And with Austrian wines today…
Austrians, however, have totally renovated and moved forward their wine industry, from the low-cost-driven sweet wine industry that prevailed in the 197Os and early 198Os to the dry, mid-priced wines that characterize today’s industry. The pivot point for this change was 1985 when unethical producers adulterated wine with di-ethylene glycol.... Read More
And making one really great Hooker in Connecticut…
Craft brewing is a New England tradition that took hold and made major inroads into big brewing. After Sam Adams came – among others – Harpoon, Ipswich, Tremont, and Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts; Geary’s, Shipyard, Sea Dog, and Atlantic in Maine; Catamount, Long Trail, Magic Hat, and Otter Creek in... Read More
Full Sails Brewing: Jamie Emmerson
Based in the heart of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, the Full Sail Brewing Company of Hood River, Oregon, is one of America’s oldest craft breweries. The brewery is an interesting melange of personalities and attitudes, ranging from assertive American-style ale lovers to hard core Germanophiles. Backed by its powerful... Read More
Profile: Max Toste
MAX TOSTE • 32 • Co-owner & Bar Manager • Deep Ellum, Allston, MA This destination bar has come a long way since opening after New Year’s 2OO7. These keen guys and gals, apprentice masters of good taste, could be top deejays. I spoke with candid, dedicated co-owner Max Toste... Read More
Value from the vine.
It’s no surprise perhaps that with all of the economic upheavals we’ve experienced, the first half of 2OO8 has seen some dramatic shifts in long term wine consumption trends. Whether or not we are in a recession or heading into one, it’s indisputable that the dollar is at one of... Read More
A Rodney Strong Showing.
Rick Sayre, the eloquent director of winemaking at Rodney Strong Vineyards of Sonoma, presided recently at one of the dinners of the Boston Harbor Hotel’s Boston Wine Festival, giving me a chance to catch up on the wines and on the estimable Daniel Bruce’s kitchen handiwork. Rodney Strong, the eponymous... Read More
Bill Nesto’s 2OO8 Annual Book & DVD Harvest.
Dear Readers, On the following pages is my harvest of the past year’s six best books/DVDs on wine. There are plenty of new books out there, but the problem for me as a wine educator is that many put their emphasis on telling, not on informing nor on teaching.An example... Read More
Looking For a Hot Beer?
If you want to know what’s hot in beer,ask someone who sells it. Like a lot of the people who are reading this story. There’s a certain amount of humbleness involved in writing this annual story. It’s all about asking you what’s selling well, then turning around and telling .... Read More
Hot Stuff!
Despite the efforts of industry experts, market analysts and advertising executives, the formula for successfully establishing a trend remains a conundrum. The market moves like a plastic bag in the wind and the taste of the masses is far from quantifiable. In the liquor industry, when a seemingly good idea... Read More