MILLENNIALSShift in Demographics Drives New Drinking Patterns

Transcription

MAY 2013
MARYLAND BEVERAGE JOURNAL
May 2013
The Tool of The Trade for the Licensed Beverage Industry
MILLENNIALS
Shift in Demographics
Drives New
Drinking Patterns
also SOCIAL MEDIA
Tailor-Made for Wine
THE FERVOR FOR FLAVOR!
Will It Ever Cool Down?
GIN FINDS A GROOVE
Mixologists Boost New Brands
See inside
for more
details
$10.00
May13 Cover_finals.indd 4
4/8/13 1:25 PM
May13
FEATURES
10 Boom Go The Millennials: Young adults
are becoming the most important wine-drinking generation yet
16 Social Media For A Social Business:
The wine industry is tailor-made for social media
22 The Fervor For Flavor: The rainbow of flavored spirits
continues to expand—on shelves and at bars
10
DEPARTMENTS
30 The Gin Game: A cocktail renaissance has raised the bar
for small and large gins alike
34 Brain Trust In The Big Easy: The Wine & Spirits Guild
roundtable sounds off on hot-button issues
02 Pub Page: 2013 ABL Annual Conference
04 It's About Beer: Monocacy Brewing Company
07 Brand Awareness: Budweiser Black Crown
08 Industry Snapshot: Jennifer Bailey of Ste. Michelle
28 Brand Profile: Heineken
40 Brand Profile: Crystal Head Vodka
22
44 Brand Profile: Blue Chair Rum
46 Brand Profile: Dewar's Honey
48 Bar Talk: San Diego’s Jeff Josenhans, of US Grant Hotel,
shows off his flair for the bold
MARYLAND DEPARTMENTS
50 At The Bar: Hip Brandy Classics
54
54 Industry Snapshot: Frank Cheplowitz, Superior Service
56 Speakeasy: A conversation with Craig Wolf,
the WSWA President & CEO
60 Brand Profile: Vintage Point's David Biggar knows...
64 Somm Sez: John Duncan of Bonterra in Charlotte, NC
manages a dynamic wine program
66 By The Numbers: Industry Facts & Stats
68 New Products & Promotions
64
72 MD Scene: Reliable Churchill on The Scene
74 MD Scene: Republic National Distributing Company
Around Town
78 MD Scene: Southern Wine & Spirits Out and About
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENTS
49 Speakeasy: A conversation with Craig Wolf,
the WSWA President & CEO
52 Chilean Sauvignon Blanc: The Goldilocks White ...
Cool climate breeds balanced, food-friendly style
16
54 Brand Profile: Vintage Point's David Biggar knows...
VOLUME75Number5
May 2013 Beverage Journal 1
PUBPage
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
THE BEVERAGE JOURNAL, INC.
(USPS 783-300)
NBWA Applauds
Craft Beer’s Growth
2013 ABL
Annual Conference
Licensed retailers from all over will come
to the nation’s capitol this June 9-11, for the
2013 ABL Annual Conference. Industry
executives, political leaders and government
officials will speak about the economic and
political state of the industry offering you a
chance to tap into their insights to benefit
your business. There will be networking opportunities with other members of the retail
tier and other industry representatives to
share best practices.
ABL’s Annual Conference will be held
at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town in
Alexandria, Virginia … just minutes from
Washington, D.C. in the historic King
Street neighborhood. The Hilton Alexandria Old Town hotel is easily accessed via
King Street Metro station. Go to ABLUSA.
org for more information.
According to new data released by the
Brewers Association (BA), in 2012, small
and independent American brewers saw
a 15 percent rise in volume and a 17 percent
increase in dollar growth, representing a
total barrel increase of an impressive 1.7 million. The BA also reported an 18% growth
in the number of U.S. breweries, for a total
of 2,403 operating breweries. “The National Beer Wholesalers
Association (NBWA), which represents
the interests of America’s 3,300 licensed,
independent beer distributors, applauds
America’s craft brewers for their continued
growth and entrepreneurial spirit, which
adds energy and excitement to the American
beer industry,” said NBWA President and
CEO Craig Purser. “NBWA is proud of the
role that independent beer distributors play
in the development of a thriving craft beer
industry. The tremendous growth in craft
beer sales underscores the excitement of
independent beer distributors in partnering with America’s craft brewers to help
them reach a wide network of retailers and
increase their value.” Purser continued, “Today’s marketplace offers an unparalleled
number of styles, varieties and flavors of
beer to consumers from coast to coast, and
American consumers are demonstrating they
enjoy this vast variety.”
BA and NBWA attribute the success
in large part to a state-based regulatory
system (a level playing field between brewers, distributors and retailers) as well as the
effectiveness of the independent distribution system that allows access to market for
brewers of all sizes.
Stephen Patten
Publisher
74 Years of Continuous Publication
Web Site www.beveragejournalinc.com
Subscription / Advertising / Editorial Inquiries:
410-796-5455
PUBLISHER
Stephen Patten
[email protected]
410 796-5455
PRESIDENT
Lee W. Muray
VICE PRESIDENT
Thomas W. Muray
COLUMNISTS
Kevin Atticks
[email protected]
Teddy Durgin
[email protected]
Alan Horton
[email protected]
Robert Plotkin
[email protected]
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Clint Griggs
[email protected]
Member
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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 2013 the Beverage Journal, Inc. No part of this magazine
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2 Beverage Journal May 2013
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
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It'sAboutBeer
MONOCACY
BREWING COMPANY
By AL HORTON
Af ter many year s
of experience brewing high quality beers at the
Brewer’s Alley location in Fredrick
Maryland, the owners and management of that highly successful
business made a strategic decision
in 2010 to expand their brewing
efforts with the goal of becoming a significant regional craft
brewer. Led by serial entrepreneur,
Phil Bowers, and joined by likeminded Frederick business people,
Monocacy Brewing Company was
born.
The vision for this new venture
included a facility that would have
a large initial brewing capacity, but
would also have ample room to
expand as sales volume increased.
A major part of the planning
process was deciding whether to
build a new facility, or to find one
that could meet their current and
future needs. After careful evaluation, Bowers and company, found
a Frederick landmark that was
available and could meet the size
requirements, zoning, and had the
space necessary for future growth.
The former Ebert Ice Cream facility on Frederick’s north side met
those needs.
Prior to moving into their
new facility in the of Fall of 2011,
Summer, 2012, owners and staff
spent several weeks making renovations to update the plant site prior
to installing a state of the art brew
house and hospitality area. With
approximately 15,000 sq. feet of
brewing, packaging and storage
space, the Monocacy Brewery is in
position to enjoy a long period of
sustained growth. The plant is ideally situated close to Interstate 70
allowing easy access for trucking
companies to bring in raw materials and ship out finished products.
Although adequate plant and
equipment are certainly necessary
elements for a successful brewery,
even more important to its success
is the caliber of people who operate it. Their abilities and actions
ultimately determine its
success or failure. In this
regard, the future is bright
for the Monocacy Brewing
Company due to a complement of talented and
committed people beginning with an owner who
sets a positive tone and
clearly defined strategic
direction. Phil Bowers has
put together a highly talented
group of knowledgeable beer people and is savvy to back off and not
micromanage them.
Park Campus of the University of Mar yland with a degree in biochemistry. He then went on to
attend the University of California,
Davis ... home to this country’s
most renowned brewing program.
Prior to joining Bowers at Brewer’s
Alley operation, Flores gained
valuable brewing experience at
Wild Goose in Cambridge, MD
and at Baltimore’s Clipper City
Brewery. His many professional
credentials include membership
in the Master Brewers Association
of the Americas, American Society
of Brewing Chemists, and he is a
member of the technical committee of the Brewers Association
(craft brewers association).
Tom is an advocate of doing
everything correctly. As a professional brew master, Tom’s brewing
philosophy is all about attention
to detail. He explained, “…brewing
The key to Monocacy Brewing’s
operation is Brewmaster Tom
Flores. A native of Laurel, MD,
Flores graduated from the College
high quality beer is exacting; the
process is unforgiving and doesn’t
tolerate mistakes.” He goes further
to say, “The ability to produce beer
of a consistent quality means adhering to the highest standards of
brewing science. An emphasis on
quality and maintaining an unrelenting focus on details extends
beyond the brewing process and
includes selecting the best available
hops and grain.” He also is quick
to point out, “…Regardless of
all of the science, successful brewing involves an
artful approach. Getting
the right result at the end
of the process is more than
simply slavishly adhering to a
brewing recipe.” He measures his
success by being able to produce a
beer that matches up with his original concept of what its final taste
should be.
The Flores philosophy carries
over to his highly educated and
hand-picked brewing staff. Todd
Perkins (Head Brewer), Darr yl
Eisnenbarth (Brewer) and Maggie
Lenz (Quality Assurance) are
all graduates of the prestigious
UCal-Davis brewing program.
Choosing associates with similar educational background and
experience enables them to rely on
each other to follow best brewing
practices. With so many talented
people, it could be a challenge to
maintain a harmonious working
environment. Promoting a “collaborative atmosphere” begins with
www.BeverageJournalInc.com Tom and owner Bowers. Both of
them encourage an environment
in which individual contributors are allowed to express their
ideas without fear of undue criticism. They feel it is better to get
opposing opinions on the table
and discussed before moving on.
They clearly have an enlightened
approach to managing people.
OTHER ASSETS
Other members of the
Monocacy team include: Jim
Bauckman who is in charge of marketing and promotions. Jim joined
Brewer’s Alley after completing
a Bachelor of Arts, International
Business marketing degree at
Towson University. He
is adept at using various “social media”
platforms to track
and pursue the craft
centric drinker. He
believes in the “multiplier effect” that social
media efforts can provide a
company with a limited advertising budget. Associate Scott Grove
of Grove Communications is a
seasoned public relations professional. He provides the brewery
with well-crafted public relations
campaigns. The look and feel
of the brewery’s products
comes from the
talented graphics firm “Think
Baseline.”
They take the
brewery’s original product
concepts and
create highly
attractive packaging graphics.
LOCALISM
The words “brewed locally” is
currently a popular term, and
is widely used by many of the
nation’s microbreweries. Some
of them demonstrate the localism theme by using locally grown
ingredients in their beers. After
a multi-year collaborative effort
and considerable experimentation,
Brewer Flores together with the
owner of Amber Fields Malting
and Brewing Company (a farm
brewery located in Keymar, MD)
successfully selected several strains
of two row barley that grows well
in Maryland and yields a consistent level of nutrients essential to
the brewing process. (They have
found wheat and r ye varieties
which also work very well). Part
It'sAboutBeer
of their motivation was to ensure
a regular supply of high quality
malt ... as malted barley may be in
short supply in the future as the
result of lower barley production
and availability. Many Midwest
grain farmers have switched from
growing barley to corn, a more
profitable crop because of its use
in making ethanol. Future availability of quality barley may also
be affected as some of the largest
national brewing companies are
gaining increased control over the
entire barley growing and malting
process.
tion, several of the beers have been
featured, along with Amber Fields
Malting and Brewing, at the last
two “Buy Local Cookout” events,
hosted by Governor O’Malley
and his family at the Governor’s
mansion).
