Infusions Are Hot!
A few years ago, large, clear infusion jars started appearing on every self-respecting restaurant bar, filled with bright-colored fruits. Fruits that gradually faded over time – maybe that’s why they disappeared from view. Coffee, chocolate and other flavors seemed to take their place in cocktails. But in this new era... Read More
The Colossus Known as Vodka
but subtle signs of a pending shakeout appear to be looming. Perhaps more expectation than signs, really, especially as vodka is still the most consumed spirit in the market and goes into nearly one out of four cocktails ordered. Overall, vodka is expected to grow by another two million cases... Read More
Tequila’s Sunrise
The LEADERS of the PACK To hear anyone in the spirits industry talk about tequila, it’s clear that 2OO6 was a pretty spectacular year. High-end premiums continued the steady surge in numbers that the spirit has not seen since 2OOO. “What happened in other categories is finally happening to tequila:... Read More
Dead or Just Missing
With the recent demise of Wine X magazine coming as little surprise to most people in the industry, it raises a question or two about the market they were supposedly catering to. The twenty-one to mid-twenties age group is an often-ignored segment of our market. The scarborough wine market report’s... Read More
team Argentina
NICOLAS and LAURA CATENA • 7O/38 • Owner/Export Manager • Catena Zapata Winery, Mendoza, Argentina Father and daughter teams are old hat in American wineries (think Mike and Violet Grgich, David and Kim Stare, even grandpa Julio and Gina Gallo) but they are something rare and wonderful in Argentina. Nicolas... Read More
Of Mice and Men and Fat and Lean
The life-span extending effects of red wine’s resveratrol are being followed up the evolutionary scale by David A. Sinclair’s research group, which now reports positive results in a mammal, the mouse (published in nature November 2OO6). Recall* that prolongation of life had been demonstrated previously in resveratrol-treated yeast, roundworm, fruitfly,... Read More
Santa Rita Revisited
The collective consciousness of connoisseurs took cognizance of Chilean wines only a few years ago, attention captured by emerging quality and, in the face of exponential increases elsewhere in the world, reasonable prices. Those pleasing trends have continued, although the new top-echelon wines can be as pricey as many. Wine... Read More
No Beating The Busch
The new face of Anheuser-Busch. While industry analysts have long predicted that market leader Anheuser-Busch would have to respond to the hurried globalization pace set by other members of the brewing industry, few could have plotted the strategy the company pursued in 2OO6. In the lead up to the retirement... Read More
Portugal Worth The Visit
Spurred by joining the European Economic Community in 1986, wineries are investing in new technology and emphasizing quality over quantity. Fortunately, they are largely staying with the indigenous grape varieties that make Portuguese wine unique, while planting some international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay. According to Rui Abecassis,... Read More
Voignier
It has sprinted from total obscurity to underground popularity to mass wine community hysteria to virtually zero visibility anywhere, a complete round trip that’s taken less than a decade. Overzealous producers intent on rushing to market ahead of the curve with wine’s ‘Next Hot Thing’ killed it before many Americans... Read More