarlo, who has been named division vice president of the zone’s Northeast region; Dan Keller, named division vice president of the Midwest region; and Gary Maites, named division vice president for the Mid-Atlantic.

Château Margaux Director Paul Pontallier Dies

Paul Pontallier, who oversaw production at the famed Bordeaux first-growth Château Margaux for 33 years, helping lead it through a renaissance in quality, died March 28 after an extended battle with cancer. He was 59.

Pontallier was hired as technical director at Margaux in 1983 by owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos. He was just 27 at the time. He worked closely with Mentzelopoulos, and their partnership went on to become the longest-tenured relationship between a first-growth owner and director. The pair fueled a resurgence of the estate to the very top of Bordeaux's qualitative hierarchy. Under his guidance, Château Margaux's grand vin earned classic ratings of 95 points or higher in 15 vintages between 1983 and 2013 (the 2014 and 2015 vintages are not yet bottled).

Wine Spectator has more on Pontallier’s remarkable life in wine.

News Briefs:

•Luxury wine and spirits marketer Prodiguer Brands is releasing Champagne Maurice Vendôme exclusively to the U.S. market. Maurice Vendôme is produced in France’s Côte des Blancs region and made with 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay grapes in limited annual production. Champagne Maurice Vendôme Grand Cru Réserve Blanc de Blancs ($220) joins Goût de Diamants—available in a brut, rosé, Blance de Blances and vintage—and the U.K.’s Juliet Immaculate Vodka in the company’s portfolio. Goût de Diamants is produced at the family-owned Champagne Chapuy and is packaged in a bottle featuring Swarovski crystals. Noel Shu serves as managing partner for Prodiguer Brands, which says it’s preparing the upcoming release of an SIA Cabernet Sauvignon to the U.S.

•Opus One has terminated Robert Roux, who headed the Napa Valley luxury winery’s sales and marketing efforts for the past five years. Roux joined Opus One as vice president of U.S. sales and marketing in September 2011, following a stint as executive director of sales and marketing at Caymus Vineyards. Opus One, a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild, S.A. and Constellation Brands, had no further comment on Roux’s departure, but did say that it’s currently seeking a replacement.

•Tennessee’s state legislature has approved a measure that would reinstate a cap of one retail liquor license per license-holder, the Associated Press reports. The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Bill Haslam, who is said to be unlikely to veto it. Tennessee had previously removed the one-license cap as part of its recent law to allow wine in supermarkets, which goes into effect July 1. The reinstatement of the cap is a blow to chain retailers hoping to enter the market, including Total Wine & More, which had been planning as many as eight Tennessee locations.

•Luxco is launching a second edition of its super-premium Bourbon brand, Blood Oath. The limited release Pact No. 2 is a blend of three Bourbons ranging in aging from seven to 11 years—the first of which is a seven-year rye finished in port barrels, the second is an 11-year wheated Bourbon and the last is an 11-year rye. Blood Oath Pact No. 2 (98.6 proof) is available in limited quantities—7,500 three-packs—for a suggested retail price of $100 a 750-ml. Each bottle is sold in a commemorative fire-branded wooden box. The Pact collection debuted last year, with each subsequent annual release highlighting a different variant.

Craft Brewing and Distilling News:

•Brazilian cachaça brand Novo Fogo has unveiled a new single-barrel lineup. Featuring four expressions aged in oak, the range includes the 1-year-old Barrel 86 ($49.99 a 750-ml.), 3-year-old Barrel 33 ($69.99) and Barrel 152 ($69.99), and 5-year-old Barrel 87 ($99.99) entries. The four expressions are limited to between 204-372 bottles each. They join Novo Fogo’s existing stable of organic, small-batch cachaças, which includes the brand’s Silver ($29.99), Chameleon ($32.99), Barrel-Aged ($34.99) and Tanager ($34.99) offerings.

•Asheville, North Carolina-based Green Man Brewery is bringing back its popular Rainmaker Double IPA in April. The 9.3%-abv offering is brewed with Columbus, Simcoe, Citra and Chinook hops. Rainmaker will be available this year in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles at select retailers throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Green Man says it recently expanded to a 20,000-square-foot facility next to its current brewery in downtown Asheville.

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