TIME TO BUY - Beverage Journal, Maryland and Washington, DC

Transcription

JANUARY 2015
MARYLAND BEVERAGE JOURNAL
January 2015
TIME TO BUY
RYE
DRY, SPICY PROFILE AND BROWN GOODS
MOMENTUM MAKE THIS WHISKEY A GOOD BET
The Tool of The Trade for the Licensed Beverage Industry
plus
2015
CRYSTAL BALL
What to Watch For
Jan15 Cover_Finals.indd 4
GARNACHA
REVEALED
Spain’s Next
Big Red?
12/9/14 1:42 PM
FEATURES
JANUARY15
18 Catching Up On Rye
A recent growth spurt and brown goods momentum make rye a whiskey to bet on.
22 Special Report: Garnacha
This Mediterranean grape is ready for prime time. We look at Garnacha’s legacy,
its hot-spots in Spain and its modern marketability.
28 Crystal Ball 2015
Industry veterans share their trends to watch in wine, spirits and technology.
14
DEPARTMENTS
02 Pub Page:
CAP Marks Anniversary
of 21st Amendment
04 Industry Interview:
Marcus Notaro of Stag's Leap
06 It's About Beer:
Sour Beer Gains Popularity
10
18
08 Brand Profile:
Schlafly Christmas Ale
10 Brand Profile:
100 Years of Freixenet
12 At The Bar:
Luxury Vodkas
14 Industry Snapshot:
Tim Herlihy of Tullamore D.E.W.
15 New Products & Promotions
22
34
32 Bar Talk: Forging Ahead...
Matthew Conway,
Restaurant Marc Forgione, NYC
MARYLAND ONLY
34 BJ Feature:
A Beverage Biz Look Ahead at
The 2015 Legislative Session
38 Industry Event: ProWein ...
The Greatest [Wine] Show on Earth
40 Brand Profile:
Columbia Winery
38
48 Market Shots:
Local Promotions
WASHINGTON, DC ONLY
33 By The Numbers
34 Bar Shots: Trevor Frye of Jack Rose's
36 Journal Crossword
VOLUME77Number1
34
January 2015 Beverage Journal 1
PUBPage
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
THE BEVERAGE JOURNAL, INC.
(USPS 783-300)
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Web Site www.beveragejournalinc.com
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PUBLISHER
Stephen Patten
[email protected]
410 796-5455
Center for Alcohol Policy Marks
Anniversary of 21st Amendment
This past Friday, December 5, (as I write
this it is Thursday December 11) the Center
for Alcohol Policy (CAP) commemorated
the 81st anniversary of the ratification of
the 21st Amendment to the United States
Constitution.
On December 5, 1933, Prohibition
ended in the United States when 36 states
(the requisite three-fourths majority of the
then 48 states) ratified the 21st Amendment
to the United States Constitution, thereby
repealing the 18th Amendment which
began Prohibition in 1920. For 80 years, the
United States and its citizens have benefited
from a state-based system of alcohol regulation, put in place following ratification of
the 21st Amendment, which gives each state
the primary authority to enact and enforce
alcohol laws consistent with the desires and
needs of its citizens.
“It’s important for citizens to understand that the repeal of the failed, one-sizefits-all policy of national Prohibition was not
the end of the story – it’s where the story of
today’s successful system began,” said Patrick
Lynch, CAP Advisory Council member and
former Rhode Island attorney general. “The
21st Amendment recognized that alcohol is
a unique product that is best controlled by
individual states, and it provided a solution
that continues to be effective today.”
2 Beverage Journal January 2015
“The state-based system of alcohol
regulation has been extremely effective at
supporting strong marketplace competition
while at the same time promoting public
safety,” Lynch continued. “America does
not experience large problems with bootlegging, counterfeit products or a black market,
which were common during national Prohibition and have proven deadly in other parts
of the world that lack an effective regulatory
system for alcohol.”
For more information, visit www.center
foralcoholpolicy.org and watch a great video
about the origin of America’s state-based
alcohol regulatory system and to learn about
the CAP’s republication of Toward Liquor
Control, written in 1933 to help guide alcohol policy in the states post-Prohibition.
The Center for Alcohol Policy is a
501 c (3) organization whose mission is
to educate policy makers, regulators and
the public about alcohol, its uniqueness
and regulation. By conducting sound and
scientific-based research and implementing
initiatives that will maintain the appropriate
state-based regulation of alcohol, the Center
promotes safe and responsible consumption,
fights underage drinking and drunk driving
and informs key entities about the effects of
alcohol consumption. n
PRESIDENT
Lee W. Murray
VICE PRESIDENT
Thomas W. Murray
LOCAL COLUMNISTS
Teddy Durgin
[email protected]
Alan Horton
[email protected]
Robert Plotkin
[email protected]
Photography
Desiree Stover
[email protected]
Member
THE BEVERAGE NETWORK
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Web Site www.bevnetwork.com • 212-571-3232
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The opinions expressed by guest columnists are their own and
not necessarily those of The Beverage Journal, Inc. The Beverage
Journal, Inc. is an affirmative action/equal opportunity corporation.
Copyright 2014 the Beverage Journal, Inc. No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Not
responsible for unsolicited material or advertising claims.
This magazine was mailed from Baltimore, Maryland on or before
the 21st of the preceding month. If there has been a delivery delay,
please contact your local postmaster.
Stephen Patten
Publisher
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STEP INTO
GLUTEN FREE
THE CIRCLE
IndustryInterview
Winemaker Notaro
Recently Made a Stag's Leap
to MD/DC Market
By Teddy Durgin
P
retzels and beer are an unbeatable combination. So, too, are
whiskey and rye. And certainly
wine and cheese. Just before
Thanksgiving, another unbeatable combo
hit the Maryland-Washington, D.C. market in the form of Marcus Notaro of Stag's
Leap Wine Cellars and our own Fran
"Pineapple" Schmitz. Schmitz ushered Notaro around to several major accounts to
press the flesh and talk up the Stag's Leap
label.
"Every time I've come to the market," stated Notaro, during an interview with the Beverage Journal, "I've had the privilege of working with Mr. Pineapple. He has never failed
to deliver me to some world-class establishments. When I have done wine dinners here,
the folks who attend are very passionate wine
consumers. They are very knowledgeable,
and they travel. People in the D.C.-Maryland
area not only know about Napa Valley wines,
but wines from around the world. There's
also a surprising number of our wine club
members here. So for me to be out in their
market and to be able to tie them back closer
to our winery is pretty special."
Among the stops this
time around were presentations at Le Diplomate and
The Palm in Washington,
D.C., along with a luncheon at Baltimore's Center
Club and a wine dinner at
the Maryland Club.
Notaro was named
winemaker for Stag's Leap
Wine Cellars in May of
2013. He brought with him
over 10 years of experience
producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignonbased wines. "Wine drinking is very cyclical," he stated. "There's the growing season.
There's fermentation. There's blending,
bottling, and then you start up a new year
the next year. Every year is unique and exciting. No two years are ever alike. You should
remember what you did and what worked
in the past. But you have to have an open
mind."
Prior to joining Stag's Leap, he was the
winemaker for the prestigious Col Solare
winery, a partnership between Ste. Michelle
Estates and Marchesi Antinori located
in Washington State. It was there that he
came into Schmitz's orbit. It wasn't long before Pineapple had him visiting our market.
"These trips are not something that I regularly
do," he said. "It's pretty seasonal. Obviously,
during the growing season and harvest, my
primary responsibility is to be at the winery.
For me, what I like about getting out and
into the market is that it gives me the chance
to connect with consumers. I love to make
wine. It's what I do. It's my passion. But
obviously I make wine for people. I make it
for them to enjoy and to consume, and I love
and need to hear feedback from folks who
are fans of our wine. I want to hear what
they think of our wines and the pairings."
He continued, "It's also great to educate
folks about what is happening back at the
winery. There has been a lot of curiosity on
this visit as to what our season was like, and
what is the 2013 vintage like? People have
heard about the drought. They've heard
about the Napa earthquake. So, they're very
interested in hearing the intricacies of that."
Among the questions he most commonly fields at the various wine dinners
and tour stops are "What was the best vintage in the last 10 years?" and "Where can I
buy the wines?" and "When is a wine ready
to be opened?" He stated, "Especially fans
of ours who do collect our wine, I get asked
a lot: 'I have a 2000-and-whatever in my cellar. When should I drink it? When should
I open it up?'"
As for the most challenging part of his
job, Notaro was quick to talk about the unpredictable nature of weather, agriculture,
and the grapes themselves. He concluded,
"In wine-making, you always have to strive
to make the best quality wine that you can.
But you have to be flexible and open-minded
as to what Mother Nature holds for you so
you can react to it. When I went to college,
I studied Engineering. In the engineering
field, there is usually a definite answer to
most problems. But with wine, often times
there is not. A lot of it hinges on decisions
you often have to make based on a gut feeling -- particularly decisions in the vineyard.
You can't really predict what Mother Nature
is going to give you. I know I've never made
a perfect wine." n
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It'sAboutBeer
Sour Beer Gains Popularity
By Al Horton
A
t first thought, the idea of sour
beer seems neither appealing
nor appetizing. But, to the
contrary, the sour beer style
has gained popularity among sophisticated beer and wine drinkers who appreciate
the complexity of its many flavors
Just as the nuances of single malt Scotch
are too difficult to appreciate the first time,
learning to enjoy the flavor of any complex
beverage often requires certain background
information before it becomes an acquired
taste. But once acquired, it is a taste to be
savored and enjoyed over and over again. It
is much the same with sour beer. In order
to appreciate the sour notes that range from
tart to puckery to darkly sour, it is important to know something about the subject
before embarking on the sour beer journey.
Although it may seem an unusual analogy, it
may come as no surprise that a first attempt
at enjoying sour beer is much like attending
an opera being sung in a foreign language.
Without a libretto in hand, it is difficult to
follow the story line. Similarly, it is useful to
have reference points to guide you as you sip
one of the many sour beers now available in
the marketplace.
Belgium
The Home of Sour Beer
Belgium is considered to be the home of
the ”sour beer style.” Its origins are in the
Zenne Valley, which surrounds Brussels, the
capitol city. From October through May, local breweries that specialize in brewing sour
beer open their windows and allow wild, airborne yeasts to flow in and settle on top of
open fermenting tanks. These tanks, known
as “coolships,” contain a mixture of malted
barley and wheat - the raw materials for a sugary liquid called wort. Once the wild yeast
has settled on the wort and has performed
its magic, the sugary liquid becomes a sour
flavored mixture of alcohol and carbon dioxide commonly known as sour beer.
"From October through May, local breweries
that specialize in brewing sour beer open
their windows and allow wild, airborne
yeasts to flow in and settle on top of
open fermenting tanks. These tanks, known
as “coolships,” contain a mixture of malted
barley and wheat - the raw materials ..."
Along with wild airborne yeasts, there are
a few basic ingredients standard in making
sour beer. Malted barley is mixed with unmalted wheat grist to give the beer its body.
Hops are added, but are used in limited
quantities, and are more important as a preservative than as a flavoring agent. Coigneau
is the traditional Belgian hop variety used in
making sour beers. In addition, some brewers add fruit such as sour cherries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches amongst others.
After the fermentation process is complete
the newly fermented beer is stored in used
port, sherry or burgundy wine barrels for aging. This type of storage is a clear departure
from brewing typically top fermented ales
where the aging process is short and usually
lasts from one week to a few weeks. Belgian
sour beers are often left to develop and mature for a period of one to several years.
The principal type of sour beer is called
lambic. Lambic is a refreshing drink by itself or it may be combined with other beers
or fruit. If two lambics, a young lambic
one year old or less is combined with an
older lambic (3-5 years), the resultant beer is
known as “gueze.” If sour cherries are added
to a lambic it becomes “kriek lambic” or in
the case of raspberries is called “framboise.”
Faro, a fourth type of sour beer, is a lambic
to which other ingredients including: candi
sugar, pepper, orange peel, and coriander
have been added to make the beer sweeter
and more palatable. All of these classic sour
beer styles have been staples in Belgian bars
for centuries.
Brewing Sour Beer in America
Only in recent years has “Sour Beer” become popular among American brewers and
beer drinkers. The American beer scene has
been historically slow to evolve and to accept
new styles of beer, and it should be remembered that not long ago different styles of
beer were difficult to find amongst ubiquitous lagers. Today, however, many freshly
brewed styles of beer are widely available including: India Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Brown
Ale or Stout. These beers and others are now
everyday staples across the bar. “Sour beer”
has begun to make a lasting impression and
is getting more and more attention and may
soon join the ranks of new beer favorites.
Despite the increasing popularity in the
U.S., they are not easily made or readily
accepted in many U.S. breweries. A brewmaster in an American brewery, for example,
typically exhibits obsessive/compulsive behavior as it relates to keeping stray organisms
(referred to as bugs or beer spoilers), out of
the brew house.
It was discovered recently that wild yeasts
used in the fermentation process can also
invade and inhabit the brewing vessels and
wood beams within breweries. Unwanted
and uncontrolled organisms can easily contaminate and spoil one or several batches of
non- beer. As a matter of practice, a brewery
that makes beer other than sour beer will
segregate sour beer brewing in order not to
contaminate and interfere with normal ale
and lager production.
According to author Michael Tonsmeire,
www.BeverageJournalInc.com in his recent book American Sour Beers, sour
beers here in the United States, “……are
beers designed to be intentionally tart and
are inoculated with souring bacteria. A yeast
strain called Brettanomyces and lactic acids
such as Pediococcus, Lactobacillus are added
to the wort to produce a liquid with a funky
aroma and flavor profiles from dry to tart
similar to those of Granny Smith apples or
lemons. The author also noted the same
wild yeast strains that occur in Belgium are
also present here in the U.S. and throughout the world. These lactic acid bacteria are
good bacteria and are used in making yogurt,
cheese, sauerkraut and pickles.
Brewing sour beer in the United States is
a relatively recent phenomenon. Colorado’s
New Belgium Brewery is recognized as the
first American brewery to brew sour beer in
1999. It is no surprise that New Belgium was
the first to brew sour beer as its brew master,
Peter Bouckaert, a native of Belgium, had
worked in Belgium’s famous Rodenbach
Brewery. Originally, the methods used to
make sour beer by New Belgium and other
American brewers were modeled after European brewing techniques. As time went
on and more breweries gained experience
in producing sour beers, the process in this
country has taken on the unique twists of individual brewers. Certainly, the practice of
blending of base beer, i.e. normal ale with a
newly produced sour beer, became standard
practice. And, bottle conditioning sour beer
has gained popularity. In addition, many
brewers also tend to use a more complex
grain bill than normally used in Belgium.
American brewmasters have found the use of
more predictable micro-organisms injected
into the wort to produce a more consistent
product.
