For Chinese distillers, it’s the Year of the Hungry Horse. Chinese President Xi Jinping, in an effort to cut back on the appearance of government and military officials’ high living and corruption, has severely cut back on lavish banquets and heady toasting rounds using the national drink called baijiu.  Baijiu...

We listed some of the stories we’ve covered regarding alcohol and health, especially the beneficial consumption of red wine, under the heading “More Good News for Red Wine”.  Here’s one we missed, dating all the way back to 2007.   From the June 2007 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch,...

Can red wine inhibit growth of lung cancer cells?  Sounds amazing but a study reported in “Cancer Cell International” suggests that it can.  A research team experimented with both red and white wine on six different cultures of human lung cancer cells and found 60% inhibition of cell reproduction.  The...

It’s always fun when web surfing leads to something unique and interesting.  We were browsing Kegworks – these people have everything you can think of plus a whole of things you haven’t thought of when it comes to beer and winemaking equipment, barware, entertaining and so on – and we...

We’ve often wondered why the regular wine drinker is ignored when it comes to judging.  After all, they are huge purchasers of wine but how many of us really know what “green gooseberries” and “crushed violets” really taste like?  For many, the pretentiousness, sophistication and mystery surrounding wine tasting are...

Four delicious combinations of Caribbean rum and Wisconsin cream have hit the market in 22 states under the very cute label Tippy Cow.  Packaged in old-fashioned milk bottles, the Tippy Cow flavors are Vanilla Soft Serve, Chocolate, Orange Cream and Shamrock Mint.  The product is not too high in alcohol...

In a drinks world dominated by huge conglomerates, mostly headquartered overseas, starting a distillery means you have to be either foolhardy or incredibly optimistic.  In the case of Arthur Hartunian, owner of the Napa Valley Distillery, it is large doses of the latter. His enthusiasm is contagious and he obviously...

What’s a Master of Wine and how does one get the title?   We’ve been asked that question several times so we decided to go to one of the best sources in North America for the answer.   Joel Butler, one of the first Americans to earn this prestigious title is...

Joel Butler MW February 16, 2014-“Through its Members and activities, the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) promotes excellence, interaction and learning, across all sectors of the global wine community.”  This is the Mission statement of the Institute of Masters of Wine, created in 1953 to encourage greater professionalism and...

According to Wine Spectator magazine, tawny port is seeing an increase in popularity in the U.S. and the U.K.  Ruby ports, which are darker and sweeter, still lead the category, which deserves more attention from consumers.  The story also mentioned a cache of tawny from 1855 that was found in...

If ever there was perfect timing for a beer to help us escape the winter blahs it’s got to be right now.  Sam Adams is offering aptly named “Escape Route”.  The style of beer is from Cologne, Germany brewed with Strisselspalt and Aramis hops.  Among the food pairings suggested are...

A research team at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif, France. led by Dr. Guido Koemer, has found that a combination of resveratrol and aspirin may knock out abnormal cells that lead to cancer.  Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes (and red wine) and much has been...

Jim Beam has an Irish whiskey called 2 Gingers.  It started off in the Midwest but is now going national.  St. Patrick’s Day is March 17 so they’d better hurry up!  We were interested in knowing how it got its name.  It is twice distilled.  Could that be it?  Someone...

Captain Morgan, owned by Diageo, is going blond.  Bacardi introduced a dark, spiced rum so now Captain Morgan is moving into their territory with a white rum.   The new Captain Morgan White Rum will retail for $15.99 for a 750 ml bottle....

We read it in Decanter, the respected British wine magazine.  Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s second vintage of Miraval rosé was released February 7.  The 2012 vintage sold out in five hours.  Like 2012, the 2013 vintage has received high marks from the Decanter reviewer.  This year’s 200,000 cases will...

So you’ve got your date, picked the best restaurant and you are ready for a perfect evening.  But there’s that nagging doubt that you’ll look like an amateur or worse when it comes to ordering the wine.   We well remember dealing with snooty sommeliers who made us want to...

Rosenblum Cellars, a division of Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, has just launched The Great American Wine Company.  Accompanying the three wines – a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay and a red blend – was a donation of $100,000 to the USO.  The wines are being distributed nationally this month and...

Everyone loves to celebrate with bubbles and now you can do it with rum flavored with coconut water.  Malibu has added bubbles and a cork creating a truly festive drink that will be in demand come summer.  At $16.99 a 750 ml bottle, stretch your investment by mixing the cocktails...

Cider is a popular drink in Chicago and the owners of two successful bars Fountainhead and The Bar on Buena will open The Northman, Chicago’s first bar dedicated to cider, this Spring.   The Northman will have more than 100 ciders on draft, cask and in bottles.  While the focus...

Who would have guessed it?  China is now the biggest consumer of red wine surpassing France and Italy.   In 2013 the Chinese market, which includes Hong Kong, consumed 1.865 billion bottles of red wine.  Why red wine?  Possibly because red is a very positive color in the Chinese culture...

Ever heard of the “Zion curtain”?  That’s the cynical name applied to Utah’s law requiring a bartender to disappear into a back room or behind screens to mix a cocktail.  State lawmaker, Kraig Powell (R) wants to ease up on this law as well as allowing restaurant patrons to order...

Gung Hey Fat Choy   Black Stallion Winery was the very appropriate venue for a simultaneous wine tasting in Napa and Shanghai to celebrate the Year of the Horse.  The tasting arranged by the California Wine Institute is the fourth such “virtual” tasting.  In the Napa Valley it was 7:00...

A Relic of the British Raj   Craft beer drinkers are very familiar with the term IPA – or India Pale Ale.  But how did the beer get its moniker?   William Bostwick writing in The Wall Street Journal recently explained that in centuries past, beer was brewed with hops...

