The UK government has announced that the Budget will be held on March 24.

UK: Drinks giants Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) and Diageo Great Britain (Diageo GB) are to team up to push spirit and mixer sales.

Members of Romanian Winegrowers are to undergo a benchmarking initiative, designed to identify a ‘Hero Selection’ of wines.

US: Diageo has launched two new flavours of its 100 proof Smirnoff vodka.

Women who drink wine are less likely to gain weight, according to a new study.

Denmark: Carlsberg has launched Vintage 3 – the third in an exclusive beer trilogy.

Chile: The Asociación de Viñas de Colchagua and the Colchagua Valley Wine Route have estimated a loss of 25 million litres of wine as a result of the earthquake.

UK: Brewer Molson Coors has become the first to be a founding signatory of WRAP’s Courtauld Commitment 2.

Coinciding with the eyecatching relaunch of Black Tower’s Classic range, brand owner Reh Kendermann has also announced a premium extension to the market leading German range.

Leading German wine exporter Reh Kendermann has unveiled radical new looks for its iconic global brand Black Tower.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has set up a Craft Distiller Affiliate Membership programme designed to organise the growing number of small distilled spirits producers across the nation and alert them to public policy issues affecting the industry at every level of government.

Portugal: Boutique port producer Andresen has released a 100 year old port.

Californian winery and distillery Charbay has announced the 13^th generation of master distiller. Marko Karakasevic has earned the master distiller title following an apprenticeship under his father, 12^thgeneration master distiller Milorad (Miles) Karakasevic from Yogoslavia.

Scottish Government plans to introduce alcohol minimum pricing have suffered a further setback, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

Millésime Bio has reported record numbers at its organic wine trade fair, held in Montpellier, France this January 25-27.

UK: Coors has launched a cold-activated can for its Coors Light brand.

Chile: Vinos de Chile has assessed earthquake damage and reported limited damage, though this amounts to a loss US$250 million.

The Miguel Torres Chile winery has been affected by the earthquake that has shaken the country.

Tetley's cask is to be brewed by Marston's in Wolverhampton. The decision to take the beer out of Yorkshire has been met with disappointment from the real ale trade body CAMRA.

The winery said it was important to show support for its 'fellow countrymen' and has postponed the opening of the Don Maximiano Icon Winery. It also said it was too soon to give an accurate assessment of the damage to homes and wineries in the south.

US: Importer and distributor Winebow has appointed a new president. Jon Moramarco will take up the post on March 30. Moramarco will report to Leonardo LoCascio, chairman and CEO of Winebow.

The UK director of Wines of Chile, the generic body representing the Chilean wine industry, has released a statement following the catastrophic earthquake in the country.

Tequila Patrón is to sponsor the American Le Mans Series. Patrón initially joined as a corporate marketing partner in 2008.

Svedka vodka has launched a new marketing campaign in the US.  "R U BOT OR NOT?" refers to Svedka’s spokes-bot, Svedka_Grl.

Veuve Clicquot has taken the uncertainty out of the process of ageing vintage champagnes with its recently launched Cave Privée Collection.

A US Federal Court has ordered a halt to the sale and production of a line of fruit-flavored rums whose bottles were alleged to be "confusingly similar" to the flavored rum - Malibu.

Europe’s spirits producers have launched a catalogue of industry-led programmes to reduce alcohol related harm.

William Grant has relaunched its Sailor Jerry rum brand with a new look and new taste.

Diageo has launched a scathing attack on Bacardi over the Captain Morgan rum, US Virgin Islands saga. Diageo has accused Bacardi of scheming to protect subsidies at the expense of the economic stability of the US Virgin Islands.  Bacardi has insisted the dispute is about the appropriate use of taxpayers’ money.

First Cape wine is launching lower-alcohol (5.5% abv) extension of its First Cape brand.

Beer should be taxed at a lower rate of duty to reflect its low-strength, UK produced product status, according to the British Beer & Pub Association.

UK: Carlsberg’s Tuborg beer is to give away five pairs of tickets to the sold-out Glastonbury Festival.