According to Brewmaster Bouckaert, “……
good beer is the result of knowledge, experience and creativity.” If you want to add a
different experience to your beer drinking
enjoyment, or if you are interested in giving
a customer a recommendation about sour
beer, try one of the fine beers in the following table. n
BRANDPROFILE
Schlafly Christmas Ale
By Al Horton
A
t this time of year, retail shelves
are stocked with brightly packaged Christmas Beers. The
packages, the labels and perhaps even the name contain the word
Christmas, but what is Christmas Beer?
It’s one of those questions open to interpretation and opinion to which there is
no definitive answer. Some might reason it is a beer for drinking during the
Christmas Holiday. Others might suggest that it is a spiced beer with aroma
and flavor common to holiday desserts;
and, still others might say it is a higher
alcohol beer brewed especially for the
Christmas Season. Regardless of the
definition, Christmas beer has a long
and interesting history.
Whether it was pre-Romans,
the Druids or Scandinavians
celebrating the Winter Solstice,
holiday beers have been around
for a very long time –thousands of years in fact. Strongly
brewed beer intended to be
shared with friends and family became the norm in Europe
during the late Middle Ages.
The beer of the time often contained spices, herbs or fruit and
plenty of alcohol. It was a special brew made for the season
and to make common folk feel
both warm and happy at the
same time. This idea is not entirely new, and could have been
a storyline in a Charles Dickens’
novel.
Clearly, the notion of a
Christmas beer defies a simple
definition. It seems to be less
a style of beer and more of a
tradition. The Beer Judges
Certification program (Category 23) proclaims Christmas
beer must contain spices, be dark in color
and have a Christmas cookie like aroma
and be true to its underlying
style – whatever that is? To
further complicate matters, many of today’s commercially available holiday
beers lack one or more
required
characteristics
found in the beer committees’ rules.
Schlafy
“Christmas
Ale,” a seasonal beer from
the St. Louis Brewery,
seems to conform closely
to the wider notion of
what a Christmas or
Holiday beer should
be. At 8% abv, it
possesses a fairly
high alcohol con-
tent. Its color is a bit dark and pours a deep
copper (SRM 30 on the color scale), and is
full of spice. Flavoring ingredients include
orange peel, juniper berries, ginger root, cardamom and cloves.
As it is poured, the beer shows off a large
tan and tightly packed head of tiny bubbles.
In a beer clean glass, the head lasted for 2-3
minutes just long enough for any excess carbon dioxide to escape.
The first hits of aroma and flavor come
from a pungent combination of cloves and
ginger. Schlafly Christmas Ale is best described as a zesty and spicy brew. The aroma
of clove and ginger was pleasant, muted and
not overbearing. To its credit, the St. Louis
Brewery, as it does with all of its beers, puts
blend and balance as its first objective. Although Christmas Ale is substantially different from this brewer’s everyday beers, the
overall result is one of outstanding drinkability.
Pale, caramel, and Munich malts provide the body for this Christmas Ale. The
inclusion of chocolate, honey and additional sugars provides fuel necessary for
a higher alcohol content. American
Ale yeast is used as a catalyst, and Magnum hops provide additional flavor
and aroma. The ale has a medium
body with a smooth and medium
mouthfeel. Its pleasant and lingering aftertaste tells us we have a beer
to be enjoyed.
Schlafly’s Christmas beer clearly
falls into the tradition of holiday
beers. It has a combination of bold, expensive ingredients that yield a spicy aroma
with robust alcohol content. It is a beer to
be shared with friends and family during the
holiday season, and could be one of the best
gifts you can give or receive this season. Give
it a try. It could well become one of your
top ten Christmas/Holiday brews. n
BRANDPROFILE
100 Years of Freixenet
T
his past November market the
100th anniversary of the first bottling of Freixenet, a name known as
one of the world’s leading producers of sparkling wine made in the traditional
méthode champenoise (and accounts for 80
percent of all cava exports). The Ferrer family has been behind the Freixenet name from
the beginning and has shaped their familyowned company, the Freixenet Group, with
the promise to produce and share uniquelycrafted, quality wines, and has successfully
done so while utilizing innovative winemaking techniques and unique marketing strategies throughout the past century. The Ferrers’ approach in the global marketplace and
emphasis on quality in all of their wines have
helped mold their legacy of excellence in the
United States, one which is exemplified by
the recent launch of their new luxury cava,
Casa Sala Grand Reserva Brut.
A vintage cava hand-crafted using century-old techniques, Casa Sala is a passion project of José Ferrer Sala, President of Honor of
the Freixenet Group and has been released
as a tribute to the centennial of the first bottling of Freixenet . All aspects of production
are managed by hand—from harvesting by
hand and manual pressing, to riddling and
disgorgement.
The Casa Sala Winery was built on the
grounds of the family estate by Joan Sala in
1901, and is where still wines for export were
made until 1914, when Pere Ferrer Bosch
and Dolores Sala Vivé created the first bottles of Freixenet cava there. Nowadays, the
Casa Sala Winery is equipped with the latest
technology. In the new biodynamic winery,
we have tried to retain the best from each
generation, combining ancestral techniques
with the latest winemaking technologies.
The nose of the new 2005 Casa Sala is
predominantly citrus, with a fine balance of
green apple over a toasty backdrop. On the
palate it is refreshing and well balanced, with
delightful hints of pastries and newly baked
bread combining elegantly with fine fruit flavors and a beautifully structured sparkle.
With an unshakeable belief in the potential of cava, Freixenet became one of the first
Spanish companies to embrace the international marketplace, opening its first office in
the United States in 1935 and quickly establishing distribution in many other countries
around the world. Breaking ground in the
realm of packaging, José Ferrer developed
the distinctive frosted black bottle for Freixenet’s signature Cordon Negro cava well before customized glass packaging or the use of
opaque bottles was common.
In production, Freixenet has consistently been on the forefront of winemaking
innovation, often borrowing and adapting
technology from other industries in an effort
to enhance quality in all of their wines. Freixenet established the first temperature controlled fermentation facility in Spain, which
is also the largest in Europe. In their yeast
cultivation, Freixenet has adapted biomass
control technology used by the European
Space Agency and NASA. The company has
also signed an agreement with the private
firm NTE (New Space Technologies) to implement controls for their cultivation rooms
that allow them instantaneous measurement
of the number of viable yeasts in a culture
medium, which is invaluable information
to guarantee proper fermentation. Freixenet
has developed new filtration systems using
braided stainless steel, which omits the need
to add clarifying compounds. This not only
respects the integrity of the wine, but also
helps to protect the environment by reducing residual waste.
For a century, attention to quality has
been the single most important element to
the Ferrer family’s success in winemaking,
underlined by a penchant for innovative
thinking and creativity. Today the Ferrer
family holds full or majority ownership in
18 estates located in prominent wine regions in seven countries around the world
and sells more than 160 sparkling and still
wines worldwide. Whether for their widelydistributed wines like Cordon Negro or
their small-production artisanal wines like
Casa Sala, the Ferrer family ensures the utmost care throughout the winemaking process.
Friexenet also continues to stay loyal
to the Ferrer family legacy, as the company
is currently run by the third generation of
Ferrers, and the fourth generation is now becoming active in the company as well. José
Ferrer Sala, who celebrated his 89th birthday
in 2014, remains involved in the company he
was instrumental in building, while his sons
and nephews cultivate the company’s plans
for the future. n
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atthebar
Luxury Vodkas
at the Head of their Class
By Robert Plotkin
W
hen World War II ended,
most American bars didn’t
stock a single vodka. Not
only were there few brands
available on the market, but Americans
had yet to develop a taste for the stuff.
By the 1980s, there were scores of vodka from which to choose and premium
brands like Absolut and Stolichnaya were
successfully making the case that not all
vodkas are created equal.
Today vodkas accounts for one out of every three bottles of liquor sold in the U.S,
this according to the 2013 Technomic’s Adult
Beverage Resource. Certainly the ongoing
cocktail renaissance has helped fuel vodka’s
steady climb skyward. A closer look at the
sales figures though reveals that the greatest percentage of growth has come from the
upper end of the category. This suggests bartenders and consumers are becoming more
discriminating and knowledgeable about the
quality variables that distinguish one brand
from another.
In the upper reaches of the category are
the “Luxury” brands, loosely defined as
those brands selling for $30 or more. These
top-shelf spirits are crafted with consummate skill and the finest ingredients.
Few people in the industry know more
about the inherent differences between
vodkas than America’s most famous master
mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim. Writer, educator and international spirits judge, AbouGanim’s most recent book, Vodka Distilled
– The Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka
Cocktails (Agate Publishing, 2012) is being
hailed as the seminal work on the subject.
While typically defined by their elevated
price, Abou-Ganim believes that exclusivity plays a more pivotal role in a sprit being
deemed luxurious. “In my opinion, a vodka
that is unusually special, rare or not available in this country can be deemed luxurious. Examples include a brand that has a
great heritage, that employs a unique distillation process, is made from single estate rye
or wheat, uses a specific strain of potato or
is made with pristine water from a natural
source. That said, generally all of this attention to producing the finest vodka possible
is generally reflected in a higher sales price.”
The main ingredient in all spirits is water, which for an 80-proof vodka constitutes
60% of its volume. The quality and character
of the water in vodka is therefore a significant variable primarily affecting texture and
mouth feel. While Abou-Ganim agrees with
the role water plays in making one vodka
more luxurious than another, he places
more weight in an intangible element.
“The quality of the raw ingredients and the
character of the water are huge variables. But
of all the factors that contribute to the quality of a particular vodka, I believe none are
more important than the skill, artistry and
devotion of the master distiller. Aging spirits
in wood can mask flaws and blemishes. Not
so with vodka. No other spirit so exposes its
shortcomings as vodka, which is part of its
charm. And when a master distiller nails it,
the result is luxury in a bottle.”
Abou-Ganim says one of the reasons he
wrote the book is that he was tired of hearing people say all vodkas are the same. “I
think we are all very influenced by marketing and advertising, especially with products
like so-called luxury vodka. The more consumers know about these complex, absolutely sophisticated spirits, the more they’ll enjoy
drinking them. It was true in my case.
Elite of the Luxury Class
The first opportunity most Americans
had to savor a luxury class vodka was Stolichnaya elit Russian Vodka. Launched in
2005 to commemorate the distiller’s 500th
anniversary, the appropriately named spirit
is distilled in small batches using select win-
ter wheat and pristine glacier water. But its
secret is a technique called “freeze filtration,”
a process devised in the days of the czars.
Vodka was placed in barrels and subjected
to the winter freeze. Any impurities in the
vodka slowly gravitated to the wooden staves
where they would freeze and fall out of solution. Later, the essentially pure vodka would
be poured out through an opening in the
bottom of the barrel. Priced around $60, it is
a slice of the good life. (Wm Grant & Sons)
The company recently introduced Stoli
elit: Himalayan Edition, a special release
made with spring water sourced from high
in the Himalayans. It’s priced at a cool
$3,000 per 750ml.
A bargain by comparison, new ABSOLUT ELYX, a luxury class vodka crafted
in Ahus, Sweden from 100% single-estate
wheat and soft spring water. ELYX (SRP
$49) is distilled entirely by hand in the distillery’s vintage, copper-lined column still.
The award-winning result is a vodka with an
oily textured body and a clean, crisp finish.
(Pernod Ricard)
One of the singular features of The Jewel
of Russia Ultra (SRP $50) is that the vodka
is made from a blend of premium rye, hardy
winter wheat and deep-well artesian water.
It’s a recipe for greatness. The fermented
mash of grains undergoes a multi-column
distillation and a slow-flow filtration process
that removes microscopic congeners. Even at
room temperature the spirit barely generates
any heat on the palate. Presented in a beautiful, hand painted bottle, Jewel of Russia
Ultra retails for around $50. (BMC Imports)
Easily the most attention-grabbing entry
is Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka, a
Canadian import quadruple-distilled in a
column still from a blend of select Canadian
grains and pristine glacial water drawn from
a deep underground aquifer. The vodka is
subjected to rigorous, two-stage filtration—
three passes through activated charcoal and
then triple-filtered through polished crystals.
Crystal Head Vodka (SRP $50) a rarity in
that the product is every bit worthy of its
striking, attention-getting bottle.
The Limited Edition Crystal Head Vodka
Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary Pack has
just been released that includes a bottle
of Crystal Head Vodka, bottle tattoo and
a double CD with an exclusive collection
of the Rolling Stones greatest hits. The 18
songs are exclusive to this Rolling Stones
anniversary pack—14 of which are never-before-released live Stones tracks personally selected by Mick Jagger. It retails around $100.
(Infinium Spirits)
Affordable Luxury
There are a number of vodkas on the
market every bit as luxurious as those that
cost significantly more. How they deliver
exemplary quality at affordable prices is just
another aspect of their mass appeal. The following is a short list of our favorite affordable gems.
Domaine Charbay is a small, familyowned distillery on Spring Mountain in
Napa Valley, California. There master distiller Miles Karakasevic handcrafts a number
of top-notch micro-distilled spirits, including
pot-distilled Domaine Charbay Dry/Clear
Vodka. While perhaps best known for his
line of flavored vodkas, it should be noted
www.BeverageJournalInc.com that each of the flavors starts with a base
of Karakasevic’s ultra-elegant, neutral grain
vodka. It’s California chic at $27 a bottle.
(Domaine Charbay).
Hangar One Straight Vodka is another
American micro-distilled classic. The process
begins with premium Midwestern wheat
distilled in a custom-built column still. The
light, clean spirit is then steeped with California Viognier grapes. The grape-infused
spirits are then redistilled in small, copper
Holstein pot stills and bottled at 80 proof.
Retailing for around $28, Hangar One has
a voluptuous body and chocolate, anise and
brandy-like grape palate. (Proximo Spirits)
Iceberg Vodka proudly celebrates the fact
that its core ingredient comes from just about
the most fascinating water source imaginable. The vodka (SRP $15) is triple-distilled
from corn grown in southern Ontario and
water harvested from icebergs traveling the
currents off the east coast of Newfoundland.
The estimated 12,000-year-old glacial water
is essentially free of microbial contaminants
and atmospheric pollutants. Better yet, the
water has a discernible texture and clean,
crisp taste. For a purportedly neutral vodka,
there certainly is a lot going on. (Admiral
Imports)
Purity is not a trait most of us can easily
relate to. Especially with respect to vodka,
purity is hard to appreciate and often taken
for granted, but its an important aspect of
its appeal. Swedish Purity Vodka is as close
to essentially pure as our brains can comprehend. The brand (SRP $30) is pot distilled
from a mash of grains that includes estategrown wheat and barley and mineral-rich
spring water. During the ensuing 34 distillations, 90-percent of the distillate is discarded.
It’s an impressive vodka loaded with depth
and finesse. (Purity Vodka Inc.)
Another crowd-pleaser is American Teton
Glacier Vodka, a triple-distilled spirit made
from Idaho potatoes and pure, deep Rocky
Mountain spring water. The vodka (SRP
$27) is then filtered through charcoal and
crystals, producing a spirit free of congeners,
trace elements, and impurities. The result is
a clean, crisp and smooth vodka devoid of
harshness or bite. (Admiral Imports).