FUTURE CHALLENGES
The greatest challenge for
Monocacy and other craft brewers
is being able to separate themselves from their competitors by
attracting sufficient attention for
their products to ensure success in
the marketplace. Having a great
production facility won’t ensure
success unless the brewer can capture the attention and loyalty of
an increasingly wide group of beer
consumers. A potential solution
for Monocacy Brewing Company
is to employ a collaborative “push/
However, when asked if the
brewery had plans to grow its own
hops, Flores said, “Hops are an
entirely different matter. “…Hop
quality is definitely climate related.
Hops require plenty of water but
need a warm dry environment to
thrive. Certainly, with Maryland’s
hot humid summers, we don’t
have an ideal environment for
many of the current hop strains
that are not disease resistant.”
AWARD WINNING BEERS
Over the years, Brewer’s Alley
and Monocacy Brewing have won
many awards for their beers at
various competitions including
the Great American Beer Festival,
World Beer Cup, Chicago Real
Ale Festival, and the Mar yland
Governor’s Cup. The award winners comprise of a wide range
of beer styles. Winners include:
Kölsch, Pilsner, Porter, Riot Rye,
16 Kerzen and 1634 Ale. (In addi-
the beer distributor to “push” the
products into the trade by gaining
product distribution, getting them
priced competitively and merchandising the brands at point of sale.
This is not an easy task.
Monocacy Brewing Company
needs to be sure its distributor
has a compelling reason to sell
its products, and the distributor
needs to be certain its sale force
gives Monocacy the attention it
deserves. Once any distributor is
appointed to sell a brewer’s products, it is obligated to give the
supplier its best efforts.
THE FUTURE
A qu ote f ro m ow n e r P h i l
Bowers sums up the Monocacy
operating philosophy. “…It’s
[about] genuine quality coupled
with an experience that consumers trust. Consumers need to
know they will get the best product
for the money, and we in turn rely
on that trust to build a long term
relationship.”
Maryland’s Monocacy Brewery
has the necessary ingredients in
place to become a very successful
regional craft brewer. We look forward to following their efforts and
enjoying their future success.
pull” marketing strategy by working closely with its distributor to
get the products placed in the
trade and available to consumers.
It is Monocacy’s responsibility
to “pull” consumers to its products using innovative marketing
efforts that include attractive
packaging, effective advertising,
point of sale materials and social
media efforts. From that point on,
it becomes the responsibility of
I t i s we l l wo r t h a t r i p to
Frederick to see these facilities first
hand, but if you are unable to visit
the Monocacy Brewery or Brewer’s
Alley in person, you can visit them
online at www.monocacybrewing.
com or www.brewers-alley.com.
AL HORTON retired after 27 years with Bob Hall
LLC, a beer distributor in Upper Marlboro, MD.
He is currently an Adjunct Business Instructor
at Anne Arundel Community College. Please
direct any comments, criticisms or suggestions to
[email protected]
BRANDawareness
Budweiser Black Crown
By Al Horton
“Project 12” was the code name ABInbev
assigned last year to a new product development program. The brewmasters at their
12 U.S. breweries were asked to create a
new, unique beer worthy of the Budweiser
name. The one qualifier was that the brewmasters were required to use the original
Budweiser yeast strain in their brews.
From an original group of twelve
beers, six were chosen for consumer
testing. Throughout 2012, thousands of
consumers were asked to taste test the six
products. Each of them was assigned a
name based on the zip code of the brewery
location where the beer was made. Number
91406 stood out among the others and
was chosen as the finalist. 91406 is the zip
code of ABI’s Los Angeles brewery and
Bryan Sullivan its brewmaster. The new
beer made its debut in a commercial during
the Super Bowl this past February, and it
is called Budweiser Black Crown (BBC).
BBC pours a golden amber color and
quickly forms a tight, off-white head that
lingers longer than most non-European
lagers. Visually, there is a constant stream
of effervescence rising from the bottom of
the glass. When sipped there is definitely
a good bit of dissolved carbonation that
contributes to the beers mouth feel.
No particular aroma or taste ingredient
stands out above the others. One might
falsely conclude this is a simple beer. The
truth, however, is the Los Angeles brewmaster and two fellow brewmasters Scott
Ungermann from the Fairfield, Cal brewery
and Dave Cohen from Houston Brewery
collaborators on the beer’s recipe used a
mix of four types of hops to give the beer its
smooth and well balanced aroma and taste
from start to finish. The result is what you
would expect of a well-crafted lager beer.
According to IRI data published in early
March, Budweiser Black Crown achieved
a .7% national market share the same
share level Bud Light Lime had in its initial
introductory stage. Although it is too early
to tell whether this new brand has staying
power and can consistently attract beer
drinkers from its target market, the 6%
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alcohol level (ABV) and its media message
have been responsible for considerable
consumer trial. A year from now, we will be
able to look back and gain a more accurate
reading. In the meantime, it is accurate to
say that Budweiser Black Crown has had
an impressive initial new product launch
and presents a good margin opportunity.
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Industry
snapshot
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’
Jennifer Bailey
Back Where She Belongs
By TED DURGIN
S
he went to college in
New York. She lived and
worked in Boston for a
number of years
thereafter. But Jennifer Bailey
grew up in the Baltimore area,
and she is very happy to be
back in the Mid-Atlantic area as
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’
State Manager for Maryland and
D.C. She’s held the position
since last May after serving as
the company’s Business
Development Manager of
Massachusetts.
“Basically, my role is to execute Ste.
Michelle Wine Estates’ brand strategy
in Maryland and Washington, D.C.,
through our distributor network,” she
stated, during a recent interview with the
Beverage Journal. “Our entire portfolio
is with Republic National Distributing
Company (RNDC). So, I work very closely
with them to attain the distribution and
volume goals that we are looking for in
all of our different brands in Maryland
and D.C. I make sure in working closely
with the distributor that they have everything they need to be successful with our
portfolio. I also try and be in the market
myself, working directly with accounts.”
As most people are in her line of work,
Bailey fashions herself a “people person.”
She says she has come to really love the
personalities the wine business attracts. “I
ALMA MATER: Colgate University
HOBBIES AND SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Traveling, reading, and cooking.
“Both my husband and I love to cook. He’s a
little better at it than I am.”
think there are a lot of really, really nice
and interesting people who went into this
industry for fun reasons across all different tiers,” she remarked. “Especially when
you are working with the accounts, you’re
sort of a consultant to their small businesses. So, any kind of quality product
or great ideas or anything that you can
provide them to help them in their success and survival, I love that. And it’s
great working with the distributors, too,
because they have lots of fun ideas also.”
Bailey served Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
for two years in Boston before moving
down to our market. Prior to that, she
was a general manager for the Best Cellars
retail chain, which was followed by a nearly
yearlong stint as a sales representative for
wholesaler Baystate Wine Company.
She commented, “I think it’s a good
thing that I have worked at all tiers, starting
at retail and then working at the distributor and then the supplier level. One of the
presidents of a very small distributorship
in Massachusetts that I worked for told me
one key thing. Never forget what those
different roles are like, because it will just
make you so much better at your job. If
you have an understanding of the sales
rep’s needs and his or her day-to-day life,
you’re going to be much better at helping
them in their job. Therefore, they are going
to work with your product more. The
same goes for the retailer or the restaurateur. Know and remember their priorities,
what it is that they need from you, and
then craft what you do around that.”
FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION:
Italy
MOST EXCITED ABOUT:
The recent launch of the new Villa Antinori
Chianti Classico Riserva.
She continued, “At the end of the
day, it IS a business and it’s extremely
competitive. I do wish sometimes it
could be less about the deals and much
more about the product and the bottle.”
As for the markets she is handling now,
Bailey has some interesting observations. “I
see Maryland as really growing and changing,” she remarked. “I think Baltimore is
really coming up as a food city. There is
so much good food and good wine to be
had at great prices, because it is evolving
in terms of restaurants and stores that are
really stepping it up. D.C., being such an
international city and such a big import
city, there are always some fun things going
on especially in the on-premise world. It’s
also always changing. I think there is a
little bit more stability in the places that
stick around in Maryland whereas something is opening and closing in D.C. every
single week. I think Washington is a lot
more similar to what I saw in Boston, and
Maryland is more of its own personality.”
When asked what advice she would have
to other young people entering the business
today, especially women, she was quick to
answer. “Talk to everybody who you meet,
because this is a relationship business.
Don’t ever overlook somebody because you
think they may not be in a position to help
you. Everybody in the industry comes back
around and everybody has an influence
in one way or another. At the same time,
take pride in what you are doing. I do see
young people who are so eager to move on,
but you have to succeed at what you are
doing at that time to take that next step.”
EDWARD "TEDDY" DURGIN is a graduate of UMBC.
In additional to his freelance journalist duties, he is
an entertainment reviewer. You may contact Teddy at
[email protected].
(percentage completely/somewhat agree)
GEN X
BABY
BOOMER
67+
88
88
93
93
Millenial Table Wine
Drinking Frequency 2012
72
61
62
64
n Younger Millennials
n Older Millennials
LENNIALS
44
28
51
28 30
19
d confidence, 2012 (percentage completely/somewhat agree)
LENNIALS
85
78
GEN X
BABY
BOOMER
67+
83
71
61
71
56
37
BOOM
Daily
Weekly+
GO THE
MILLENNIALS
However, it is apparent that younger Millennials are
driving the consumption rate up among their generation,
as 28% of this segment re[prted drinking wine daily
compared to 19% of the older Millennials.
Source: Wine Market Council
71
64
38
66
55
44
59
39
28
Once a Week
Volume consumption among total
wine Drinkers by generation, 2012
% of
%
29
38
28
16
9
Wine
Volume Wine-Drinking Generation
Young
Adults
are Fast
Becoming the MostDrinkers
Important
Millennial
BY JEFF SIEGEL
Younger (21-28)
10
ILLENNIALS
87
J
GEN X
BABY
BOOMER
67+
88 Grocery79
79 is an
ohn’s
in Iowa City
upscale
wine
retailer
whose
82
82
79
72 customers include doctors and em82
82
75
74
ployees of the nearby University of
65
69 Carver College
55
48
Iowa
of Medicine.
