The wine and spirits business is demonstrating to the beer industry why franchise laws actually do matter: Charmer-Sunbelt and Wirtz Beverage Group have announced their intentions to merge, and then it emerges that Glazer's and Southern Wine & Spirits have a letter of intent to create a "strategic alliance", whatever that means (it means Southern will absorb Glazer's… unclear whether beer businesses are included, probably not). The writing on the wall is clear: the big wine and spirits suppliers want these companies to combine.