We’ve heard of this trick before but watched the video anyway: What we enjoyed more were the dry comments posted by readers.  Good for a chuckle if like the British sense of humor.  If anyone tries the knotted string trick, let us know, please....

Glenmorangie’s Private Edition series has a new entrant – Glenmorangie Companta, the fifth in this annul special offering.  “Companta” means friendship in Scots Gaelic.  It retails for $99 a 750 ml bottle....

The good news and the bad news just keep on coming.  Browsing the UK Telegraph, we found a story about the good effect of moderate alcohol consumption has on the immune system. After acknowledging that a glass of red wine can be good for the heart and protect against cancer,...

A study from East Anglia University in Norwich, UK, found that adding red wine, dark chocolate and berries to the diet can reduce the risk of diabetes.  The key ingredient in all three is flavinoids and consuming high levels of flavinoids helps the body regulate sugar levels.   The research...

The British government is taking steps to protect the $6.6 billion Scotch whisky   industry, the 10th biggest manufactured product in the U.K.  Fake Scotch whisky is costing the industry about $820 million a year, according to The Scotsman newspaper.   The industry is supporting voluntary registration guaranteeing that the whisky...

A study at Johns Hopkins found that heavy drinking by middle-aged men can speed up memory loss.  Heavy drinking was defined as two and a half drinks a day.  Moderate drinking appeared to have no adverse effect.   Conversely, women who had abstained from drinking for 10 years had more...

From Paul Mabray, CEO of winetech company VinTank, “What we’ve found is that it’s one of the most discussed consumable products.  There are 1.5 million to 2 million conversations a day about wine on social media.  No one on social media is saying, ‘I love my Dove soap bar in...

Silicon Valley Bank, the leading financial institution for the wine industry, forecasts in its annual State of the Wine Industry Annual Report that wine sales will increase six to 10 percent in 2014.  Just last year, Morgan Stanley was predicting a global wine shortage.   The wine industry has bounced...

A new state law that went into effect January 1 requires anyone handling raw food that will not be cooked to wear disposable gloves.  Apart from sushi, it includes such tools of the bartending trade as olives, twists, fruit, ice and so on.   Think of a busy bar where...

Florida’s spirits retailers are up in arms over Walmart’s push to add spirits to their beverage alcohol line-up.  In Florida, spirits retailers can only sell alcoholic beverages, mixes and tobacco.  They must be separated from stores selling non-alcohol goods and cannot have doors connecting to any such establishment.   If...

We reported that the on-premise or restaurant/bar category was down for wine sales in 2013 but there’s good news on the single malt front.  Restaurant Sciences LLC, a firm that tracks food and beverage sales in the food service industry, says that Single Malt Scotches, the expensive stuff, grew 3.1%...

We wrote about the introduction of AB In-Bev’s Stella Artois Cidre last May. A crisp, drier cider in the European style, it rolled out in 26 states and is now going nationwide. The cider market is lively, doubling each year.   Seems it appeals to white wine drinkers so the...

No, not that CIA.  We’re talking about the famed Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Hyde Park, NY.   Brooklyn Brewery is collaborating with CIA to develop a small brewery on the college campus.  Operation of the brewery will be a part of the degree curriculum. Read the full story...

Here are few interesting facts about California wine.  Could be useful icebreakers next time the conversation gets stuck.   California makes 90% of all U.S. wine and is the world’s 4th leading wine producer after France, Italy and Spain. 20.7 million tourists visit California wine regions, about five million more...

January 19, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment Brooklyn Brewery, one of America’s top craft beer makers, has joined with The Culinary Institut e of America (CIA) to develop a small brewery on the college’s Hyde Park, NY campus. The Brooklyn Brewery at the CIA is expected to open to...

May 1, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment It’s never simple when it comes to regulations in the alcohol beverage world.  The Florida Senate approved 64-ounce growler fills of beer but at the same time they are restricting direct sales to consumers by craft brewers making more than 1,000 barrels. ...

Despite the tough economy, the U.S. wine market continued its decade-long growth with 1.5% increase in 2013.  That is slightly lower than 2012, which showed 1.7% growth.   The segment that lagged was on-premise or restaurant sales, which actually declined.  The bar/nightclub sales fared the worst.   Sales at retail (or...

A decision by the US 6th Circuit Court of Appeals means Kentucky will return to a law written in 1938 prohibiting sale of wine and spirits at grocery stores, gas stations and other retail outlets.   A lawsuit in 2011 overturned the ban allowing grocery stores to sell wine and...

We recently quoted the president of the California Artisanal Distillers Guild saying, “Basically, we drink half the booze in the country.”  We thought that might be a slight exaggeration and decided to check it out.   According to DISCUS (Distilled Spirits Council of the United States) a trade group, for...

World’s Biggest Drinks Company Hip Hopping A Diddy/Diageo combo sounds like a bizarrerie.  Yes, that is a word.  Diddy is a rapper while Diageo is the biggest alcohol drinks company in the world.  They have formed a joint venture to buy DeLeón tequila that, according to the Wall Street Journal,...

We’ve noted many times that bourbon is in demand.  Here’s $13.6 billion proof.  Suntory Holdings Limited of Osaka, Japan has offered that sum of money to Jim Beam Inc., the maker Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek American whiskeys. The deal includes other major Beam brands such as Courvoisier...

For a cool $1,100 you can now buy a bottle of Odyssey, the super-luxury blended Scotch whisky from Johnnie Walker, a major brand of global drinks giant, Diageo.   The whisky is a secret blend of three rare and unnamed single malts.  Master blender Jim Beveridge used the hand-written notes...

Prohibition ended 80 years ago but it has taken that long for California to change the rules for its boutique distillers.  Effective January 1 this year, distillers may now charge customers for tastes of their products.   Unlike wineries and breweries, which have been allowed to charge customers a fee...