As
such,
says
wine
buyer
Wally
Plahut75
71
58
39
nik, his customers are knowledgeable
76
71 oriented,
55 regardless39of age
and service
and demographic.
58
56
40
25
Except
for
one
very
intriguing
thing.
48
35
21
14
“I can’t get the older ones to use the
camera on their phone to take a picture
of the wine label,” he says. “The younger
ones, no problem. But the older customers
still come in and tell me they had a bottle
nd GENERATION
2012 (percentage)
of wine, but can’t remember the name.
22I ask them why
19 they don’t
8 use
And when
the camera, they
22 just sort of
16look at me.”
5
In
this,
Plahutnik
is
in
the
middle
5
20
12
3
of one of the biggest changes the wine
5
18
14
3
business has ever seen—the revolution
in consumer demographics, of which
20
11 one
the role21of new technology
is just
22
19
small part. The Baby Boomers, 7born
n Home
n Restaurant
n Friend’s Home
19
24
Gen X
21
21
Baby Boomer
38
32
Older (28-36)
ATION 2012 (percentage very/somewhat likely)
n Other Venues
14
67+
12 widely8 rebetween
1948 and 1962 and
Source:
Wine
Market
Council
garded as the best friend that retailers
and restaurateurs ever had, are becoming
increasingly less important in the mar-
Total core wine drinkers
by generation 2012
40
28
Older
Millennials
20
19%
12
Younger
Millennials
9%
Millennials Gen X
Baby
Boomer
67+
ketplace. Their replacement? The Millennials, two generations behind them
but already numerically more significant
among core wine drinkers, according to
the 2012 Wine Market Council report.
Though the Boomers make up 38% of
wine drinkers, they consume only 32%
of the wine. The numbers for Millennials
are 29% and 38%.
More broadly, Boomers will account
for less than 20 percent of the U.S. population over the next eight years, and the
number of Baby Boomers younger than
60 will fall by more than two-thirds, according to a 2012 study by Jeffries-Alix
Partners. Meanwhile, Millennials (born
between the early 1980s and the early
2000s) older than 25 will make up almost
one-fifth of the country’s population. And
that doesn’t take into account the 8 million Millennials who will turn 21 and start
buying wine over the next three years.
“The Boomers are famous for consuming more stuff than anyone else in
78
71
71
56
MILLENNIALS: DEMOGRAPHICS
66
55
37
44
history,” says Dan Graham, a vice presi59 the Dechert-Hampe
39
28
dent with
marketing consultancy in southern California.
“The question
is not 16
so much whether
38
28
9 the
Millennials will be like them, but how to
reach them, since they’re so different from
the Boomers.”
The key is understanding—or, first,
trying to identify—those differences. It’s
ATION 2012one
(percentage
thingvery/somewhat
to market likely)
to Millennials with
BABY
cute
wine
names
or
to approach
ILLENNIALS
GEN X
67+them
BOOMER
through social media because they use it,
87
79it’s going to
79work.
but that88
doesn’t mean
The Millennials
may79
not be as jaundiced
82
82
72
as their older cousins, the Gen Xers (born
82
82
75
74
between born the mid-1960s and the
65
69 about marketing,
55
early 1980s)
but48
they’re
still more
75
71wary than the
58 Boomers.39
Also important, and often over76
71
55
39
looked: Any discussion of the Millenni58
40
als must56take into account
three25
things.
First,
that
since
the
end
of
World
48
35
21
14 War
II, the U.S. economy experienced unprecedented growth. Will that continue?
Many of the projections on Millennial
spending assume they’ll have the same
economic
that the Boomnd GENERATION
2012opportunities
(percentage)
ers did, and that may not be the case
22 appear to be19
8
given what
major structural
16
changes in 22
the U.S. economy
(to5 say
nothing
of
ongoing
wrangling
about
gov5
20
12
3
ernment
spending).
5
18
14
3
Second, the Millennials are saddled
with $1 trillion in college debt, which
21
20
11
could limit their spending in a way that
22
19
7
didn’t bother the two older demographn Home
n
Restaurant
n
Friend’s
Home
n
Other
Venues
ics. One guess is that the Millennials’
penchant for low-cost social events like
Wine Riot and the success of companies
like Groupon represent evidence that
they want to go out but can’t afford the
bars and clubs that the Gen Xers and
Boomers could.
Third, says John Gillespie, president
of Wine Market Council, there appear
to be some differences between younger
Millennials, ages 21-28, and those 28 -36.
The latter, he says, act more like Boomers—more willing to spend money, for
instance. The younger group may change
as it ages, too, but no one knows for sure.
64
driving the consumption rate up among their generation,
as 28% of this segment re[prted drinking wine daily
compared to 19% of the older Millennials.
Volume consumption among total
wine Drinkers by generation, 2012
% of
Wine
Drinkers
Volume
29
38
Younger (21-28)
10
14
Older (28-36)
19
24
Gen X
21
21
Baby Boomer
38
32
67+
12
8
Millennial
%
information. In this, they don’t see a need
for traditional customer service (which
they’ve never experienced anyway), since
they do it themselves. In their world,
warehouse stores like Costco are the rule
and not the exception, and it shouldn’t
be surprising that 75% of the customers
at Wine.com, the biggest Internet wine
retailer, are between 21 and 49.
Where they shop. Millennials don’t
shop at grocery stores the way Boomers do,
something that has the national supermarket chains worried, according to the Alix
Jeffries Partners study: “This transformation has the potential to create a chaotic
marketplace that markedly changes where
and how consumers shop for groceries, as
well as what products they bring home.”
Instead, says Graham, Millennials prefer
retailers that are local and interesting,
hence their fascination with stores like
Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

Moving forward, every business looking
capture
Totaltocore
wineMillennial
drinkers dollars needs
to know what sets them apart from the
by generation 2012
40
Boomers—things that take into account
not just demographic but economic and
28
cultural differences:
core attitudes by generation, 2012 (percentage completely/somewhat agree)
Older
How they use technology. It’s not
BABY
20
MILLENNIALS  Local
GEN Xmeans BOOMER
local.
Community
67+matMillennials
just that Millennials (and Gen Xers) are

more
techbuy
savvy
than
Boomers,
You
can
good
wines
without as Plahut19%
1288
spending
a lot
money
nik
has seen.
It’softhat
the two demographics
grew up with technology and see it as
An opened bottle of wine stays
72
afresh
normal
part
their life. So it’s not unYounger
for 2
to 3ofdays
usual
for
them
to
Google
a
product
while
Millennials
they’re shopping, or to text a friend for
9%
Millennials Gen X
Baby
ters, and a local retailer is not just someone
93but is
who is 88
located in the93
neighborhood,
a part of the neighborhood, meaning the
retailer61
sponsors events,
62 participates
64in local fundraisers and works with neighborhood groups. If the retailer doesn’t meet
Mill
Drin
nY
nO
28
67+
Boomer and confidence, 2012 (percentage completely/somewhat agree)
Less Older Generation interest
MILLENNIALS
GEN X
BABY
BOOMER
67+
I enjoy shopping for wine
85
83
71
61
I like to introduce friends/family
to new brands of wine
78
71
56
37
D
How
drivin
as 28
comp
Source:
I am confident I would be able
to correctly differentiate a
glass of Merlot from a glass of
Cabernet Sauvignon
71
66
55
44
I like reading about wine
in books, magazines and
newsletters
64
59
39
28
I worry about making a mistake
when I buy wine
38
28
16
9
Volu
wine
Mi
Y
O
WINE DRINKING OCCASIONS BY GENERATION 2012 (percentage very/somewhat likely)
OCCASION
MILLENNIALS
GEN X
BABY
BOOMER
Ge
67+
Ba
wine Drinkers byBOOMER
generation, 2012
newsletters
when I buy wine
MILLENNIALS: DEMOGRAPHICS
38
You can buy good wines without
28
16
spending a lot of money
9
An opened bottle of wine stays
fresh for 2 to 3 days
88
88
61
WINE DRINKING OCCASIONS BY GENERATION 2012 (percentage very/somewhat likely)
MILLENNIALS
GEN X
BABY
BOOMER
Cocktail Party
87
88
79
End-of-day drink at home
82
82
79
OCCASION
Wine
Drinkers
29
62
%
93Volume
64
38
Younger (21-28)
10
14
Older (28-36)
19
24
21
21
BRINGING GEN X INTO FOCUS
Gen X
Casual weekday restaurant dinner
82
Meals eaten alone
65
Bar or lounge
75
69
55
I like to introduce
friends/family
to new brands of wine
Business entertainment
76
Takeout
58
Ball game or concert
48
71
58
I am confident I would be able
71 differentiate
55a
to correctly
glass of Merlot from a glass of
56
40
Cabernet Sauvignon
35 about wine
21
I like reading
in books, magazines and
newsletters
79
MILLENNIALS
72
74 85
48
39
39
25
78
71
14
64
38
67+
12
8
BABY
overlooked.
is that there67+
aren’t
GEN X One reason
BOOMER
as many of them—only 50 million or so,
about two-thirds
of the71
Millennials. They’re
83
61
also among the most difficult to reach, more
cynical71
about marketing
56and less trusting
37
than
the
Boomers.
Total core wine drinkers
they’re entering their peak earning
by But
generation
201255
40 44
66 the 2012 Wine
years, and
Market Council
report notes that
28they are playing a crucial
role in the wine business:
59
39
28
Older
 They account for one-fifth
20 of the study’s
Millennials
core wine
28 drinkers—those
16 that drink 9wine at
19%
least
once a week.
12
Corehigh
Wine standards,
Consumption
BY venuewon’t
and GENERATION
2012
(percentage) of California protheir
Millennials
tiani,
the
president
Source:
Wine Market
Council
shop there.
Convenience is important,
ducer The22Other Guys.19“They’ll spend
MILLENNIALS
51 be8
 Annual household incomes were significause they’re so pressed for time, but they
money for quality, but they also want
Younger
GEN X
57
22
16
5
cantly higher among Gen Xers than the other
also want products that are sourced and
value. They won’t buy something just
Millennials
BABY BOOMER
vs. $73,700 for
65
20
WINE
DRINKING
OCCASIONS
BY12GENERATION
(percentage very/somewhat likely)
manufactured
safely and humanely. They
because
it’s expensive.”
This,
he says,3 is 2012demographics—$81,900
9%
Millennials and $78,700 for Boomers.
67+ to green labels the65
18 between Boomers
14
3
don’t pay lip service
way
a key difference
and
BABY
OCCASION
MILLENNIALS
GEN X
67+
BOOMER
Boomers do.
