Top 10 stories from 2012

It has been a bumper year for thedrinkbusiness.com, but which have been our most popular stories?

Whether it is beer, wine or spirits you have clicked on a wide-range of stories throughout the last 12 months. From smashing bottles of Cognac to the world’s strongest beer and from naked advert bans to rude wine labels, you’ve shown an interest in lots of different stories.

Here’s db’s look back over 2012 through the most popular stories that you have read.

Can you guess which story comes out on top?

10. Moët brand manager jailed for theft

This story comes from February 2012 and reveals that the brand manager for Moët Hennessy Romain Brunot was jailed and fined for stealing £75,000 of Champagne and spirits.

Over a four year period Brunot helped himself to Krug and Belvedere left over from events and even created fake purchase orders, which he would then divert to his collection.

9. ASA bans Naked Wines advert

In January the Advertising Standards Authority banned an advert on Naked Wines’ website.

The ASA ruled that the advert, which related to setting up an Angels Account after making a purchase, was misleading after a complaint.

Rowan Gormley, founder of Naked Wines, told the drinks business that the affair was a “storm in a wine glass as nobody has lost a penny – nor can they.”

8. Rude wine name offends Cantonese

A wine brand from Chile unintentionally offended Cantonese speakers with its explicit name.

Called Chilensis, the label, from Via Wines in Chile’s Maule Valley, loosely translates as “f*cking nuts” according to a source in Hong Kong. When a local paper reported the story demand for the wine soared in Hong Kong.

7. World’s first meteorite-aged wine launched

Another story from Chile, we reported in January that Ian Hutcheon, an Englishman working in Chile, released what is believed to be the first wine aged with a meteorite formed during the birth of the solar system.

Hutcheon said: “The idea behind submerging it in wine was to give everybody the opportunity to touch something from space; the very history of the solar system, and feel it via a grand wine.

6. World’s strongest beer launched at 65% ABV

In October a Scottish brewery targeted a spot in the Guinness World Records book after producing the world’s strongest beer. Strangely enough it wasn’t BrewDog, who had been involved in a tit-for-tat exchange of strong beer, instead Brewmeister launched the Armageddon beer at an incredible 65% ABV.

Lewis Shand, who is the joint owner of Brewmeister said: “The phrase ‘delivers a punch’ doesn’t quite cut it. ‘Delivers a supersonic charged explosion and conveys the taster to drunkville’ is probably more appropriate. It really is a powerful beer.”

5. Wine “handbag” trend gaining momentum

Vernissage wine “handbags”

In September we reported in the developing trend of boxed wine aimed at women. The wine comes in boxes in the shape of a handbag, in a bid to boost the packaging’s unfashionable image. The wines are packaged in a handbag corresponding to their colour – white, black and pink, finished with a black cord handle and a pop-out spout at one end.

4. Cannabis wine catching on in California

A bit of controversy for the fourth most popular story of 2012, as we revealed in April that a number of California winemakers were secretly producing wines laced with cannabis.

Cabernet Sauvignon was said to be the grape variety of choice, and one Californian producer, who chose not to be named, said cannabis-laced wine is “the only truly original style of wine created in the New World.”

3. Rude wine label causing trouble in US

It appears you love a bit of controversy as this story was the third most popular of the last 12 month.

In October a wine from Hundred Acre owner Jayson Woodbridge was reported to be causing problems in the US because of its controversial name. The wine called “If You See Kay” inspired our rude wine labels gallery.

2. City boy racks up most expensive bar bill in the world

PlayGround club owner George Panayiotou carries in the Midas. Credit: Splash

This story comes from back in March, when we reported on a very expensive night out in Liverpool. Young financier Alex Hope spent over £200,000 in a Liverpool nightclub, which included £125,000 on a 30-litre Midas bottle of Armand de Brignac – the world’s most expensive bottle of Champagne.

The bill also included further 40 75cl bottles of Armand de Brignac, which Hope handed out to single women in the club.

1. £50,000 historic cognac bottle shattered

Who doesn’t love a chuckle at someone else’s misfortune? There is certainly a lot of interest in finding out about it, and maybe even an element of “thank goodness it wasn’t me”.

In July a customer at London’s Playboy Club had the misfortune to accidentally smash a £50,000 bottle of 1788 Cognac, which was due to be used in a record-breaking cocktail.

Although this meant Salvatore Calabrese’s record attempt was merely put on hold and he finally managed to set the new world record in October.