Napa Valley the Center of Newest Quack-up   The Robertson family of Duck Dynasty fame has a deal with Trinchero Family Estates, a large Napa Valley winery that owns Sutter Home, to make and market Duck Commander brand of wines.  This has laid an egg with Duckhorn Wine Company, another...

Craft Brewery Takes on Anheuser-Busch Big Sky Brewing Co. based in Montana has filed a suit in U.S. District Court in Missoula against Anheuser-Busch over the use of the phrase “Hold my beer and watch this” which they say violates their trademark.   Three videos from Bud Light on YouTube...

Prosecco Sales Soar When measured in increased sales, the American market for sparkling wine seems to be saying it likes its bubbles with an Italian accent.  From January to December 1, 2013, sales of Prosecco increased by 38%.  In the same period, Champagne increased just .08%.   Prosecco is light...

It is rare to find good news about drinking so let’s end the year with some positive news about moderate alcoholic beverage consumption.  The operative word here is moderate.   Time magazine’s John Cloud reported on an article in the journal Alcoholism:  Clinical and Experimental Research suggesting that – for...

Analysts at London-based MarketLine forecast the global alcoholic drinks industry will exceed $1 trillion in 2014.  In terms of volume, the liquid kind, it will amount to about 210 billion liters.   For the US and Canadian markets, a team at Technomic, a research and consulting company in the food...

The traditional drink for New Year’s Eve is something with bubbles, whether it is true champagne, from the Champagne region of France, or sparkling wine from other countries of Europe or the USA.  We refer you to our posting the week of December 8 “Affordable Bubbly”.  Of course, Champagne being...

We reported on growlers in the craft brewing industry back in July 2013 (Growlers Going Gangbusters).  Now a winery in the Napa Valley is offering wine on tap to tasting room visitors.   Jamieson Ranch Vineyards, the southernmost winery in the Napa Valley, has launched an innovative program of using...

You know she loves wine, and you know she has specific tastes, so what can you give her that she almost certainly doesn’t have and which you can afford?   A very clever new wine bag may be the answer.  It is a small handbag that hangs on the wrist...

Another screaming headline that is an attention grabber for sure, but not entirely accurate.  The arsenic is in the water!  Well, some of it.   The story came from News.Discovery.com and it quotes a study by researchers in New Hampshire of the toenails of 852 people.  Turns out that those whose...

A recent headline screamed that 20% of wine was counterfeit.  The question is, 20% of what?   Counterfeit wines are not a problem for mere mortals like most of us.  It is the bane of über wealthy collectors who know their wineries and vintages and are tempted by a prize...

Dating back to 1940, the Moscow Mule has made a comeback.  The recipe is basic – vodka, ginger beer (not ale) and a lime wedge.  The secret ingredient is the copper mug it is served in.   The mugs are wildly popular so much so that some bars will only...

Amazon Wine has added Ohio and Montana to its list of states for wine shipments bringing the total to 22 states and the District of Columbia according to Shanken News Daily.   Check Amazon.com to find wineries participating in the new one cent shipping promotion.  There are some fine wines...

As consumers switch to wine and spirits, beer consumption continues to slide, at least as far as the big brands are concerned.  There’s plenty of activity in craft beers but overall, the category slipped 2.3 percent between 2007 and 2013.   Nine beers made the infamy list of lost popularity. ...

When you think of vermouth, the brands that most likely come to mind are Cinzano and Martini & Rossi, both from Italy, or perhaps Noilly Prat and Dubonnet from France.  Of course there are many other well-known imported labels and you’ll find them listed on a web site devoted to...

There’s always the need for a last minute gift.   If the recipient is interested in wine, history, religion or simply someone who enjoys learning something new, then your gift problem is solved with “Divine Vintage” a book written by a Biblical scholar and a Master of Wine.  “Divine Vintage” follows...

Mark Twain said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.”   In the US, champagne is thought of as a special occasion drink, which is too bad.  Every day is a good day to have champagne.  Both Napoleon and Winston Churchill are quoted as...

For the finer things of life, the folk at Gayot have their finger on the pulse.  Just in time for Christmas and New Year they are sharing their list of the top 10 spirits in the world.   For an investment of $8,060 you can find out if you agree.  ...

Halleck Vineyard, a small producer of high-end Sonoma wines, has a really hot gift suggestion for the wine enthusiast. Owner, Ross Halleck, has developed a line of wine and travel luggage made from American bison in Berkeley, CA.   Halleck, a marketer par excellence of luxury goods, was searching for...

New Zealand produces some truly delicious wines but now the industry has set its sights on becoming the leading producer in the world of lower alcohol, lower calorie wines.   With help from the government through their Ministry of Primary Industries, the equivalent of USDA in America, the $NZ17 million...

According to Brett Arends in The Wall Street Journal, most of us are lousy gift givers. Of course he was quoting research, which just proves our contention that there’s no human activity too small to go unnoticed by researchers.   The premise of the article is that we tend to...

Now that Thanksgiving is over, can we stop worrying about what wine to serve with dinner?  Food and wine pairing can be a challenge but there’s help at hand from Gayot.com.   The editors have compiled “best of” for a dozen different varietals at varying price points.   Wine types covered...

Samples found in ceramic jars in a 3,700-year-old cellar in the ruins of a Canaanite palace reveal that fine winemaking has been a sophisticated art for millenia. Researchers call the finding significant. The 40 jars, all found in one room, each held about 13 gallons.  The quantity suggests it was...

It is certainly the season for tips on drinking!  For those on a diet or simply calorie conscious, NYC dietician and best-selling author, Tanya Zuckerbrot, offers five common sense suggestions:   Lighten your usual drink – use club soda as a mixer with spirits. Wine diluted with club soda, called...