Millennials. The former will serve a
Millennials
Gen X Baby
67+
Boomer
bottle
of21
wine because20it got 98 points
Source:
Almost
two-fifths
of
Gen
Xers
said
they
Cocktail
Party
88
79
79
YOUNGER MILLS.
48
11 87
Wine Market Council
 Who they trust. It’s not the tradiand they want to impress their friends.
were drinking more wine today than they did
OLDER MILLS.
52
7 82
End-of-day22
drink at home19
82
79
72
tional wine experts—critics, magazines
The latter, on the other hand, will serve
a few years ago, the second highest number
n Home n Restaurant n Friend’s Home n Other Venues
Casual
weekday
restaurant
dinner
74
and the like—that drive consumption
wine
they
like, and
they don’t
really care82
after the82
Millennials. 75
among Boomers. Plahutnik says his
about
scores,
if
it
cost
a
lot,
or
if
anyone
Meals eaten alone
65
69
55
48
younger customers are usually surprised
else has ever heard of it (one reason why
 Core Gen
Bar or lounge
75
71 X wine drinkers
58 are more
39conwhen he shows them less expensive,
Millennials are at the forefront of the
fident than Millennials—only 28% said they
Business
71
55
39
quality wine; they’re not used to getting
local
wineentertainment
movement). They like mak-76
worry about making a mistake when they
advice from someone like him. Rather,
ing
discoveries, says Sebastiani, and they58
Takeout
56compared to40
25
buy wine,
38% of Millennials.
says Gillespie, they ask their friends and
want their friends to like what they find
Ball game or concert
48
35
21
14
family; if their circle likes the wine, then
as well. Then word of mouth takes over,
it’s good enough to drink.
and texts, posts and tweets follow about
the wine. ■
 Private labels. Millennials love them,
says Graham, especially when they come
Core Wine Consumption BY venue and GENERATION 2012 (percentage)
from a trusted retailer like Trader Joe’s.
MILLENNIALS
51
22
19
8
This gives them an emotional connection
to the product, so they’re buying on more
GEN X
57
22
16
5
than a cheap price. In addition, buying a
BABY BOOMER
65
20
12
3
private label from a trusted retailer makes
67+
65
18
14
3
the purchase decision easier.
and status. “Millennials are at the cut-
ting edge in the industry in getting away
from statusy brands,” says August Sebas-
nY
nO
28
Gen Xers, the demographic between the
when I buy wine
 The interplay between price, value
Mill
Drin
Baby Boomer
38
32
Less Older Generation interest67+
and confidence,
2012 (percentage completely/somewhat
agree)
Baby Boomers and the Millennials, are often
I enjoy shopping
for wine
82
75
93
Millennial
72
% of
YOUNGER MILLS.
OLDER MILLS.
48
21
52
22
n Home
n Restaurant
20
19
n Friend’s Home
11
7
n Other Venues
D
Howe
drivin
as 28
comp
Source: W
Volu
wine
Mi
Y
O
Ge
Ba
67
Source: W
Tota
by g
Millen
19
You
Millen
9
Source: W
ATTHEBAR
Hip Brandy Classics
Drinks Dressed to the Nines
By ROBERT PLOTKIN
Brandy and cognac are the
most prestigious spirits on the
shelf. Few products so ably
illustrate the concept of affordable luxury as do these
traditional heavyweights. Their
appeal transcends age and
demographics, and although
belt-tightening has reduced our
discretionary income, cognacs
and brandies offer people a lot
of indulgence for the buck.
The dean of American brandy
and co-founder of acclaimed Germain-Robin, Ansley Coale has for
30 years watched with interest this
reversal of fortune. “ The 21-to-35year-old demographic—Millennial
and Echo Boomers—are in particular responsible for reenergizing the
categor y’s dynamic. Yet the most
significant growth factor though,
especially in a down economy,
brandies and cognacs widely perceived as affordable luxuries.”
Another evolving sales driver is
their extraordinar y mixability. In
fact, many of the vintage cocktails
being reintroduced into the American mainstream are prepared on a
foundation of these grape spirits.
For those times when an ordinar y
cocktail won’t do, savvy mixologists invariably enlist the talents of
brandy or cognac.
Before forging off on your own,
consider first auditioning a few
of the classic brandy cocktails.
They’re field-tested and guaranteed
to impress the locals. Fortunes
have turned on less.
First is the inimitable Stinger
Cocktail, a classic born in the
1890s that rose to prominence after the Repeal and remained popular throughout the ‘50s. It’s made
with brandy and white crème de
menthe. Now more often requested ser ved over ice, the original version remains unsurpassed.
The satiny textured Sidecar debuted at Harr y’s New York Bar
in Paris during World War I. It’s
traditionally made with cognac,
Cointreau and lemon sour mix and
ser ved with a rim of sugar. The
cocktail is at its best when shaken
with vigor.
The same can’t be said about the
Brandy Manhattan, which by all
accounts requires gentle stirring.
The cocktail is made with sweet
vermouth, a few dashes of bitters
and a dr y yet charismatic brandy
or cognac. While vermouth may be
inexpensive, it’s a complex aperitif
wine difficult to make well. Suffice
to say, the better the vermouth, the
better the resulting Manhattan.
Affordable Luxury
Like basic black with pearls, enjoying a sumptuous Brandy Alexander af-
ter dinner is always appropriate. This
timeless classic is prepared with brandy,
crème de cacao and cream with a dash
of nutmeg on top. However, there’s not
a more satisfying dessert than a Brandy
Alexander made with ice cream.
Java enthusiasts are certain to gravitate to the unpretentious Café Royale
(brandy, simple syrup and hot coffee)
and the Caffé Correcto (cognac and
espresso). Both of their fates rest on
selecting a brandy sufficiently robust to
perform in tune with high-octane coffee.
Finish either drink with whipped cream
or a layer of frothed milk.
Perhaps the most elegant classic on
the roster is the French 125, an effervescent cocktail so delicious it’ll even
improve your feng shui. The French 125
is concocted with cognac, sweetened
lemon juice and a fill with champagne.
For the best results, use premium brut
Champagne and rely only on fresh lemon sour mix. If you’re looking to wow a
guest, here’s your chance.
A popular favorite since the ‘60s, the
Keoki Coffee is made with brandy,
Kahlúa, crème de cacao, coffee and a
topping of whipped cream. The Dirty
Mother is another hit from the ‘60s. Admittedly an odd name for a delectable
drink, it features brandy, Kahlúa and a
ATTHEBAR
dash of cream. Consider substituting an
can brandy is distilled from Thompson
family-owned distillery. Maison Surrenne is
Irish cream liqueur for the half & half.
seedless grapes because of their flavor and
a franchise player wholesaling around $40.
Now if you’re in the market for some-
high acidity. Prior to blending, the brandies
Martell Noblige Cognac
are aged 4 to 6 years in
thing more romantic, look no further
Considered a step above
American white oak
than the French Connection, a libido-
barrels.
their VSOP, Martell Noblige
Marnier swirled together in a heated
Courvoisier
barrel-aged eaux-de-vie from
snifter. Each elicits the best attributes
Exclusif Cognac
the Borderies. The smallest of
reviving blend of cognac and Grand
out of the other.
Hip New Brandies
Where once showcasing XO Cognac in a
Courvoisier Exclusif
the crus, its brandies are soft,
is a distinctively flavor-
round and highly valued for
ful cognac created spe-
use in blending.
Sidecar or French 125 was considered sacri-
cifically for use in cock-
lege, it’s now viewed as an evolutionary im-
tails. The cognac is a blend of Borderies and
perative, the irrepressible drive to improve
Fin Bois eaux-de-vie selected for their indi-
ones lot. One thing is certain, the better the
vidual depth and complexity.
brandy, the better the cocktail.
That said a down economy is a challeng-
contains a high percentage of
Pierre Ferrand Ambre
Cognac
Priced at a value-laden
$45, Ambre is a sophis-
Hennessy Black Cognac
ticated assemblage of
Hennessy Black is a light-
100% Grande Cham-
ing time to debut a pricy collection of ultra-
bodied blend of up to 45 eaux-
pagne eaux-de-vie with
premium cocktails. To add fuel to the trend,
de-vie aged in French oak bar-
a tasting profile of 10
suppliers have been introducing new labels
rels for at least 5 years. Priced
years. Among its singu-
of cognacs and brandies featuring lower
under $50, the cognac is being
lar features is that the brandies are distilled
price points and vibrant personas tailor-
marketed on its drink-making
on the lees to produce more depth of flavor.
made for drink making.
prowess.
If you happened to miss the hoopla surrounding their release, here’s
our all-star lineup of new
cocktail-friendly
brandies
and cognacs.
Cardenal Mendoza
Solera Gran Reserva
A world-class Spanish
Brandy de Jerez priced in
the low-$40s and comprised
of a blend of 17 different
Jacques Cardin
Cognac VSOP
edly affordable cognac, the
Cru is a blend of 100%
VSOP is assembled from
Petite
brandies aged in oak for 4
cognacs barrel-aged be-
years. The range also features
tween 3 and 10 years.
The mahogany hued cognac is moderately
vored Cognac VSOP and Jasmin Flavored
priced and loaded with floral and fruit
Cognac VSOP.
notes.
Distillerie Cognac
Made in the San Joaquin Valley, this Ameri-
Champagne
made-for-mixing Jacques Cardin Apple Fla-
sherry casks and Sanchez
XO Rare Reserve
Marketed as a higher
standard in V.S, Grand
Maison Surrenne Ancienne
Christian Brothers
Cru Cognac
An enticing and unexpect-
brandies aged in both exRomate’s solera.
Rémy Martin Grand
Imported by Craft Distillers of
Ukiah, Ancienne Distillerie is a
100% Petite Champagne cognac
comprised of eaux-de-vie aged
ROBERT PLOTKIN is a judge at the San Francisco
World Spirits Competition and author of 16 books
on bartending and beverage management including
Secrets Revealed of America’s Greatest Cocktails.
He can be reached at www.AmericanCocktails.com
or by e-mail at [email protected].
for 10 years in the cellars of the
Elisa Najera
Former Miss Mexico 2007-2008
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. ©2011 Tequila Corralejo® Product of Mexico, Tequila 40% Alc./Vol. Imported By Wilson Daniels, Ltd., St. Helena, CA.
Industry
snapshot
Frank Cheplowitz:
Serving Annapolis’ Best for
40-Plus Years
By TED DURGIN
W
aiters and waitresses
play such interesting roles in our lives.
For a brief time, they
are an integral part of so many
momentous events. A first date
that eventually turns to true love.