Our last luxurious tour de force is Imperia Russian Vodka from St. Petersburg. The
small batch vodka is made according to the
original 1894 recipe and distilled from glacial and select winter wheat grown in the
black soil of the Russian Steppes. Following distillation, the spirit is filtered slowly
through charcoal and twice again through
quartz crystals sourced from the Ural Mountains. Imperia (SRP $22) is an archetype Russian vodka marketed at a bargain basement
price. (Russia Standard)
Nazdaróvye! n
IndustrySnapshot
Herlihy Tells Us More
About Tullamore D.E.W.
By Al Horton
P
eople tell me all of the time that I
have a great job, writing about beer,
wine, and spirits for the Beverage
Journal each month. No argument
there. But do you know who has a REALLY
great job? Tim Herlihy, the National Brand
Ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W. Irish
whiskey. And he knows it.
“I am in the very lucky position that I get
to travel from coast to coast, city to city, and
always with a bottle of Tullamore D.E.W. in
my hand,” he stated, during a recent interview with the Beverage Journal. “It’s a nice
way to travel, by the way! I’ve been lucky
enough to go to 27 states and [Washington,
D.C.] in my three years in this role, and I’m
still absolutely baffled that I’m fortunate
enough to get paid to enjoy my favorite Irish
whiskey. My role is basically to introduce
and re-introduce people to our liquids. So,
I host a lot of different tasting events. Unfortunately, although I am an ‘ambassador,’
that doesn’t mean I have any diplomatic immunity. So, I have to behave!”
His travels often take him to the Maryland and Washington, D.C., markets. For
instance, Tullamore D.E.W. had a major
presence at Maryland’s 41st annual Irish Festival at the State Fairgrounds in Timonium
in early November. “I attended last year
and fully enjoyed it. There was great music and plenty of Irish wolfhounds, as well!
This year, I sent Eimear Keller, who is also
a Brand Ambassador for us. It was her first
time there, and she did six tastings of our
whiskey over the course of two days.”
He continued, “For us, the Maryland
Irish Festival and others like it is a spotlight.
It’s a chance for us to showcase our whiskey.
It’s a chance for us to introduce people to
the Tullamore D.E.W. brand and explain
what makes our liquid different”
If Herlihy could come up with one word
to describe the Maryland and Washington
whiskey-drinking
markets it’s “enthusiastic.” He elaborated, “What is interesting about the
D.C.-Maryland area
is the number of
‘explorational’ drinkers, people who are
starting to trade up.
They’re drinking the
Tullamore D.E.W.
Phoenix and the
Tullamore D.E.W.
12 Year Old Special
Reserve. There is
this huge movement
towards Irish whiskey, in general, and
a lot of it is the taste
profile. Irish whiskey tends to be triple distilled. It’s a really
smooth, friendly, and approachable spirit
that is appealing to the new wave of drinker
who is starting to move to bourbon, to Irish
whiskey because of the taste profile. When
you think of Irish whiskey, there are no rules
to it. You can drink it whatever way you enjoy it. There’s no pretentiousness to it.”
Herlihy concedes that there is still a certain intimidation factor where whiskey is
concerned. People often ask him questions
like: “What’s the right way to drink whiskey?”
“Should it be on the rocks?” and “How many
drops of water should I add?” “Scotch is the
most intimidating,” he remarked. “I think
when people think of Scotch, they think of
sitting at home, swirling it by the fireplace,
and plotting the downfall of their enemies.
Whereas when you think about Irish whiskey, you’re not at home. You’re at a bar with
friends. You’re toasting. You’re enjoying it.
That is the ‘No Rules” factor to Irish whiskey,
which often overcomes that intimidation ele-
ment.”
Prior to becoming National Brand Ambassador for Tullamore D.E.W., Herlihy was
an egg farmer back in Ireland. He recalls
his first few industry events as being a bit
awkward as he tried to find his footing. “I
just had to remember to be myself,” he said.
“This is kind of a role where you can’t fake it.
You can’t pretend. You can’t get into some
character. You have to be yourself and be enthusiastic and passionate about what you do
and the liquid in each glass and each bottle.”
He concluded, “I’m also very lucky in
that I get to do things that I would never,
ever get to do in another job. One of my
favorite things I’ve done is take part in a boxing event at Madison Square Garden! I had
the chance to stand in the square circle. I
didn’t compete, of course. But I got to introduce a few fights on the big microphone. I
often say to people, ‘I was bare-knuckled in
Madison Square Garden!’” n
NEWPRODUCTS
&PROMOTIONS
GRAND MACNISH ‘BLACK EDITION’
JOINS THE CLAN
M.S. Walker is extending the historic Grand
Macnish range of Scotch whiskies. Extra-aged
in double-charred bourbon casks, Grand Macnish
Black Edition offers a bolder and darker expression
for Scotch enthusiasts. Black Edition comes in the
signature 6-pinch bottle and delivers a complex
palate of peat smoke, honeyed oak undertones
and a smooth, long finish. In continuous
production since 1863, Grand Macnish is one of
the oldest blended Scotches still on the market
today. 80 proof
ESPOLÒN GIVES AÑEJO TEQUILA
A BOURBON ACCENT
Espolòn Tequila’s master distiller Cirilo Oropeza
made Espolòn Añejo with an innovative process that
takes white oak-aged tequila and finishes it for two to
three months in heavily charred American bourbon
barrels, allowing the liquid to take on hints of
the famous whiskey. Espolòn Añejo is the third
expression in a portfolio of 100% Weber Blue
Agave from Los Altos (the Highlands region of
Jalisco, Mexico). 80 proof
facebook.com/EspolonTequila
mswalker.com
TequilaEspolon.com
SRP: $29.99
SRP: $34.99
ORPHAN BARREL KEEPS ROLLING
WITH ‘LOST PROPHET’
The fourth release from the Orphan Barrel Whiskey
Distilling Company, which specializes in rediscovered casks, is Lost Prophet, a 22-year-old
Kentucky straight bourbon. It was distilled in
1991 in Frankfort, KY, at what was then the
George T. Stagg Distillery, and found in the
old Stitzel-Weller Warehouses in Louisville.
Aromas of honey, dried fruit and clove lead
into flavors of spice cake, vanilla and leather
before a sweet, smoky finish. 90.1 proof
LANGLEY’S NO. 8 GIN
ARRIVES STATESIDE
Terlato Wines has announced the U.S. debut
of Langley’s No. 8, a classic London-style gin.
Enthusiasts will be drawn to its and fresh, wellbalanced notes of spicy juniper, aromatic
coriander and zesty citrus. Crafted from a
proprietary blend of eight botanicals and a
very specific alcohol strength of 41.7% ABV,
Langley’s No. 8 stands out from other gins
and adds English flair to cocktails both classic
and new.
Facebook.com/TerlatoWines
OrphanBarrel.com
SRP: $120
TerlatoWines.com
SRP: $42
PIONEERING SPIRIT EMBRACED IN
CRESPI RANCH PINOT NOIRS
The Crespi Ranch Cellars “Mission Series” honors
Father Juan Crespi, a Spanish missionary and
explorer who arrived in California in 1767 and
traveled between missions up and down the West
Coast, passing through many of today’s premier
wine regions. His pioneering spirit inspired five
distinct Pinot Noir AVA offerings that balance
Burgundian elegance with New World character and
regional nuances. Marketed by Bronco Wine Co.
877.411.NAPA
broncowine.com
SRP: $22
www.BeverageJournalInc.com The 5 Pinot Noir AVAs are:
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Lucia
Highlands, Arroyo Seco and
Russian River Valley in California;
and Willamette Valley, Oregon
JEWELS OF ARMENIA: ARARAT BRANDIES
In production since 1877 and once the official supplier of the
Russian Imperial court, ArArAt brandies remain the category
leader in Armenia and are well-known among the 1.5 million
people of Armenian descent in the U.S. ArArAt’s popularity
is firmly rooted in quality; indigenous
grapes and traditional French technology
and methods have yielded a history of
success in international competitions.
Keeping a contemporary edge, the
portfolio now includes a six-year-old
brandy, ANI, designed for mixology.
Now in 15 markets.
facebook.com/brandy.ararat
AraratBrandy.com
SRP: Starting at $28.99
NEWPRODUCTS
&PROMOTIONS
GLENFIDDICH CAPTURES HISTORY
IN A BOTTLE WITH ‘THE ORIGINAL’
The 1963 launch of Glenfiddich Straight
Malt effectively established the entire
single malt category we know today.
And now, by analyzing the original 1963
sample and following the recipe in
Glenfiddich’s 1960s ledgers, Malt Master
Brian Kinsman has faithfully reproduced
its fresh and fruity taste. Glenfiddich
“The Original” comes in an embossed
case with a booklet that details the
whisky’s rich history. 80 proof
facebook.com/glenfiddich
CHIVAS LAUNCHES FIRST EXTENSION
IN A DECADE: CHIVAS REGAL EXTRA
Inspired by James and John Chivas, who excelled
in the art of blending whiskies, Chivas Regal Extra
introduces an exeptionally rich and generous Chivas
blend, crafting whiskies matured in Sherry casks with
a selection of the rarest whiskies. It is the first new
line extension from Chivas Regal in 10 years. Rich
and warm with subtle spiciness, Chivas Regal Extra
became available nationally in late 2014. 80 proof
glenfiddich.com
facebook.com/ChivasRegal
pernod-ricard-usa.com
SRP: $99.99
SRP: $65
SEAGRAM’S 7 ADDS TWO
(APPLE & SPICE)
Nudging a well-known brand into bold
new territory, Diageo is extending the
Seagram’s 7 line with two new flavored
American blended whiskies: Seagram’s
7 Crown Orchard Apple and Seagram’s
7 Crown American Spiced. The new
releases, both 71 proof, are geared to be
served in a number of mixed shots and
are available nationally.
ECCO DOMANI JOINS
THE PROSECCO PARTY
Staying true to the contemporary, easygoing
image and character of their table wines, Ecco
Domani now has a Prosecco. Made in a lightly
effervescent frizzante style with fruit from northern
Italy’s hilly Prosecco region, the bubbly is bottled
with a convenient, stylish screwcap closure. It is
light (10.5% alcohol) and refreshing, with notes
of citrus, honey green apple and floral notes.
facebook.com/EccoDomani
TheBar.com
EccoDomani.com
SRP: $12.99 each
SRP: $10.99
GET HIP TO FAT CAT.
LIKE MUSIC IN A GLASS. YOU DIG?
New from Cat Cellars in Napa: Fat Cat Old Vine
Zinfandel, a lively fusion of delicious flavors
at a surprisingly cool price. In the glass, this
California AVA Zin features a bouquet of rich,
bursting cherries; rounded, rich flavors of
raspberry, blackberry, spice; subtle hints of
vanilla and a soft, lasting finish on the palate.
Marketed by Bronco Wine Co.
NEWCASTLE TEAMS UP FOR NEW,
COLLABORATIVE SCOTCH ALE
Newcastle is kicking off a series of
“collaboration edition” beers made with some
of Europe’s finest breweries. For the first
offering in the series, Newcastle turned to its
Edinburgh-based sister brewery, Caledonian.
The result is the dark, delicious Newcastle
Scotch Ale, rich and complex with toffee
notes. Bold yet balanced, the ale will
please lifelong Newcastle fans as well as
more adventurous beer drinkers. 6.4% ABV.
Available through February 2015.
877.411.NAPA
broncowine.com
Facebook.com/Newcastle
SRP: $12
HeinekenUSA.com
WhistlePig Rye
prides itself on being
100 proof, with a
100% rye mashbill
and at least 10
years of age.
TIME TO BUY
RYE
Recen t g r owth spu r t an d
br own goods momen tu m
make r ye a wh iskey to bet on
By ja c k r o b e r tiello
ABOVE: Stills at High West Distillery in
Park City, Utah. High West has been
selling sourced rye while aging their own
Pennsylvania-style version. TOP RIGHT:
Woodford Reserve is known for bourbon, but
a limited-edition rye proved so successful
that they are now adding it to the portfolio.
I
f there were an endangered species act for American spirits, rye certainly
would have qualified for protection at the turn of this century. Down to
only a few brands that were mainly stuck on the periphery of the shelf
or out of the line of sight on the back bar, rye had fallen far from its
pretty perch as arguably the original American spirit. While bourbon had
survived Prohibition and later the vodka craze, rye had slowly but surely
faded from relevance.
ABOVE: Brewer John Maier of Rogue Ales &
Spirits oversees rye grown on Rogue’s own
Oregon farm. RIGHT: Beam Suntory is boosting
Jim Beam Rye to 90 proof and giving it a fresh look.
But since its lowest point, rye has
come roaring back, growing by double
digits each year for the past few and up
more than 35% in the 52 weeks through
October 2014 according to recent figures,
building on numerous trends that have
created the perfect climate for the
American spirit more closely associated
with Maryland and Pennsylvania than
Kentucky.
Of those trends, the return of classic
cocktails in which rye often plays a
prominent role has been most important.
Manhattans and Old Fashioneds aside,
the international American whiskey
boom has returned focus to authentic
styles of bourbons and ryes alike. And
finally, contributing is the contemporary
craving for authentic products with real
stories and the concurrent surge of microdistillers, who in many cases are working
with rye (or selling rye made elsewhere,
or both).
Even Canadian whisky makers,
who have lagged behind their U.S.
counterparts in featuring rye as a key
component of their wares, have gotten
into the mix. Pernod Ricard has in the
past year or so started to push J.P. Wiser’s
Rye, with smaller brands Lot 40 Pot
Still Rye and Pike Creek also receiving
attention. Canada has already been the
source of two of the minor success stories
in the category: WhistlePig and Lock,
Stock & Barrel.
(Different rules in the two countries
can create confusion, however; while in
this country, to be called a rye a product
must be at least 51% made from that
grain, Canadian rules are less bothersome
and allow almost any product containing
some rye to be called “rye.”)
Not to be outdone, Kentucky is
starting to sink its teeth deeper than ever
into rye. Rye is a big reason, for instance,
why Michter’s is building two new
distilleries. Also notable on the horizon
is Brown-Forman’s Woodford Reserve
Rye, a follow-up to a limited edition from
a few years ago that will join the flagship
brand as the first permanent line
extension.
Hot Both On- & Off-Premise
While most brand reps say sales of rye
skew higher on-premise than average,
retailers are also reporting growth. “There
has certainly been an increase of rye
enthusiasts,” says Erin Robertie, liquor
department manager at the 35,000 square
foot Hazel’s Beverage World in Boulder,
CO. “It spans from cocktail geeks to grain
experimentalists. We have a handful of
customers that only shop for ryes.” She
acknowledges the cocktail craze as a
contributing factor, but also points out
that rye’s drier, more spicy flavor profile
fits a trend away from sweeter drinks.
Robertie also credits the limitededition ryes—specifically those from
Buffalo Trace including their Antique
Collection brands Thomas H. Handy
and Sazerac 18—for “catapulting
the category into the forefront
Bulleit Rye was
launched in 2011,
of whiskey drinkers,” as well as
building on both the
making room for other limited
bourbon brand’s
growing popularity and
expressions like Willet Rye 7-9
the increasing interest in
Year and Angel’s Envy Rye.
its cousin spirit.
