By Kit Pepper
After 15 years on center stage, Millennials are about to have to share the spotlight with a new generation whose arrival will rock the consumer scene: Generation Z (or iGen), born from about 1996 to 2012.
Roe, who began his professional career managing his father's tavern in Laurel before transitioning into commercial real estate brokerage in Baltimore during the late 1990s, had ironically been trying to reach the owner of this particular building for a couple years. But he could never get a return call from him. "It appeared to be vacant, and it was one of the larger buildings in Federal Hill," he recalled. "Finally, an agent we knew asked if we'd like to take a look at 'some building in Federal Hill.' When she drove us up to it, I couldn't believe it! It wasn't formally on the market, but she was good friends with the owner so she arranged a tour. After that, we knew we had to have it."
Bush described the structure as "love at first sight." He added, "This property had all the character and charm of an old industrial building that I knew we could breathe new life into. Sitting in the heart of Federal Hill, it's one the last remaining historic properties left undeveloped in the area."
In November in particular, time and space collide as stores hustle to make room for season-specific merchandise. As is the case every year, suppliers have dug deep into their sacks of merchandising and marketing tricks to create gift-worthy pre-packed wines and spirits.
The idea behind Value Added Packs—aka VAPs, as they are often called—is simple: to make gift-giving even easier for shoppers. People love shortcuts. People love “extras.” VAPs deliver both. Whatever their motivation, VAPs offer prepackaged routes to gifting success—a resolution to which merchants and shoppers alike aspire.
Of course, not every VAP is going to suit your current store and clientele. Be mindful of stocking new products at varied price points—for the Prosecco budget and Champagne budget, so to speak.
Riggs Liquors in Northeast Washington, D.C., has risen from the ashes like the Phoenix of lore. That mythological bird lived in the desert, consumed itself by fire, then later rose renewed from its own ashes. By most accounts, the phoenix lived for 500 years before rebirth. Riggs was only down for 18 months. But don't say "only" to owner John Yoo. He thought he'd be back up and running in six months after an accidental blaze destroyed his store in December 2016. It wouldn't be until June of this year.
So what happened? In late 2016, Yoo was having some work done on the front overhang of his store's roof section in preparation of a new awning. The workers had stripped it all down to the bare metal. But because the metal itself was heavy, they opted to do the work on a Sunday because there would be no people interfering with the job.
Twice a year in March and September, three dozen or more beverage industry retirees meet for a special breakfast or lunch to reconnect, share old "war stories," and find out the latest goings-on in the business they dedicated most of their adult professional lives to. The group is comprised almost exclusively of retirees from Breakthru Beverage Group LLC … or rather Charmer Sunbelt, which merged with Wirtz Beverage Group in 2015 to create Breakthru Beverage Group.
William "Bill" Morawski, a 30-year company veteran, heads the group and puts together the various gatherings. He recalled, "Bob Bireley was the salesman who started this in 1996. He ran this twice a year as a biannual breakfast event from 1996 through 2011. In 2011, his health was failing, and Bob asked me to take the reins. I reluctantly did, but I'm glad I did and I've been doing it ever since. Bob passed away in 2012."
By Jeff Cioletti
The spirits-drinking public may be far more savvy about whisk(e)y than in eras past, but that doesn’t mean carrying a vast selection of the spirit is a license to print money. With total whiskey revenue up 5% and the super-premium tier up nearly 10% in 2017, according to the Distilled Spirits Council, there’s been an explosion of new brands, expressions, barrel finishes, all vying for the attention of consumers who range from aficionados who demand to try something they’ve never sampled before, to the novice drinker who’s curious but often overwhelmed.
By Jack Robertiello
Ask most people in the Scotch whisky business for their opinion about American whiskey innovation, and you’re likely to get a bit of a “Been there, done that” in response.
It’s not that the changes in American whiskey don’t impress or encourage Scotch single malt producers—distillers are an affable clan of mutual admirers, and they are generally pleased that, with whiskey boundaries being broken at all levels. It’s just that perhaps the “new” whiskies are not so novel.
Brenne, sourced in France by Allison Parc, is fruit-forward whiskey aged in Cognac casks; she smartly followed up the initial release with a 10 Year Old.