For spirits connoisseurs or anyone who likes to have fun in the kitchen, the HomeMade Gin Kit is sure to be a creative gift. With it you can make small batch gin at home without costly (and illegal) distilling equipment (no bathtub needed!). The Gin Kit comes with a special...

There’s a long list of gripes about aging but one that is often overlooked is the declining efficiency of an aging liver, which is pretty important when it comes to metabolizing alcohol.   Recently The Wall Street Journal’s Andrea Peterson took a sober look at how after 40, men and...

Tired of drinking alone?  A Japanese company, B & H Lifes, has come up with a wine for cats.  Some of the ingredients are fructose glucose liquid sugar, catmint, cabernet grape juice and vitamin C, caramel coloring.  But there is no alcohol so why are they calling it wine?  Its...

A report from financial services giant, Morgan Stanley lists the top 10 wine producing states in the US based on 2012 production.  We were surprised by a few and we bet you are too:   Texas  – 1.2 million gallons New Jersey  – 1.6 Florida  – 1.9 Kentucky  – 2.4...

One of our favorite pet peeves is stemware that does not enhance the flavor of the wine.  This is especially egregious in restaurants that use cheap glasses to serve costly wine.  Now there is word that using glassware that matches the wine increases the likelihood of pouring too much wine...

French wines have always had to operate under very strict rules sometimes making it difficult for French winemakers to compete against the New World.  For example, in the US, it is permissible to blend wines from different areas.  Not so in France.   In 2009, the French government relaxed the...

Its time has come!  After all, the bag-in-the-box has been around for decades.  Tetra Pak works well.  We’re used to screw caps, plastic stoppers and even plastic bottles.  The paper bottle, made of molded recycled cardboard with a plastic liner, is the latest packing innovation to debut in the California...

Mixing cocktails can be a lot of work, especially if you are the host.  But Monsieur will solve the problem.   This futuristic robotic bartender can make 300 different cocktails and even remember your favorites, know when you’ve had a hard day or if you have company.  Plus it will...

Every year, Wine Spectator names a Wine of the Year.  The coveted award for the 2012 went to Shafer Vineyards in the Stags Leap district of Napa Valley.  The winning wine was the 2008 Relentless, which, incidentally is sold out.   The story of Shafer Vineyards is a delightful one. ...

Margrit Mondavi and Sandra Jordan have come together to support the herders of alpacas in the Peruvian Andes.  The luxurious and ancient fabric from alpacas is sometimes called “the gold of the Andes”.  Margrit Mondavi is VP of Cultural Affairs at the Robert Mondavi Winery.  Sandra Jordan, a native of...

Pumpkin Wine Contest Announced   A local Napa gardener has grown the biggest pumpkin in the world weighing in at 2,032 pounds. Tim Mathison and his ton of pumpkin were the toast of New York recently appearing on TV with his wife ,Suzie while the famous pumpkin was the focal...

Anyone who cooks likes to joke about “A glass of wine for the stew and a glass for the cook”. How times have changed. Now it’s a glass for you and one for the microprocessor. The inventive folk at Intel demonstrated recently in San Francisco that red wine poured into...

First it was the theft of a copper sculpture of an artichoke from the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa valued at $10,000. Then there’s the still unsolved mystery of the missing bottles of 20-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon worth about $25,000. We’ve also reported on several schemes to outwit the...

We’ve written about organizing wine tastings but for a fun twist why not cash in on bourbon’s increasing popularity and hold a bourbon tasting for your friends?   Janet Patton at the Lexington Herald-Leader called on two experts, Mike Veach and Susan Reigler to give her readers pointers on how...

Five Reasons Why   Fred Minnick, who blogs on anything whiskey (or whisky since he covers Scotch), and who recently wrote a must read book, “Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch & Irish Whiskey”, dared to opine on Parade.com that Bourbon is better than Vodka....

A widely published report by Morgan Stanley Research concluded that in 2012 global wine production was short about 300 million cases. The reason for the undersupply was diminished vineyard acreage in three major wine producing countries – France, Spain and Italy.   Wine consumption has also fallen in these countries,...

Absinthe, a drink that was banned in the US in 1912 and in Europe by 1915, will once again be available in it original formula from the 1800s. The US lifted the ban in 2007.   According to Pernod-Ricard, Pernod Absinthe was the aperitif of choice in France in the...

Connoisseurs of Scotch and Cognac are the targets for The Facundo Rum Collection, a limited edition of four sipping rums named for Bacardi founder Don Facundo Bacardi Massó.   The first level is Neo, aged for 8 years and priced at $45.00. The second is Eximo, which has been aged...

Amazon announced the expansion of wine shipments to New York, Michigan, Arizona and Louisiana bringing the total number of states covered to 20 plus the District of Columbia.   This news comes just in time for the busy holiday season. Consumers shopping online have a choice of more than 5,000...

Buena Vista Winery was awarded the 2013 California Preservation Design Award for Craftsmanship/Preservation Technology at the 30th annual California Preservation Awards ceremony in San Francisco recently.   Beuna Vista was founded in 1857 by Count Agoston Haraszthy and is regarded as California’s first premium winery. Over the decades it has...

Around two hundred bottles of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon have vanished from a locked area in a locked warehouse in Franklin County, Kentucky according to The Wall Street Journal. The reason this is big news is because only six to seven thousand cases are distributed each year with some retailers...

An innovative web site where winemakers recommend wines they didn’t make launched recently. The brainchild of two men who grew up in Napa, www.WinemakersRecommend.com is the place to hear comments and recommendations from highly respected Napa Valley winemakers about wines made by their peers.   Marcus Krupp left Napa for...

