UPSCALED - The Beverage Journal

TEQUILAUPSCALEDHIGH-END EXPRESSIONS DRIVE THE CATEGORY

WINE PAIRING MENUS

VIN DE FRANCEGOES FOR GOLD

HEAVEN HILL: 80 YEARS YOUNG

plus

Search & Order Online with www.TheBeverageJournal.com

April 2015

CONTACT US TO SUBSCRIBE

CALL US AT 203.288.3375 | VISIT US AT WWW.THEBEVERAGEJOURNAL.COM

Connecticut’s only trade magazine and comprehensive online resource

for the local licensed beer, wine and spirits industry.

Market’s Largest Product Source

Brand & Price Index

Local News, Photos & Columns

GET

MARKET INFORMATION

LEARN

ABOUT NEW

PRODUCTS

READ

NEWS, BE NEWS

PASSWORD TO ACCESS

THE ONLINE PRODUCT PORTAL

REAL-TIME PRODUCTS AND PRICES, ANYTIME,

VIA MOBILE PHONE, TABLET OR LAPTOP

ONLINE ORDERING 24/7

INCLUDED IN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

SHOP

PRODUCTS & PRICES

ANYTIME

April 2015 CONNECTICUT BEVERAGE JOURNAL 3

FEATURES

APRIL2015

10 Legislative News A look inside SB 946 legislation, and what each side is saying.

12 Seasonal Shift Spring into action by refreshing your bar.

38 What’s Kosher? Surprisingly, not all kosher wines are certifi ed kosher for Passover as well.

44 Tequila On Fire High-end expressions are driving the category — and challenging whiskies as sipping spirits.

52 A Family Distillate Heaven Hill Distillery celebrates 80 years of crafting whiskey and building brands.

56 Vin de France Steps Up Annual competition provides even more momentum for a new breed of French wine.

58 When Wine is On the Menu With pairing menus, wine makes culinary artistry more profi table.

1010

4444

5858

1212

5252

4 CONNECTICUT BEVERAGE JOURNAL April 2015 See www.thebeveragejournal.com for online product access

APRIL2015

The largest compilation of beverage alcohol price and brand information.

LIQUOR BRAND INDEX

WINE BRAND INDEX

BEER BRAND INDEX

JOURNAL CLASSIFIED

SHOPPING NETWORK Page 1aTHE INDEX

62 O� Spain’s Beaten Path Under-the-radar Cariñena region o� ers old vines, character and value.

66 Selling the Good Stu� Independents fi nd reward in value sweet spots, avoiding lowest price tier.

68 On Call with Jim Beam Honey American Whiskey is happily tapping the whiskey’s sweet side in NYC.

70 Tequila Double-Shot Pernod Ricard brands Avión and Altos make a potent pair.

74 Bar Talk Travis St. Germain straddles classic and modern at Clover Club in Brooklyn.

HOW BEER, WINEAND SPIRITSGET TO THEMARKETPLACE

DEPARTMENTS 5 Market Point

6 News Front

14 Cocktail Corner

16 Around Town

28 Beer Column

29 The Find

30 Retail Review

32 Legal View

34 By The Numbers

36 Serving Up

40 Wine Buzz

41 Revenue Reports

72 New Products & Promotions

6262

6666

7474

6868

7070


APRIL2015

The largest compilation of beverage alcohol price and brand information.

LIQUOR BRAND INDEX

WINE BRAND INDEX

BEER BRAND INDEX

JOURNAL CLASSIFIED

SHOPPING NETWORK Page 1aTHE INDEX

62 O� Spain’s Beaten Path Under-the-radar Cariñena region o� ers old vines, character and value.

66 Selling the Good Stu� Independents fi nd reward in value sweet spots, avoiding lowest price tier.

68 On Call with Jim Beam Honey American Whiskey is happily tapping the whiskey’s sweet side in NYC.

70 Tequila Double-Shot Pernod Ricard brands Avión and Altos make a potent pair.

74 Bar Talk Travis St. Germain straddles classic and modern at Clover Club in Brooklyn.

HOW BEER, WINEAND SPIRITSGET TO THEMARKETPLACE

DEPARTMENTS 5 Market Point

6 News Front

14 Cocktail Corner

16 Around Town

28 Beer Column

29 The Find

30 Retail Review

32 Legal View

34 By The Numbers

36 Serving Up

40 Wine Buzz

41 Revenue Reports

72 New Products & Promotions

6262

6666

7474

6868

7070

Cocktail menu offerings can bloom into seasonal success; read about refreshing your bar — and your patrons — from this month’s guest columnist.

The cover story is tequila. Stats show faster category growth in reposado and añejo varieties, while luxury bottlings and extreme packaging are proliferating.

In legislative news, the March 9 public hearings on SB 946 concluded as of this issue’s press time. One-hundred people spent the five-plus hours waiting to give their three-minute testimony and to hear others. Hundreds more were there to show support. It was compelling to hear the two very divergent viewpoints that opponents and proponents stated; many armed with equally compelling data.One thing was loud and clear: what is at stake may have unintended negative consequences far beyond what the state may hope to gain in increased sales tax revenue or lowering the floor. Price posting will remain, but will the many businesses that support local jobs? Liquor stores, suppliers, distillers, wholesalers, sales people, drivers and support business are part of a local economic chain in a fragile economic situation. One that might be put more at risk beyond what the new budget projections promise to deliver in exchange. Read the full story on page 10.