By W. R. Tish
Those selling wine in the varietally charged 1990s remember how a 60 Minutes report on The French Paradox kicked off an unprecedented run of wine popularity. As Americans came to embrace The Grape, consumption rose steadily, and the market exploded with expressions: single-vineyard wines, reserve wines, varietal extensions, new labels, cult wines, kitsch wines, Euro-style blends, proprietary blends, alternative packages, and so on. The wine boom reverberated loudly if not clearly for decades.
"I enjoy being the dog in this dog and pony show!" exclaimed Phil Prichard, founder, president, and master distiller of Prichard's Distillery in Tennessee.
The dog and pony show he is referring to is his recent visit to Maryland to press the flesh with customers, sales personnel, and anyone else who will be associated with moving his products here in the years to come. He made several key account calls, touring Total Wine & More locations in Laurel and Towson, Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in Annapolis, Wine World Beer & Spirits in Abingdon, Ronnie's Beverage Warehouse in Forest Hill, Wells Discoutn Liquors in Baltimore, and more.
Ultimate Beverage Challenge® (UBC) conducts two major international beverage competitions: Ultimate Spirits Challenge® (USC) each March and Ultimate Wine Challenge® (UWC) each May.So, since 2010, why has UBC become the bever-age industry’s most trusted and respected evaluation company? Answers UBC’s Judging Chairman and Co-Founder F. Paul Pacult, “Three crucial factors have made UBC the world’s foremost authority of beverage alcohol quality. First is our rigorous, innovative meth-odology that creates a level plaor every spirit and wine that’s submitted to USC and UWC. We introduced the industry’s strictest analytical processes by institut-ing a unique multi-level evaluation system that allows more than one panel to analyze each entry. In order for spirits and wines to display their virtues, they are served at optimum temperatures. UBC is the only competition company to insist on so 8 beverages so judges remain alert and fresh. Entries are tasted blind with like-with-like spirits and wines to ensure that each entry is dealt with fairly. Our goal is one-pointed: to provide unbiased, accurate ratings.“Second, because of UBC’s uncompromising and stringent procedural standards we must hire the world’s foremost authorities as our spirits and wine judges. By that I mean our generation’s most prominent and acknowledged beverage specialists, such as Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, award-winning authors and journalists, consultants and buyers, bartenders, bar owners, and food and beverage managers. In addition to the UBC judges, we employ the most capable and experienced organizational team in the world to guarantee the smooth operation of each competition.“Third, UBC has its own dedicated facility in Hawthorne, New York, a mere 35 minutes north of Manhattan, where both USC and UWC are conducted. By creating a pristine, calm, and conducive environment for our staff and judges, we have brought forward the entire concept of beverage competitions. The UBC Evaluation Center provides brick-and-mortar proof of UBC’s total commitment to doing things right. It’s the UBC way, where shortcuts are never allowed.”If these reasons aren’t enough for you to believe in UBC as being the world’t beverage competition company, visit the UBC website for more at www.ultimate-beverage.com.
Click Here for the complete results and ratings. (This is a large file, be patient while it downloads.)
On the evening of July 12, Town Center Market in Riverdale Park, Md., played host to a special wine tasting event in which customers came and sampled all of Trinchero Family Estates' SeaGlass wines from the Central Coast in California's Santa Barbara County. They included SeaGlass Rose, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. For every bottle of SeaGlass that was sold that night, the Trinchero family donated a portion of the proceeds to the Maryland Waterman's Association (MWA).
Among those in attendance was Nicole Crews, Trinchero Family Estates' District Manager for Maryland and Washington, D.C. She remarked, "This was a featured event at Town Center Market to introduce their customers to SeaGlass Wines and how they could help out a great local nonprofit organization. The account really wanted to take it to the next level, so we decided it would be fun and educational to incorporate a seafood element."
In Frederick, Md., here be dragons! Well, actually, here be the Dragon Distillery. It's the brainchild of founder Mark Lambert, a huge Dungeons & Dragons fan who wanted a beverage business that would specialize in small batch artisan spirits made from the finest locally sourced ingredients. He and his staff have breathed fire into this niche with such colorfully named products as Medieval Mint Flavored Vodka, Basilisk Bourbon, and Joust Gin.
Dragon Distillery's latest line is a series of canned cocktails that are appealing to a wide range of drinkers. Lambert, in a recent interview with the Beverage Journal, explained why: "The product is easy. You just grab it, you go! It's easy to take to parties, or when you're going out on your boat, or at the pool. It's a can, so there's no glass that can break. It's quick to chill, and it's ready to drink."