Absolut Vodka has released the seventh in a series of special vodkas inspired by various cities in the US. Absolut Chicago is infused with the flavor with olive and rosemary and packaged in bottle decorated with artwork reflecting the skyline and iconic Chicago landmarks.   The city series started in...

Kentucky-based Knob Creek, a member of the Jim Beam family, has introduced its first flavored bourbon. Smoked Maple Bourbon is now available across the U.S.   Interest in high proof spirits correlates with the popularity of HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” series that started out pre-Prohibition and now dwells on the bootlegging...

“Project 12” is the name given to beers produced by Budweiser’s 12 brewmasters scattered across the country.   Each brewmaster is charged with producing a beer that reflects his location while staying true to the company’s roots and using the same yeast strain that Budweiser has been using since 1876...

October 15,2013- Serving whisky over a coffee ice cube sounds interesting and something that would liven up a gathering of friends, especially as the weather gets cooler. So we checked out the web site and the video and it is something we think we’ll try. Maybe. The creators are DunneFrankowski,...

The Napa Register reports that a copper sculpture of an artichoke was stolen from outside the tasting room at the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville some time last week. The sculpture disappeared between noon Wednesday and 7:00 a.m. Thursday. Worth about $10,000, the sculpture was two feet tall and weighed...

We came across an interesting way to combine and serve whisky and coffee. It has the makings of a fun thing to do for a few friends so click here to learn more and see the video....

A bottled water outfit cleverly called Beverly Hills 90H20 has really annoyed the Champagne Bureau USA, located in Washington, DC. The Beverly Hills Drink Co. described 90H20 as the “Champagne of waters” on their web site. Using the word “Champagne” for anything other than the sparkling wine from the Champagne...

With the introduction of Wild Honey Flavored Vodka and Cinna-Sugar Twist Flavored Vodka, the Smirnoff flavors now number 36. There must be something for everyone!   The Wild Honey is described as pairing well with other spirits or with mixers. The Cinna-Twist partners well with juices and sodas. Both products...

Jim Beam’s introduction of Ice Surge™ Liqueur is proof that you can be cool even if you have been around for 200 years. The new cordials available in two flavors are described as a combination of refreshing fruit flavor and an icy blast.   Ice Surge™ Tropical Freeze starts off...

The 2011 vintage was a difficult one in the Napa Valley being cooler and wetter than normal resulting in smaller yields. Even so, the slow ripening of the fruit produced many special wines including the DeSante Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc. Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc is more common in France where...

Jack Daniel’s has had seven master distillers in its nearly 150 years of operation. To honor these men, the company is releasing a limited edition series of whiskeys honoring each one. Master Distiller #1 is named after founder and first distiller Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel.   The collection was originally...

The provenance of vodka is debatable with both Russia and Poland laying claim to its creation. We do have proof that it was available in Poland in the eighth century and it is certainly the most widely consumed alcoholic drink in Eastern Europe and Russia where it is usually imbibed...

We saw the headline on FoxNews.com and thought we were reading Twinkle as in twinkle, twinkle little star. No, it really was all about Twinkie inspired cocktails. They look very pretty and surely taste sweet. For the recipes for seven Twinkie cocktails go to http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/10/02/7-twinkie-inspired-cocktails-to-prove-that-twinkies-are-still-awesome/?intcmp=related....

The search for the perfect wine rack has a new contender. Award winning industrial designer, John Paulick, watched a documentary on bees building their hive and realized that their 120 degree joints could be applied to wine racks. Bees use minimum space and materials yet cleverly retain optimal weight distribution....

Cameron Hughes Wine has just announced the release of two new merlots from two of the Napa Valley’s famed appellations – Oakville and Rutherford – both from the 2011 vintage. Both are selling for $18.00 a bottle, an amazing bargain for truly great merlot from the Napa Valley.   How...

Humankind has been making and imbibing wine for thousands of years so it stands to reason that we know all that there is to know. Not quite. A couple of financial whiz kids have come up a new and useful twist on labeling.   Greg Scheinfeld and Jay Levy, partners...

A combination of pecans and bourbon sounds like a winner. The folks at Heaven Hill Distilleries are hoping so. William Wolf Pecan Bourbon is rolling out in the New York market. The whiskey is made in America then infused in Holland with a pecan distillate. It is the brainchild of...

The Ceja family, owners of Ceja Vineyards, has opened a craft brewing facility in Carneros, an area that stretches across the southern part of both Napa and Sonoma Counties. Pablo and Juanita Ceja came to Napa from Mexico in 1967. In the early 1980s, the family bought 15 acres in...

Costco is famous for saving you money, right? Believe it or not, a bottle of Scotch whisky for $16,999 is a bargain, sort of. A Costco store in Scottsdale, Arizona has one bottle of The Macallan single malt, which has been barrel aged for 60 years. Only 400 bottles of...

We love to hear about entrepreneurs in the wine and spirits business. Hats off to a letter carrier in Holstein, Iowa who is distilling rum. Holstein Rum is already in local stores and its creator, Greg Brunelle along with wife, Karen, hopes to have it in 300 stores by the...

The annual beer-a-thon has started in Munich. The city expects to attract about seven million beer drinkers who will down an estimated 15 million glasses of beer. That’s only a reasonable two glasses per person but a glass holds one liter and costs about $14.00. Officials have warned purveyors not...

CREATIVE SMUGGLING Harpers, a wine and spirits magazine in the UK, reports that border agents in Kyrgyzstan recently discovered an eight inch pipeline for smuggling vodka from neighboring Kazakhstan. The pipeline ran for about a third of a mile under the Chu River depositing who knows how many thousands of...

Scarcely a week goes by without an announcement of a new product/flavor/package from a major distiller. Three that got our attention:   Wild Turkey’s Spiced bourbon is positioned to take on rum. The flavor profile, slightly sweet and spicy, means it can be mixed with cola or consumed neat. Either...

