Featured Articles

Through an informative recent visit, I have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with a winery previously unfamiliar to me, Niner Wine Estates. Located in Paso Robles, it again confirms that each of California’s Central Coast winegrowing areas is distinctive. Paso Robles, about half way between Los Angeles and San... Read More

From the locally crafted to the iconic imports, vodka reigns as it’s poured.  One conspicuous point of distinction has been that several so-called “value” brands have gotten more than their fifteen minutes of fame courtesy of the economy.  Some consumers have traded down and have made the discovery that there’s... Read More

As you’ve probably noticed, we LUPEC ladies don’t devote much time to the discussion of vodka cocktails.  “It’s the predominant spirit on most cocktail lists,” you may be thinking, “so what gives? What do you broads have against vodka?” It’s not that we have anything against vodka, per se.  We... Read More

They say the devil is in the details, but it’s commonly accepted that the details are what can transform the mundane into something heavenly. That said, Adam Lantheaume has become something of an Archangel Gabriel figure to the local cocktail scene, bringing good news – and good products – from... Read More

BARTENDER, I’D LIKE AN “APP-EALING” DRINKNext time a customer asks you for the ingredients in one of those fashionable pre-Prohibition era cocktails and you aren’t quite sure of the recipe, just turn to your iPhone.  Much more discreet and all-encompassing than a battered Mr. Boston Bartender’s Guide, there are dozens... Read More

I was surprised and delighted by the Alto Adige when I first visited twelve years ago. This beautiful alpine corner of Italy does not at all conform to one’s usual expectation of that delightful land, as registered by more southerly regions. Here are the picture-postcard peaks and valleys of the... Read More

Spring is Riesling season par excellence. While I personally enjoy drinking Riesling year-round, from a commercial perspective this is the moment to focus on lighter styled, more delicate herb and floral scented versions, whether they feature discernible residual sugar or not, because of the strong link between Nature’s annual reawakening... Read More

Brewers have long embraced the changing consumer drinking patterns that accompany shifting weather patterns, helping fuel the demand for seasonal products. These beers often appear as little known styles, such as Kolsch or Helles, often rebranded by savvy breweries as Summer Ales. People usually associate the summer months with the... Read More

The economy may have been slow to rebound throughout the past 18 months, but gains for the tequila category have been strong and forceful, with high-end premium and super premium segments outpacing the pack.  According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, suppliers’ gross revenue for tequila grew... Read More