Those ryes have limited
availability, but even the big
distillers have been having a hard
time filling their orders until recently.
Heaven Hill’s Pikesville Rye has been
“on sabbatical” while stocks were brought
up to par; and the distiller struggled to
fill orders for their Rittenhouse Rye, a
100-proof brand that was in the forefront
of the return to rye, says Director of
Corporate Communications Larry Kass.
“We’re finally now starting to get caught up.
time to buy rye
Some credit limited-edition ryes with
propelling interest; but even big distillers
have been challenged to keep up with
demand on their basic rye whiskies.
This is the first year in a while that we’ve
been able to make new placements and get
our inventory and stocks in line,” says Kass.
Wild Turkey found itself in a
similar bind, says Andrew Floor, Senior
Marketing Director for Brown Spirits
for brand owner Campari. When finding
itself short of the benchmark Wild Turkey
101 Rye, the company introduced Wild
Turkey 81 Rye, which, while it garnered
many new fans for the whiskey style, also
alienated numerous bartenders, who
created a Facebook page seeking 101’s
return. Well, the company listened—and
has reintroduced 101 in a highly allocated
version for bar use, with plans to expand
distribution next year.
Similar issues plagued Campari’s
Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Old Rye. “When
demand took off, we just didn’t have the
liquid,” says Floor. “It’s even harder when
you have an age statement whiskey. We
went through a significant period of outof-stocks and we suffered some because of
it. But we’ve gone through our year of pain
and rye supplies are loosening up, and I
have to assume the other major distillers
have gone through a similar process.”
Midwest Brown Gold?
Much of the rye gap has been filled with
spirit coming from the giant former Seagrams distillery now called MGP of Indiana,
which has supplied numerous brands, like
Bulleit and High West among many others.
High West has used their share to create
unique expressions, like Rendezvous and
Bourye, as a bridge until the day their aged
whiskey is ready for release.
A recent piece about MGP as an
unpublicized source highlighted what
many in the industry already knew, but
also called into question the lack of
transparency in marketing of numerous
brands. David King, president of Anchor
Distilling, maker of pioneering brand Old
Potrero, says that going forward, brand
owners will need to be more forthright,
LEFT: Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell,
seen here inspecting barrels, makes a Russell’s
Reserve 6 Year Old Rye whose demand has
been outstripping supply. RIGHT: High West in
Park City is the world’s only ski-in distillery and
gastro-saloon.
especially as the rye volume growth slows
naturally as more liquid is made available,
but prices also rise. Anchor has been
gradually increasing the amount of Old
Potrero made each year but King says he
believes he could sell out “ten times more
than that” at this point.
Campari’s Andrew Floor points out
MGP’s importance in the overall rye
resurgence: “Without [them], rye might
not have got the traction it did. Even
with our quite sophisticated forecasting
we were caught by surprise, as were other
producers. It would have been really
tough for this segment if there wasn’t
another source of liquid.”
Jockeying for Market Position
Not all distillers were caught short; the
three Beam Suntory ryes—Jim Beam,
Old Overholt and Knob Creek Rye—
are growing double digits and ready for
more. The company plans to repackage
Beam Rye, boosting it to 90 proof in
response to bartenders’ request for more
potency for their cocktails, says Chris
Bauder, General Manager of Whiskies at
Beam Suntory.
LEFT: Amber waves
of rye at WhistlePig in
Shoreham, VT; the brand
launched using Canadian
grain, but is transitioning
to homegrown rye.
RIGHT: a fermentation
brews at Woodford
Reserve.
Bartenders and retailers have been
seeking single-barrel ryes from the
company, and being able to make that
happen is an advantage Bauder sees larger
distillers having: “If you’re not producing
your own, obviously you can’t do that.”
Other distillers, once supply has been
balanced, have new ideas as well. “We’re
always looking and planning,” says Kass.
“It was all we could do to keep up with
demand here over the past four or five
years, but we’ve been able to squirrel away
some and we’ll be releasing a few older
ryes in the next few years.”
David Perkins, proprietor of High
West, has been selling sourced rye they
tweak while he ages his own Pennsylvaniastyle 100% rye whiskey, a style he likes
for the flavor and its connection with
American distilling heritage. He has
sourced from MGP and Barton Distillery,
rye w hi s k ey
and admits half his payroll is supported by
those sourced products. High West now
sells its own unaged rye made in Park City,
Utah, and will be opening a new distillery
nearby soon.
Overall, Kass likens the sudden rye
explosion to a microcosm of the American
whiskey boom, but thinks the fly-by-night
brands will end up caught out. “Rye has
gone through an accelerated growth spurt
in six years or so, but there’s a whole lot
more sophisticated consumer out there
now,” he says. “You can’t bring a label
out anymore and expect that people are
blindly going to try it. You have to have a
story that’s airtight and true.”
One well-established brand positioned
to tap in to rye’s growing popularity is Michter’s. According to local lore, rye whiskey
made by the company that would ultimately be known as Michter’s was the personal
choice of General George Washington to
fortify his troops during the brutal Valley
Forge winter. Complementing that unique
backstory, the modern Michter’s Rye has a
great hook: every bottle of the 84.8 proof
liquid comes from a single barrel.
Craft bottlings are a wild card to
consider in the rye equation. Rye, with its
spicy character, has carved itself an image
as bourbon’s cooler cousin, perfect for
classic cocktails and budding connoisseurs.
Small distiller successes include FEW and
Koval, both made in the Chicago area; and
Tennessee’s Corsair whose Ryemaggedon is
only one of their many explorational grain
whiskies. A brand new craft entry to watch
is Rogue Farms Oregon Rye Whiskey,
made start to finish on a single farm, used a
strain of “Dream” rye apparently so special
that Rogue trademarked it; 374 cases were
released in December. n
THE GRAPES, THE PLACES, THE WINES
BY JEFFERY LINDENMUTH
M
any American wine lovers already
relish the taste of Garnacha
—even if they don’t realize it.
This widely planted grape has
been prized in the Mediterranean for centuries,
appearing in both its red and white varieties
in the regal wines of France’s Châteauneuf-duPâpe (where is goes by the name Grenache),
the stylish reds of Spain’s Priorat and in the
fashionable dark reds of Sardinia, where it is
known as Cannonau. However, because most of
these wines include Garnacha as part of a blend,
the grape has remained largely anonymous to the
many wine drinkers who have enjoyed it.
This is about to change: varietal Garnacha
wines are gaining traction in the grape’s Spanish
homeland of the Ebro River Valley and are
beginning to enter the world stage, where they
hold special appeal for an audience thirsting for
affordable, and characterful, wines.
WinesOfGarnacha.com
facebook.com/winesofgarnacha
Garnacha’s origin can be traced to Aragón, in
northern Spain, which is currently home to some
of the grape’s best varietally labeled expressions.
Opposite page, top, and above: vineyards
thriving in Campo de Borja. Garnacha vines in
Spain are often pruned in low bushes, to better
withstand relentless wind. Opposite page, bottom:
Somontano, one of Spain’s five PDOs specializing
in Garnacha.
FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN BY NATURE
The places where Garnacha prospers are
evolved from a confluence of climate
and history. Botanical evidence strongly
suggests the grape originated in Spain’s
northeastern region of Aragón and
spread with the expansion of the empire
of the Crown of Aragon through the
14th and 15th centuries to occupy Spain’s
Catalonia, the Roussillon of southern
France, Sardinia and parts of Greece.
The fact that Garnacha is still grown
here today is a credit to its unique
adaptation to these warmest areas of the
Mediterranean, and Garnacha’s ability
to produce quality wines, even where
other grapes might struggle.
While Garnacha has spread to the
New World, most notably to Paso Robles
and the Central Coast in California;
and to Australia, where it’s frequently
undercover as the “G” in Australia’s
red “GSM” blends, the Mediterranean
remains home: a full 97% of the world’s
Garnacha plantings are in Europe and
North Africa. France leads the world
in total acres of both red and white
Garnacha, followed closely by Spain.
Here, in the Ebro River
Valley
Barcelona
SPAIN
(homeland of Spanish Garnacha), vines
PORTUGAL
are generally trained in low bushes,
giving Garnacha the fortitude to endure
relentless winds like the Cierzo and the
Summer heat. In fact, poor soils and low
rainfalls constrain the yields, favoring
healthy ripeness at the same time. And,
FRANCE
ITALY
Barcelona
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
D.O. Somontano
Ebro River
D.O. Campo de Borja
D.O. Cariñena
D.O. Calatayud
D.O. Terra Alta
Aragón
D.O. Somontano
D.O. Campo de Borja
D.O. Cariñena
D.O. Calatayud
D.O. Terra Alta
Aragón
Catalonia
Catalonia
twitter.com/winesofgarnacha
because Garnacha buds early
and ripens
late, it demands a long growing seasons,
precisely like that found in the hot, dry
regions of Spain.
It is fitting that the Spanish birthplace
of Garnacha is now poised to introduce
this wine to the world in its purest form,
as a varietal wine. The five Protected
Designations of Origin (PDOs) located
ITALY
in the area where Garnacha originated—
Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Cariñena,
Somontano and Terra Alta—are focused
on representing Garnacha as a varietal
wine, including red, rosé and white wine
interpretations. As part of the European
Union Protected Designations of Origin,
these wines carry a guarantee of their
provenance and quality, with their
regional names protected by law. For their
part, each PDO must adhere to strict
standards, designed to assure consumers
that the wines are from the specified area
and crafted to consistent high quality.
The most fundamental standard for
Garnacha explorers to recognize is that
these Garnacha varietal wines, whether
red, white or rosé, are guaranteed to
include a minimum of 85% of the
Garnacha grape.
NEW RESPECT FOR
AN OLD VARIETY
Of course, the quality revolution in these
Spanish PDOs is not as simple as just
increasing the proportion of Garnacha
in the bottle. Garnacha was traditionally
blended to account for some of the
grape’s inherent challenges, including
high alcohol, the potential to oxidize,
and the propensity to produce thin or
unimpressive wines when permitted to
overproduce. Only by applying modern
science with regard to viticulture and
winemaking, and electing to pursue
quality over quantity, have these
regions succeeded in making worldclass varietal wines from Garnacha.
“The old farmers were incredibly
smart with their methods, and able to
keep 100-year-old vines healthy and
producing,” explains Ignacio Martínez
de Albornoz, Secretary of Garnacha
Origen Association. “However, they
did not have the technology to produce
cold fermentations and maceration, or
to choose the best planting sites and
integrate quality barrels. By combining
modernization with our traditions, these
regions are succeeding in the challenge of
producing monovarietal Garnacha wines
of great character and concentration.”
Varietal Garnacha holds special
intrigue for inquisitive wine lovers given
the grape’s ability to reflect its origin. “It
is the Pinot Noir of the south, because
it really captures a lot of the terroir. It
is a great deal of fun to sample several
of these wines, because you absolutely
can tell which PDO each comes from,”
says Martínez de Albornoz. Each PDO
tells a story of sun and soil, people and
practice—one might say they represent
five faces of Garnacha.
With the goal of raising consumer awareness,
the Wines of Garnacha campaign, jointly funded
by the PDOs, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Environment and the European
Union, focuses on Garnacha and Grenache
education through in-store tastings, social media
campaigns and consumer events.
Calatayud
Looking across the Spanish PDOs
dedicated to varietal Garnacha, the rugged
and high-altitude Calatayud, established in
1989, is renowned for producing Garnacha
grapes with thick black skins that yield rich
and sappy reds of good concentration that
require no help from other grape varieties.
The robust flavors in these Garnacha wines
are joined by refreshing acidity, preserved
by cool nights that counterbalance the hot
days and also result in some of the latest
harvest dates in the whole of Europe.
With many small parcels of old vines, the
tradition of hand-harvesting, characteristic
of many fine wines, remains strong in
Calatayud, with its soils of red and white
clay, quartz, limestone and slate.
Campo de Borja
The self-proclaimed “Empire of Garnacha,”
Campo de Borja is perhaps the best-known
of the Aragón PDOs among U.S. wine
lovers given the success of some of the
large cooperative wines in the U.S. The
region was the first to pursue the concept
of modern varietal Garnacha wines, a wise
choice given a majority of vines here are
Garnacha, with 50% of them between 10
and 50 years old. Astonishingly, the oldest
vineyards of the region date back to 1145.
It is fitting that the
Spanish birthplace
of Garnacha is now
poised to introduce
this wine to the world
in its purest form, as a varietal wine.
Thanks to variations in altitude, three
distinct Garnacha expressions exist within
this single PDO The lower elevation
wines, found primarily on dark limestone
soils, are potent and aromatic; the highest
altitude wines in the foothills of the
Moncayo mountains are more elegant
and subtle. Between the two are vineyards
of 450 to 550 meters elevation, with this
middle ground producing complex, fleshy
and intense wines.
Cariñena
Created in 1932, Cariñena is the oldest
PDO in the region of Aragon and among
the oldest protected growing areas of
Europe. Cariñena is also the largest of
the PDOs, with 1,600 growers joining to
THE EMPIRE OF GARNACHA
CAMPAIGN FINANCED
WITH AID FROM THE
EUROPEAN UNION
AND SPAIN
GARNACHA REVEALED
make it one of Spain’s important wine
exporting regions. While Cariñena lends
its name to the Carignan grape, Garnacha
actually accounts for 31% of production,
contributing to both rosé and red wines.
For the latter, whole grape fermentation
and carbonic maceration a hallmark of the
wines, resulting young reds in a fresh and
fruity style. Among the significant trends
in Cariñena is the emergence of smaller
estate producers in a region that was
traditionally dominated by cooperatives.
Somontano
PDO Somontano currently has only a small
investment in Garnacha, accounting for
about 5% of the vineyards. However, the
region expects to double plantings over the
next few years, reversing a much broader
global trend of removing Garnacha vines in
favor of international varieties. This vision
is in keeping with Somontano’s progressive
and modern approach, traits that are
evident in both the region’s internationalstyle wines with their hip marketing, many
of which are positioned as “luxury” wines.
Vineyards located at 350 to 1,000 meters
above sea level, in the shadow of the
Pyrenees, experience extreme geography
and seasonal temperature swings, which
producers are able to exploit to craft
concentrated Garnacha wines with an eye
toward aging.
Terra Alta
In PDO Terra Alta, historically both red
and white Garnacha have been cultivated.
The latter, in fact, has become a specialty;
Because Garnacha buds early and ripens late, it
demands a long growing seasons, precisely what
is found in hot, dry regions of Spain. The tradition
of pruning in low bushes gives Garnacha the
strength to endure relentless winds, like the Cierzo
and Garbinada in Spain and the Mistral in France.
Mastery of Garnacha in the vineyard—which is
manifested in many old-vine parcels still healthy
and producing—is now being complemented by
advances in the winery (such as cold fermentations
and maceration, better barrels), resulting in more
control and higher quality.