You know it’s fall when brewers are thinking about this year’s pumpkin beer. Do they really put pumpkin in beer? Not necessarily but the spices they all use taste a lot like pumpkin pie.   Fermenting pumpkins dates back to the earliest days of the settlers. Malt was in short...

The point system used in wine reviews is a mixed blessing. Awarded by the wine critic, it can make or break a wine, especially if the reviewer had credibility. But here’s one that’s guaranteed to make the folks at David Fulton Winery & Vineyards blush with pride and joy. Their...

Next time you and your pals are downing a few brewskis, see if they can name which state consumes the most beer per capita per year. You can win this one! Here are the stats from the Beer Institute reported by Fox News:   North Dakota is #1 at 45.8...

The parade of flavored vodkas has been joined by an outlaw – well, not exactly an outlaw but an outcast at least. International Spirits has created the first ever tobacco-flavored vodka, imported from the Netherlands. Being controversial is the cheeky hallmark of their brand Ivanab*tch, which includes other vodkas, gin...

For the past 44years, London has been the venue for the annual International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). Producers of wine and spirits all over the world covet recognition by IWSC. The unique combination of detailed technical analysis and specialist judging panels means that gaining an IWSC ‘Competition Award’ is...

Dick Vermeil who grew up in Calistoga at the very north end of Napa Valley, has always stayed in touch with his roots even as his career as a football coach became the stuff of legends. Since 1999, he has dabbled in wine, producing about 150 cases with winemaker and...

Charles Boisset, head of the famous French wine family that claims the title of Burgundy’s biggest producer, is heavily invested in wineries around the world, including California. He has created a clever Ambassador program along the lines of Tupperware and Mary Kay cosmetics.   Ambassadors arrange parties or wine tastings...

There were some red faces and sweaty palms at Wild Turkey recently when barrels of rye and bourbon were dumped into one another accidentally. Eddie Russell, Wild Turkey associate master distiller was not amused until he tasted the blend and decided it tasted pretty darned good. He said all was...

United States Beer Consumption Declines While Wine and Spirits Trend Upward.   A recent survey by Gallup confirms what major beer producer know – Americans are drinking less beer every year since 1992. Of drinkers surveyed, beer was still the first choice of an alcoholic beverage (36%) but its lead...

Exciting New Invention for Accessing a Wine Bottle Without Spoilage   It doesn’t seem possible to pour a glass of wine without first removing the cork, does it? But thanks to Greg Lambrecht, a medical device inventor and executive with a passion for wine, it is now possible.   His...

We posted news about the invention and market introduction of the Coravin Wine Access System on the Blog page. We are totally jazzed about this gizmo but don’t take our word for it. Here’s what world renowned wine expert Robert Parker had to say, “(It is) the most transformational and...

August 14, 2013-Sally James is co-creator and host of a weekly radio program called “Slow Living Radio” which is broadcast live every Monday night from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. PST. You’ll find it at CRN Digital Talk Radio www.crntalk.com. She is an award-winning Australian chef, author, educator, television and radio...

In an effort to raise revenue for the ailing US Postal Service, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has proposed allowing the Postal Service to deliver wine and spirits and beer. The potential revenue could be as much a $50 million a year.   Currently, Fedex and UPS dominate the highly regulated...

Creating magical wine and spirits pairings with truffles is a subject worthy of a book. We recently wrote about the availability of fabulous Périgord truffles from Australia during our summer months and offered comments and recipes from the importer, Frank Brunacci of Chicago. His Dirty Truffletini is a winner and...

It’s never too late to bone up on grill skills. Two new tomes are on the market that will take your grilling and entertaining efforts to new heights.   Bon Appétit ‘s editor-in-chief, Adam Rapoport, has collected 350 foolproof recipes for “The Grilling Book” (Andrews McMeel Publishing $45). It comes...

August 5, 2013-You can’t buy Périgord truffles at your local supermarket but we know where you can get your hands on some and really, really impress your friends! As mentioned in our Blog post (Wine and Spirits…and Ice Cream), fresh Périgord truffles, prized by chefs, are now available in the...

We recently wrote about Mira Winery in the Napa Valley experimenting with aging four cases of Cabernet Sauvignon in 60 feet of water in Charleston Harbor. Ocean effects have extended to Jefferson’s Bourbon known for their “ridiculously small batch” bourbons named to honor Thomas Jefferson. Aged in barrels that traveled...

If you are a craft beer fan or know someone who is, “The Audacity of Hops” is a must read. Written by Tom Acitelli and published by Chicago Review Press ($19.95), this book traces the advent of craft beers from Fritz Maytag’s purchase of Anchor Steam in 1965 to the...

What in the world are we talking about? Truffles, that’s what.   Highly prized and often referred to as “black diamonds”, Black Périgord Truffles from France are not an everyday item in the kitchen unless you are a chef at a higher end restaurant. We were intrigued to read recently...

The theory is that women are woefully ignorant about spirits and that it’s a man’s world. Here’s a test: What’s the difference between bourbon, rye, and Canadian rye whiskey? We’re betting this isn’t just a girl thing.   Enter professional journalist Kayleigh Kulp and the book she is writing called...

Please sign in to Facebook to watch the video.   Found the following on Alaska Distillery’s Facebook Timeline:   Back in the old days, a trapper would go to a trading post to quench his thirst for booze. However, the savvy woodsman would require “proof” that the booze he was...

We insist the best way to learn about wine is to taste it, especially in the company of knowledgeable people. The New York Wine Experience is made to order for anyone seriously interested in furthering their knowledge and appreciation of wines from great producers. The Wine Spectator’s three-day event will...

