Diageo honored its top picks for leading spirits, wine and beer distributors with the company's annual Golden Bar Awards. The awards recognize distributors and brokers from across Diageo’s brands, including Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Guinness and Beaulieu Vineyard. They also are given for outstanding innovation launches and control states excellence, and include a Distributor of the Year in wine, spirits and beer. The company added a new award this year — the Platinum Bar — to recognize the distributor who best promoted responsible drinking.
 
Award winners included:
 
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
 
Distributor of the Year – Spirits: Reliable Churchill of Maryland
 
Distributor of the Year – Wine: Washington Wholesale – District of Columbia
 
Distributor of the Year – Beer: Wright Wisner Cos.
 
SPIRITS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Smirnoff: Reliable Churchill of Maryland
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Baileys: United Distributors of Delaware S
 
pirits Excellence Award – Johnnie Walker: Coastal Wine & Spirits of Florida
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Jose Cuervo: Capitol – Husting Co. of Wisconsin
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Captain Morgan: Diageo Moet Hennessy, Pennsylvania Sales Team
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Crown Royal: Glazer’s of Iowa
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Tanqueray: Southern Wine & Spirits of New England, New Hampshire
 
Spirits Excellence Award – Reserve Brands: Washington Wholesale – District of Columbia
 
Control State Excellence Award – Spirits: Southern Wine & Spirits of Virginia
 
Venture Market Award – Spirits: Johnson Bros., ND, Northwest Division
 
President’s Award – Share Growth: Glazer’s of Ohio
 
WINE EXCELLENCE AWARDS
 
Wine Excellence Award – Beaulieu Vineyard: Capitol – Husting Co. of Wisconsin
 
Wine Excellence Award – Sterling Vineyards: Coastal Wine & Spirits of Florida
 
Wine Excellence Award – Chalone Vineyards: Reliable Churchill of Maryland
 
Wine Excellence Award – Edna Valley Vineyards: Coastal Wine and Spirits of Florida
 
Wine Excellence Award – Acacia Vineyards: Glazer’s of Ohio
 
Wine Excellence Award – Rosenblum Cellars: Washington Wholesale – District of Columbia
 
BEER EXCELLENCE AWARDS
 
Beer Excellence Award – Guinness: Peerless Beverage
 
Beer Excellence Award – Smithwick’s: Alliance Beverage – Phoenix
 
Beer Excellence Award – Red Stripe: Summit Distributing – Colorado
 
Beer Excellence Award – Progressive Adult Beverages: Houston Distributing Co.
 
Venture Market Award – Beer: John G. Ryan Inc.
 
GOLDEN BAR CONSISTENCY AWARDS
 
Golden Bar Consistency Award – Spirits: Empire Merchants North, New York
 
Golden Bar Consistency Award – Beer: J&L Ventures
 
INNOVATION LAUNCH AWARDS
 
Innovation Launch Awards – Spirits: United Liquors LLC, A Division of Martignetti Cos. – Massachusetts
 
Innovation Launch Award – Wine: Capitol – Husting Co.of Wisconsin
 
NATIONAL ACCOUNTS EXECUTION EXCELLENCE AWARD
 
National Accounts Execution Excellence Award: Pacific Wine & Spirits of California
 
ADVANCING RESPONSIBLE DRINKING AWARDS
 
Advancing Responsible Drinking – Beer: Kramer Beverage
 
Advancing Responsible Drinking – Spirits & Wine: The Charmer Sunbelt Group – USA