Terra Alta is responsible for around 80%
of all the white Garnacha in Spain—
representing one-third of the entire world’s
production. The optimal conditions in
Terra Alta are a result of cool winds from
the north and humid breezes coming off the
Mediterranean. Whites display profound
minerality, beyond ripe fruit; rosés are bright
and refreshing; and reds from Terra Alta
compare in intensity and weight to those of
the other Garnacha-focused PDOs.
RIGHT GRAPE, RIGHT TIME
Producers of Garnacha varietal wines are
already finding a warm reception among
American wine consumers. “When
American wine lovers try Garnacha,
they find it well suited to their palate. It is
fruity and fresh, and is just enough outside
the mainstream wines to offer an original
experience,” says Martínez de Albornoz.
While each P.D.O. crafting Garnacha
promises wines of real pedigree and
specific style, in broad terms consumers
can expect red Garnacha to offer ripe,
aromatic and fruity wines, redolent of red
fruit and spices. Given red Garnacha’s
thinner skins, these wines are generally
fruit forward, lush and soft on the palate,
with sweetness, acidity and tannins in
good balance.
When crafted as a rosé, red Garnacha
makes a perfect hot-weather wine, with
its aromas of strawberries, roses and an
impression of sweetness. White Garnacha
is especially malleable, and can produce
wines that range from fresh and mineral
to rich and plump.
As an alternative to international red
varieties, Garnacha fulfills an important
role as a superior wine pairing for many
popular foods, according to Martínez de
Albornoz. “The wines go very well with a
lot of ethnic foods. And they go especially
well with barbecue,” he says. Also good for
the consumer, along with Garnacha’s lack
of widespread recognition comes great
value, with Garnacha wines frequently
over-delivering on quality across a range
of price points.
With Garnacha already gaining buzz
among American wine writers, sommeliers
and early adopters, varietal Garnacha
producers are becoming more proactive in
educating the world on this grape, supporting
retailer efforts, through an information
program launched in the United States and
Canada in February 2014.
With so much in its favor, Martínez
de Albornoz is convinced that education
is the missing ingredient to build wider
appreciation for red and white Garnacha,
bringing new notoriety to this unsung
grape. “People did not always realize they
were drinking Garnacha. With the rise of
varietal Garnacha wines we aim to ensure
they know exactly what they are drinking,
because one thing we are sure of already:
they will love it!” ■
‘G’WORD
THE
SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT GARNACHA IS VITAL—AND MORE TIMELY THAN EVER
BY JEFF SIEGEL
A
ndy Abramson has been
involved with the Garnacha
grape in most of its various
forms and names for years, both
as a wine professional and as its unofficial
U.S. ambassador, fighting the good fight to
help it gain increased recognition.
But even he was surprised by what
happened one day last fall.
That’s when, during the fifth annual
International Garnacha Day in September,
Abramson noticed that a picture with the
event’s logo kept showing up on Twitter.
In fact, the hashtag #garnachaday reached
the top 10 on Twitter that day.
“The moment I saw others retweeting
the Times Square Grenache.Me logo,” he
says, “I knew we had arrived.”
And why not? Garnacha—or Grenache
or even Cannonau, yet another of its
names—is ready for prime time. It’s foodfriendly, almost always well-made, and a
value at almost all price points. What more
can a wine drinker want?
GETTING THE WORD OUT
A fact obscured by its multiple names:
As recently as 1990, Garnacha was the
mostly widely-planted red varietal in
the world. Plus, it is incredibly versatile,
so it can show up in everything from a
Texas GSM to a powerful Australian
blend to a California single varietal to a
Spanish critical rave to France’s legendary
Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe. So why has it been
so little-known for so long?
“The best-known grapes from the
best-known regions have gotten most
of the attention,” says Alfonso Cevola,
CSW, the Italian Wine Director for
Glazer’s in Dallas. “But that doesn’t mean
that Garnacha doesn’t deserve attention.”
In fact, that versatility has often worked
against the grape. Sometimes in wine, it’s
better for a varietal’s image if it excels at
just one or two things, like Chardonnay,
instead of doing so well at so many. It’s less
confusing, at the very least. Bordeaux is
Cabernet and Merlot, Burgundy is Pinot
Noir, Shiraz is the Barrossa Valley. But
Garnacha is here and there and everywhere.
“For the longest time, there were
under-the-radar regions for wine, and not
enough people paid enough attention
to them,” says John Paul Kaminga, the
wine manager for Blanchards Liquors in
Allston, MA. “And so the wines were not
appreciated by importers to this country.”
That lack of attention started to change
about a decade ago, says Brad Lewis, the fine
wine buyer at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits,
with locations throughout Florida.
“It’s like the light bulb has gone off for
Garnacha,” he says. “You’re seeing a lot
of good importers getting into it, and it
has been a good category for us and we’ve
done good business with it.”
TASTE FOR ADVENTURE
This timing couldn’t have been better for
the grape, as Generation X and Millennials
become more influential in the wine
marketplace. And in studies like this one,
from the Mid-Market Pulse consultancy,
these two groups, and especially the latter,
are redefining how consumers decide what
wine to buy. Notes a 2014 Mid-Market
report: “With their taste for adventure,
and complete disregard for tradition,
Millennials are choosing wines based on
their stories—how they were made and
what makes them unique—instead of
their reputations... Millennials purchase
more imported wines, are willing to try
new wines from lesser known regions
and producers, and are more open
to new experience.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Campo de Borja is perhaps
the best-known of the Aragón PDOs among U.S.
wine lovers given the success of some of the
large cooperative wines in the U.S. The region
was the first to pursue the concept of modern
varietal Garnacha wines, a majority of vines here
are Garnacha, with 50% of them between 10 and
50 years old.
That description has “Garnacha”
written between every line. Indeed, the
wine’s selling points spring authentically
from its character, not from marketing
bells and whistles:
Value proposition. “The value
has always been really good,” says
ABC’s Lewis. “You can find a $10
or $12 wine that might cost $20 or
$30 from another region made with
another varietal. That’s because the
cost of real estate is often less. These
are older vineyards that have long
ago been paid for.”
Food-friendly. Garnacha’s combination of fruitiness (red fruits like
cherry), moderate acidity, typically light tannins and minimal oak
means it pairs with a variety of food,
from casual mid-week roast chicken
to late-night pizza to something even
fancier, as well as grilled meats barbecue and cheese and charcuterie.
White Garnacha—generally defined
by its plump, rounded texture, with
an impression of oiliness, richness
and spice—checks in on the robust
side of the white wine spectrum; for
food matches, think shellfish, seared
or grilled tuna, paella, risotto, cheeses and charcuterie
Sense of discovery. “There’s no
simple way to sum up the wines,”
says Kaminga. Traditionally, Spanish
Garnachas tend to be richer and
higher in alcohol, while the French
Grenache used in the Rhône can
be almost elegant. But so much is
going on that that tradition is a base
to build on and not a hard and fast
rule. A California Grenache, for
example, can be fruit-forward and
almost crisp. And don’t overlook
Grenacha-based
rosés,
which
combine red wine’s fruitiness with
white wine’s freshness.
No matter how many advantages you
can tick off for Garnacha, the fact that
it performs well in the most important
context of all—taste—is key. Simply
put: when consumers get a chance to
meet Garnacha, there’s an excellent
chance they will like what they taste.
Says Lewis: “That has worked for us. It
gives consumers the opportunity to see
that this is a different animal, and what
they find when they taste the wine is
that it goes over really well. It’s got that
bright cherry fruit that so many wine
drinkers really love.”
In this, retailers have an opportunity,
says Abramson, to connect with their
customers. “Garnacha is the kind of
wine that retailers can sell that isn’t
the same old safe thing that they always
carry,” he says. “It isn’t like selling the
same seven kinds of Chardonnay and
Cabernet. And once they give their
customers the opportunity to taste
Grenache and discover how really
diverse it is, they’ll come back for more.
And it doesn’t matter if they’re a wine
geek or a neophyte—there is something
for everyone, from $6 to $60.”
With enthusiasm like that, it may
be no time at all before Garnacha
resumes its place at the world’s mostplanted grape. ■
For more information, visit:
#GarnachaDay 2015 is set for September 18th
KEYS TO GARNACHA
Many of Garnacha’s most important
qualities are well-suited to
today’s American wine drinkers.
Communicating these qualities are
key to turning a lesser-known wine
into a fresh discovery.
Among Old World wines, Spanish
Garnacha is recognized as having a
generously fruity (rather than earthy)
profile, highlighted by bright cherry,
which puts the wine right on target
with fans of fruit-forward wines.
One prime reason Garnacha is not as
well-known as grapes like Cabernet,
Merlot and Chardonnay is that it
plays so well with other grapes; it
is frequently blended with other
“Rhône” grapes, especially Syrah and
Mourvedre, and often does not appear
on the label.
Garnacha is the ultimate Mediterranean
grape, having spread from northern
Spain into France and Italy. The rugged
soils, low rainfall and beneficial winds
of Spain’s Ebro Valley, in particular,
result in lower yields and higher disease
resistance than French regions growing
Grenache. This terroir is a prime reason
why the PDOs of Spain are succeeding
in making varietal Garnacha wines.
The quality of varietal Garnacha
wines has risen dramatically in recent
decades as technology and techniques
in the winery have caught up with
wisdom in the vineyard, passed down
for generation by savvy growers who
have mastered how best to train, prune
and monitor vines through the season’s
growing cycle.
Garnacha wines cover a wide price
spectrum; less expensive examples
tend to be styled for easy, early
drinking while higher-priced ones
display more structure and ageability.
CRYSTAL
BALL
2015
INDUSTRY VETERANS PEER INTO THE NEAR-ISH FUTURE
BY ROGER MORRIS
S
eems like ages ago that people were worrying about the advent of
the Millennium bug, and that the bursting of the dotcom bubble had
tarnished the prospect of the Internet as a hub for business transactions.
Of course, those were also the days when cell phones were only used as a
temporary communications device until we got back to our land lines.
The alcoholic beverage industry has
also changed rapidly during those 15
years—in terms of what brands we sell,
how we sell them, how we price them
and who buys them.
So what comes next? We asked a
cross-section of industry experts what they
saw in their crystal balls for 2015 —what
trends would accelerate and which ones
are in danger. Here are their thoughts.
TECHNOLOGY
➤ OUR FOCUS WILL TURN
FROM MILLENNIALS TOWARD….
“Of interest for 2015 is that by the
end of the year, every person defined
as a Millennial will be of legal
drinking age. In January of 2016, we’ll
all be talking about the ‘iGeneration’
and whether they will become wine
drinkers. Stay tuned for that.”
– John Gillespie, Wine Market Council
➤ TECH WILL HAVE A
HUMANIZING IMPACT.
“The younger generation sits at the
bar with a drink in one hand and a
cell phone in the other. They can
Google anything at the bar and get
information. They want to be talked
to, not talked at. They want stories.”
– Norman Bonchick, Van Gogh Imports
SPIRITS
➤ WATCH CRAFT DISTILLERS FOR
LEADING INDICATORS.
➤ DEVICES WILL EXPAND AS
PRIMARY INFORMATION CHANNELS.
“The impact of mobile devices and
tablets for receiving and communicating wine information will continue to increase mainly in areas of
accessibility [‘Help me get information where I am…’] and immediacy
[‘Give it to me now’].”
– Michael Mondavi,
Michael Mondavi Family businesses
➤ MOBILE OR BUST?
“Word of mouth isn’t word of mouth
any more. The only way you can
reach the younger demographics is on
their smart phone.”
– David Moore,
Moore Brothers retail wine stores
“Big producers will be forced to
consider the small producers more
seriously, and not only as competition,
but also as a low-cost means to test
products before launching.”
– Ralph Erenzo, Tuthilltown Spirits
➤ NEXT UP IN CRAFT?
“Applejack will be reinvented, and a
whole palette of flavors will spread out
with brandy and eau-de-vies.”
– William Owens,
American Distilling Institute
[He cautions, however, that shortages
may slow craft spirits expansion:
Orders for premium stills are taking a
year or more to fill; aging barrels from
American oak are on back order; and
most aged bulk whiskey for blending
has been bought up.]
UPSCALE WINE WILL CONTINUE TO PROSPER.
CABERNET REMAINS THE #1 RED VARIETY OVERALL
IN THE U.S., AND OVER $20 WILL CONTINUE TO
RETAIN A DOMINANT PRESENCE ON RETAILER
SHELVES. - MICHAEL MONDAVI
➤ WHERE IS VODKA HEADED?
➤ THE SPIRITS MARKET
IS NEARING SATURATION.
“In the last two years, there have been
1,500 new spirits products or product
extensions. People are risking a lot of
money because the market can’t absorb
that. The bar isn’t getting any longer.”
– Norman Bonchick
“It’s great that someone wants to sit
down and savor a craft rye. But instant
gratification is part of going out and
having a good time, and vodka
provides that.”
– Norman Bonchick
WINE
BRING POSITIVE CHANGES
TO RURAL AMERICA.
“In addition to increased tax revenues,
craft production will create an increase
in rural employment opportunities,
new markets for small farmers and
blossoming of tourism activity.”
– Ralph Erenzo
➤ CRAFT SPIRITS WILL PROSPER…
AND BE GOBBLED UP.
“As with craft beers, entrepreneurial
craft spirits will continue their retaildriven growth, with many inevitably
being acquisition targets by the
established distillers.”
– Peter Morrell, industry consultant,
former CEO, Morrell and Co
“Our business is unusual in that
respect. You don’t see the president of
GM going out to meet customers.”
– Brian Larky,
Dalla Terra Winery Direct
➤ PROVENANCE WILL BE
MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER.
“American drinkers want to know
where their wines come from,
whether it’s Cabernet Sauvignon from
Diamond Mountain, Chardonnay
from Dry Creek or Champagne from
only Champagne.”
– Sam Heitner, Champagne Bureau US
➤ STOCK IS RISING FOR SMALLER
CHAMPAGNE PRODUCERS.
➤ CRAFT DISTILLING WILL
➤ TIES BETWEEN WINERIES AND
CONSUMERS WILL CONTINUE TO
GET CLOSER AS MORE WINEMAKERS
SERVE AS BRAND AMBASSADORS.
“Any major restaurant will have a
selection of grower Champagnes on
its wine menu these days to be taken
seriously. Just having Dom Perignon
won’t cut it anymore.”
– David Moore
➤ GREEN WILL GAIN
MOMENTUM.
“‘Organic’ and ‘sustainable’ will continue to
gather more momentum
as quality signifiers,
despite the fact that they
are in and of themselves
pretty empty of meaning. Biodynamic
certification, I believe, carries far
more gravitas, and ‘dry-farmed’ will
also, I predict, carry a strong qualitative connotation.”
– Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard
➤ THERE WILL BE A PUSHBACK (FINALLY)
AGAINST HIGH-ALCOHOL WINE.
“It may be too early to predict this
with certainty, but there has to be
a backlash against all of the highalcohol Napa Valley Cabernets.”
– Randall Grahm
➤ CLASSIC APERITIFS
ARE COMING BACK.