A family dinner that becomes a
cherished memory. A business
lunch that changes the course
of one’s finances.
Frank Cheplowitz has been a part
of first dates, family dinners, business
lunches, and so many other important
meals in Annapolis for more than 40 years
now. Anyone who is anyone in Maryland’s
capital has probably been waited on by him,
and anyone who is anyone has probably
brought someone important back to the
restaurants where he has worked to be served
by him again. He is that highly regarded.
Born and raised in Annapolis,
Cheplowitz started working at the age
of 10 in his parents’ delicatessen, making
sandwiches, learning about sauces, and so
forth. One of his first professional jobs was
serving on the waitstaff of the old Harbor
House restaurant, which is now Phillip’s, in
the city’s City Dock area. He then became
well-known locally for his nearly 27-year
stint at the historic Maryland Inn, where
MARRIED: Yes, for 32 years
OFFSPRING:
Two adult sons and three teenage
grandchildren.
HIS FAVORITE MOVIES:
“The Godfather” and “Rocky”
he did everything from wait on tables to
manage staff to order the restaurant’s wine.
He made the switch to Paul’s Homewood
Cafe on West Street seven years ago on
Thanksgiving weekend and has served as
its nighttime manager and head waiter
ever since. In his time, he has waited on
everyone from such Hollywood celebrities as Harrison Ford, Vincent Price, and
“M*A*S*H” star David Ogden Stiers to such
politicians as former Governors Marvin
Mandel and William Donald Schaeffer.
“It’s not just a job,” he stated, during a recent interview with the Beverage
Journal. “It’s a passion, a calling. It’s in my
blood. I love what I do, and I love working
here in particular. This is a Greek infusion restaurant that has been family-owned
and operated since 1949. There is a great
clientele that comes into this place. People
actually walk to it when it snows! They
think of it as a home away from home.”
In his four decades in the business,
Cheplowitz has seen his share of changes.
Some of the most interesting have had to
do with beer, wine, and spirits. “I think
people are a lot smarter now about what
they drink,” he stated. “They’re more into
wine than they are hard liquor. They know
their grapes, and they know their regions. I
have also seen more responsible drinking
over the years. It used to be 30 years ago
a table would order two or three bottles of
wine. Now, it’s more likely a table will order
two or three glasses. I also see the younger
IF HE WASN’T A WAITER,
HE WOULD BE A: Landscaper.
people now starting to follow their parents in
learning about the different wines. I’ll often
hear, ‘My parents drink this. Can I try it?’”
He continued, “Of course, it’s a challenge for everybody to keep up with all of
the new brands and labels. You just have
to take it one day at a time, try the new
wines, and learn how to pare them with
different foods. It’s a big learning experience, and it’s hard to keep up. I tell new
waiters, ‘Don’t rush it. It’ll come to you.’”
As one might imagine, Cheplowitz is
often viewed as a sage to younger staff. He
certainly doesn’t mind imparting his wisdom
and experience to anyone who will listen.
What’s his biggest suggestion? “Don’t
B.S. the customer!” he exclaimed. “Be
honest and respectful, and treat them the
way that you want to be treated. That’s
something I learned from my parents.
Customers know more than they did 15
or 20 years ago, and they can teach you a
lot actually -- more than some classes do,
in fact. I never went to school for this. I
always learned on the job and from my
customers. Not to toot my own horn, but
I think that’s why there are always a lot of
requests for me in the reservation book.”
Only 60, Cheplowitz figures he will
continue fulfilling those requests for
many years to come. So, would he ever
consider leaving Annapolis for potentially
greener pastures elsewhere? A sly smile
came across his face when asked this question. “Only for a night,” he answered. “My
dream waiting job would be to work one
night for Wolfgang Puck at one of his
Academy Awards balls or parties. Oh, I’ve
been dying to do something like that!”
BEST BEER: Heineken Light.
FAVORITE WINE: Worthy Meritage and Dry
Creek Meritage
GO-TO COCKTAIL: The Ice Pick.
EDWARD "TEDDY" DURGIN is a graduate of UMBC.
In additional to his freelance journalist duties, he is
an entertainment reviewer. You may contact Teddy at
[email protected].
Barritt’s
Ginger Beer
Bermuda
Barritt's Ginger Beer can be enjoyed alone or as a versatile
mixer adding spice to rum, vodka, and other spirits.
The Dark &
Stormy
G&A Distributing
for more information & ordering, please contact
Alan Emery
[email protected]
240-418-3980
www.nationalbeveragebrokers.com
Bermuda’s signature
drink
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark
rum - 3 ounces
Barritt’s - 1/2 ounce lime
juice -
A Conversation With Industry Professionals
SPEAKEASY
Mixology Competition], and that’s exciting because this year we’re introducing
beer.
We have two separate unique launches at the convention, plus Dan Aykroyd
is coming this year to support his vodka,
Crystal Head. He knows that it’s about
business, and business requires you to
be present. He’s got the right idea. He
comes to our convention, he works the
wholesalers, works the crowd. If celebrities want to be successful, they better approach it as more than just getting a name
out and assuming it will sell. We’ve seen
plenty of flash-in-the-pans come and go.
If you want to make it work, you better be
prepared to make it work. And how do
you do that in this country? You partner
with wholesalers.
TBN: How important is making a great
presentation on the exhibit floor?
Craig Wolf
President & CEO, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers
of America (WSWA)
The Beverage Network recently sat down with Craig Wolf,
in advance of the 2013 Convention in Orlando, FL, to discuss
the state of the association, their most pressing issues and
the value of the convention.
ON THE CONVENTION
THE BEVERAGE NETWORK: This
year marks WSWA’s 70th anniversary.
Tell us what’s new with the convention?
CRAIG WOLF: We want to change,
make it fresh, make it exciting. If you look
at the convention where it is today, compared to where it was when I started 13
years ago, it’s unrecognizable. From the
competitions we have now—suppliers
line up to be in these competitions—to
the events, to the types of educational
sessions we’re offering. We’ve sold out all
the lower level space, and we have sold
out all the traditional suites. Basically we
had to offer additional opportunities for
people to exhibit just at the Taste of the
Industry, because we had no other opportunities. And we actually have a new
competition this year, Hoptails [Hoptails
CW: The fact is that when most suppliers—small suppliers—get into market,
they don’t have the resources to go out to
retailers and explain their products. They
are start-ups and they are just trying to
figure things out. That’s what wholesalers
do, but you still have to sell the wholesaler in the first instance. When you get
to our convention, the same thing applies.
You have all this exhibit space. You have
all these people on the floor, on the lower
levels. If you’re not smart in how you market at the convention, you’re going to be
left behind. We always run into people at/
after the convention who say, “You know,
my experience was great. Within one day,
I made this connection and that one.”
ON THE
ASSOCIATION
TBN: You’ve been at WSWA
since 2000—you started as general
counsel—and you’ve been president
since 2006. What do you see as
your biggest achievements during
your tenure?
(continued on page 58)
SPEAKEASY
CW: I like to think of it in two ways—
internal and external. Internally, I wanted
to modernize the organization from a
business standpoint. I wanted to create
a top-notch staff that was fully integrated
with each department so we had a really
effective organization. My goal was to
make sure that every position had the right
person with the right experience to do the
job. And then to get the systems up to date,
too—accounting software, membership
software, renovating the office. We’re
almost completed on this front. In fact,
we’re going to have a bar as our reception
desk so we can have events there
as well.
Externally, I wanted to make sure that
people understood we were not a onetrick pony, that we had many issues we
were concerned about. Our agenda is
very broad. So we cover state issues, we
cover federal issues—not just three-tier
issues, but we also deal with tax issues,
food safety issues. And we’ve got issues
coming up dealing with transportation,
and some of the wage/hours service issues. We wanted to make sure that our
capabilities were responding to the needs
of our members, which we’ve done.
A Conversation With Industry Professionals
“WHAT I DON’T WANT TO SEE—IN AN
ASSOCIATION WHERE THE BIG GUYS PROVIDE
A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING—
IS TO FORGET THAT WE REPRESENT ALL
DISTRIBUTORS. WE ARE FAR BETTER SERVED IF
WE REPRESENT EVERYBODY.”
reason. They join for the convention, to
pick up product. They’re trying to grow,
they want to see what’s out there and
what they can carry and sell. They’re
more focused on their bottom lines. The
more experienced, veteran members
are all about government affairs, litigation, how are we protecting their interests. There’s a dichotomy between the
old and the new. We have affinity programs, that didn’t exist before 2006;
these programs offer our members very
significant savings every year on things
like insurance.
ON LEGISLATION &
REGULATION
TBN: What is your take on consolidation at the wholesale level? How are
you able to maintain your appeal to
smaller distributors?
TBN: What are some of the political
issues WSWA is expecting to deal
with in the near future?
CW: Consolidation’s an issue. What I
don’t want to see—in an association
where the big guys provide a great
percentage of funding—is to forget that
we represent all distributors. We are far
better served if we represent everybody.
If we go around saying we represent
only 10 wholesalers in this country, even
if it’s 60% of the volume, that’s not good
enough for me. I want to keep growing
and broadening.
The guys that join us now, the smaller
distributors, join us more for a business
CW: We’re focused on the tax agenda
most importantly at this point. We don’t
see excise tax right now as being an
issue, but it could come up. It’s been
awhile, so we’re prepared to deal with
that if it comes up.
On the regulatory side of things, I
think it’s growing in importance and
we just don’t know what’s going to
come out from the administration when
it comes to labor, for instance, and
environmental issues that will affect
us. It’s very perplexing, because you
don’t know what they’ve got planned.
They held a lot of stuff off pending the
election. We know they are going to
start coming out with regulations that
could affect our members in areas that
we didn’t necessarily foresee. So we’re
going to make sure we’re trying to cover
those areas.
ON PRIVATIZATION
TBN: In 2012, Washington State
approved privatization. Now
Pennsylvania is moving in that
direction. Where does WSWA stand
on privatization?
CW: First of all, we look at Washington
State as what not to do. We’ve never
taken a position in favor of or opposed
to privatization. States have to make that
determination. But, whenever they go into
these discussions they should be very
careful how they tinker with the system,
because the fact is that the systems that
have existed in the licensed and control
states creating the divisions between the
tiers has been very successful. When you
talk in Pennsylvania about privatization,
make sure you understand that you can
privatize it, if that’s what your people want
and your legislature decides, but don’t
throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Keep the regulations. Keep control.