How to make and measure wine-pairing menus and dinners is fully explored.

Off-premise takes a peek at wine pricing within the store. Locally, Retail Review looks at a family-owned operation in Voluntown. Legal View looks at what to know before you sell your store.

New Products & Promotions, The Find, Wine Buzz, and special Kosher Wine Focus, showcase trends and top picks.

Make sure you know how to optimize your time and money by using the free suite of business-boosting tools The Beverage Journal offers. Call Laurie, Brian or Dana. We’re nice. Ask us how we can help you get tuned in and online.

Ah, April. Let’s say goodbye to winter for good! Your

customers are craving great tastes that reflect the season.

Find out what’s trending and put it to work.

CONNECTICUTBEVERAGE JOURNALVolume 80, April 2015, No. 4(ISSN 0744-1843)

PUBLISHER Gerald P. [email protected]

EDITOR & ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dana [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF WHOLESALE SERVICES Laurie [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION/RETAIL SERVICES Brian [email protected]

DESIGN Evan Fraser [email protected]

WRITERSLauren Daley

Bob Sample

Published Monthly By: Beverage Publications, Inc; 2508

Whitney Avenue, P.O. Box 185159; Hamden, CT 06518

is devoted to all liquor, wine and beer licensees as

described by the Department of Consumer Protection,

Liquor Control Division.

Nothing may be reproduced or uploaded without written

permission from the publisher. This includes articles,

pictures, pdf files, online or electronic versions. Not

responsible for unsolicited material or advertising claims.

The opinions expressed here are that of the individual

authors and not necessarily the views of Beverage

Publication, Inc. We reserve the right to reject any material

that is flawed due to content or design.

All advertisements and price list advertising are subject to

the approval of The Beverage Journal which reserves the

right to edit, reject or properly classify.

Periodicals postage paid at New Haven, CT.

Postmaster: Send address changes to:

CT Beverage Journal, P.O. Box 185159, Hamden CT 06518

DO NOT FORWARD.

SUBSCRIPTIONS& RENEWALS

Subscription includesCellar user ID and password

All sales are final.

thebeveragejournal.com 203.288.3375

National Coverage, Local AdvantageThe Beverage Network Publications are served by: Beverage Media Group, Inc.116 John Street, 23rd floor, New York, NY 10038tel 212.571.3232 fax 212.571.4443www.bevnetwork.com

$40 FOR ONE YEAR

$68 FOR TWO YEARS

$8 FOR SINGLE COPY (Includes shipping and handling)

TEQUILAUPSCALEDHIGH-END EXPRESSIONS DRIVE THE CATEGORY

WINE PAIRING MENUS

VIN DE FRANCEGOES FOR GOLD

HEAVEN HILL: 80 YEARS YOUNG

plus

Search & Order Online with www.TheBeverageJournal.com

April 2015

ON THECOVER

By Deborah Kolb

ImageBrief.com


CALIFORNIA WINES FUEL $1.49 BILLION IN U.S . WINE EXPORTS IN 2014

U.S. wine exports, 90% from

California, reached $1.49

billion in winery revenues in

2014, the second highest dollar

value for U.S. wine exports

and a 64% increase from

five years ago. Challenged by

a strong dollar and the West Coast port slowdown that began

last July, U.S. wine exports were slightly down compared to the

previous year while volume was up to 442.7 million liters or 49.2

million cases. Of the top 10 export markets for California wines,

the European Union’s 28-member countries were the largest,

accounting for $518 million; followed by Canada, $487 million;

Japan, $88 million; China, $71 million; Hong Kong, $69 million;

Mexico, $24 million; South Korea, $22.2 million; Nigeria, $21.9

million; Vietnam, $20 million; and Singapore, $16 million.

SPIRITS , WINE AND BEER SEE THE RISE OF SMALLER BRANDS, CATEGORIES

Smaller brands and categories are

outpacing and, in some cases, taking share

from the more well-established in the

alcohol industry, according to Technomic’s

analysis of 2014 year-end results. The

largest categories in beer – domestic light

and regular – both shed volume, while

two of the smaller categories – craft beer and hard cider – each

posted double-digit increases. Vodka continues to hold one-third

of total spirits volume. Its momentum improved in 2014, but its

pace was eclipsed by several smaller categories, including Irish

whiskey, cordials/liqueurs and straight American whiskey. Table

wine dominates the wine market, and its 2014 trend improved

over 2013, but it was again markedly outpaced by the considerably

smaller sparkling wine category.

CAMPARI AMERICA’S NEGRONI WEEK SET FOR JUNE

Campari and Imbibe magazine present

the third annual Negroni Week

from June 1-7, 2015. The charitable

event is designed to raise the profile

of the famed cocktail as well as local

charities. During Negroni Week, a

portion of the proceeds from every

Negroni or Negroni-related item sold at participating retailers,

bars and restaurants worldwide will be donated to the charity of

their choice. In addition, Campari America will donate $10,000

to the top fundraising establishment’s charity. Last year, over

1,300 bars and restaurants in 18 countries participated in Negroni

Week. Bars and restaurants interested in signing up can go to

www.NegroniWeek.com.