By Vicki Denig
They’ve upended the fashion world. Their impact has transformed the health, fitness and beauty industries as well. And today, we are increasingly feeling their impact in the wine business.
By David Lincoln Ross
While single malts have enjoyed much of the Scotch whisky spotlight in recent decades, blends still rule Scotch volume in the U.S. And recent patterns are worth watching. With an uptick in releases of cask-conditioned Scotch aged in Port or Sherry barrels, new bottlings of 12-, 15- and 18-year-old blends, plus a growing array pure malt offerings, premiumization is energizing the blended Scotch category in ways not seen in at least a generation.
On the afternoon of May 27, 2018, Ellicott City's historic Main Street flooded again after the region got more than eight inches of rain in the span of two hours. Businesses, including numerous bars and restaurants, were heavily damaged. And National Guard member Eddison Hermond Jr. lost his life trying to help people. The town was still recovering from a July 30, 2016, storm that dropped six inches of rain on the community, produced massive flooding, killed two people, and damaged and destroyed businesses and homes.
Maureen Smith, Executive Director of the Ellicott City Partnership (ECP) echoed what many interviewed for this article had said: "This time around has been very different from 2016!" she exclaimed. "With this latest flood event, the Ellicott City community has an understanding that parts of town may need to be envisioned anew to ensure long-term sustainability. The ECP is working closely with all stakeholders, including county, state, and federal entities to significantly increase the resilience of Ellicott City."
Text by Jack Robertiello ⊗ Portraits by Andrew kist
One of the sometimes overlooked but significant changes wrought by the blossoming of Cocktail Culture across the country has been the surge of female bartenders at every level of the business.
By Kristen Bieler
Unlike many California winemakers, Kristen Barnhisel doesn’t worry much about acidity. “In Monterey’s cool-climate Arroyo Seco region, we have plenty of acidity every vintage; building texture into our wines is what I’m focused on,” says Barnhisel, the white wine winemaker for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.
Working with Jeff Meier, J. Lohr’s President and longtime Director of Winemaking, Barnhisel works solely on crafting the estate’s white wines, a position that founder Jerry Lohr has always emphasized. “Jerry has always known that this kind of focus is what is required to achieve the kind of quality we are looking for,” Barnhisel explains.
By Jeff Cioletti
Vodka hasn’t attracted the sort of feverish fandom that, say, whiskey and agave spirits have, but that, in a sense, is by design. If vodka is truly doing its job and being everything it’s supposed to be, it’s neutral—without color, aroma or flavor (mostly). What’s to get excited about?
Well, it still outsells every other spirit—that’s pretty exciting.
"Georgia is the winemaker, and I'm basically her business partner," said Damon Callis, during a recent interview with the Beverage Journal. "We'd been making wine together as amateurs for 18 years. But we started to see a lot of the opportunity that arose in Silver Spring and in Maryland, in general."
He continued, "The concept of an urban winery is not new. It's actually been around for a long time. Even before Prohibition, much of America's wine industry was created in an urban environment and was distributed. It was only after Prohibition where players like the Mondavis started to create this farm-style wine approach in the U.S. In reading up and studying the history, there really wasn't an urban winery in the Mid-Atlantic. The closest one was New York. We fell in love with the [idea]. Making wine is fun. But sharing it with others and then them coming back and sharing it with people they know is what keeps us going every day."
Callis made it clear that he and his wife are not farmers. They get grapes from such far-flung locales as California, New York, and Pennsylvania. They've also developed relationships with various farmers throughout Maryland, from the Eastern Shore to Carroll County. "Contributing to our local economy and our local agriculture is very important to us," he said. "But what's really important is knowing the palettes of our customers and giving them a very different experience when they come to our tasting room. The Urban Winery experience is Taste … Learn … Create. Our wines range from Merlots from Maryland to Zinfandels from California. We make dry, white wines. But we also make some semi-sweet white wines that are fabulous, and we're also making white wines with hops. VidalPA is one of our newest products that we're releasing in cans. We also have a Bourbon Barrel Merlot."
And then there are the references in countless songs over the years. And not just country favorites like George Jones ("White Lightning") and Florida Georgia Line ("Get Your Shine On"). But crossover artists like Aerosmith (who were "gettin' crazy on the moonshine" in their 1989 rock hit "Rag Doll") and funk band Parliament (their classic "Moonshine Heather").