Keep accountability. n
Volume (9L Cases)
BRANDPROFILE
Decoding Today’s Palate
Vintage Point’s David Biggar Knows
What Millennials Want to Drink
BY KRISTEN BIELER
G
rowing up in households where parents drank wine, consumers in the
21- to 35-year old demographic are bred to be wine drinkers, believes
VINTAGE POINT HIGHLIGHTS
David Biggar, co-founder of Vintage Point, the California-based luxury
❂ SIP 2012 Moscato
wine marketing company. “But they don’t want to drink the wine their
The Stats: 100% Orange Muscat; SRP $14.99.
Point of Difference: Unlike most Moscatos,
SIP has no added residual sugar—its sweetness is all natural.
The Scoop: “I learned at Beringer when
a big buyer asked us for a ‘reserve’
White Zinfandel that consumers
always trade up,” says Biggar. “We
didn’t want to get into the Moscato
business because the under-$10
is not our price range; with SIP we
are aiming for the on-premise and
the Moscato consumer who wants
something a little higher-quality.”
SIP’s vibrant floral and citrus
taste profile is underscored by a
balanced hint of sweetness.
parents did,” he says. “Traditional flavors and old-fashioned labels don’t speak
to them.”
Biggar launched Vintage Point in
2006 to develop wines for this group—
an underserved wine drinking population, in his opinion, with real money to
spend: “The Millennial consumer isn’t
afraid to spend $15 or $20 on a bottle—
they spend that on a martini at a bar.”
After 20 years with Beringer, Biggar
was introduced to Jayson Woodbridge of
the famed (and famously expensive) Hundred Acre wine label, and together they
launched the Layer Cake brand, Vintage
Point’s highest-volume wine. (Woodbridge and Biggar’s motto: Make a wine
that looks like it’s $50, tastes like it’s $30
and costs $15.)
Today with 20 brands and 20 sales
people, Vintage Point sells over 650,000
cases a year and is on the fast track toward a million. In the last 12 months,
the company has rolled out a dozen new
wines. Here are some of the highlights:
Hidden Ridge Vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains, CA
❂ if you see kay 2010
The Stats: Italian IGT Cabernet-based red
from Lazio; SRP $19.99.
Point of Difference: The striking tattooed
“kay” on the label makes this one of the
most eye-catching bottles in the business,
and the cheeky name gets lots of attention—good and bad.
The Scoop: Because of this wine’s
irreverent name, one newspaper journalist
accused Vintage Point of not caring what its
customers think. “The name definitely starts
conversations,” Biggar shares. Though the
fictional kay
on the label
(painted by a
tattoo artist)
looks like she’d
be more at
home in a biker
bar, Biggar has
been surprised
at the bestselling spots for
the wine—
“affluent, more
conservative markets like Aspen, Pebble
Beach, Nantucket and New Hampshire.” The
wine, made in Italy’s Lazio region, is as fullthrottle as its package suggests, with dark
fruit and liqueur-like plum flavors.
❂ Makara 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
The Stats: 100% Sauvignon Blanc from
Marlborough; SRP $11.99.
Point of Difference: Riper—and cheaper—
than most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.
The Scoop: Vintage Point wanted to play in
the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc category—which is growing 30% a year—yet “we
wanted to get away from the green, ‘cat pee’
taste profile that many in the category possess,” says Biggar. The 2011 was the first
vintage for Makara, whose yellow-and-orange colored Gauguin-inspired label is meant
to evoke the ripe, warm flavors that define the
wine. Full of lemon curd and grapefruit
notes, Makara is distinctly tropical
and very refreshing.
❂ Lo Nuevo 2010
Sorbo a Sorbo
The Stats: 100% old-vine
Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain;
SRP $9.99.
Point of Difference: Modernstyle Spanish wines from old
vines at low prices.
www.BeverageJournalInc.com The Scoop: Biggar is a firm believer that
Garnacha will be the next big thing: “It
has the taste, texture and spice character
of Malbec.” The explosive popularity of
Spanish wines doesn’t hurt either. Vintage
Point’s entire Lo Nuevo line—there are six
wines—are remarkably well-priced for what
they deliver. “The fact that you can get a
wine made from 110-year-old vines for $10
is pretty amazing—Spain is the only place
where this is possible,” says Biggar. Made
with 20% new French oak, Sorbo a Sorbo is
brimming with raspberry, balsamic and bright
plum fruit notes. The name “Sorbo a Sorbo”
means “Sip Sip.”
❂ Hypothesis 2010
The Stats: Cabernet-based Napa red;
SRP $40.
Point of Difference: A premium release from
the producer of Educated Guess—equal
parts art and science.
The Scoop: Mark Albrecht, owner of Napa’s
Roots Run Deep Winery, wanted to make a
Napa red everyone could afford, so
with winemaker Barry Gnekow, he
created Educated Guess, selling
for $20. Hypothesis is his reserve
offering, which advertises the
use of “flash détente” on the
label, a high-tech winemaking
technique that removes any
impurities. It’s Gnekow’s best
“educated guess” that barrel
fermentation and flash détente
were the keys to creating the
best complex, richly
styled Cabernet.
❂ Garnet Vineyards 2011
Monterey County Pinot Noir
The Stats: 100% Pinot
Noir in French oak,
60% new; SRP $15.
Point of Difference:
One of the few truly
delicious California
Pinots for well under
$20.
The Scoop: Owned today by a group
of growers in this coastal region (who
purchased the label back from Saintsbury),
Garnet is made from the best fruit of each
vineyard before the rest is sold off, which
means the quality is truly top-notch. The
value extends up the price tier as well:
“Garnet’s Carneros Pinot is $20 and their
single vineyard is $30,” says Biggar. “You
would have to pay $50 to $70 to get this kind
of Pinot character from another brand.”
❂ Mountain Door 2011 Malbec
The Stats:
100% Malbec
from Mendoza,
Argentina;
SRP $9.99.
Point of
Difference:
An entry-level
Malbec in the
modern style.
The Scoop: “This grower called us, wanting
to contribute to the Layer Cake Malbec, but
we decided this could be an opportunity
to create a new entry-level Malbec for the
American market,” explains Biggar. In a sea
of Malbecs with Inca names, Mountain Door
has an American name and features a soft,
chocolatey, fruit-forward taste profile.
❂ Layer Cake 2011 Malbec
The Stats: 100% Malbec from Mendoza,
Argentina; SRP $15.99.
Point of Difference: An international
collection of wines under the same label
that has been hailed as “the ultimate in
affordable luxury.”
The Scoop: Layer Cake’s Malbec isn’t
new—the first vintage came out in 2007
as a replacement for the Shiraz, which had
skipped a vintage—but it’s about to
become the brand’s best-seller.
Made with 100% new French oak,
it exudes big, super-ripe flavors of
chocolate, spiced cherries and
earth. “Like all of Jayson’s
wines, it’s a multi-sensory
experience,” says Biggar.
“This is how the brand got the
name—the layers of flavor that
contribute to the overall taste
experience of the wine are like
the layers in a cake.”
ULTIMATE
BEVERAGE
CHALLENGE’S
2013
ULTIMATE
SPIRITS
CHALLENGE
ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE (USC),
started in 2010 by ULTIMATE BEVERAGE
CHALLENGE LLC (UBC), is recognized as
the world’s foremost spirits competition.
Over the course of a week, fourteen of the
world’s most respected spirits authorities
—journalists, authors, buyers, bar owners,
consultants and educators—carefully blind
taste hundreds of entries to determine which
spirits are the best that year in over 30
categories. Utilizing the easily understood
and accurate 100-point scale, entries that
are scored 90 or higher in the first round get
assigned to a second panel of experts to
determine the Chairman’s Trophy winner, the
top scoring spirit in each category.
This year’s USC took place March 11thth
15 at New York’s Astor Center. Judging
was lead by UBC founder and judging
chairman F. Paul Pacult and co-chairman
Sean Ludford. In addition to Pacult and
Ludford, the USC judges featured spirits
experts Jacques Bezuidenhout; Tad
Carducci; James Conley; Dale DeGroff;
Dan Nicolaescu; Jim Meehan; Julie Reiner;
Jack Robertiello; Steve Olson; Jennifer
Simmonetti-Bryan, MW; Katie Stipe and
David Wondrich.
Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2013
had record entries (up 8% over 2012)
representing more than 70 companies and
30 countries. The judging super-group
named 33 Chairman’s Trophy Winners and
151 Finalists. Pacult noted, “The increase
in entries we’ve had for Ultimate Spirits
Challenge each year is a testament to
suppliers who appreciate our meticulous
attention to rating and scoring their
products.” ULTIMATE WINE CHALLENGE 2013
takes place June 3rd-7th.
1. The judging room at Astor Center 2. USC Judges: Back Row: Dan Nicolaescu, Jim Meehan, Jacques Bezuidenhout,
Steve Olson and UBC founder David Talbot; Middle Row: Judging co-chair Sean Ludford, Katie Stipe, Jennifer SimonettiBryan MW, David Wondrich, UBC founder and judging chair F. Paul Pacult, Julie Reiner and Tad Carducci; Front Row: Jack
Robertiello, Dale DeGroff and James Conley 3. Back-of-house crew: Steve Fette, Luis Guzman, Leo DeGroff, Auriela Nossa,
Zachary Overman and Sean Kenyon 4. Judges Jim Meehan, Jacques Bezuidenhout and Julie Reiner
1
3
2
4
ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE…LIKE NO OTHER COMPETITION AND DOESN’T WANT TO BE
ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
2013 CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY WINNERS
VODKA - UNFLAVORED
TAHOE BLUE
WHISK(E)Y – USA
American Whiskey
BALCONES 1 TEXAS SINGLE MALT
VODKA - FLAVORED
HOPHEAD POT STILLED HOP FLAVORED
GIN
FORDS GIN
Bourbon
BLANTON’S SINGLE BARREL
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON
Rye
KNOB CREEK RYE
AQUAVIT
LINIE AQUAVIT
Tennessee Whiskey
GEORGE DICKEL NO. 12
TEQUILA – 100% AGAVE
WHISKEY - IRELAND
Blanco
Blended
MILAGRO SILVER
Reposado
SIETE LEGUAS REPOSADO
Añejo
IZKALI AÑEJO
JAMESON 18 YEARS OLD
BRANDY
Armagnac
DELORD 30 YEARS OLD 1981
BAS-ARMAGNAC
Calvados
BOULARD XO CALVADOS
Cognac
HARDY XO COGNAC
Grappa
BOCCHINO RISERVA CARLO
BOCCHINO GRAPPA
Pisco
BARSOL SUPREMO MOSTO
VERDE PISCO
Irish Pot Still Whiskey
French Brandy
REDBREAST 15 YEARS OLD
ST-RÉMY RÉSERVE PRIVÉE
Single Malt
Spanish Brandy
TULLAMORE DEW 10 YEARS OLD
CARDENAL MENDOZA BRANDY DE JEREZ
CASA SAUZA XA
EDICIÓN LIMITADA EXTRA AÑEJO
WHISKY - SCOTLAND
American Brandy
MEZCAL
HAIG SUPREME 1627
SHOCHU
Blended
IICHIKO FRASCO BARLEY
Extra Añejo
DEL MAGUEY MINERO
E & J XO
Blended Malt
ROYAL SALUTE 21 YEARS OLD
RUM
BRUGAL PAPA ANDRES
RHUM AGRICOLE
RHUM CLEMENT GRANDE RESERVE
6 YEARS OLD
Single Malt
HIGHLAND PARK 25 YEARS OLD
LIQUEUR
LA MUSE VERTE ABSINTHE
WHISKY - CANADA
APERITIF
CARIBOU CROSSING SINGLE BARREL
LILLET JEAN DE LILLET 2009
For a Complete List of 2013 Results, Go to ultimate-beverage.com/usc2013results
SOMM
SEZ
Glass Act
John Duncan, Bonterra, Charlotte, NC
BY W. R. TISH
C
hurch wine was never like this. Wine lovers at Bonterra—housed
in a spacious, smartly renovated 110-year-old church in Charlotte,
North Carolina’s historic Southend District—have 200 choices of
wine by the glass. All of the glass pours are available by the bottle as
well (displayed on a veritable wall of wine), and 150 bottles beyond those
populate a Cellar List. We caught up with owner and wine director John
Duncan for insight regarding how he manages the dynamic program.