NON-SCOTCH WHISKY TIPPED FOR GROWTH SAYS NEW MARKET RESEARCH

The whisky segments outside

of Scotch are set for significant

growth over the next five years,

a new IWSR/just-drinks report

has forecast. The report, entitled

“Non-Scotch Whisky Insights 2015,” has predicted that the

U.S. whisky market, currently totaling around 37.1m cases, will

add some 11.5m cases over the five-year period from 2014 to

2019. The Irish whisky segment will increase by 4m cases from

the 6.3m cases sold in 2013. The report states that the “huge

and diverse” non-Scotch whisky category has become “one of

the drinks industry's major growth drivers” over the past few

years, and that “future growth looks assured” for all segments,

apart from Canadian whisky. The Tennessee whiskey business

continues to grow, with flavored whiskies attracting new-to-

category consumers.

RESTAURANTS PROJECTED TO ADD OVER 300,000 JOBS IN 2015

The National Restaurant

Association’s Chief Economist

Bruce Grindy breaks down the

latest employment trends in a recent

news release. He reports that eating

and drinking places, the primary

component of the restaurant

industry, accounted for three-fourths of the total restaurant and

foodservice workforce, while adding jobs at a solid 3.5 percent

rate in 2014. “The 2014 gain marked the third consecutive

year in which eating and drinking place job growth topped

3 percent, the first such occurrence since the 1993 to 1995

period.” He stated that the association expects the industry to

add jobs at a 3.4 percent rate in 2015, posting four consecutive

years with employment gains of at least 3 percent. The projected

2015 increase will also represent the fifth consecutive calendar

year in which restaurants added more than 300,000 jobs.

NEWSFRONT

Now a Brescome Barton on-premise

EXCLUSIVE

Available in Original, Sugar-Free, Red Edition and Blue Edition

Red Bull Full Page.indd 1 11/12/14 11:47 AM


PERNOD RICARD ANNOUNCES SENIOR GLOBAL EXECUTIVE ROLES

Pernod Ricard announced a series of

executive appointments of existing

leadership team members, beginning

July 2015. Pierre Coppéré is appointed Executive Senior Vice-

President in charge of Growth Initiatives. Philippe Guettat is

appointed Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard Asia. César

Giron is appointed Chairman and CEO of Martell Mumm

Perrier-Jouët (MMPJ). Philippe Savinel is appointed Chairman

and CEO of Pernod. Additionally, Conor McQuaid, currently

Group Marketing & Commercial Development Director, was

appointed Global Business Development Director, the Holding

Department as of March 1. Peter Morehead, currently Industrial

Director of Irish Distillers Limited (IDL), is appointed Group

Operations Director as of April 1, 2015.

WINEBOW GROUP ANNOUNCES THE RETIREMENT OF FOUNDER

The Winebow Group announced the

retirement of Leonardo LoCascio,

an industry leader for over 35 years,

effective June 30, 2015. LoCascio left a

career in corporate finance and banking

to found Winebow in 1980. Under

his leadership, Winebow became a major national importer

and distributor of fine wines and spirits. In 2014, Winebow

merged with The Vintner Group to create The Winebow

Group, which continues each company’s shared dedication to

quality, education and customer service. LoCascio was one

of the first individuals to introduce wines from lesser known

regions to the U.S. market, in particular those from southern

Italy, and has shared his knowledge at countless events,

industry functions, tastings and seminars around the country.

SIMMS APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF COMBS WINE & SPIRITS

Sean Combs, Chairman and CEO of

Combs Enterprises, announced the

appointment of Dia Simms as the new

president of Combs Wine & Spirits, the

premium spirits business he created in

2013. As president, Simms will oversee

Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka, luxury tequila DeLeon and lead the

spirits innovation business for the company. An award-winning

industry executive, Simms has “been instrumental in making

Ciroc an industry success” and has led the brand’s growth efforts

since its inception. Under her leadership, Ciroc was named one

of America’s Hottest Brands by Advertising Age (2010) and Market

Watch Spirit Brand of the Year (2011). She was also a key player

in the acquisition of DeLeon Tequila in 2013 and the brand’s

relaunch last fall. Simms will report to Combs and Brian Offutt,

Chief Operating Officer, Combs Enterprises.

BOURDAIN FORMS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BALVENIE

The Balvenie handcrafted

single malt Scotch whisky, and

chef, author and raconteur

Anthony Bourdain announced a

multifaceted collaboration that

will “bring attention to some of

America’s finest craftspeople.”

The partnership will be three-fold and will see Bourdain take

a leading role in a series of short films featuring makers from

around the country titled, “Raw Craft;” the selection of the

next two Fellows for the American Craft Council Rare Craft

Fellowship Awards in association with The Balvenie; and

curating The Balvenie 2015 Rare Craft Collection. “For me,

there is deep satisfaction in seeing people, with a particular skill

set and a real passion, produce a beautiful thing” said Bourdain.

