STOCK this STUFF
by KIRSTEN AMANN Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the holidays are here, which means the busiest few weeks of the year are upon us. We’ve searched far and wide to create this tidy list of gifts items that will appeal to the time-crunched shoppers streaming into your store. From serious... Read More
A RARE SALE IN BEAUJOLAIS
BEAUJOLAIS is a storied region with a wine history going back well over 1OOO years and estates typically passed down from one generation to the next. Now, one of the appellation’s largest wine estates has been sold, the first time it has changed hands in more than 3OO years. Château... Read More
THE GREAT GRAPE HEIST
DESPERATE TIMES call for desperate measures and in France, where many of the grape harvests this year were sparse, that apparently means resorting to grape theft. At least 7 metric tons of grapes were stolen in September from three vineyards in France’s prime wine-growing region of Bordeaux after a yield... Read More
TRAGIC FIRES RAVAGE WINE COUNTRY
IT’S A DEVASTATING time in California as raging wildfires in wine country earlier in October have claimed many lives, decimated more than 57 OO homes and businesses and forced thousands to flee. In addition, several wineries were destroyed. Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa has burned down as has Nicholson... Read More
RIDING IN STYLE
THIS SEASON’S must have item? A Glenmorangie bicycle made from whisky casks, of course! Glenmorangie has partnered with bicycle maker Renovo to create a limited edition of bicycles made from the whisky’s barrels. Used staves from Glenmorangie barrels are shipped from Scotland to Renovo’s workshop in Oregon. Each bicycle contains... Read More
DETECTING TAINTED ALCOHOL
TAINTED OR FAKE alcohol is a very real and frightening problem often resulting in significant injury or death. Over the past year there have been several incidents at popular vacation resorts. One of the key issues is that it’s usually impossible to detect fake alcohol as it looks and tastes... Read More
AN ACQUISITION WITH A CHERRY ON TOP
DUTCH SPIRITS GROUP De Kuyper has acquired liqueur brand Cherry Heering from Danish producer Peter F. Heering. Along with the purchase of Cherry Heering, the deal also includes Heering Coffee Liqueur. The brands join the company’s liqueur and spirit portfolio including De Kuyper cocktail liqueurs, Peachtree, Rutte Gin & Jenever... Read More
MARQUÉS DE VARGAS
by HARVEY FINKEL PELAYO DE LA MATA, the 13th Marqués de Vargas, wears three vinous hats, heading wine estates in three distinct traditional regions of Spain, each producing notable estate-grown wines in modern wineries. The three-headed marqués, a youthful and active 71, enlivened my day with a recent visit, bearing... Read More
THE JAPANESE COCKTAIL
by PINK LADY AS THE COOL WINTER months set in, our thoughts inevitably turn to darker spirits. Who can resist a little barrel-aged something when hunkering down in front of the fireplace? The snow may not arrive in full force until January, but as the leaves make their final turn... Read More
DISCOVERING UNDER-VALUED BEER STYLES for FALL
by ANDY CROUCH FALLS BRINGS US another opportunity to contemplate some under-valued beer styles. We don’t know whether the India Pale Ale craze may be fad or lasting trend but it dominates the scene at the moment. The current consumer movement towards hoppy, hazy beers shows no signs of abating... Read More