Enter Richmond, Va.-based Belle Isle Spirits, whose stated mission has been to revive the art of moonshine. So far, they've been very successful at doing so. The Beverage Journal recently asked Belle Isle co-founder and CEO Vince Riggi how he and his colleagues have managed to convince so many people to give their products a try. "For the consumer," he said, "people inherently want to experience something new and exciting. Belle Isle helps facilitate that journey by providing a unique product that's not quite like anything they’ve ever experienced before. There is something that sticks about our product. On the bartender side, we're another tool for their toolbox that provides them with a canvas to create delicious cocktails, and again, provide that unique experience for their clientele."
At tastings, Riggi has recorded a very common response among first-time drinkers: "Utter surprise!" he exclaimed. "'This tastes better than my favorite vodka' is probably the most frequent comment we receive. That's soon followed by 'Where the heck can I buy this?!'"
By W. Blake Gray
If you haven’t tried Argentine wine in a while, you might be surprised. Malbec, the country’s definitive wine that has earned its status here by punching above its price point, is changing. Musclebound Malbec is no longer the norm; there’s a trend toward picking earlier and using less new oak. In short, Argentina is lightening up.
This is not just a trend for boutique producers, or at one price level. Some of Argentina’s most important exporters—including Catena, Susana Balbo, Trivento, Kaiken and Trapiche—are intentionally making most of their wines lighter. “Ten years ago, one of the most important elements was concentration. Density,” says Trivento Chief Winemaker German di Cesare. “Now it’s not so important.”
By Jack Robertiello
When Gruppo Campari threw open the doors to their $7+ million expansion of Appleton Estate distillery in the hills of Jamaica in January, it was only the latest step in their effort to upgrade the reputation of the best-known aged Jamaican rum.
This expansion comes after recent double-digit growth for Appleton Estate Reserve Blend and Rare Blend 12 YO, the introduction of 21- and 50-year-old expressions, and the swapping of J. Wray for Appleton on the Gold and Silver rums, leaving Appleton as an aged-only brand.
The whole world has gone Marvel Comics crazy. The latest "Avengers" sequel smashed opening day and weekend records at the box office. Before that, "Black Panther" shocked the world by becoming the third-highest grossing film of all time in North America, appealing to a wider demographic than ever before for a "comic-book film."
Not everyone was surprised, though. Back in February, Jason Kelley and Greg Jackson Jr. sensed a pop-culture phenomenon was about to happen and sprang into action. Their Washington, D.C.-based event production company, The Wave, put together a "Black Panther"-themed pop-up bar that was hosted at the Red Lounge on U Street in the nation's capital. It was only supposed to run one weekend. Interest was so high in the event, dubbed Enter Wakanda DC, that Kelley and Jackson extended it a second weekend the following Friday-through-Sunday.
"We realized very quickly that it was far bigger than our original intention," Kelley recalled, during a late April interview with the Beverage Journal. "Some people stayed at the pop-up bar for five, six hours. It definitely celebrated the moment, the movie, and our culture."
By Jeff Cioletti
Beverage segments come and go with the ebb and flow of consumer trends, but one category that’s had a dependably steady, yet relatively quiet presence on the scene has been ready-to-drink sangria. There are some periods in which it’s more fashionable than others, but it’s always somehow managed to adapt to evolving consumer habits.
Ready-to-drink sangria is a relatively tiny segment, accounting for about 4.7 million total cases and revenue of about $193 million in the 52-week period that ended in late March, according to Nielsen. Volume grew about 4.1% and revenue climbed about 3.5% over the prior 12-month period. Domestically produced sangria represents the larger slice of the market, 3.7 million cases to imports’ 972,459 cases. But import volume grew faster during that period, surging 9.6% versus domestic growth of 2.7%.
By Jack Robertiello
If you can find it a TGI Friday’s, can it still be extreme?
As cocktail trends ebb and flow with the drive to be fresh and intriguing, it’s hard to make a splash without reaching for extremes. Which may be how a drink made with charcoal was featured at one of the largest mainstream chains last year.
By Kristen Bieler
This year was the 75th anniversary of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America convention. Held in Las Vegas from April 30th through May 3rd, the convention also marks the last year of WSWA President and CEO Craig Wolf’s leadership after 18 years with the organization. Among his parting words of advice: “A unified membership has been the key to our success.”
General session attendees heard from former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Sidney Frank Innovation Award Winner Rob Sands (CEO Constellation Brands) and Lifetime Leadership Award winner Robert Harmelin (EVP, Allied Beverage Group), among others.