HOUSE LEGISLATION FOR BREWERS AND BEER INDUSTRY INTRODUCED

H.R. 232, the Small Brewer Reinvestment

and Expanding Workforce Act (Small

BREW Act), was introduced in the 114th

Congress on January 8, 2015. The Small

BREW Act seeks to reduce the small

brewer rate on the first 60,000 barrels

by 50 percent (from $7.00 to $3.50/barrel) and institute a new

rate $16.00 per barrel on beer production above 60,000 barrels

up to 2 million barrels. Breweries with an annual production

of 6 million barrels or less would qualify for these tax rates.

H.R. 767, the Fair Brewers Excise and Economic Relief Act of

2015 (Fair BEER Act) seeks to create a “graduated, equitable tax

structure, simplifying the tax code.” The bipartisan legislation

was introduced on February 5, 2015 to comprehensively reform

the federal beer tax imposed on brewers and beer importers.

Each act could impact on the cost of craft beer and the cost of

doing business as a small craft brewery.

NEWSFRONT

NATIONAL

HCNUAL

A P R I L 1 2 0 1 5

*Internal Sales data (2010–2014)**Mintel’s Global New Product Database†Kelton Research, 2014

Canada’s #1 RTD brand translates into a 20MM case opportunity in U.S.*

Tropical flavors skyrocketed in the last 2 years(600+ non-alcoholic launches). Palm Breeze willlead this trend in the FMB segment in 2014**

11MM Millennial women consuming over 13MM cases of FMB yearly †High-potenTial targeT

PROVEN PERFORMER

HOT FLAVOR TREND


PROPOSED BUDGET RENEWS OLD ARGUMENTS

BY LAUREN DALEY

LEGISLATIVENEWS

Is the Issue Taxes or Prices?

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy

proposed his state budget, known as SB

946, to the General Assembly in February.

If it goes into effect July 1 for the new fiscal

year, it will affect the state’s package stores

in three major ways:

• It would allow package store owners to

set their own prices all the way down to

actual wholesale cost.

• It would extend store hours to allow

retail sale of beer, wine and spirits until

10 p.m., rather than the current 9 p.m.

Sunday hours would extend to 8 p.m.,

rather than the current 5 p.m.

• It would increase the number of stores

a single operator can own from three

to six.

Malloy’s latest proposals come three years

after he tried to overhaul state alcohol

laws. While the industry opposed many of

Malloy’s plans then, the legislature agreed

to allow retail sales on Sundays and certain

holidays. Malloy’s administration maintains

that longer package store hours and cheaper

alcohol prices will mean greater sales and

increased tax revenue for the state, while

bringing lower prices to consumers who

would purchase more.

But the Connecticut Package Stores

Association (CPSA) said small retailers lost

money due to Sunday sales for a few reasons:

they had extra expenses from keeping

the stores open for an extra day; many

consumers bought their beer at food stores;

six days’ worth of business simply spread to

seven; and consumers in border towns still

crossed state lines because Rhode Island

and Massachusetts have no sales tax on

alcohol and their excise taxes are cheaper

than Connecticut’s.

“Taxes are the real issue here,” the CPSA

said in a statement. “Connecticut’s prices

are very competitive with our neighboring

states before sales tax and excise tax is

added on. And [Massachusetts, Rhode

Island and New Hampshire] have no

sales tax on alcohol and lower excise

taxes. Secondly, the CPSA continued,

“permit limits are there to prevent big box

chains from putting local businesses out

of business. Increasing the amount does

nothing for the consumer and will destroy

the vast selection of product they currently

have available. Adding an extra hour of

alcohol sales does nothing for revenue

and merely transfers even more beer sales,

since Sunday sales, from package stores to

grocery stores.”

The CPSA said that if Malloy’s proposals

go into effect, including pricing policy

changes, an estimated 600 package stores

— more than half of that state’s 1,100

package stores — would go out of business,

as would some wholesalers. They said the

proposal “only benefits out-of-state big-

box chain stores… There was a study…

done in 2012 on minimum pricing that

did not find that repealing minimum

pricing would lead to cheaper prices or

that prices are inflated as a result,” the

CPSA said.

That 2012 study was conducted by Malloy’s

Competitive Alcoholic Liquor Pricing

Task Force. Economist Stanley McMillen

was a member of that Task Force. He told

The Beverage Journal recently that it’s “hard

to say” how Malloy’s new proposals might

affect small stores, but that lowering the

prices of alcohol will not necessarily lead to

more sales.

“First, the population in Connecticut is

rather stable… So alcohol consumption

around the state is probably very stable,

meaning not changing a lot. Second, the

demand for alcoholic beverages is rather

inelastic, meaning people are unresponsive

to price changes. So if the price of wine or

beer or spirits goes down by 10 percent,

sales don’t necessarily go up by 10 percent,”

explained McMillen, who teaches at Trinity

College and Connecticut College.

“There have been a lot of studies across the

country that have asked, ‘How do people

respond to price changes in wine, spirits

and beer?’ And the demand tends to be

relatively unresponsive to price changes.

Because people tend to consume ‘x’ amount

of alcohol per year; if prices goes down,

they don’t necessarily increase their alcohol

consumption,” he said.