“In the most-sophisticated U.S.
urban markets, French and Italian
aperitifs will see greater opportunities,
especially when driven by on-premise
somms and cocktail gurus. More and
more, Campari, Lillet Blonde and
Punt e Mes will find their [justified]
place in home bars.”
– Peter Morrell
➤ THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE BIG GUYS
AND LITTLE GUYS WILL GROW.
“The growth of direct-to-consumer
sales both from wineries and Internet
sources is very impressive, even if from
a small base. Most industry observers
expect this growth to continue.”
“Consolidation at the top will continue to serve consumers who just
want something affordable and good
to drink, while the small producer
and distributor will rely more on personal relations with consumers who
want to know the story behind what
they are drinking.”
– John Gillespie
– Brian Larky
➤ DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER
WINE SALES WILL EXPAND.
b ra n d p r of i le
sister act
r ob i n & a n d r Éa Mc Bri d e F i nd
T h e i r Way with T ru v ée
By jeffery lindenmuth
R
obin and Andréa McBride
are a marketer’s dream—
two charismatic sisters with
contagious smiles and a
remarkable connected-as-adults life story.
But more importantly, they are also a wine
lover’s dream: a talented duo dedicated to
offering great value on a grand scale with
Truvée, their new partnership with
Diageo, launched on January 1st, 2015.
Born nine years apart in Los Angeles,
the McBride sisters were raised in wine
country—two of them, in fact. Robin,
the older, grew up in Monterey, CA,
unaware of her sister Andréa living in
Marlborough, New Zealand, where her
uncle was a grape farmer. “I got exposed to
grape growing from a young age, but more
in the form of free labor than anything
else,” quips Andréa.
The first time Robin found out about
Andréa was when their father phoned
Robin, introduced himself and told her
she had a sister in New Zealand, a doubly
shocking revelation for an 11-year-old
girl. However, it was a search campaign
mounted in New Zealand in 1994 that
ultimately brought the sisters face to face
in 1999. “This was before Facebook. They
sent out billions of letters to everybody
with my name and eventually one got to
me,” says Robin.
According to Andréa, each sister
had incubated ideas about working with
wine as a young woman, and she soon
chose to return to the U.S. to be nearer
to Robin and pursue their dream. With
an unshakeable belief that anything was
possible, the McBride sisters began by
importing and distributing wines, before
moving to a negociant model for the
successful launch of the New Zealand
wine eco.love in 2010.
“We did not start out inheriting
vineyards, but that did not stop us from
dreaming big,” says Robin. “So we looked
at the winemaking model that best fit
us and that was as modern negociants.”
In applying that experience to Truvée,
(derived from the French trouver, “to
find”), they are able to cherry-pick
from Diageo’s extensive Central
Coast holdings in collaboration with
winemaker Monica Belavic (Sterling
Vintner’s Collection).
crisp with a kiss of French oak, while the
red blend of Grenache, Syrah, Merlot and
Zindandel is ripe and velvety.
Aiming for Elegance
The Truvée package evokes a certain
With a varietal Chardonnay and a Red
elegance and feminine flair, but the
Blend, priced at SRP of $15.99, Truvée
brand is not expressly female in the way
aims for “elegant, finely balanced wines
of some competitors. Truvée may hold
that aren't heavy handed and express
special appeal for women, Millennials
individuality,” says Andréa. “I see Truvée
and multicultural consumers, but it’s
bridging the Old World and New World
careful not to be exclusive. “It is a wine
—unique wines that showcase finesse from
made by women, but Truvée is rated E for
some of the best locations on the Central
everyone,” says Andréa.
Coast. We are motivated to create wines
Diageo is lending serious muscle in
that people can fall in love with for the
promoting Truvée, boasting a spend that is
rest of their lives,” she says, adding both
three times that of other wine innovation
wines are 13.5% ABV and very foodlaunches, but the McBride sisters are the
friendly. The Chardonnay is clean and
real-life face of Truvée and hands-on in
every aspect. At mcbridesisters.com they
share their opinions on wine, world travel,
craft cocktails, sampling rosé beer and
leather pants, lending to Truvée a depth
of authenticity and emotional connection
that is rare among wine brands.
But then again, the McBride sisters
are accustomed to standing out from the
crowd. “When we are in a conference
room full of wine people, we stick
out like a sore thumb,” says
Andréa. “It sparks interest,
Sisters Robin (left)
which is great, but people
and Andréa both grew
up in wine country
soon find we are most inter—but in separate
ested in talking the integrity
hemispheres; they
met for the first time
of our wines.” n
in 1999.
Contact your Diageo Chateau & Estate Wine
sales rep for more info and to order
BA RTA L K
FORGING AHEAD
MAT THEW CONWAY, BEVERAGE DIRECTOR,
RESTAURANT MARC FORGIONE, NYC
BY ALIA AKKAM
T
he seasonal cocktail program that
sommelier Matthew Conway
has assembled at Restaurant
Marc Forgione, in New York’s
Tribeca neighborhood, is a compelling
complement to both the thoughtful wine
list and the acclaimed chef’s cuisine.
MC: An enormous percentage of our bar
sales—70—comes from the specialty
cocktails. We probably sell four martinis
and a dozen gin or vodka tonics a week. At
other restaurants, fine or casual, classics
like these, as well as Manhattans and Old
Fashioneds, are popular calls. Not here.
THE BEVERAGE NETWORK:
Just like the food, the use of
fresh ingredients is one of the
cornerstones of your beverage
program. Now that we’re in the throes
of winter, does that up the ante?
TBN: Why is that?
MATTHEW CONWAY: Winter is the hardest
season because it’s the one dominated
by citrus, when we transition to Meyer
lemon and blood orange and use stuff like
pomegranate and hibiscus. We don’t ever
like to duplicate drinks on the menu, and
that becomes more challenging when we
have limited seasonal fruits to work with.
TBN: The way diners like to eat has
changed considerably. How has the
bar scene shifted as a result?
MC: It’s harder to get a table in the dining
room, so more people are eating at the
bar. You can drink a bottle of wine to close
a deal here, get snacks and cocktails, or
order a full-blown meal. Some people
really like this casual aspect and we have
a lot of bar regulars as a result.
TBN: The cocktail list certainly takes
cues from the kitchen. Are they a hit
with customers?
MC: We list our cocktails only by the
spirit—never by a cheeky name or a
brand or even mention how the drink
is served. Very early on, Marc wanted it
to be a cocktail program that was built
around the flavor profiles of spirits—the
sweetness of rum, the smokiness of
tequila and the botanicals of gin—not
ingredients that masked them. When
people see the menu, it’s usually the
combination of the spirit and whatever
the second ingredient listed is that drives
their decision, like reposado tequila and
concord grapes.
TBN: Does this somewhat mysterious
menu provoke many questions from
patrons?
MC: I’m surprised we don’t get more. If the
pairing of rye and quince catches their eye,
they’ll order it. Even if it’s something they’re
not expecting, the generic description
creates pleasure and excitement.
TBN: Beyond an unconventional menu
approach, why else do you think the
drinks have become so popular here?
MC: Because of the reputation of the
program and our presentation. Right
now we have 15 different glasses, from
single rocks to double rocks to Sazerac.
People see other people drinking around
them, and whether it’s something in a
flute or topped with a flame, they enjoy
it. The next time they come back they
remember this is where they had a great
cocktail. We could do a lot to lower costs
and increase margins, but just like Marc
in the kitchen, it’s not in our nature to use
an inferior product to increase bottom
line. Our sophisticated clientele know we
don’t take shortcuts. Marc is adamant
about using the best ingredients at all
times. Ninety-nine percent of people
might not notice if we use a less superior
quality finishing salt, but Marc would
know, and he wouldn’t allow it to happen.
TBN: How do you find staff equally
committed to creating such an
experience?
MC: I don’t care what your background
is, but you have to be passionate
about being the best. If a guest asks
a server which wine to have with the
pork chop and the server asks for my
recommendation, I always ask for theirs,
because they’ve tasted all the wines,
too. In my head, I might never pair the
Bordeaux with the pork chop, but if they
would it means something to them. That
conviction is better than regurgitating
what I believe. ■
DISTRIBUTED BY INTERBALT: (855)SANTERO OR (301)793.1818
SANTERO FLAVORED MOSCATOS
BJFeature
A Beverage Biz Look Ahead at
the 2015 Legislative Session
By Teddy Durgin
T
he next Maryland General Assembly Session is scheduled to
convene in January, and it will
be one marked by change. Big
change, in fact, as a very large turnover of
elected officials is about to happen. Yes,
indeed, Annapolis is getting an influx of
new faces, not the least of which is Governor-elect Larry Hogan. The Republican
defeated Anthony Brown back in November, running on a platform in which he
promised a new era of hope and bipartisanship in the Old Line State.
Beverage industry interests are hoping
also for a new era of cooperation and recognition of their contributions to Maryland.
The Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association (MSLBA) is poised to be especially
active in tugging the ears of Hogan and others. In a recent interview with the Beverage
Journal, attorney and MSLBA lobbyist Steve
Wise acknowledged, "There is going to be a
'settling in' period. We
have a lot of new legislators. We have a new
governor, and there
will definitely be some
turnover on the various committees that
we deal with. The first
thing we'll be doing is assessing all of that."
MSLBA President David Marberger
concurred, "I think the
number one issue for
our industry in 2015 is
to make inroads with all
of these newly elected
officials. Building relationships and building
them early is the key
component of what
we do. With the turnover that we just saw,
there are a lot of new people that we need to
get to know."
"...reach out and
establish contact
with local legislators.
There are a lot of new
ones, and they may not be
aware of how widespread
the industry is.
Pick up
the phone, and invite them out!"
MSLBA Legislative
Chairman Jack Milani
is personally looking
forward to seeing how
things will be different
with a member of the
GOP occupying the
state's top office. Will
Hogan's Republican roots favor the beverage business? "I would think so," he said. "I
would think that there will be even more
emphasis on the small business person and
what we have to go through. That said, I
think the Legislature is going to drive most
of our issues. That's why it is so important
for our members to get out there and do
some educating."
On the issues side, Wise, Marberger, and
Milani all expressed certainty that there will
again be a push by the larger retailers and
grocery store chains to allow them to sell
beer and wine in the state. "We've always
had that issue to deal with," Wise lamented,
with a bit of a sigh. "But I think it may be
even more prevalent over the next four years.
Now, whether that begins in the first year of
Governor Hogan's term or not, I don't know.
But we fully expect it. . . . Allowing beer and
wine sales in grocery stores? If we can once
again defeat that, I would consider that a
successful year."
Recycling should also be up for further
discussion in 2015. "There are always issues
that fall under the recycling heading, and
we'll deal with them, too" Wise asserted.
"Not a year goes by where we don't see some
activity on the recycling front."
Milani, who has co-owned Monaghan's
Pub in Woodlawn since 1990, pointed out,
"You can do single-stream recycling in businesses now. For years and years, it was the
cardboard dumpsters that you saw. A lot of
folks had them, and a lot of that has evolved
from there. Everyone I know, they're hauling single-stream now. So, we're trying to ed-
Maryland Alcohol Beverage Industry
2015 Opening Day Legislative Reception
1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Governor Calvert House, 58 State Circle, Annapolis
The Alcohol Beverage Industry Opening Day Legislative Reception has always been well attended by
members of the General Assembly, making it a great opportunity to become acquainted or reacquainted
with legislators. Join us in educating legislators about your concerns and your important contributions
to your local community and the state of Maryland (Ticket sales are limited to sponsoring association members1)
Directions, Parking & Shuttle Information For Downtown Annapolis
The City of Annapolis has 4 parking garages:
Noah Hillman Parking Garage – 150 Gorman Street
Gotts Court Parking Garage – 25 Northwest Street
Knighton Parking Garage – 1A Colonial Avenue
Park Place - 5 Park Place
There is a parking fee but the “Circular Trolley” offers free transportation to & from parking garages around the
“Central Business District.”
Parking is also available at the Navy/Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Parking Lot (inter section of Rowe Blvd.
& Taylor Ave., approx. 1 mile from the House & Senate buildings). Directions:
Exit US 50 East or US 50 West at Rowe Blvd. (exit #24) and follow Rowe Blvd. toward downtown Annapolis
Right turn on Taylor Avenue (2nd light)
Turn right into gate 5 entrance of stadium parking lot
In addition to a parking fee, there is a fee for the “Circulator Trolley” and/or shuttles from the Navy Marine Corps
Memorial Stadium to the “Central Business District.”
For additional information Contact:
Annapolis Transportation Dept. (410) 263-7964, www.annapolis.gov/Government/Departments/Transportation.aspx
Pinnacle Parking: (410) 263-7151 Website: www.pinnacleparking.com
Ticket Order Form - 2015 Legislative Reception - $40.00 per person
Ticket sales are limited to sponsoring association members 1
Name(s) _______________________________________________________________________________________
Business ____________________________________________________ Phone (
) _____________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________________________
# of Tickets __________ @ $40.00 per person/ticket = $ __________
Method of Payment (check & complete r elated info.):
_____ Enclosed is a Check in the amount of $ __________
_____ Bill my Credit Card in the amount of $ _________
_____ AX
_____ Discover
_____ MC
_____ Visa
Return Order Form & Payment to:
MSLBA
150 E Main St. , Suite 104
Westminster, MD 21157
For more info. Contact MSLBA
at (800) 921-1381
Credit Card # _______________________________________ Exp. Date ____________
Name _____________________________ Signature _____________________________
1 - Reception Sponsored By: Licensed Beverage Distributors of Maryland, Maryland Beer Wholesalers Association
& Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association
BJFeature
ucate our members that it is cheaper, you'll
definitely save a couple of dollars, and you're
doing the right thing."
For his part, Marberger believes that
minimum wage will be among the potential
hot-button issues the MSLBA and alcohol
industry will have to weigh in on. Marberger, proprietor of Bay Ridge Wine and Spirits
in Annapolis, stated, "I think most of us in
this industry, off-premise anyway, probably
pay our employees a fair wage. I, of course,
can only speak about us here at our location.
But we pay everybody at the new rate as it is."
Milani believes another priority may
end up getting lottery agents, among them
packaged-goods store operators, better compensated. The Arundel Mills Live! casino in
Hanover with all of its fancy slot machines
and other games of chance along with the
recently opened Horseshoe casino in Baltimore have had an impact on these MSLBA
members. "Scratch-offs, Keno, and the other
instant-gratification games are down and are
still trending that way," Milani stated. "It
wasn't a mystery when the casinos opened
that it was going to affect many of our members. We just need to figure out how to get
ATTENTION
ALL LICENSEES!
the lottery agents [better taken care of]."
A lot will depend on which officials will
get tapped to chair which committees in Annapolis. For instance, whoever eventually
heads up the Judicial Proceedings Committee in the state Senate will play a vital role
in what happens with future legislation that
affects the alcohol industry -- legislation like
dram shop liability, which Maryland's highest court rejected by a scant 4-3 margin in the
summer of 2013.