By W. R. Tish
Pardon the pun, but the outlook for rosé is still rosy, right? The category’s double-digit growth just begins to hint at the pink success story. Over the past four years, rosé has almost quadrupled in volume and jumped in varietal wine rank from #17 to #9, according to Nielsen. Rosé’s largest segment is $11-$15, so premiumization is already at play. Plus, consumption is still accelerating. Americans drank 67% more rosé in 2017 than they did in 2016, and that year was up by 44% over 2015.
Beyond stats, this pale pink liquid has grabbed America by the buds, delivering fruity refreshment with an aesthetic (read Instagrammable) bonus. Rosé has joined the broader culture—from sweatpants to fashion shows, gummies to wedding favors—lending its pink halo to rosé cocktails, cider and spirits; inspiring social media hashtags à la #brosé and #yeswayrosé; even prompting marketers in other arenas to go pink when propping wine.
Slushies and such are all grown-up, thanks to technology, creativity…and rosé. Of all the beverage types that joined in the contemporary cocktail revolution, frozen drinks were left wallflowers, uninvited to the cool kids’ table. Outside of Tiki, which has always welcomed the qualities that frozen offers, it was a style mostly left to chains churning out schooners of fruit-laced Margaritas and Daiquiris. In the past couple of years, creative cocktail makers with a well-developed sense of fun took advantage of equipment and ingredient evolution to whip up tasty adult treats.
By Amanda Schuster
Many Americans still associate the category with bracing, herbaceous expressions traditionally associated with the designation London Dry. But that reputation deserves to be retired. Juniper, of course, is the defining botanical in all gin, but it has come to be handled more palatably than ever, even in bang-for-buck brands like Burnett’s and New Amsterdam. And a boomlet of new ventures shows there is much room for play in creating other vibrant, complex flavor profiles from alternative ingredients. For those looking beyond the typical dry expressions, here’s how some brands have rethought gin.
Exotic Gin
The new Mid-Atlantic Region Manager for Sovereign Brands has made the jump from a long tenure in spirits to a heavily focused wine supplier with a newly focused attention on spirits
Dave Hochrein is the new Mid-Atlantic Region Manager for Sovereign Brands, a family company of fine wines and spirits owned and operated by the Berish brothers. Hochrein previously served as Proximo Spirits' Regional Director for Maryland and Washington, D.C., from September 2014 to March of this year.
MISCellaneous Distillery opened in December 2016, selling its Risky Rum product via a tasting room on Main Street in Mount Airy. The brainchild of Dan McNeil and Meg MacWhirter, the business has taken off since then. Wholesale sales began in mid-2017. Before long, MISCellaneous Distillery had launched four more products -- Dew Point Rum, Diametric Whisky, Restless Rye Whisky, and Virtuous Vodka -- with more on the way.
One of the things that distinguishes the operation is MISCellaneous Distillery sources 100 percent of its Rye from a Carroll County farm and all of its sugar products from Domino Sugar in Baltimore. MacWhirter says the local partnerships are very important. "We find these Maryland connections are an important part of our story," she stated, during a recent interview, "and they help us connect with our customers and accounts even if they haven’t been able to see us at the distillery. We have great partnerships with both Hickory Hollow Farm and Gravel Springs Farms for grain, allowing us to grow and distill our products in the same county. We then send protein-rich spent mash back to Hickory Hollow for them to feed their cattle."
Santa Carolina Reserva is a tribute to Carolina Íñiguez –the wife of the winery’s founder Luis Pereira. This wine seeks to reach people who are keen on enjoying every moment and always find an opportunity to turn an ordinary day into a special occasion.
Carolina is a woman who knows how to enjoy life. She can turn even the simplest of moments into a grand one. She, like no other, understands the power of small details and reminds us that any moment can become a great occasion and that there is always a good reason to celebrate.
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, named to honor the life and legacy of Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins, formed the creation of The Norman Collins Initiative at The Aleethia Foundation. The Foundation is designed to raise funds for Aleethia in its ongoing efforts to support wounded/injured/ill service members in their rehabilitation and healing process.
“Aleethia is excited about the expanded support through the Norman Collins Initiative,” stated Hal Koster, Executive Director of the Aleethia Foundation. “We are a volunteer organization that exists because wonderful organizations like Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum have shared our vision of support.”
By Jeff Siegel
What are you supposed to believe about canned wine? Are cans the next big thing, given that sales were up 52% last year—growth that far out-paced every other part of the category? Or are they the next Moscato—here and mostly gone, given that each massive sales increase is from a tiny, tiny base.
