AUSTRIAN BUBBLY STEPS IT UP
AUSTRIA MAY not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking of bubbly. Or even the second or third . . . but wine producers there are looking to change that and have created a three-tier quality pyramid for its emergent sparkling wine sector to improve its reputation... Read More
HAPPY 1OOth BIRTHDAY MR. MONDAVI!
BEST WISHES to the wine industry’s reigning king who just reached the centenarian mark. The living legend turned the big 1OO on November 8. Simply reaching a century is impressive enough but Mondavi goes a step beyond: he is still working. Peter Rudolf Mondavi Sr. arrives at the Charles Krug... Read More
2O14 IS ANOTHER GREAT VINTAGE FOR CALIFORNIA
DESPITE AN ongoing drought and earthquake that rocked south Napa in late August just as crush was getting underway, it looks as if California is going to pull off a phenomenal vintage. A mild winter and spring caused early bud break, although the overall length of the growing season was... Read More
FRANCE RECLAIMS ITS THRONE
FRANCE IS ONCE again the world’s biggest wine producer after a poor 2O14 harvest saw Italy’s wine production plunge 15 percent. French vignerons will produce around 46.2 million hectoliters of wine – about 6.16 billion bottles – this year, up 1O percent from a year earlier. Italy, whose winemakers have... Read More
MINT JULEPS WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF PRESIDENTIAL DRINKING
by MARK WILL-WEBER IF THERE WAS ever a job to drive someone to drink it’s being President of the USA. But individual preferences are as varied as the men who held office themselves. This new book examines the cocktails of choice of our nation’s leaders, from George Washington’s love of... Read More
AND THE WINNER IS . . . WHISKY
APPARENTLY WE are a whisky nation. The brown liquor looks set to become the largest selling spirit by value in the US next year, outperforming vodka for the first time since 2OO7. While vodka will still be the largest selling spirit in terms of volume, the value of whisky is... Read More
MODERNIZING THOSE BLUE LAWS
SUNDAY MORNING in Massachusetts have become a little more interesting. The state has altered its Blue Laws to allow for retail liquor stores to open as early as 1Oam on Sundays. The earlier openings will allow people to buy spirits in the morning hours for the first time since the... Read More
DIAGEO MAKES A SWAP
DRINKS COMPANY Diageo has agreed with Casa Cuervo to a trade of brands. Diageo will take full global ownership and control of Tequila Don Julio and the early termination of Casa Cuervo’s production and distribution deal for Smirnoff in Mexico. Diageo initially had 5O% of the Don Julio brand. In... Read More
THE BEER INSTITUTE
Rogue Ales president BRETT JOYCE has been elected by the Board of Directors as its newest member. Joyce succeeds Brooklyn Brewery president STEVE HINDY in the board seat. Joyce grew up in the Rogue brewery, which his father Jack founded when Brett was only 16. After graduating from Willamette University... Read More
HARPOON BREWERY
Company veteran Charlie Storey has been promoted from Senior Vice President of Marketing to President. In his new role, he will oversee marketing, retail and festival enterprises, have general management responsibilities and assist co-founder and CEO Dan Kenary on strategy and business development. Also Harpoon brand manager CHRIS BONACCI, will... Read More