All three men interviewed for this article
agreed that the key is for store, restaurant,
and bar owners and their staffers to get more
involved in the political process. Wise stated, "There is really no better time for readers of the Maryland Beverage Journal to reach
out and establish contact with their local
legislators. There are a lot of new ones, and
they may not be aware of how widespread
the industry is and how many businesses
that relate to the alcohol industry are run in
their districts. Pick up the phone, and invite
them out!"
Milani agreed, "It's about working together to solve issues. I personally would love to
see the chain threat go away. I'd love to see
alcohol distribution handled by Maryland
citizens who live in the community and raise
their families in the community. I think
they are more invested in how things work.
Preserving small business is so important!"
Marberger described the state's beverage
industry as a fabric of small-business owners
who are all Maryland corporations. "We're
the ones here in the shops every single day,
and our perspective on things is a real-life
scenario," he stated. "So, reach out and
shake your elected official's hand and let
them know your perspective. Introduce
yourself. It's truly no different than creating
and building a relationship with your customers. This is an industry of relationships,
and politics is the same way. The more you
gain somebody's trust, the easier it will be to
have those conversations that really matter.
To get somebody who is listening, you not
only have to pick up the phone and say, 'Hey,
this is not right,' you have to also call them
when it's appropriate to say, 'Good job!'"
He concluded, "As with everything, we
just hope our seat at the table is a welcome
seat and people understand the value of what
we bring. We really are where the rubber
hits the road. We're not making decisions
in a boardroom without absolute knowledge
of the inner workings of the systems. We're
the ones out here doing it day in and day out.
And when we say, 'Hey, wait a minute. That
doesn't make 100-percent sense,' it's because
we see it, we feel it, and we touch it on a daily
basis." n
MARYLAND STATE
CERTIFIED
ALCOHOL AWARENESS
COURSES
Not sure who
Weekly classes held throughout the
state or at your place of business
to suit your schedule!
represents you
and your business in
You receive course instructions, a
manual, your certificate, and a
copy of the certification letter
which is immediately forwarded to
your respective liquor board.
Annapolis? Go to
mdelect.net and simply
enter your address.
INDIVIDUAL & GROUP PRICES
REASONABLE
FEE!
You will immediately know
For your appointment
call John Murray at:
who your State Senator and
410 553-8927
State Delgate(s) are.
[email protected]
Certification expires four years from the
date you are certified
in d ust ry eve nt
LEFT: ProWein’s exhibition halls feel full but not overcrowded.
RIGHT: Numerous tasting areas are designed for self-guided analysis.
the greatest
{wine} show on earth
Dy n a m i c , E f f i ci Ent & c o mp rEhEnsivE , proWEin has B EcomE
th E mos t i m p o r tant t r aD E s hoW in thE inD ustry
F
or three days every March,
principals and decision-makers
from every wine region and
market on earth funnel in to
Düsseldorf, Germany, and the trade show
ProWein becomes, practically speaking, the
center of the wine universe. Slated this year
for March 15th-17th, Prowein 2015 will add
a new chapter to its 20-year history, having
become unquestionably the most important
trade show in the wine industry. Since its
inception, the number of exhibitors has
grown 15 times; its number of visitors 30
times; and the occupied space 18 times.
This year, more than 5,000 exhibitors from
around 50 countries are expected, and trade
visitors will top 50,000 (up from 49,030 last
year and 45,168 in 2013).
Many factors have worked in
concert to fuel ProWein’s remarkable
growth, starting with the wine industry
itself, which only in recent decades
exploded in terms of global trade. Add
the fact that ProWein takes place in a
globally convenient city, and at a time
of year when businesses are ramping
up. Comprehensive scope, logistical
efficiency and an optimal environment
for doing business also come into play.
Above all, ProWein is an event by
the trade and for the trade. Besides being
the only annual wine trade fair with the
highest share of foreign participants, it is
open exclusively to people in the industry.
And being in Düsseldorf rather than a
wine region (à la Vinexpo and Vinitaly)
is a palpable advantage: exhibitors and
visitors can concentrate on business,
ensuring a successful experience.
the World under one roof
The remarkable rise of ProWein has no
doubt been empowered by the flexible,
modern Messe Düsseldorf facility. Designed expressly to house trade shows,
the fairgrounds are essentially a campus
of connected halls, enabling ProWein to
grow naturally. The last growth spurt was
for ProWein 2013, when adding two halls
to the original five allowed about 800
more exhibitors. ProWein 2015 marks
another shift, moving from Halls 1-7.1
to Halls 9-17, in response to both longstanding exhibitors requiring more space
and from wine/spirits producers who had
been waitlisted.
Despite the sheer scope of the show,
the modular format makes the scale feel
eminently manageable. Exhibitors are
grouped logically by country of origin,
and the halls are dotted with tasting
and seminar spaces. Further, an online
interactive floor plan and database of
products and exhibitors—searchable
ahead of the show—makes both planning
for the show and navigating the floor as
straightforward as can be.
By fostering an ultra-efficient show
and an all-business atmosphere, ProWein
has become the international stage that
a now-global wine industry needs and
deserves. Michael Degen, Executive
Director Messe Düsseldorf GmbH and
Director for ProWein 2015, notes, “It
is not our goal to expand the show
thoughtlessly, but instead we have our
finger on the pulse of the industry and
create a platform that reflects the industry
and at the same time presents new trends
and ideas.”
Premieres, trends & more
ProWein has become a prime springboard
for new products, particularly new
brands and package designs. Degen adds
that ProWein is traditionally the place
where the Northern hemisphere presents
PhotograPhy courtesy of Messe DÜsselDorf
By W. r. TISH
ProW ei n201 5
To Another Great Year
Attention: New site plan!
15.-17.03.2015
Düsseldorf, Germany
International Trade Fair Wines and Spirits
www.prowein.com
Germany
France
Italy
Spain
Overseas
Portugal
Europe
Austria
Greece
Spirits
Tasting Zone
ProWein Forum
While 5,000 exhibitor booths form the
backbone of the show, ProWein supporting
programs include more than 300 tasting
sessions and seminars.
their new vintage for the first
the Messe Düsseldorf organiztime, “so in that regard there
ers gathering critical feedback
are thousands of new product
after each show. This year, for
launches.” National pavilion
instance, after several years of
debuts have become a ProWein
staging a distinct “Organic” pasignature as well. Tunisia first
vilion, following the wishes of
came in 2013, and Canada in
most organic exhibitors, these
2014; 2015 will feature wines
wines return to regional halls
from Bolivia for the first time.
in 2015—a potent sign that
Of course, exhibitors repreorganic wines are merging into
Michael Degen
sent the backbone of the show. Director, ProWein 2015 the mainstream.
Italy, Germany and France traditionally represent the largest participaBeinG there
tion among exhibitors. Significant space
Who attends ProWein? International
is also taken by Spain, Portugal, Greece,
wholesale and retail wine professionals
Austria, Australia, New Zealand and
make up the largest group of visitors,
South Africa, as well as regional continfollowed by experts from the restaurant
gents from the U.S., plus China, England,
and hotel industry. Over 60% are in top
Brazil and Lebanon.
management; 81% are involved in the
As in the past, the range of internadecisions to purchase products. While
tional exhibitors will be supported by sev55% of ProWein 2014 visitors were from
eral internal shows that highlight trends
Germany, and most of the international
and discoveries. For example, the FIZZZ
visitors from the rest of Europe, the U.S.
Lounge will stage “Drinks of Tomorrow,”
checked in at #10 on the list of visitors’
showcasing such bar techniques as using
countries of origin—representing the
dried/fresh fruit and spices, smoke infumost attendees from any nation outside
sions and sous-vide. The Central Tasting
the EU. Clearly the built-in constraints
Zone, which last year focused on highof America’s state-based, three-tiered
value wines, for 2015 will be devoted to
system are not keeping savvy U.S. trade
the winning wines from the Mundus Vini
members away.
competition; some 500 medal-winning
As Michael Degen explains, feedback
wines selected by an international profrom 2014 visitors provides insight as to
fessional jury will be available for open,
their goals and rewards: “While German
self-pour tasting. All told, the ProWein
visitors name new discoveries and
supporting programs will feature more
trends as their main reason for visiting
than 300 tasting areas, guided sessions
ProWein, North American visitors give
and seminars.
the meeting of existing and the finding
Interestingly, trends can emerge even
of new business partners as their main
before ProWein opens in March, thanks to
motivation to come to Düsseldorf. And
www.BeverageJournalInc.com ProWein is staged in the flexible Messe
Düsseldorf facility, organized by country in
a series of interconnected halls. Visitors can
pre-plan for the show via an www.messe-duesseldorf.de
interactive floor
plan and searchable database of products
and exhibitors at prowein.com.
Messe Düsseldorf GmbH
P.O. Box 10 10 06 _ 40001 Düsseldorf _ Germany
Tel. + 49 (0)2 11/45 60-01 _ Fax + 49 (0)2 11/45 60-6 68
that proves to be successful: 82% of them
state that they found new suppliers.”
All things considered, ProWein’s dynamic growth—and Americans’ increasing involvement—provide confirmation
that even in this Digital Age, there is still
no substitute for face-to-face interaction
when it comes to doing business. ■
PROWEIN:
A Portrait in
International Growth
and Satisfaction
❂ The inaugural ProWein in 1994 featured 321
exhibitors from 9 countries; ProWein 2015 will
host 5,000+ exhibitors from about 50 countries.
❂ Of the 4,830 exhibitors at ProWein 2014,
82% were from outside Germany.
❂ 98% of ProWein 2014 visitors indicated that
they were satisfied with the show; and 82%
already planned their visit for the following year
during ProWein 2014.
ProWein 2015 is March 15th-17th
in Düsseldorf, Germany.
For more information, visit prowein.com or
mdna.com. For details regarding tickets or
exhibiting, contact Messe Düsseldorf
North America: (312) 781-5180; fax (312) 7815188; email [email protected]. For hotel and travel
information, contact TTI Travel: (866) 674-3476;
email [email protected]; traveltradeint.com.
BRA N D P R OF I L E
COLUMBIA
WINERY RELAUNCHES
WA S H I N GT O N ’ S HI S T O RI C W I NERY
SP OR T S A N E W LO O K & TAS T E P ROFIL E
BY KRISTEN BIELER
W
inemaking in Washington
State would not be the
same without Columbia
Winery. Founded in 1962
by a pioneering group of friends, Columbia was one of the first to work seriously
with Vitis vinifera grapes. David Lake MW
joined as head winemaker in 1979 and
released a series of vineyard-designated
wines—highly unusual in Washington at the time. Lake also
crafted the first Merlot-based
blends in the state, and was the
first to plant Pinot Gris and Syrah.
Winemaker Sean Hails has
been at the helm since 2012,
Sean Hails
when Gallo purchased the winery, and has made some significant changes. Columbia’s wines today are
more fruit-driven, and exhibit a noticeably bolder, bigger, richer style than before. “I love full-bodied red wines, and I’m
not afraid of tannins,” Hails says.
Hails also streamlined the wideranging portfolio down to four
offerings—a Cabernet, Merlot, Red
Blend and Chardonnay—and aims to
further establish Columbia Winery as a
red-wine-centric estate. “There are a lot
Since Gallo took
over in 2012, the
of people in Washington who
winery’s portfolio
has been streamlined
do Riesling really well, but
down to four core
we want to focus on our red
offerings.
wine program,” he explains.
“I’ve been so impressed by the
quality of Merlot and Syrah in
source for many of Columbia Winery’s
Washington, in particular, and I’m still
limited-release bottlings.
discovering new regions and growers who
Above all, Hails considers himself a
excel with them.”
blender, adding small amounts of other
varieties to all his wines. “I really like
Syrah and use it as a backbone in all of
ART OF BLENDING
our reds; it adds a lovely plushness.” In
Hails is constantly experimentthe multi-vintage Composition Red Blend,
ing—trying out different yeasts,
Syrah takes on a bigger role, filled out
for instance, and working with
with Cabernet and Merlot. The decision
alternative coopers. Yet his bigto craft a non-vintage blend gives Hails
gest source of inspiration is the
tremendous freedom, regardless of vintage
diverse grapes he gets from the
quality, and though one might assume the
various areas within Washingmarket would balk at the lack of vintage,
ton’s Columbia Valley. “Yakima Valley
there has been no pushback.
for Chardonnay is phenomenal,” he says.
The new Columbia Winery line-up is
“It’s very close to the winery, and because
well-known in the Northwest, but is just
of the cooler climate, gives grapes with
now rolling out nationally. “We wanted
lovely citrus and tropical notes.”
to succeed locally first, then expand,”
For reds, he is particularly keen on
Hails explains. “We’ve been so lucky
the warmer Wahluke Slope, a young
with the last three vintages which were
AVA established in 2006 which yields
exceptionally good, so we’re extremely
stunning Merlot; and Horse Heaven
excited to show the rest of the country
Hill, in southeastern Washington where
what we are doing here.” ■
Cabernet thrives; and Red Mountain, the
THE PORTFOLIO
COLUMBIA WINERY
CHARDONNAY 2013
COLUMBIA WINERY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012
COLUMBIA WINERY
MERLOT 2012
COLUMBIA WINERY
COMPOSITION RED BLEND NV
Hails picks some grapes early for
bright acidity and citrusy aromatics,
and other grapes later to capture
sweeter tropical notes. A bit of
Semillon and Chenin Blanc add
complexity, and
nine months
of lees contact
contributes to the
rich mouthfeel.
(SRP $14)
Though Cabernet leads here,
Syrah, Malbec and Merlot make
up a quarter of this red, which is
bursting with dark berry flavors
and notes of vanilla
and spice. It’s bigboned and luscious,
yet present tannins
and good acidity
keep it balanced.
($16)
There’s a supple, plush quality to
this Merlot, introduced by floral
aromatics and a palate filled with
sweet cherry flavors and hints
of mocha. The
addition of 10%
Syrah contributes a
welcome plushness
which lingers on the
palate. ($16)
Multiple varieties—Cabernet, Syrah
and Merlot—as well as multiple
vintages combine in this red.
Unlike many more commercial red
blends, this shows
real complexity and
a dry taste profile,
defined by spice,
bright cranberry
flavors and softened
tannins. ($14)
All wines are Columbia Valley AVA.
MarketShots
Wild Turkey American Honey Promotions
3
1. Models serve American Honey at Cats Eye Pub in Fells Point.
2. Models serve American Honey at La Palapa in Ellicott City.
3. American Honey Bar Crawl in Fells Point.
4. American Honey promotion at El Bufalo in Fells Point.
1
2
Deep Eddy Vodka
Promotion at Bill Batemans
4
Jim Beam Holds
Promotion at Nobles
RNDC Receives Beam On-Premise Excellence Award
Republic National Distributing Company was recently awarded the On-Premise Excellence Award from Beam.