According to Nielsen, the market share for cans in 2017 was one-fifth that of 187ml bottles, and the airline-sized pour owns a grand total of 1.1% of the U.S. wine market. So, we are really talking about sliver of a fraction of the overall wine market.
By Jack Robertiello
To many Americans, it’s still a niche product, a rustic rough-and-tumble relative of its now-sophisticated cousin. But recently, mezcal has started to shake off its lost weekend reputation, gathering numerous bartender fans and appearing more and more on craft cocktail lists.
Whisky lovers are set to gather on April 17 in Washington, D.C., to sample some of the world's best whiskies. The event is WhiskyFest. Presented by Whisky Advocate magazine, the festival is returning to the nation's capital for the third consecutive year, offering the chance for attendees to sample almost 300 whiskies from around the globe and attend seminars hosted by industry experts.
Among those attendees will be numerous bar, restaurant, and packaged-goods store operators. Whisky Advocate Executive Editor Jeffery Lindenmuth comments, "WhiskyFest is certainly a place for local whisky sellers to sample whiskies they are considering [serving/stocking] and to discover new ones. Attendees who taste a whisky and meet the distiller leave motivated to buy that bottle. In that way, whisky experience and whisky education boost whisky sales."
By Jeff Cioletti
Irish whiskey continues to be the big international growth story in the spirits space, with another year of double-digit gains for the U.S. market. And it’s become a force to be reckoned with, as the base it’s been growing from isn’t nearly as small as it used to be.
There's really no other way to put it. In December, the White House signed a historic tax bill into law that was absolutely loaded with "goodies" for the beer, wine, and spirits business. A number of the Maryland-D.C. area's top beverage industry professionals weighed in on the changes, and their enthusiasm was obvious.
Jaime Windon, owner and co-founder of St. Michaels-based Lyon Distilling Co., declared during a recent interview with the Beverage Journal, "The tiered changes create a more competitive and equitable tax system, which significantly benefits smaller distilleries and every distillery in Maryland. Historically, the high federal excise tax rate on distilled spirits has been a huge barrier to growth. The largest tax savings apply to distilleries producing less than 100,000 gallons of spirits each year, indeed reducing the rate from $13.50 per proof gallon to $2.70 per proof gallon. To put that in perspective, in our first year [2012], Lyon made less than 1,000 gallons. In 2018, we plan to make 10,000 gallons. That represents a potential savings of $108,000 in federal excise tax under the new law."
Apologies ahead of time to anyone I didn't get to talk to for this tribute feature on long-time Maryland beverage salesman James "Andy" Anderson. I know I missed quite a few of you. Because every time I would talk to a former co-worker, boss, or relative of his, that person would inevitably end the interview with, "Hey, did you also speak to so-and-so? No? Oh, you absolutely HAVE to get some quotes from him! He knew him best!" Maybe that was Anderson's secret magic. He made so many people in his professional and personal life feel like they knew him best. Anderson died on Jan. 31 after a battle with cancer. He was 75. Anderson grew up in the College Park/Greenbelt area and graduated from High Point High School in 1960. He first worked for the local telephone company as a lineman before getting involved in beverage sales.
He worked for Standard, retired from Reliable Churchill, then came out of retirement to sell for Prestige Beverage Group. His work ethic was practically legendary. But it was his ability to work with others and help them that really distinguished him.
Thomas Jefferson, World War II soldiers, Hannibal Lecter: all appreciated a good Chianti. While Chianti has long been popular in the U.S.—Americans drink more than a quarter of Chianti’s annual production—it sometimes faces a Rodney Dangerfield-like lack of respect.
It’s their own fault. The question that Chianti has never settled on is whether it’s a brand, or a region. Many large producers push for the easy brand recognition to move cheaper, often rustic wine; more premium producers, particularly in Chianti Classico, argue for a terroir-based wine, as shown by the recent push to officially recognize the DOCG’s subzones. It’s a hard slog—getting lazy Americans to simply remember to say “Classico” is challenge enough—but many top producers are forging ahead.
As a caddie to such golfing greats as Fuzzy Zoeller, Fred Couples, and Ernie Els, Cayce Kerr has been all over the world. But it's his foray into the beverage business that brought him back to his home state of Maryland this winter.
