Adam and Zach discuss the state of modern bartending, and the growing gap between bars that aspire to a certain kind of global fame and acclaim and the bars that want excellent cocktails but not necessarily drinks that can only be had at that specific bar. Are those kinds of destination bars built for the long haul, or just capitalizing on a trend …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the wine world's freak out over concerns that drinkers no longer see it as the healthiest choice when drinking, and whether there's any point in trying to discuss alcohol through that lens. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and sen…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about and taste this summer's breakout flavored whiskey, Crown Royal Blackberry: does Diageo just have a magic touch when it comes to flavored whiskies, why aren't other categories following suit, and why should beverage professionals be familiar with a category of spirits that they'd be inclined to look down on. Please …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether the current crop of bartenders and sommeliers should know the names and stories of some of their more famous predecessors, or if the only thing that really matters is being able to make the drinks and serve the wine. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wher…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the biggest way that cannabis products are threatening alcohol: by being the substance of choice for relaxation at the end of a long day. 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 suggestions…

Why does the wine industry listen so intently to certain journalists, entrepreneurs, and wine professionals who haven't actually had all that much success? Why do the voices who want to keep wine insular and snobby get so much attention. Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Sp…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach posit that despite lots of industry and brand focus on additive-free tequila, relatively few consumers understand what the term means or care much about it if they do. They're in it for the flavor profile or the recognizable label, and brands and bars are starting to wise up to that reality. Please remember to subscribe to, r…

In response to a pair of experiences Adam had in Napa Valley recently, he and Zach propose that wineries focus much less of their guest experience on wine education and inundating the guest with information, and much more on just pouring them the wine and getting out of the way. The notion that most tasting room visitors are there to be educated wa…

Adam and Zach talk about a frustrating habit that certain bartenders and drinks professionals have of policing drink names and insisting on a strict adherence to traditional definitions and recipes. If calling a drink a Margarita, a Martini, or a Negroni makes it easier for the drinker to know what to expect, that's a good thing! Please remember to…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder why so much educational content and conference presentations are sponsored and shaped by drinks brands. The benefit is obvious for those brands, but it rarely gives a clear and complete picture of the topic or category. Is it really just about underwriting the costs, or is there more at play? Please remember to subscri…

Much of the wine press might be up in arms about the lack of wine in Hulu's hit show The Bear, but Adam, Joanna, and Zach don't really see the issue. For one, wine just doesn't tend to work well on screen, and for two, it's not as if there haven't been plenty of other shows that have heavily featured wine, for better or worse. Please remember to su…

As Gen Z moves more into the forefront of drinks culture, brands throughout the industry are trying to craft products and pitches that they think will resonate. Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether or not that kind of generational pandering actually works, and whether it makes sense to target the youngest section of legal-age drinkers potentially…

Adam has returned from his European vacation, and discusses with Joanna and Zach some of what he experienced and learned along the way, including whether the world's best bars are worth a visit, why wine lists are usually hyper-local, and the unexpected places where dining with a young child can work out. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and …

Zach speaks with vintner Chris Benziger about his family's move from New York City to Sonoma, their early adoption of biodynamic farming practices, how sheep and cows can bring life back into a vineyard, and their newly-released "Running Wild" Chardonnay. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wher…

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributor Dave Foss to discuss the current state of wine pricing in restaurants: why many restaurants, particularly in trendier cities and neighborhoods, are marking up their wine to previously-unseen levels, particularly in places without a dedicated wine or beverage professional. Please remember to subscri…

Joanna and Zach discuss Lambrusco - once America's most popular imported wine, can it reemerge as an unlikely favorite as both chilled red wines and sparkling wines are on the rise, and as the nation's love affair with cured meats, cheeses, and all things Italian shows no signs of waning? Or can something that was once so popular, then unpopular, n…

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair assistant editor Hannah Staab to explore the modern revival of soufflé cocktails like the Ramos Gin Fizz, how certain bars are trying to turn a 15 minute cocktail into something that can be done quickly, and what the future of the trend looks like. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on …

Joanna and Zach discuss the state of the spritz in 2024: why it remains a very popular drink, whether there's room for other versions besides the Aperol Spritz, and why it may or may not be a good template for brands and bartenders to riff on. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about a frustrating issue with wine sales and service, where professionals attempt to talk customers out of buying the wines they're interested in, and whether that comes from a lack of experience, poor training, or just snobbery. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or w…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the balancing act between bars serving good drinks quickly in a more frenetic environment, versus a slower pace of service with a more chill atmosphere, as well as what some of the causes of slower service might be. Plus, they discuss their personal IPA Mount Rushmores and answer a listener question about the drinks t…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder the future of wine collecting: will Millennials and beyond continue to seek out and value the same kinds of wines as older collectors? Will there be as many people interested in wine collecting as in the past? Will wine knowledge and aptitude continue to have the same kind of cultural cachet as it does now? Please reme…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach bemoan the fact that last year's right wing boycott of Bud Light has scared drinks brands off from outwardly supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. Is it enough that some of them are supporting causes but not being particularly public, or is this even a somewhat welcome end to craven rainbow-washing? Please remem…

Zach speaks with Jesus Susunaga, Maestro Tequilero for Mayenda Tequila, about his novel approach to tequila production, the distinct qualities of this ultra-premium blanco, his background in distilling, and the release of Mayenda's Reposado Tequila. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever y…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the metrics, sales data, and portfolio shape that tends to get smaller drinks brands purchased by some of the biggest beverage companies, and why $20 million in revenue is a magic number. Plus, speculation on a few brands that just might be the next ones to sell. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VineP…