“Also, if stores feel they need to raise their

prices, they usually don’t see much more of

a profit. There are so many substitutes…You

can get wine at Trader Joe’s for a few bucks,

or you can pay $100 a bottle, easily. So if

prices go up, people just buy cheaper beer or

wine.” McMillen also said it was “very hard

to say how this would affect small stores…

It’s possible that some stores would go


LEGISLATIVENEWS

out of business, but I think that’s an

extreme position.”

Gary Rose, a political science professor at

Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, said

Malloy’s new proposals “would have an

adverse impact on the business operations

of small package stores… Small business

owners will have to hire more staff in order

to accommodate the longer hours, which

will be costly in terms of wages and utility

bills, or perhaps let their staff go and work

longer hours themselves in the interest of

keeping their stores profitable.”

Rose said it may also destroy some small

family-operated package stores: “I suspect

that family members would be less inclined

to follow in their parents’ footsteps, thus

impacting the tradition of family-owned

and intergenerational businesses,” he said.

Rose said Malloy “once again

has revealed himself to be

less than supportive

of small business

enterprises… He

likely favors

large corporate-

owned grocery

stores becoming

a dominant force

within the contest of

the beverage business.

I might be out on a limb

here, but it wouldn’t surprise

me if during his second term, he

introduces a proposal to have state-owned

package stores for the purpose of generating

more revenue and closing deficits.”

The CPSA supported this similar sentiment

when it stated: “Let’s not forget that once

competition is gone, and product selection

and variety have been decimated and the

permit increase occurs, big box retailers

would be able, under the Governor’s

proposal, to raise prices to any level.”

Senate Minority Leader Pro Tem Kevin

Witkos, R-Canton, is not convinced

lowering price controls will help stores or

consumers. “Our concern is the big-box

stores will put the small stores out of business,

and once the small stores are gone, they’ll

jack prices,” he said. “We’ve been down this

road before. It’s not a road we wish to travel

on. We think it would be harmful to small

package stores. We don’t want to be in the

business of putting people out of business,”

said Witkos.

“If we want to do something on the prices,

well, let’s reduce the taxes. Rhode Island,

Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire

— none have sales tax on alcohol, and they

all have cheaper excise tax,” said Witkos.

“So right off the bat, people are saving 6.35

percent by buying out-of-state. I just hope

the governor looks at our tax structure, not

the alcohol-pricing structure. That’s been

working great since Prohibition time.

We don’t need to fix it.”

Vocal proponents of

Malloy’s proposal,

Total Wine &

More, currently

operate over 100

superstores across

15 states including

C o n n e c t i c u t .

Edward Cooper,

a spokesman for

Total Wine & More,

based in Maryland, did not

immediately respond to requests as

of press time.

“Much work lies ahead at the state Capitol

with respect to preserving the tradition

of small package stores in Connecticut.

A concerted and well-organized lobbying

effort will be needed to prevent the further

degradation of mom-and-pop stores, which, I

should add, have been one of the important

building blocks of Connecticut's economy,”

said Rose.

A public hearing was held on March 9. ■

HARTFORD — The Legislative Offi ce

Building was fi lled with hundreds of

members of the state’s alcohol industry

for a public hearing March 9. The

majority were package store owners,

present to speak out against Gov. Dannel

P. Malloy’s budget proposal sections

41-43, which seek to make major

changes to the state’s alcohol industry.

Wholesalers were bused from East

Hartford to the Legislative Building.

Permittees drove in and parking was

at a premium. Many wholesalers were

represented, not only by management

but also drivers, staff and support

positions. People were greeted at the

door with a sticker stating “Less Tax

= More Sales,” visually demonstrating

a core theme heard from budget

proposal opponents.

Department of Consumer Protection

Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris

explained support of Sections 41 - 43,

calling the changes “modest” and “more

consumer-friendly.”

Many legislators questioned the

proposed changes. Sen. L. Scott Frantz

of Greenwich said he was concerned

about a “detrimental eff ect” on small

package store owners who are already

struggling. Rep. Christopher Davis said

he’s never heard any of his constituents

in Ellington or East Windsor complain. “I

never had one of them say, ‘I wish I could

buy liquor at 10 o’clock at night,” Davis

said. “So what caused this push to change

this year?” Many questioned the changes

and the data projections, including

State Rep. Laura Devlin, Rep. Rosa

Rembimbas, Rep. Dave Yaccarino and

Rep. Vincent Candelora.

Carroll Hughes, a lobbyist for the

Connecticut Package Store Association,

told the Finance Committee what he and

his association has long maintained: “We

don’t sell as much as we should because

we have an excise and sales tax,” Hughes

called the Governor’s projection of

an additional $3 million dollars in tax

revenue through Section 42 (extended

CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

MARCH 9 HEARINGAIRS CONCERNS


GUESTCOLUMN

It’s early March as I write this and it’s

snowing again. With the winter we have

had, bar guests will be looking for a serious

change of pace and their cocktail glass is the

obvious place to start. Here are seven tips or

trends to consider as you work through the

process of updating to Spring-season menus:

This is the magical rhizome loved the world

over and used for centuries as a medicine,

made into teas, as spice for food and cookies,

or made into soda and ale. This is such a

versatile ingredient. I like how it makes

rum taste. On the bar you can pickle it and

make a garnish, make a syrup for cocktails,

or carbonate it for refreshing warm weather

drinks. Whether you use ginger as the

main flavor ingredient or as a background

enhancer, this is a flavor/aroma that many

people enjoy. Use it to build complex drinks.

