Joanna and Zach are joined by Full Book contributor Dave Foss to check back in a frequent topic of discussion in the Covid years: restaurant and bar professionals moving out of the biggest cities in America to operate or work at establishments in smaller cities and communities. Is that working out? What is happening in those markets? Are there sale…

Fresh off speaking at the Culinary Institute of America's Wine & Beverage Summit, Zach poses the question to Adam and Joanna - can brands and categories use memes and viral videos as a part of marketing campaigns, or should they even be paying attention to trends like Gatorwine and jalapeno Sauvignon Blanc in the first place? Please remember to sub…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by friend of VinePair (and Chateau Montelena winemaker) Matt Crafton to discuss some of the most hot-button topics in Napa Valley, including the hidden reason why more wineries can't take walk-ins, why companies and brands pivoting shouldn't be a source of shame, and why the "doom and gloom" mindset hurts everyone.…

Zach is joined by Leon Bañuelos, Jr., to discuss his family's storied tradition in tequila production and their new venture, Tequila El Mexicano. As part of the third generation of tequileros in his family, Leon discusses the process of building a new distillery from the ground up, the specialness of agave sourced from the highlands, and the three …

With more and more producers of scotch, bourbon, and other whiskies discussing the global and growing glut of product, Adam and Zach discuss how exactly we got to this point, whether it will be like previous whiskey crashes, and why the current instability of the global economic system and order will have additional, particular challenges for bourb…

With Joanna on jury duty, Adam and Zach discuss how some of the biggest drinks companies are launching or expanding into the canned vodka lemonade category, each betting not only that it will be the drink of Summer 2025, but that they can stand out in an increasingly-crowded category. What's driving this trend, and why does this kind of simple cann…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach muse on the fact that seemingly-successful wine startups that attempt to play in the affordable space are struggling to get purchased, even with impressive sales numbers and placements. Do the large wine and beverage alcohol companies only care about buying luxury or premium brands, or is there something else going on here? P…

With the team back together, Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about why slumping wine sales at more upscale dining establishments should encourage wine producers to look at one area that does seem to have it together - casual restaurants that can offer a more affordable experience and also maybe not mark the wines up to eye-watering levels. Please remem…

Adam and Joanna discuss whether the Trump Administration's trade war and tariff policies will do short-term harm to American wine abroad, with some countries, cities, and individual restaurants removing American wines from their offerings, and whether that harm might outlast these specific policies and this administration. Please remember to subscr…

Adam and Joanna take up a topic that's been bubbling up for some time: the impact of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs on the alcohol industry. As these drugs become easier to acquire and less stigmatized, are they having a noticeable impact on alcohol sales. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wher…

Joanna and Zach respond a recent New York Times piece about new restaurants prioritizing design and vibes over food quality or service. Zach shares a hot take about American diners, a conversation is had about how operators prefer to spend on things that they can fully control, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on…

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor Dave Infante to discuss the many ways in which the United States' trade policy and whiplash tariff protocols are affecting and damaging the drinks industry. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder whether or not Tequila is missing out on the potential markets of Asia, spurred by the recent revelation that K-Pop and White Lotus star Lisa is all about tequila. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a recent piece about using your phone when perusing a wine list: should you direct all of your questions to the sommelier or server, and is it fact rude to check details, scores, and prices online? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episod…

Fresh off their travels, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether hiring a famous bartender to design your cocktail menu, but not actually tend bar, can actually drive business, especially if that bar doesn't share a name with their more famous establishment. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wh…

With Adam, Joanna, and Zach all on the road, they discuss what they look for when traveling: how best to try to get the sense for a local drinks scene, the amount of prep work they do, and how they assess whether styles and trends are viable on a larger scale or will likely remain localized. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePai…

To announce the launch of Full Book, Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by contributor Dave Foss to discuss the impact that current and proposed tariffs from the Trump Administration are having on the restaurant, bar, and hotel industry, from slowing down potential openings to creating chaos in the by-the-glass market. Please remember to subscribe t…

In anticipation of the second year of VinePair's Martini Madness, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the hottest trends around the cocktail, including riffs that still attempt to be true to the classic stylings, innovative serves, and the rise of the covert 50/50. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss this rather curious question: while food programs at cocktail bars have gotten more and more elaborate and involved, do these bars actually want you to have a meal there? If so, why aren't more of them set up to facilitate a true dining experience? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Po…

With lots of public backlash building against tipping, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why "tip creep" is hurting folks who actually rely on tips for their wages, and why adding lots of different charges and service fees onto a restaurant or bar check is the wrong way to convey that employees are being taken care of. Please remember to subscribe to,…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by Dave Foss to talk about some listener complaints surrounding wine service in restaurants: why staff training and education are critical, how cutting back on hours is counterproductive, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episod…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to the widely-reported rumors that Constellation Brands is looking to sell off the entirety of its wine portfolio to focus on beer. They chat about how beer has become the centerpiece of Constellation's business, whether recently-implemented tariffs should be a cause for concern, and what this might mean for the few s…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss some takeaways from the recent Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Competition, including the relative merits of cocktails made from vintage spirits, and the somewhat surprising fact that the Old Fashioned is the clear bourbon cocktail of choice for Millennials and Gen Z. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VineP…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about restaurants selling wine by the centimeter and other similar measures: does this make wine service and wine drinking more fun, or is it confusing to guests? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send an…

