SPI GROUP, FAMOUS FOR BRANDS LIKE STOLICHNAYA VODKA, IS INVESTING AGAIN IN WINE. FOLLOWING JOINT VENTURES FOR ORNELLAIA IN BOLGHERI AND CASTELGIOCONDO AND LUCE DELLA VITE IN MONTALCINO AND ACHÁVAL FERRER IN ARGENTINA, THEY ARE BUYING SPANISH ARÍNZANO

From spirits to wine: SPI Group, the Luxembourg giant founded by the Russian Yuri Shefler, and famous for vodka brands like Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya (www.spi-group.com) is investing again in the world of Bacchus with the purchase of the Spanish estate Arínzano - a winery that has existed since the year one thousand and counts 355 hectares at the foot of the Pyrenees (http://arinzano.com/en) - which will be part of the new division dedicated to luxury wine, Hew Holding Bv. The group has already invested in important names in the wine world, like the Argentinean brand Achaval Ferrer, the Tuscan Ornellaia in Bolgheri and Castelgiocondo and Luce della Vite in Montalcino, in a joint venture with Marchesi de' Frescobaldi and the Californian Michael Mondavi (www.tenuteditoscana.it).