There is a huge interest in the modern bar

for using the flavoring known as “tonic.” Gin

loves it, but so do other spirits. While the

standard comes from yellow labeled bottles,

early bartenders were much more familiar

with making their own unique concoctions.

The only problem is that tonic is not easy to

make, at least at the beginning. Once you get

the hang of it, it becomes much easier. The

best way is to find or create a recipe for a

base, and then use this base with soda and

spirit for a final drink – kind of how it was

originally done. You can make wonderful

spice combinations and adjust them

seasonally based on available ingredients.

I know it sounds funny – but drinks need

booze, Jim! I taste a lot of cocktails in the

construction stages and there is frequently

two things missing – booze and mouthfeel.

Booze first. There is a reason why the martini

and the Manhattan are the most popular

drinks, and have been for 100 years; they are

booze-forward and taste great when made

properly. Adding too many ingredients in

an attempt to be creative can soften that

flavor appeal, so remember less can be more.

Still, keep in mind the need to balance the

flavors, sweetness and acid levels, as well

as temper the alcohol. A good martini is

a balance of smooth and cold (and made

with gin).

It might come from my wine background,

but I like to not only smell and taste a drink,

but also to feel a well-balanced drink…and

so do a lot of guests. Small things make

a big difference. Mouthfeel comes from

several sources – sugar, alcohol, juices,

syrups, creams, ice. It is also important to

learn to make drinks efficiently so they will

not get too diluted and watery. Taste your

drinks and learn to understand how they

feel on your palate as well as how they look

and taste.

Mezcal, cucumbers, smoke, Fernet-Branca,

salt, orgeat, Chartreuse, rum blends, fresh

fruit, honey, oleo saccharum, peat – so

many options, so little time. That’s not true;

there is always time to create more flavor.

Build layers of flavor complexity in your

drinks by using small amounts of extremely

TRANSITIONING

YOUR BAR FROM

WINTER TO SPRING

BY BRIAN MITCHELL

guest columnistBRIAN MITCHELL

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

search and order

View portfolios of your favorite distributors.

Explore best deals, link sales reps, see ratings

and more. Log in or register today for full access.

search & order

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERSSearch for hibiscus, rose, vanilla, elderflower and other

fine blossom flavors—and make sales bloom.

Find and order from over 42,000 market SKUs

on thebeveragejournal.com trade portal login

Visit TheBeverageJournal.com or contact us at 203.288.3375 or [email protected] powered by BeverageMedia.com


ROASTED JALAPEÑO MARGARITAThis Roasted Jalapeño Margarita is ex-tremely simple to make, and highlights the combination of sweet and savory. The mild spiciness of the roasted jalapeño mixer with the slight sweetness of your fa-vorite blue agave blanco tequila makes for a truly enjoyable Margarita experience.

1 part Powell & Mahoney RoastedJalapeno Margarita Mixer

1 part 100% Blue Agave Blanco Tequila

Shake and strain over ice into a Margaritaor Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

ZARZAThe Zarza is a sweeter approach to the Margarita, adding not only agave syrup into the mix, but blackberry liqueur as well. The smooth fl avor of the Sauza 901 makes a real difference in this drink.

2 oz Sauza 9011 oz Agave syrup1 oz fresh Lemon JuiceSplash Blackberry liqueurBlackberries

Combine all ingredients, excluding blackberry liqueur. Shake well. Strain and serve over crushed ice in a rocks glass. Add blackberry liqueur on top. Garnish with fresh blackberries.

VAMPIROThe Vampiro is a unique, vegetal twist on a Margarita using tequila, lemon juice, ginger root syrup, celery bitters and a juice blend made up of beet, celery and carrot juices. Created by Trent Simpson of La Urbana in San Francisco, this cocktail was the winner at the Battle of Tequileras in San Franciscoin January.

2 oz Don Julio Blanco (or tequila blanco)1 oz fresh Lemon Juice1 oz Purely Syrup Ginger Root1 dash Celery Bitters½ oz Juice blend of Beet, Celery

and Carrot

Add tequila, lemon juice, syrup and bitters into mixing tin, add ice, and shake for approximately 10 seconds. Strain into highball glass over new crushed ice. To fi nish, pour juice blend on top and garnish with skin of celery stalk.

SPICY RASPBERRY MARGARITAA Margarita with Tabasco may sound a bit daunting, but don’t let this spicy addition fool you. Using the velvety sweetness of Chambord, this Margarita ends up being a balance of sugar and spice.

1½ oz el Jimador Reposado½ oz Chambord1 oz Sprite2 oz Sour Mix3 dashes Tabasco sauce

In a shaker fi lled with ice,add ingredients and shake to mix. Pour into Margarita glassrimmed with spicy salt. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Warmth of the sun…check. Snow melting…check. Birds chirping…check. Margaritas a-mixing…well, what are you waiting for—Cinco de Mayo? National Margarita Day was actually back in

Februrary, so it’s high time to catch up with this colorful, fl exible cocktail menu staple. The Margarita-esque recipes below keep tequila in the picture, but with a few twists.