Fresh off Bar Convent Brooklyn, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the merits and downsides of such trade shows: they undoubtedly provide a great time for members of the bartending community, but do they actually move products for the brands involved, or provide a platform to newer and smaller producers? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and revie…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether craft beer has gotten boring: has a proliferation of breweries around the country created too much homogeneity, and is the old allure of the taproom no longer enough to bring drinkers in droves? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episo…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach examine the burgeoning trend of "flat drinks," alcoholic beverages that are very purposefully not carbonated. Do enough drinkers dislike carbonated beverages to make this an area for real growth, or are these drinks just not interesting enough to capture the public's full attention? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach use a listener question as a jumping-off point to discuss whether most wine drinkers really care where a wine is from: do regular wine drinkers below a certain price point care about appellations and vintages, or is it mostly about flavor profile and price point? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on A…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether growth in craft light lagers portends a shakeup in the American beer landscape, and why these local and regional beers might be able to resonate with beer drinkers in a way that macro lagers are struggling to. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether American wineries are in general making too many different wines and styles in a given vintage, and if a tighter focus with fewer offerings would help them in the marketplace, particularly in distribution or even with media coverage. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach speculate on the future of the Paloma - can it be another standard bearer for tequila, or does the divergence between the drink's original formulation with grapefruit soda and more upscale versions with fresh grapefruit juice make it harder to take worldwide? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple…

Adam is joined by GALLO executive vice president and general manger spirits Britt West to discuss his history in the alcohol industry, and where in particular he sees the tequila market going, from the conversation around additives to bottle shape to interest in cristalino expressions. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on A…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss rosé's sales slump - are people sick of it or do they just have more choices for easy-drinking summertime fun? Can certain brands, regions, or multinationals find a new way to make rosé surge? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach break down GALLO's acquisition of Montucky Cold Snacks, then are joined by restaurateur, consultant, and VinePair contributor Dave Foss to discuss his recent piece about how unbeknownst to most diners, elevated menu prices in bars and restaurants are being driven by a surge in labor costs that have created new challenges for …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the many competitions and judgings that wine, beer, and spirits producers can enter: do medals or high scores really shift consumer behavior, or does the fact that there are so many of these scores, points, and medals floating around rob them of their ability to have much impact? Please remember to subscribe to, rate,…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a recent San Francisco Chronicle piece about the purportedly dire situation facing California winemakers, and propose that the current struggles are more an aftereffect of the pandemic than a cataclysmic shift in how Americans feel about wine, but also that small winemakers absolutely need to be more honest about t…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether individual wineries and even entire regions should be focusing more on their local and regional markets, as well as trying to bring in tourists, as opposed to attempting to get their wines into markets around the country: is that a fruitless chase that ends up costing more money than it could ever generate? Pl…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about whether successful luxury wine brands have an obligation to help make wine less snobby and more approachable, and speculate on who exactly that responsibility does fall on. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episo…

Zach is joined by Sarika Singh, Kat Hantas, and Nicole Hantas-Emanuel, the co-founders of infused tequila brand 21Seeds, to discuss their origin story, how they have expanded their focus to the on-premise world, and what's changed and what hasn't since their 2022 acquisition by Diageo. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on A…

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor and Taplines host Dave Infante to break down the surprising level of optimism present at the just-finished Craft Brewers Conference. With stagnant sales for craft beer, what exactly prompted all these good vibes? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, …

Joanna and Zach discuss America's most popular cocktail, the Margarita. Specifically, can anything with agave in it be a Margarita, and is their an appetite for high-end versions of the cocktail? 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 ponder some recently-reviewed blanco tequilas that check in at well over $100 retail: is there really a market for unaged spirits at that pricepoint, and if so, who are these brands targeting? 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 respond to listener questions about the potential for craft cider to grab a bigger slice of the pie, and make predictions about what the drink of Summer 2024 will be. Plus: is the Martini an indoor-only cocktail? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your ep…

In response to a ton of listener feedback, Adam, Joanna, and Zach weigh on a recent slew of social media posts from a famous sommelier-turned-winemaker who claims that the American restaurant industry is being criminal for not better supporting American wine...and a lot of other noise. They have thoughts. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss VinePair's recent Martini Madness tournament, then explore why it feels like cocktail bars and restaurants are focusing on different kinds of cocktails: what's driving that divide, and should restaurants be trying to keep up? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whe…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder why sustainability is such a central part of the conversation around wine, from vineyard practices to alternative packaging, while the same considerations almost never come into the broader conversation around spirits. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever yo…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the curious case of the rise of functional beverages - drinks that rely on adaptogens, nootropics, and other buzzy ingredients to create an aura of healthfulness and safe stimulation, despite many of the ingredients being untested and lightly studied. Then, they try two examples from category leader Kin Euphorics. Ple…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about recent and significant increases in the prices of several cult Napa Valley wines: will these increases alienate even the very wealthy who form the core audience for these wines, or is the prestige priceless for that set? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple P…

First, Adam shares an update on a breaking news story about Mexican authorities raiding the home of Tequila Matchmaker, then Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about why despite its ubiquity and success in Europe, the Gin & Tonic will never be a drink that works in American cocktail bars or for premium gin brands. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, an…

Adam and Zach discuss the various things they learned while traveling last week: how Las Vegas is perhaps the ideal place to get the pulse of what America, writ large, wants to drink, and why a city like Boise is an exciting and dynamic place to drink, even if it's off the radar of many enthusiasts. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review…