Together with PGA Professional Golfer Ernie Els, Kerr has launched Els Iced Coffee. Available in three flavors: original, chocolate, and mint chocolate, the new line boasts its key ingredients as fresh cream from a dairy in Wisconsin, chocolate from Hershey Pennsylvania and … (wait for it) … alcohol. In fact, Els Iced Coffee is the first such product available in this country with a 12.5 percent alcohol by volume (or ABV) content. Kerr was back in the Old Line State to introduce the product and offer tastings at various locales.
He had been raised in Clinton, Md., and held several jobs in the packaged goods and tavern businesses as a younger man. "I worked at Branch Avenue Liquors," he recalled, "and I worked at Bar 51. Bar 51 was on Suitland Parkway and Nailor Road, and I was the nighttime manager there making $7.50 an hour. So, I got familiar with the beverage alcohol business at a young age, and I definitely got familiar with Maryland."
Bloody Savory
By Jack Robertiello
There’s no lack of savory in cocktailing. Gin’s tang of juniper, vermouth’s herbal zip, Sherry’s nutty astringency—all were important to many original cocktail whistle wetters. Vermouth and gin together gave us the sublime Martini, the drink’s crisp pungency the pure definition of savory.
With Interest Up but Knowledge Sparse, Retailers Keep it Simple When Promoting ‘Organic’
Big Picture: Americans are buying more products perceived as healthy. Sales of organic foods in the U.S. doubled between 2008 and 2016, and organic milk now makes up 5% of the total milk market even though it costs double the price of conventional milk.
By Kristen Bieler
“We’ve always prided ourselves on producing great product and getting it to our customers accurately and on time,” says Gary Shaw, VP Sales. “Our fill rate has long been the best in class. And we did so while operating out of three separate locations—in a bottling facility that was inefficient and low-tech.”
Stranahan’s has a cultlike following for its annual Snowflake limited-edition; fans camp out and line up for a chance to buy two of the 1,400 bottles released the first weekend of December.
By Jack Robertiello
Perhaps large spirit companies learned a lesson from how slowly major brewers responded to the growing interest in craft beer, but whatever the case, they have shown an increasing willingness to swoop in and grab small distillers who show promise.
In various professions, the truly great ones become known by just one name or even nickname. In the sports world, there's been Tiger, Peyton, and "Shaq." In entertainment, there's been Beyonce, Cher, and Arnold. In wine? There's now Merf.
David "Merf" Merfeld is head winemaker for Northstar. "The umbrella company is Ste. Michelle Wine Estates," he remarked. "Northstar is one of a string of pearls. It was created in 1994 to focus on ultra-premium wines, specifically Merlot. It all starts in the vineyards. We've been working closely with growers at specific sites where we source our fruit from since the '90s. That sets us apart."
By Marika Vida and Patricia Savoie
Winter lurks in the shadows of shorter days, bringing cravings for hearty comfort foods to counter the chill. So, we turn to serious red wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec….
Yet there are many white wines that work brilliantly with winter fare: Consider Chardonnay (oaked or not), Pinot Blanc and Gris with their ripe melon and tropical notes, mouth-filling Viognier, spice-laden Gewürztraminer and perhaps the most ideal winter white of all, Riesling.
I've been writing this annual Maryland state legislative preview article for five years in a row now. And normally, this feature is filled with quotes of hope and a bit of apprehension for the year ahead from various figures in our industry. This year, there is more apprehension than hope from members of the Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association (MSLBA).
Most of it is centered around Comptroller Peter Franchot's unveiling of a legislative package that would make sweeping changes to the state’s regulation of craft breweries. Franchot’s 12-point "Reform on Tap Act of 2018" seeks to eliminate limits on sales from taprooms and for take-home consumption for the state’s breweries. In addition, it would eliminate limits on beer production for breweries that faced caps and let localities set their own taproom hours. The goal of the proposal is to do away with regulations Franchot says have stifled one of Maryland's most promising economic engines.
By Jeremy M. Vaida
Maryland’s Admissions and Amusement Tax is one of this state’s lesser known, yet most expensive business taxes. Imposed on night club admissions, cover charges, karaoke nights and live entertainment, the tax is deceptively broad based. Furthermore, the regime’s personal liability provisions permit the Comptroller to collect the tax directly from individuals, even if the company is organized as a corporation or LLC. With record levels of enforcement these past few years, business owners and managers would be well-served to consult with tax counsel to insure they are properly complying with the law and to help them limit any potential exposure.