COCKTAILCORNER

WARMING UP,COOLING DOWN

“Battle”-tested

Vampiro

Roasted Jalapeño Margarita

ROASTED JALAPEÑO MARGARITAThis Roasted Jalapeño Margarita is ex-tremely simple to make, and highlights the combination of sweet and savory. The mild spiciness of the roasted jalapeño mixer with the slight sweetness of your fa-vorite blue agave blanco tequila makes for a truly enjoyable Margarita experience.

1 part Powell & Mahoney RoastedJalapeno Margarita Mixer

1 part 100% Blue Agave Blanco Tequila

Shake and strain over ice into a Margaritaor Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

ZARZAThe Zarza is a sweeter approach to the Margarita, adding not only agave syrup into the mix, but blackberry liqueur as well. The smooth fl avor of the Sauza 901 makes a real difference in this drink.

2 oz Sauza 9011 oz Agave syrup1 oz fresh Lemon JuiceSplash Blackberry liqueurBlackberries

Combine all ingredients, excluding blackberry liqueur. Shake well. Strain and serve over crushed ice in a rocks glass. Add blackberry liqueur on top. Garnish with fresh blackberries.

VAMPIROThe Vampiro is a unique, vegetal twist on a Margarita using tequila, lemon juice, ginger root syrup, celery bitters and a juice blend made up of beet, celery and carrot juices. Created by Trent Simpson of La Urbana in San Francisco, this cocktail was the winner at the Battle of Tequileras in San Franciscoin January.

2 oz Don Julio Blanco (or tequila blanco)1 oz fresh Lemon Juice1 oz Purely Syrup Ginger Root1 dash Celery Bitters½ oz Juice blend of Beet, Celery

and Carrot

Add tequila, lemon juice, syrup and bitters into mixing tin, add ice, and shake for approximately 10 seconds. Strain into highball glass over new crushed ice. To fi nish, pour juice blend on top and garnish with skin of celery stalk.

SPICY RASPBERRY MARGARITAA Margarita with Tabasco may sound a bit daunting, but don’t let this spicy addition fool you. Using the velvety sweetness of Chambord, this Margarita ends up being a balance of sugar and spice.

1½ oz el Jimador Reposado½ oz Chambord1 oz Sprite2 oz Sour Mix3 dashes Tabasco sauce

In a shaker fi lled with ice,add ingredients and shake to mix. Pour into Margarita glassrimmed with spicy salt. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Warmth of the sun…check. Snow melting…check. Birds chirping…check. Margaritas a-mixing…well, what are you waiting for—Cinco de Mayo? National Margarita Day was actually back in

Februrary, so it’s high time to catch up with this colorful, fl exible cocktail menu staple. The Margarita-esque recipes below keep tequila in the picture, but with a few twists.

COCKTAILCORNER

WARMING UP,COOLING DOWN

“Battle”-tested

Vampiro

Roasted Jalapeño Margarita

718.707.9788www.posmatic.com

DON’T MISSAN ISSUE

OR

ONLINE ACCESS

The Beverage Journal2508 Whitney Avenue, Hamden CT 06518t: 203-288-3375 e: [email protected]

Your expiration date is located on the top line. Renew and never lose access to prices, products and market information.


ANNUAL GOLDEN JACK AWARD CEREMONY HELD AT EDER BROS.

Brown-Forman and Eder Bros., Inc. conducted the 5th annual Golden Jack presentations for sales achievements at a February sales meeting. The awards were based on 2014 performance, and included the previous year’s winners as part of the annual presentation proceedings.

1. Kerry O’Connell, 2013 award recipient; Tom Kachmarck, CT

State Manager, Brown-Forman; Don Guimento, Eder Bros.,

Inc. 2014 Jack Daniel’s Overall Rep of the Year Winner; and

Audrey Sanders, CT Market Manager, Brown-Forman.

2. Audrey Sanders; Tim Senft, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014 Winner

Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands Award; Tom Kachmarck; Chris

Capozzoli, 2013 recipient.

3. Audrey Sanders; Lisa Kazersky, 2014 Eder Bros., Inc. Winner

Gentleman Jack Portfolio Award; Tom Kachmarck; and

Jonathan Fredyna, 2013 recipient.

4. Tom Kachmarck; Chris Capozzoli, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014

Korbel Brand Portfolio Winner; Audrey Sanders; and John

Moynihan, 2013 recipient.

5. Audrey Sanders; Frank McDonough, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014

Brown-Forman Tequila Portfolio Winner; Tom Kachmarck;

and Jennifer Caulfield, 2013 recipient.

6. Tom Kachmarck; Chris Munk, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014 Brown-

Forman On-Premise Winner; Audrey Sanders.

7. Golden Jack Statuettes

AROUNDTOWN

1

6

2

3

4

5

7

www.rihospitality.org

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS, EVENTS & IDEAS ON

www.thebeveragejournal.com

ANNUAL GOLDEN JACK AWARD CEREMONY HELD AT EDER BROS.