How about a vodka made from milk? It’s true. Made by Vermont Spirits of Quechee, VT it really is made from milk, it has a cow on the label, and it is lactose free. Huh?   Inspired by Araka, the traditional Tuvan drink distilled from fermented mare’s milk, Wine Enthusiast...

Aperitifs can be complicated. Some are made with wine; some with spirits. All incorporate botanicals such as wormwood, hyssop and gentian for example. Not exactly everyday items in the pantry. Aperitifs – the word means “opener” served prior to a meal – have long been popular in Europe. In Italy,...

No, we’re not talking about bad tempered folk. Craft beer fans know all about growlers. They are containers, usually glass, that hold 32 or 64 ounces of beer that can be filled and refilled from a beer tap station and sealed with a screw cap.   As with everything concerning...

July 2, 2013-Nothing says summer like Sangria and there are dozens of recipes if you search the Internet. But what to do when it’s really hot, you’re exhausted and you don’t have time to cut up fruit and steep it in red wine and some spirit for several hours? Do...

We all heard those words of praise and encouragement growing up but that’s not what we have in mind. We came across some fascinating statistics in The Economist that could be a fun party quiz or at the very least an icebreaker.   So what country drinks the most vodka?...

James Bond’s famous “shaken not stirred” martini was introduced in Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel, “Casino Royale”. It was three parts Gordon’s gin to one part vodka. Will future Bonds have to switch to straight vodka?   The British magazine The Spirits Business reports that a fungus may destroy the native...

There’s still time to buy tickets to WhiskyFest in either San Francisco September 27 or New York October 11 and 12, 2013. Produced by Shanken Communications, the experts when it comes to wine or whisky tastings, participants will have the opportunity to taste more than 250 whiskies from around the...

There’s an article worth reading on Smithsonian.com about a new book on bourbon. The book’s author, historian and bourbon lover Michael Veach poses a new and plausible theory about how bourbon got its name; you will also learn how Prohibition contributed to the Great Depression; and which American President liked...

Jul 2, 2013 - The Sly Fox microbrewery in Pottstown, PA is debuting a revolutionary “360” lid on its can of Helles Golden Lager. It will be available in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. As the name implies, the lid is entirely removable allowing the full flavor and...

July 26, 2013-Mira Winery of St. Helena has created a buzz in the wine world with their experiment of ocean aging four cases of Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2009 vintage. The wine was submerged in 60 feet of water in Charleston Harbor for three months. Phase two of the project...

June 21, 2013-A recipe for Alaska Smoked Salmon turned up in our email from our friend Toby at Alaska Distillery in Wasilla. We thought it would be a delicious treat for a Fourth of July get together, especially as fresh Alaskan salmon is readily available right now. The recipe is...

Bag in the Box, and it’s younger cousin Tetra Pak, means wine can go anywhere, including where glass is banned. Apart from keeping wines fresher, this type of packaging is environmentally friendly. Some of the advantages are:   You don’t need a corkscrew Easy to reseal so wine stays fresh...

In Europe they sure do and have for generations. In the US, well it is evolving.   Rosé is more than just a pretty face. It is the perfect summer wine. If it is really hot, red wine is problematic but a chilled rosé is the perfect partner for many...

Icebergs aren’t the friendliest things so we were curious how they ended up in vodka. Luckily, the Wall Street Journal was curious too running an in-depth story on harvesting wayward icebergs in the Atlantic Ocean off Canada’s Newfoundland coast. Every summer, Ed Kean, an intrepid fifth-generation sea captain, searches the...

It’s sake.   One of the delights of dining in a Japanese restaurant is the little, individual flagons of hot sake served with the meal, especially in winter. Sometimes the sake is really pretty awful, even to amateurs like us, but if it’s raining or snowing outside, it tastes pretty...

 June 21, 2013- Boxes. Aluminium cans. Plastic bottles. Tetra Pak. The wine industry is determined you will have no excuse to travel without your wine. Let’s talk Tetra.   One of the reasons we like the Tetra Pak so much is really, really basic – it takes up so little...

Scholars have been almost certain that the Etruscans, a seafaring people from central Italy, brought their winemaking skills to France around the fifth century B.C. Now analysis of scrapings from 2,500-year-old pottery amphorae found near Montpellier in Southern France confirm they held a type of wine flavored with basil, rosemary...

“Gluten free” is the trending term resonating with the American consumer. It has been discovered that gluten is the cause of painful celiac disease and while the number of people with this affliction is estimated at 1 in 141, about one third of adults want to cut down on gluten...

The 33rd annual Auction Napa Valley was one for the record books, achieving $16.9 million in overall fundraising for healthcare and youth education nonprofits in Napa County.   The record-breaking results exceeded the previous record of $10.5 million raised in 2005 by more than 60 percent, reaffirming Auction Napa Valley’s...

Since 1990, Sutter Home Family Vineyards in the Napa Valley has held an annual contest to find the best burger recipe. With a generous grand prize of $100,000 for the winner of the best beef burger, it is certainly worth honing your creative cooking skills.   The contest for 2013...

Since 2010, Budweiser has raised more than $5 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation and provided more than 1,000 educational scholarships to the families of soldiers killed or disabled in service.   For every case of Budweiser sold from now until July 4, a donation will be made to...

Cider has always been something of a stepchild but suddenly it is growing at the impressive rate of 110 percent in 2012. The major brewers have noticed, too. Boston Beer Co. launched Angry Orchard 2011 and is already at a whopping two million plus cases.   Miller Coors purchased Crispin...

Sales of beer slowed in the U.S. for the four weeks up to mid-April over the same period last year according to Forbes. The losers were Budweiser and Coors while imports Heineken and Corona as well as craft beer Sam Adams, gained.   Over the past 12 months Budweiser and...