With the news that Maker's Mark is unveiling a new ad campaign aimed squarely at young drinkers, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why the bourbon industry is being so proactive about courting the next generation of drinkers. Is it just canny business, or a reaction to some slippage in whiskey's popularity? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and r…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why Malbec remains an important variety for American drinkers, and more broadly how recognizable varieties are still supremely important in the conversation around wine in America. While there's room for and some interest in more obscure varieties, the power of the most well-known grapes and styles remains undiminishe…

Prompted by a recent experience, Adam, Joanna, and Zach bemoan the fact that too many restaurants channel all wine service through their sommeliers, even sometimes prohibiting servers from taking orders or even refilling glasses. Why are you keeping us from buying more wine?!? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podc…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss how the rise of the Martini hasn't necessarily buoyed vermouth's fortunes, with savory and freezer versions tending to either minimize the aromatized wine or cut it out altogether, while the more conventional preparations are leaning drier and drier. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about why the wine industry as a whole still doesn't view women as serious wine drinkers, and dismiss many of the wines that women tend to gravitate to. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any question…

With "The Big Game" just around the corner, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether the spread of legalized online sports betting is having a positive effect on the bar business, and if there are ways that savvy operators can draw in more of the sports betting crowd. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spoti…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to the most recent Silicon Valley Bank report and Adam's recent presentation at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, where they specifically look for the silver linings and potentially successful strategies that wineries and operators can embrace, if they just admit that wine has a problem. Please remember to subscribe…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach delve into the rumor that Diageo might be looking to sell off Guinness, despite (or perhaps because) the beer's booming popularity. Could this be part of a move to take over ownership of Moët Hennessy? Who could possibly purchase the iconic beer? Would Ireland riot if it left British hands? Plus, a conversation with Friend of…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach riff a bit more on sommeliers and why wine service tends to err on the side of snobbery. From somms preemptively taking tastes of wines you ordered, to keeping bottles out of reach, and generally treating guests like a nuisance, wine service in a range of restaurants remains confrontational and condescending, much to their di…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair writer-at-large and Hop Take columnist Dave Infante to discuss his recent piece about the reality check that the craft beer industry got in 2024. With sales volumes flat or declining, and more closures than opening for the first time in decades, there's been some doom and gloom surrounding the category:…

Adam is joined by Alyssa Smith, executive director of Charleston Wine + Food, to discuss the evolving nature of this signature festival, how it pays homage to Charleston's unique culinary history and influences, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and se…

With shorter wine lists becoming more commonplace at restaurants, some have suggested that this trend is good for the wine industry. Adam, Joanna, and Zach weigh in on why that might not be the case, as well as discuss what exactly the upper bound is for a "short" wine list. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcas…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the second big alcohol report, this one from the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking, and how it seemed largely designed to pull in data that would support the desired conclusion, then are joined by best-selling author and economist Dr. Emily Oster to discuss the complexities and …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether it works for bars, restaurants, and retailers to describe wines as "allocated." Does the average consumer know what that means? Do they care? Does it create excitement and prompt discussion, or does it come off as snobby and exclusionary? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podc…

In light of the recent recommendation from the U.S. Surgeon General that alcohol include a label warning about potential cancer risk, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss how the industry has and should respond to this proposal, and more generally how talking about the many social and even societal benefits of light to moderate consumption would be a ben…

To kick off 2025, Adam, Joanna, and Zach share some of their predictions for the year in the drinks industry, including a return to older models of targeted marketing, continued struggles for wine and craft beer, and the potential impact on the entire industry of the expanding use of GLP-1 medications. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and rev…

As they do every year, Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by the rest of the VinePair team to look back at their best and most memorable drinks and drinking experiences of 2024. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or sug…

To wrap up 2024, Adam, Joanna, and Zach take a look back on the biggest stories, the most important trends, and the overall vibes of the year that was, including deserved concern about the wine industry, struggles for craft beer, and a looming hospitality crisis. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,…

With the holiday season in full swing, Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder why it is that Americans in general don't have much affinity for hot drinks, treating them as mostly a wintertime novelty or home cold remedy. It could be that hot drinks just aren't that good, or that they don't provide as much room for creativity and experimentation, but are the…

Guinness has been one of the unquestioned stars of the beer, and drinks, world this year, from viral fame to some hard-to-believe mixed drinks. Adam and Joanna speak with Laura Merritt, president of Diageo Beer Co., to discuss the ways in which the drinking public just keeps coming back to Guinness. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the curious fact that despite the fact that many prized bourbons command staggering prices on the secondary market, for the most part the distilleries that produce those bourbons have generally not raised retail prices. What benefits do these brands derive from this practice? What would raising prices do? Please remem…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether spirits brands can try to attach their specific brand to a known cocktail, and if so, which ones are up for grabs or would make sense to highlight. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critique…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the current state of wine tourism in Napa Valley, after a year of declining visitations, and speculate that the region as a whole was too quick to assume that the post-pandemic landscape and model was going to be the new normal, instead of a weird outlier time. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePai…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach break down the recently-released list of VinePair's Top 50 Spirits of 2024, including excitement about Cognac, rum, and barrel-finished spirits in general. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or s…

With the holiday dining season fully upon us, Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair contributor and restaurateur Dave Foss to discuss his most recent column, as well as the overall state of hospitality, including how have staffing cutbacks and shortages hurt the guest experience. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on…

Despite all of the buzz around bourbon and tequila, vodka remains the most important spirit in the United States. To discuss vodka's past, present, and future trajectory, Adam and Joanna are joined by Grey Goose vice president of global marketing Aleco Azqueta. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, o…