THE BEVERAGE NETWORK: What
is a current favorite pairing from your
menu and list?
JOHN DUNCAN: Any of our new European whites with all the great fresh seafood we get, they all work great.
TBN: What kind of special promotions
do you do?
JD: Malbec and Meatballs on Monday.
Tacos on Tuesday, half off all Spanish
wines. Wine’d Down Wednesday; all wine
are half-price by the glass (this gives us a
chance to clear some dead soldiers before reprint). Pizza and Pinots on Thursday (includes Pinot Noir, Gris, Blanc and
and Grigio). Fish Camp Friday; all seafood tapas only $5 and all beer half-price.
TBN: What are some wines that have
done especially well by the glass?
JD: All the Robert Foley wines are popular—The Griffin red blend, Kelly’s Cuvée
Syrah, Semillon. We own the sparkling
BTG selection in town, currently serving
11 from $7 [Simonnet-Febvre Rosé] to
$20 [Veuve Clicquot].
TBN: What software do you use?
JD: Positec POS and good old Excel
and Word.
TBN: How many distributors do you
deal with?
TBN: What are some recent trends
you’ve seen in Charlotte?
JD: I try to buy at least something from all
20+, but mostly from five to seven. I like
when they bring winemakers by to see
our system. We place orders each Monday and Thursday; reps stop by to pick-up
their orders for next day delivery.
JD: Consumers are loosening up a bit,
$12-$15 for wine by the glass is not so
bad anymore. Big bottle sales are up as
well for groups of six or more. Around
Charlotte, a lot of restaurants are starting to offer more wines by the glass.
New systems, dispensers, etc.—all
very expensive and impressive. We’ve
had 200 wines by the glass for 14 years.
CORKBOARD
BONTERRA – BONTERRADINING.COM
Cuisine: Contemporary, seasonal,
Southern
Selections on wine list: 350
Bottles in inventory: 3,000
Price range of list: $28 to $80; $75$1,800 on Cellar List (CL)
Average bottle price: $60; $125 CL
Sweet spot on list: $50; $150-$175 CL
Wine list strengths: By-the-glass
program of 200 wines from a variety of
regions and grapes
Wines by the glass: 80 whites (42°F), 80
reds (62°F), plus Ports, dessert wines and
bubblies; about 10-12 entries turn over
every two weeks
Price range by the glass: $7-$20
Stemware: No particular brand; 16 oz.
white, 19.5 oz. red; specialty glasses for
“serious bottles”
Preservation system: Nitrogen/argon
gas; bottles are tested for freshness and
thrown out if necessary (total waste is less
than $150 cost per week)
TBN: How does your service approach
change with so many wines by the glass?
JD: We continue to aim for a table of
four, for example, to order a different
glass of wine for each of their courses.
Two or three glasses per person for a
four-course meal.
TBN: What other wine programs do
you admire?
JD: I admire anyone experimenting with
keg wine. I think it’s revolutionary and
could be the way of the future. Cuts
down on bottle cost, cardboard, shipping expense—and they last longer
than an open bottle. I’m waiting on
someone to build a bigger wall of wine
than ours with taps on the wall. ■
Photograph by Gabi Porter
BY T H E
NUMBERS
Industry
Facts
& Stats
The gang's all here: Manhattan Cocktail Classic's 2012 opening night gala.
Big #s in the Big Apple
The Manhattan Cocktail Classic kicks
off this year on May 17th. Since the
inaugural event in 2009, attendance has
grown 662%, with cumulative attendees
topping 12,500. About two-thirds are
from the NYC tri-state area; 4% are from
outside the U.S. A total of 159 New
York City bars and restaurants have
participated in the festival, creating work
opportunities for over 2,000 bartenders.
Cumulatively, more than 120,000
cocktails have been served at the
festival’s four epic opening night galas,
held at the New York Public Library’s
42nd Street main branch. The festival
extends well beyond the gala, with
nearly 100 events taking place across
the city over the following four days.
Cider-licious
Speaking of apples, according to
market analyst Mintel, cider is the rising
star of the British beverage alcohol
trade. Three in five adults polled in
2012 said they drink cider, up from the
previous year’s figure of 47%.
This means that in 2012,
more British adults drank
cider than spirits, and
cider is closing in on beer,
whose stated usage rate
has leveled off at 70%.
Could a similar surge
happen in the U.S.? Recent
research by Consumer Edge Insight
suggests that American tastes may be
poised to take advantage of new brands
and increased distribution of the brews.
The cider category in the U.S. today
suffers from a perception gap between
drinkers and non-drinkers. People who
drink cider regularly (at least once a
week) have a positive opinion: they
think cider tastes great (36%), is fun to
drink (31%) and is high-quality (26%).
In contrast, among people who don't
drink cider at all, only 5% think it tastes
good and 22% say that cider is “not for
people their age.” However, when both
cider drinkers and current non-drinkers
were asked what might make them drink
cider more often, the top response was
“if it was available in more bars and
restaurants,” cited by 26%.
Category expansion could help spur
growth. Among people who have been
drinking more cider, the top reason
given is new brands (35%) and new
flavors (31%). Women are especially
likely to cite new brands (47%) and
new flavors (39%). Among men, the
top reasons for drinking more cider
is they have grown to like its taste
(33%); and they have found
more occasions to drink it
(25%). Men also cite new
brands (23%) and flavors
(23%); and 21% say they
are drinking more cider
because they are getting
tired of drinking other
types of alcohol.
David Decker, president of
Consumer Edge Insight, noted,
“Expanding distribution of the cider
category among both on-premise and
off-premise channels will be key to
driving consumption growth among
both regular users and non-users.”
NOT Cork…Nomacorc
Nomacorc, the world’s largest producer
of synthetic wine closures, announced
the shipment of its 100 millionth Select
Series closure. First introduced in
2011 with the Select 700, the complete
Select Series portfolio was not fully
commercialized until January 2012.
The Select Series was developed
based on Nomacorc’s oxygen
management research and experience
working with winemakers around the
world. The series offers four product
options, consisting of different oxygen
ingress rates, which are each designed
to provide optimum wine preservation
and development. Currently the second
largest closure manufacturer in the world,
Nomacorc produces nearly 2.4 billion
closures annually and represents roughly
13% of the still wine closure market.
NEWPRODUCTS
&PROMOTIONS
CRUZAN RUM EXPANDS ITS
FLAVOR PORTFOLIO
Cruzan Rum bottles the lifestyle of St. Croix,
and has added two innovations to its portfolio:
Key Lime Rum and Passion Fruit Rum. Key
Lime offers a sweet and tangy taste, while
Passion Fruit offers a bright aroma and citrusy
finish. Both are handcrafted by the Nelthropp
family using natural flavors and cane sugar
blended with Cruzan light rum. 80 proof.
SVEDKA VODKA INNOVATES WITH
TWO NEW FLAVOR ADDITIONS
Svedka Vodka is introducing two new decadent
flavors: Svedka Orange Cream Pop and Svedka
Strawberry Colada. The former is a nostalgic
blend of Swedish vodka, icy orange cream and
vanilla flavors. Strawberry Colada is a tropical
blend of vodka that is infused with strawberry,
coconut and pineapple flavors. Both flavors are
available nationally starting April 15th in 50ml,
375ml, 750ml, 1L and 1.75L sizes.
cruzanrum.com
facebook.com/CruzanRum
svedka.com
SRP: $14.99
SRP: $12.99/750ml
SHELLBACK RUM OFFERS
TASTE OF CARIBBEAN &
MIXOLOGY TOUR
New Shellback Rum is named after the naval
tradition wherein brave sailors who have crossed
the equator are awarded the title “Shellback.”
The Caribbean rum is produced at the West
Indies Rum Distillery on Barbados, and is
available in Silver and Spiced expressions. In
March, Shellback Rum and Tony Abu-Ganim
kicked off a six-city tour that explores the
versatility and mixability of Shellback Rum.
shellbackrum.com
SRP: $17
PRIMOSOLE OFFERS PURE,
ORGANIC ITALIAN WINES
Primosole Wines are fresh, fun and affordable
organic Italian wines new to market with
bright, eye-catching labels. Winemaker
Sabino Russo notes the Pinot Grigio with
aromas of pear and citrus pairs best with
light cusine like shellfish or soft cheeses,
while the Sangiovese offers good body
and notes of blackcurrant and integrated
tannins—a “go to” wine for nearly any
occasion. Marketed nationally by Bronco
Wine Company.
NECTAR FROM NICOLAS WINES
Nectar is the mascot of Nicolas Wines. The
famous cartoonist Dransy designed Nectar
to promote the Nicolas shops in France. The
first Nicolas posters date from the 1920s and
have remained a popular example of vintage
advertising. Celebrate the history of Nicolas with
a bottle of 100% Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon.
nicolaswines.net
[email protected]
PERNOD RICARD
TAKES INSPIRATION FROM
BREAKFAST WITH NEW
MAMA WALKER’S LIQUEUR
Pernod Ricard has introduced Mama
Walker’s, a proprietary line of three
breakfast-inspired liqueurs in Maple
Bacon, Blueberry Pancake and Glazed
Donut. These flavors tap into the
comfort food and fun flavor trends.