Contact Liz Barrett, Vice-‐
President of WLB Maryland, LLC to see kiosk and signage demo at your store. Call 443.244.5270. FOR JANUARY, POS Solutions+Plus is coupling our POS system with WLB Maryland, LLC’s touch-‐screen informational kiosk and digital signage system designed to: FOR January 2015!!! Purchase a new touch-‐screen POS system for your beverage store and receive—free—a state-‐of-‐the art touch-‐screen kiosk and signage marketing system linked to products in your POS system including the installed wine rack! Contact Pat Barrett, President of POS Solutions+Plus, LLC to see an Infotouch POS system demo at your store. Call 301.696.8118. Help move products and inform customers about your inventory Promote in-‐store products via third-‐party advertisements Introduce new products Provide product information about wine, liquor, and beer Allow customers to plan meals and parties with detailed information about quantities and serving suggestions Provide an “extra” salesperson via an intuitive customer interface POS Solutions+Plus, LLC offers a touch-‐
screen system for Beverage Stores with the most comprehensive POS software on the market. Today’s savvy beverage store owners have found a powerful solution to meet their business needs as well as additional solutions not found in dated keyboard systems by turning to InfoTouch software. Our company, with over 25 years of committed service and hundreds of satisfied customers, provides hardware and software support and these key benefits for beverage stores: Touch screen interface with a nearly “zero” training curve Automated purchase orders One-‐touch buttons for “hot” items Real-‐time inventory Employee time clock Analysis tools and detailed reports Unit conversions for singles and 6 and 12-‐pack sales from case orders Mix/Match price updates Customer loyalty cards Scan drivers’ licenses MarketShots
Ray Lewis Promotes Tres Sietes
at Local Liquor Shops
Ray Lewis recently visited local liquor stores promoting
his new line of Tequilas, Tres Sietes. The former Baltimore
Raven’s Football star drew huge crowds. Fans got to meet
Ray Lewis as he signed bottles of
Tres Sietes Tequila.
1. Ray takes time out to hug a little fan.
2. Loyal fans shown here with their signed bottles of Tres Sietes.
3. Rusty McCready, SWS; and Ray Lewis at the bottle signing.
4. A member of the US Army has his bottle signed and picture taken with
Ray Lewis at The Fort Mead Army Exchange.
5. Ray Lewis and a local fan do the Ray Lewis Victory Dance.
6. Crowds lined-up to meet Ray Lewis and his new Tres Sietes Tequila.
7. Chris Lombardi, SWS; and Ray Lewis at the bottle signing.
8. Josh Sandusky, SWS; and Ray Lewis at the bottle signing.
3
2
1
4
6
5
7
8
Wente Wines Tasting
at the Streets Market and Café
1. Jose “Alex” Rodriguez, SWS; talks with customers about Wente’s most popular varietals.
2. John Park, SWS: showcases a variety of Wente’s finest wines.
1
2
MarketShots
Beaujolais Nouveau Arrives
The third Thursday in November marks the annual arrival of Beaujolais
Nouveau from France. “This vivacious fruity red wine is a favorite of both
wine aficionados and style setters," stated Lindsay Renninger, Reliable
Churchill. “Versatile with many popular dishes, Beaujolais Nouveau is the ideal
accompaniment for holiday entertaining."
Several off premise accounts including Wells Discount Liquors, The Wine
Merchant, Federal Hill Wine & Spirits, and Hunt Valley Wine, Liquor & Beer
marked the new release with floor displays promoting Georges Duboeuf
Beaujolais Nouveau.
1. Market Street Inn’s Beaujolais Nouveau celebration in Salisbury.
2. Fernand Tersiguel toasting patrons at Tersiguel’s in Ellicott City. Tersiguel’s offered a fivecourse meal paired with an array of Beaujolais wines, featuring this year's Beaujolais Nouveau.
Proceeds benefited the National Family Resiliency Center.
3. Bruce, owner of Metropolitan Coffeehouse and Wine Bar in Federal Hill, is shown here tapping
the Nouveau keg at their annual “From the Barrel” Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau keg
tapping party.
4. Michael Heinbach, Reliable Churchill; enjoys the four-course meal paired with a variety of
featured Nouveau’s at Iron Bridge Wine Company in Columbia.
1
2
3
4
Roca Patrón Dinner
Reliable Churchill and The Patrón Spirits
Company recently hosted their first Roca Patrón
dinner at Blue Agave in Federal Hill. Roca Patrón
is a rich-flavored artisanal tequila produced
entirely from the centuries-old Tahona process.
In this process a two-ton volcanic stone wheel
called a Tahona stone slowly and methodically
crushes the cooked agave, which then in turn
spends time fermenting along with the tequila
giving it a robust and herbaceous taste. "Roca"
means "rock" in Spanish thus giving the line
its name. Guests were given the opportunity
to taste the new line of tequila in unique Patrón
cocktails created by Blue Agave owner Brian
Acquavella while paired with a four-course
traditional Mexican meal.
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BY T H E
NUMBERS
Martini Lightens Up for
Sustainability
A recent makeover of the Martini Asti
bottle looks a lot like the old one, but by
weighing close to two ounces less, the
annual energy savings from this lighterweight glass is equivalent to taking 330
cars off the road.
This strategic redesign actually began
in 2010; the tricky part was reducing the
glass weight while also maintaining the
external shape and accounting for internal
pressure to ensure consumer safety.
The redesign is part of a broad scope
of sustainability initiatives. At Martini
facilities worldwide, the commitment to
reach a net-zero impact has fostered a
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
by nearly 30%, solid waste by nearly
7% and water use by nearly 4% over the
past eight years.
Martini is part of the Bacardi family
of spirits, which has quietly become
an industry leader in environmental
issues. Since 2006, when the company
began tracking its global impacts on
the environment, Bacardi has reduced
both nonrenewable energy use and
greenhouse gas emissions from
production by nearly 28%. Other earthminded goals of the company include:
To obtain 40% of the
sugarcane-derived products
used to make Bacardi Rum from
certified-sustainable sources
by 2017; and 100% by 2022;
■
To reduce the weight of its
packaging by 10% by 2017
and 15% by 2022; and
■
To eliminate landfill waste
at all of its production sites
by 2022.
■
www.BeverageJournalInc.com Cork Empire
Strikes Back?
With screwtops adorning about two
out of ten wines these days, and
synthetic corks representing 10% of
the global wine-closure market, it’s
no shock that natural cork makers
are fighting back.
100% Cork (100percentcork.org)
and a group of leading Northern
California wineries launched a multimedia campaign over the holidays
to trumpet the benefits of natural
cork and demonstrate to other
wineries the value of promoting their
use of cork. Participating wineries
Grape Mix:
More Vines,
Less Variety
A study in the Journal of
Wine Economics reported
recently that, despite “the
competitive challenges
for producers seeking to
differentiate their product,”
the vineyards of the world are
getting more homogenous, not less.
The top 35 planted grape varieties
saw their share of the global
vineyard area rise from 59% in
2000 to 66% by 2010.
The study drew on data from
more than 600 wine regions
in 44 countries and 1,300
individual grape varieties—
included Bogle Vineyards, Francis
Ford Coppola Winery, Grgich Hills
Estate, Jordan Vineyard & Winery,
and Rutherford Ranch Winery.
Numerous surveys have
concluded that consumers prefer
wines sealed with cork by a wide
margin—especially when giving
wine as a gift during the holidays.
For example, a survey by Tragon in
June 2014 found that 93% of U.S.
wine consumers associate natural
cork with higher quality wines, while
only 11% believe wines sealed with
a screw cap to be of high quality.
Yet few wineries draw attention to
their choice of closure.
essentially accounting for 99%
of the vineyards in the world.
The big gainers, according
to the report, were Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot, both
of which more than doubled
their share of plantings
from 2000 to 2010. Also,
Tempranillo and Chardonnay
more than tripled their proportion
of vineyard area. Syrah/Shiraz rose
from being 35th most widely planted
variety up to sixth place; Sauvignon
Blanc and Pinot Noir also both gained
acreage and made it into the top10.
As for grapes on a downward
slope, Airén fell from first place to
third; Grenache slid from second into
seventh; and Thompson seedless took
a nosedive, from third to 35th place. ■
BARshots
Trevor Frye
Sizzles as Jack Rose's Beverage Director
By Teddy Durgin
"T
he hardest skill to teach a
new bartender is how to bite
your tongue. I can teach you
how to stir, I can teach you
how to shake, and I can teach you drink
recipes. But there are customers who are,
by their nature, just plain difficult. You
could make them the perfect drink based
off of what they said, and it's just not going to be good enough."
So laments Trevor Frye, Beverage Director for the Jack Rose Dining Saloon in
Washington, D.C. But that's about the
only lament Frye has these days. According to him, he is in his dream job. "I'm
one of the lucky people," he stated, during a recent interview with the Beverage
Journal. "I actually feel happy when I'm
going to work."
He started in the industry as a busboy
at age 15. Since then, he has worked just
about every job in the business, from barFAVORITE MOVIE:
"The Boondock Saints"
HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Motorcycles and exercise. "I'm one of
those people who will go and work out
before starting a 12-hour shift."
WHERE HE TAKES PEOPLE
FROM OUT OF TOWN:
"As touristy as it sounds, the monuments! They're beautiful, they're historic,
and it's a good walk through the city
starting at the Jefferson on up to the
Lincoln and the Washington."
JOB HE WOULD LOVED TO
HAVE ATTEMPTED: The military.
PERSON HE'D MOST LIKE TO
SERVE AS A CUSTOMER:
Amelia Earhart ("She was such a badass and a pioneer. Also, I just want to
know what happened!")
back to server to bartender. He even
briefly owned a private event bartending and cocktail consulting company.
"I eventually threw in the towel about
four years ago and went full-time with
bartending," he recalled. "I had reached
a point in my life where I was ready to
take a leap of faith and go with my real
passion, and it's been awesome."
At Jack Rose, he runs the entire
beverage program serving the establishment's five different bars. "We have about
2,000 whiskeys in house, which is really
where a lot of my time is spent, making
sure they're all up to date. I really have
one of the best jobs. I get paid to drink
the best whiskey in the world."
He continued, "We opened Dram
& Grain [a cocktail bar located in Jack
Rose's basement] in February of this year.
We're open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursdays, it's first-come, first-served.
Fridays and Saturdays, we do three reserved seatings each night at 6:30, 9 p.m.,
and 11:30 p.m. It's a small space. We're
talking 20 to 25 people at most. There
are two bartenders. It's very intimate,
with lots of intricate cocktails served and
some great conversations with our guests.
We have some rare spirits down there, as
well -- bourbons from pre-Prohibition and
things like that. Owner Bill Thomas basically told me, 'Here's your little room.
You do it the way you want to do it.' It's
been a true blessing."
And the proprietors of Jack Rose have
been grateful to him for bringing a high
level of prestige to their business. Not
only has Frye represented D.C. on the
national level at such competitions as the
GQ and Bombay Sapphire Bartender series and Liquor.com's Master Manhattan,
he is also one of the featured mixologists
on the Spike TV show "Bar Rescue" -- a
gig that happened when one of its producers came into Jack Rose after a concert and the two ended up in a two-hour
conversation about cocktails and whiskey.
Frye stated, "I guess my appeal is I'm
kind of old school. I love making drinks,
and I love coming up with drinks. But,
at the end of the day, it's all about hospitality. I think that gets lost when you
have bartenders that are starting to be at
the level of executive chefs. It's weird to
me when you see bartenders getting endorsement deals now! These are guys that
require managers and they're flying on
private planes. That's all awesome. But
for me, at the end of the day, it's still all
about the guests and their experience."
And as a people-first man, Frye has
also come to love interacting with various local beverage industry professionals.
One of his favorites is Shannon Crisp of
FEW Spirits. Frye concluded, "At Jack
Rose, we love to support brands and distillers that do business the right way. It's
very hard to get into the whiskey distilling game because the distilling of whiskey
calls for an aging process. If you want to
be called straight bourbon, you have to sit
in a barrel for two years. With a company
like FEW, we literally carry every single
product that they make. They take such
pride in what they do. There is so much
more flavor that comes from a whiskey
than any other spirit that comes from a
still." n
cross
word
this
Month’s
Clues
on
Rye Whiskey
24
27
28
22
25
26
29
30
31
32
36
37
40
41
38
42
47
33
34
35
53
54
55
39
43
44
46
23
45
48
49
50
51
58
52
56
57
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
www.CrosswordWeaver.com
Across
32
ACROSS
33
1 Do a dance
36
6 Pear type
37
1 Do a dance
10 Narrow opening
38
Pear
type
14 6Louis’
partner
40
15 Baseball’s Babe
41
10
Narrow
opening
16 Beep
43
14Afloat
Louis'
partner 44
17
(2 wds.)
18 Writer Bombeck
15 Baseball's Babe
19 Can
45
16Wine
Beep
20
bottle
46
21 Fuel
17 Afloat (2 wds.) 49
22 Strand
50
18Misfit
Writer Bombeck51
24
26 Old ____, Rye Whiskey 52
19 Can
27 Travel with
56
30
youbottle
teeth
20Clench
Wine
31 Call
57
36
59 pebble
Corrupt
Get out of bed38 Large
60 Sell
Metal container
Catch
Z's
61 some
Ne
W. Australian 40
capital
62
Humor
Apollo
41 Fat
63 Fidgety
Large pebble
43 Campers
dwellings
64 Children
Catch some Z’s
65
Sugar-free
Fat
44 Asks repeatedlybrand
for
Campers dwellings
Asks repeatedly payment
for payment
45 Little boy in cartoons
Little boy in cartoons
1 Replace a striker
46 “in”
Conspiracy,
Conspiracy, with
2 Singingwith
voice "in"
Noblewoman
3
Spar
49 Noblewoman
The milky way is ours
4 Rye Whiskey
50 The milky
Perch
5 Alsoway
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Long time periods
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26 Old ____, Rye Whiskey
Beverage Journal January 2015
27 Travel with
Down
Greek games
57 Dog food brand
59 Corrupt
60 Sell
28 Popular stadium
29 Corporation (abbr.)
30 Total
32 Representative
Solution
33 Connecticut (abbr.)
34 Opposed
35 Loch __ monster
39 Decade (2 wds.)
42 Bouncy
45 Digital audio tape
46 Pent up
47 With
48 Thomas H. ____, Rye
Whiskey
49 Rye Whiskey w/26
down
50 " I __ at the office"
51 Dirty area
Solution:
21
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19
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8
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Opposed
9 Small goat antelope
Loch __ monster
10
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tire
Decade
(2 wds.)
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11 Drudge
Digital audio tape
12
PentIce
up house
With
13 Adolescent
Thomas H. ____, Rye Whiskey
21
RyeReceived
Whiskey w/26 down
“I
__
at the office”
23 Verified
Dirty area
25
Traditional
Revel
Green
Gables
dweller w/49
26 Rye
Whiskey
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down
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27 Sports channel
A
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18
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17
10
11
12
13
21
23
25
26
27
28
29
30
32
33
34
35
39
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45
46
47
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50
51
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54
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58
59
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1

TIME TO BUY - Beverage Journal, Maryland and Washington, DC

Transcription

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