Stolichnaya to Be Put up for Sale

Vodka label Stolichnaya is to be put up for sale after Russian company SPI asked Lehman Brothers to find a buyer.

French wine
and spirits group Pernod Ricard was linked with a bid for Stolichnaya
towards the end of 2007 but declined to comment on media reports at
the time.

The Wall Street Journal reported that
the vodka brand could fetch as much as $3 billion. The newspaper said
possible buyers included Fortune Brands Inc of the U.S., Barcadi Ltd
of Puerto Rico and Italy's Gruppo Campari, owner of Skyy Vodka.