The idea of a Woodstock-like event happening in the Napa Valley made a lot of locals nervous. Bottlerock, the four-day rock concert at the Napa Fairgrounds turned out to be not so bad after all, unless your house was in the immediate vicinity. The deafening decibels definitely caused some headaches....

If you haven’t visited Healdsburg at the north end of Sonoma County, California, you should add it to your bucket list. The charming town is centered on a 19th century plaza beckoning the visitor to enjoy galleries, fine dining and wine tasting. If you are fortunate to be there on...

June 3, 2013 - When you are the biggest beer brand in the U.S., changing the can is not a simple or fast undertaking. It also require considerable investment. During May, Budweiser is rolling out its revolutionary new aluminum bowtie-shaped can that mirrors the iconic bowtie logo. Look for it...

May 23, 2013-If you and your friends are fairly new to wine, and often perplexed by its complexity, a blind tasting is just the ticket for a fun gathering.  Tasting wines blind simply means hiding the bottle so the tasters don’t know what they are tasting. There are literally thousands...

April 29, 2013-Have you ever decided to have a party, invited your friends then as the date approaches, you just wish it would all go away? When panic sets in, help is at hand. Epicurious .com has a helpful and fun party-planning tool. For summer party ideas, go to http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/entertaining/partiesevents/summerpartymenuplanner...

April 29, 2013-If you’re planning a trip to the Napa Valley and would like to find a path less travelled, take a trip down Fulton Lane at the north end of the town of St. Helena. Here you’ll find several “boutique” wineries where the welcome is exceeded only by the...

Wine nerds have known it for years. Finally, beer drinkers can enjoy it too. We’re talking about glassware designed to enhance the flavor of the brew. Spiegelau, a German glassware manufacturer, teamed up with Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada breweries for a taste test of their India Pale Ale glass,...

If you are anywhere near Phoenixville, PA (which isn’t far from Pottsville, PA) on May 5, drop by the Sly Fox Bock Fest and Goat Race. The race takes place at the back of the Brewery & Eatery and attracts a crowd of several thousand. If you have a spare...

April 24, 2013-The owners of Olympia Beer, Pabst Brewing Company, are serious about finding Bigfoot and are offering $1,000,000 to the lucky person who can provide undeniable proof of the creature’s existence. The prize will be paid at the rate of $25,000 a year for 40 years. Not enough to...

Chill and serve! That’s all that’s to it for a perfect Malibu rum and cola, rum and pineapple or rum and cranberry cocktail. The newly introduced Malibu Cans come in 200 ml single cans or four packs. Malibu has also expanded its pre-mixed cocktail pouch line. Check it out at...

Vodka makers aren’t the only ones intent on reaching the female drinker. So are tequila marketers. Sauza Tequila has added bubbles and a Champagne style bottle for a new range of premixed Margaritas in three flavors: Original Lime, Wild Berry and Mango Peach. Invite your BFFs over and effervesce together!...

Green extreme might be the name for a trend in the UK where a vodka maker has a series of cocktail recipes using foraged ingredients. For those with time on their hands, wash and chop fresh nettles and borage leaves then stew with vodka for five days in a covered...

Quick! What does a vineyard, a beer, a washing machine and a cheese have in common? You guessed it: the name Maytag. The patriarch of the family behind the wondrous washer that changed they way Americans did laundry was Frederick L. Maytag. In the 1940s, Frederick L. Maytag II began...

Planning a trip to Finland? Wait until June 2014 and you might be able to have a beer based on a brew from 170 years ago. Five bottles were salvaged from a Baltic Sea shipwreck from around 1840. The Finnish brewery Stallhagen will try to replicate the recipe based on...

Now your vodka bottle comes with clothes? Pernod Ricard, owner of Absolut Vodka has a limited edition bottle dressed in denim. The tight fitting denim skin is lined with a special high tech fabric that keeps the contents cold for up to two hours. Absolut Denim is available only at...

There are more than 140 vodka brands available worldwide and dozens of sub categories within the brands. So how does a vodka product stand out in this crowded field? Bob Probert writing at www.northjersey.com has some interesting thoughts on this....

Wondering what to spend your tax refund on? Or what to buy dear old Dad for Father’s Day? How about a special bottle of Balvenie Scotch Whisky, which will set you back a mere $33,000.00. That’s right. Twenty thousand pounds in the UK or $33,000 in the USA. The Scotch...

April 15, 2013-Three lawsuits filed at the end of February in Federal Court accuse Anheuser Busch of watering down Budweiser and other beers made by the company. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for consumers. The lawsuits aren’t about taste but about buzz. They claim the “5 percent alcohol by volume”...

April 15, 2013-“I thought all white wine was Chardonnay.” “I thought Zinfandel was a white wine.” “Why are red wines red?” Those quotes, all 100 percent genuine, prove that wine is still a confusing subject for many wine drinkers. But who can blame them? Wine can be very intimidating and...

Bourbon isn’t just for the “good ole boys” anymore. With the founding of Bourbon Women Association, bourbon is becoming the drink of choice for professional women in many different industries who enjoy the networking opportunities the Association provides. Founded in 2011 by Peggy Noe Stevens, Bourbon Women has over 500...

It seems as if the marketers at global spirits companies are spending a lot of time at the ice cream store. How else can you account for a vodka called Rainbow Sherbet or Pumpkin Pie? Flavored spirits are a huge and growing category. From Pinnacle Vodka we have the flavors...

Two new flavors will be available nationwide in February.  Look for Mango Pineapple and Strawberry Lemonade.  They will retail for $12.99 a 750 ml bottle.   Svedka’s other flavors are Colada, Strawberry Colada, Orange Cream Pop, Cherry, Citron, Clementine, Raspberry and Vanilla....