All three are bottled at 70 proof; retro
packaging features an oven mitt holding
a martini glass.
mamawalker.com
broncowine.com
SRP: $12.99/750ml
NEWPRODUCTS
&PROMOTIONS
BACARDI CLASSIC COCKTAILS
ADDS LIGHT STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI
Rolling out this month, Bacardi is introducing
Light Strawberry Daiquiri to its Classic Cocktails
RTS portfolio. Made with real lime juice, natural
strawberry flavor and Bacardi Superior Rum, this
addition presents light summer fun in a bottle with
95 calories per serving. Recommended served
chilled over ice in a tall glass. 12.5% ABV.
NEW AMSTERDAM
ADDS TROPICAL FLAVORS
New from the award-winning distillers
that crafted New Amsterdam Vodka and
Gin: New Amsterdam Citron Vodka and
Coconut Vodka offer tastes of the tropics.
Citron pleases with a zesty lemon aroma
and a clean finish; Coconut has creamy
flavors of coconut and a mellow finish.
Both are five-times distilled and bottled
at 70 proof.
bacardi.com
newamsterdamspirits.com
SRP: $14.99/750ml | $19.99/1.75L
SRP: $13.99
ALIZÉ INTRODUCES COCO
PINEAPPLE AND COCO PEACH
Following its successful 2012 debut, Alizé
COCO Liqueur has two new additions—
COCO Pineapple and COCO Peach. Both
bring together premium French spirits and
passion fruit with their individual flavors of
Pineapple and Coconut. The new creative
design reflects the chic personality of Alizé
consumers. Both can be served on the rocks
or mixed in a variety of cocktails. 20% ABV.
ABSOLUT CRAFT IS A
BACK-BAR GAME CHANGER
Absolut Craft, co-created with master bartender
Nick Strangeway, has been designed
exclusively with professional bartenders in
mind, with added complexity from maceration
and distillates. The first expression, available
now, is Herbaceous Lemon, which uses 12
macerates and distillates. Craft comes in an
eye-catching silver-gray bottle. Two additional
profiles will be released later this year.
41% ABV.
alize.com
facebook.com/AlizeMixItUp
pernod-ricard-usa.com
SRP: $19.99/750ml
SRP: $22.99
FOREST GLEN FOREST FIRE WHITE
MERLOT SCORES TRIPLE CROWN
Made from Merlot grapes, “Forest Fire” White
Merlot is unique among California blush
wines. The result is an affordable, balanced
tart yet sweet wine with powerful fruit. The
2012 Forest Glen “Forest Fire” White Merlot
scored a triple crown and double gold at the
2013 Jerry D. Mead New World International
Wine Competition, winning Best New World
Rosé among other awards. Sourced from
Franzia family vineyards across California and
best served chilled.
SOLEIL INTRODUCES MIMOSA MINI
Soleil Mimosa, a RTD blend of premium wine
and fresh-squeezed orange juice is now available
in a slim 187ml aluminum can. The refreshing,
low-alcohol (8%) bubbly is now light, recyclable,
convenient and primed for impulse
buys in four-packs and singles.
The cans can be enjoyed
anywhere glass bottles are
discouraged (sporting events,
campgrounds, around the pool,
on the golf course, at the beach).
fresh-mimosa.com
broncowine.com
SRP: $10.99/fourpack
MarylandScene
MarylandScene
(continued on page 76)
MarylandScene
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Enjoy London’s finest responsibly. BULLDOG London Dry Gin 40% ABV. Distilled from grain. Imported from England by BULLDOG Imports, Manhasset, NY.
MarylandScene
CHILEAN SAUVIGNON BLANC:
THE GOLDILOCKS WHITE
Cool Climate Breeds Balanced, Food-Friendly Style
BY W. R. TISH
Southern Hemisphere in general for value,
and Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for its “clean
aspect”—and the fact that it’s “not over
the top with green.” He finds the fresh,
un-oaked style of the Veramonte to be especially versatile with the restaurant’s first
courses, which reflect a distinct Japanese
influence and range from oysters, ceviche
and sashimi to salads and grilled octopus.
KEEPIN’ IT COOL
The common denominator driving quality
in Chilean Sauvignon Blanc is cool climate.
Valleys that are effectively air-conditioned
by breezes off the Pacific are credited with
helping optimize the variety’s naturally
zesty acidity as the grapes ripen slowly.
Interestingly, advantageous conditions are
found in multiple parts of the long, narrow country. In Casablanca Valley, generally recognized as the “hot spot” for cool,
fog adds an extra measure of sun-shielding
insurance. San Antonio Valley and its subregion of Leyda are closer to the coast,
benefitting even more directly from the
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF WINES OF CHILE
G
ranted, Americans are still
(happily) living in a Chardonnay
world. At the same time, though,
Sauvignon Blanc is emerging as
a real player in the white wine arena. According to Nielsen, Sauvignon Blanc grew
faster than the total wine category in U.S.
in 2012, and while still trailing Pinot Grigio, it grew even faster than that varietal
wine both in value (+13.3% vs. +8%) and
volume (+11.9% vs. +8%).
But set aside the stats for a moment
and consider these three leading white table wines. Chardonnay is the winemaker’s
grape, easily molded no matter where it is
grown; it may be too big to fail, but difficult to define. Pinot Grigio’s calling card
is its simple character—pleasant and palat-
able but rarely distinguished at its typically
low price point. Sauvignon Blanc, on the
other hand, has come to be demonstrably
place-driven. Classic French examples such
as Sancerre check in as lean, herbaceous
and minerally. New Zealand bottlings pack
aggressive, often one-dimensional punch.
Meanwhile, California produces quite a bit
of Sauvignon Blanc, but how many excellent ones retail under $20?
And then there is Chile, where—in a
remarkably short time span—Sauvignon
Blanc seems to have found a happy sweet
spot. Planted in the country’s cooler
regions, we are seeing a plethora of wines
that strike a Goldilocks balance: aromatic
without being too pungent; citrusy but not
just grapefruity; ripe and juicy yet still fresh.
Even at modest price points, these crisp,
unoaked whites are earning attention, both
as great values and great food companions.
Johnny Slamon, wine director at
Alexander’s in San Francisco, has had
Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc on the wine
list for more than a year. He likes the
LEFT: Many Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in
Chile are quite young; Casa Silva’s Paredones
Estate has produced only three vintages so far
of the winery’s “Cool Coast” bottling.
RIGHT: Wine regions up and down the
long, narrow country benefit from the Pacific
Ocean’s cooling breezes. Pictured here: the
Maipo River Valley.
breezes. Lolol Valley, a sub-region of Colchagua, runs east-west, resulting in a beneficent
funneling effect.
Perhaps the most important factor in
assessing the state of Sauvignon Blanc,
viticulturally, in Chile is the fact that
growers and wineries are still in the
discovery stage. The success of cool-climate
Sauvignon Blancs, many from vines less
than a decade old, is literally inspiring the
search for yet new temperate pockets. And
this “cool” discovery is being embraced by
new and generations-old wineries alike. To
wit, Casa Silva’s “Cool Coast” bottling,
made at a winery founded in 1892, is only
in its third vintage.
Tasting is Believing
At a tasting of 20 current-release Sauvignon Blancs arranged at the Wines of
Chile offices in New York, I came away
with a strong impression that these wines
share a family resemblance, best characterized as clean and refreshing. No doubt,
firm acidity is at the core of this kinship,
but there was more to it than simply tang.
The acidity seems to be less of a flavor in
and of itself (as I see happen typically in
New Zealand examples), and more of a
flavor carrier. Indeed, there was a sense of
family, but not of sameness.
In practically every wine, I found multinote aromas and flavors; the zesty structure
was a foundation. Moreover, the flavors
seemed well-concentrated, enabling the
wines to deliver flavor above their mediumweight body. And with prices generally
under $20, the wines represented excellent
value. This ability to over-deliver on both
flavor intensity and price, combined with
the relative youth of the Sauvignon Blanc
sub-industry in Chile, bodes very well for
the future. Simply put, as American tastes
continue to develop and seek out zesty, flavorful Sauvignon Blanc, Chile is in a perfect position to satisfy our thirst. n
TASTING NOTES: CHILE
LOS VASCOS SAUVIGNON
BLANC 2011
Casablanca Valley
Bright and
vibrant,
almost to the
point of being
effervescent.
Lemony nose
and green
apple flavors
reiterate the
firm acidity,
as does the cleansing finsh.
Calls out for food. SRP: $13.99
SANTA RITA RESERVA
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011
Casablanca Valley
Moderately
vegetal nose
(asparagus) is
inviting. Palate
delivers tart citrus fruit with a
touch of stone
fruit complexity. Quite wellbalanced and intriguing. Could
swing well from the dinner table
to a party. SRP: $12.99
HACIENDA ARAUCANO
RESERVA SAUVIGNON
BLANC 2012
Lolol Valley
Reminiscent
of white
Bordeaux
in its
roundness,
a product of
3-5 months on the lees. Acidity
tucks nicely within a frame of
tropical-leaning fruit. Distinctive
savory quality. SRP: $13
CASA SILVA
‘COOL COAST’
Colchagua Valley
From a newly developed
property, this wine aims high
and delivers. Fine pineapple
aroma and an impressive edge
of minerality on the palate,
complementing citrus fruit.
Quite long and elegant.
SRP: $22
MONTGRAS RESERVA
San Antonio Valley
One of the
fleshier,
fullerbodied
Sauv
Blancs (again
a result of
extended time on lees), with
a mouth-filling texture. Fruit
straddles citrus and melon;
acidity buoys the lingering
finish. SRP: $12.99
CONO SUR ORGANIC
San Antonio Valley
Exceptionally clean and pure,
with textbook varietal character.
Lovely balance of herbs,
mineral notes and grapefruit.
Light in body, but with real zest.
Ideal aperitif or picnic wine.
SRP: $14
LEYDA CLASSIC
Leyda Valley
Very expressive
and likable
style, with
bright citrus
and passion
fruit sharing
palate time
with mineral
and light green notes. Good
structure carries through into a
beautiful, juicy finish. SRP: $12
RITUAL SAUVIGNON
BLANC 2011
Leyda Valley
This wine, from the Veramonte
estate, was barrel fermented
and spent five months in
new French oak. The result
is relatively big and plush; fig
notes mingle
with ripe
tropical and
citrus fruit;
hint of flowers.
Complex.
SRP: $16.99

MILLENNIALSShift in Demographics Drives New Drinking Patterns

Transcription

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