Brown-Forman and Eder Bros., Inc. conducted the 5th annual Golden Jack presentations for sales achievements at a February sales meeting. The awards were based on 2014 performance, and included the previous year’s winners as part of the annual presentation proceedings.

1. Kerry O’Connell, 2013 award recipient; Tom Kachmarck, CT

State Manager, Brown-Forman; Don Guimento, Eder Bros.,

Inc. 2014 Jack Daniel’s Overall Rep of the Year Winner; and


2. Audrey Sanders; Tim Senft, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014 Winner

Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands Award; Tom Kachmarck; Chris

Capozzoli, 2013 recipient.

3. Audrey Sanders; Lisa Kazersky, 2014 Eder Bros., Inc. Winner

Gentleman Jack Portfolio Award; Tom Kachmarck; and

Jonathan Fredyna, 2013 recipient.

4. Tom Kachmarck; Chris Capozzoli, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014

Korbel Brand Portfolio Winner; Audrey Sanders; and John

Moynihan, 2013 recipient.

5. Audrey Sanders; Frank McDonough, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014

Brown-Forman Tequila Portfolio Winner; Tom Kachmarck;

and Jennifer Caulfield, 2013 recipient.

6. Tom Kachmarck; Chris Munk, Eder Bros., Inc. 2014 Brown-

Forman On-Premise Winner; Audrey Sanders.

7. Golden Jack Statuettes

AROUNDTOWN

1

6

2

3

4

5

7




Discover SeaGlass WinesGrowth Brand for 5 consecutive years

©2015 SeaGlass Wine Company, St. Helena, CA SeaGlassWines.com

* Fast Track: The brand must have exceeded 100,000 9-liter cases for year awarded, with double digit growth in each of the past four years. All brands must be at least 5 years old.Rising Star: The brand must be less than fi ve full years old, and must have exhibited notable growth in the past few years.

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

“RISING STAR” “FAST TRACK”“RISING STAR” “FAST TRACK” “FAST TRACK”

SG-2015 BeverageMedia_April_Ad_Mech.indd 1 3/6/15 10:33 AM


HARTLEY & PARKER’S SPIRIT DIRECTOR CREATES SUPER BOWL COCKTAILS

Blaise Tramazzo, Spirit Director at Hartley and Parker, got into the Super Bowl spirit by creating some unique drinks for on-premise accounts to feature during the game. “Pat’s Punch” and “Hawk’s Nest” put the focus on flavors including use of Llord’s Liqueurs, Malibu, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Espolon Tequila.

NOLITA’S HOMEBREW COMPETITION CELEBRATES LOVE OF LOCAL BREWS

East Hartford’s Nolita Ristorante hosted its first annual “Discover Your Craft” homebrew competition in collaboration with Zok’s Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies of Willimantic on February 8, 2015. Nolita Ristorante, which features Italian-American fare with an emphasis on craft beer and cocktails, has 24 rotating tap lines. For the month of “Fe-BREW-ary,” Connecticut beers were poured and the home brewing event continued on the theme, involving many from the local beer community. The event received 80 entries from 36 home brewers, representing seven distinct style categories. Both Rich Loomis of Firefly Hollow and Tony Karlowicz of Back East Brewing volunteered as judges for the event.

Nolita’s Matthew Pierce and Paul “Zok” Zocco of Zok’s Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies with JW Lees Harvest Ale 2010 (Calvados Aged), Back East Porter. The competition winners were Rob Brown - Light Ale (APA); Alex Dee - Amber Ale (IPA); Brad Buck - Dark Ale (Belgium Strong Ale); Alex Dee - Best

of Show (IPA); and Kevin Sullivan - Novice (Imperial Stout).

DIAGEO AWARDS HARTLEY & PARKER REP FOR SALES EXCELLENCE

Sales Representative Darren Carbone was honored by Diageo as their “Sales Person of the Year at Hartey & Parker.” The salesperson of the year is awarded to the individual who best exemplified sales excellence.

Darren Carbone, Sales Representative, Hartley and Parker and

Domenick Italiano, CT Distributor Manager at Diageo.

AROUNDTOWN

HARTLEY & PARKER’S SPIRIT DIRECTOR CREATES SUPER BOWL COCKTAILS

Blaise Tramazzo, Spirit Director at Hartley and Parker, got into the Super Bowl spirit by creating some unique drinks for on-premise accounts to feature during the game. “Pat’s Punch” and “Hawk’s Nest” put the focus on flavors including use of Llord’s Liqueurs, Malibu, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Espolon Tequila.

NOLITA’S HOMEBREW COMPETITION CELEBRATES LOVE OF LOCAL BREWS

East Hartford’s Nolita Ristorante hosted its first annual “Discover Your Craft” homebrew competition in collaboration with Zok’s Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies of Willimantic on February 8, 2015. Nolita Ristorante, which features Italian-American fare with an emphasis on craft beer and cocktails, has 24 rotating tap lines. For the month of “Fe-BREW-ary,” Connecticut beers were poured and the home brewing event continued on the theme, involving many from the local beer community. The event received 80 entries from 36 home brewers, representing seven distinct style categories. Both Rich Loomis of Firefly Hollow and Tony Karlowicz of Back East Brewing volunteered as judges for the event.

Nolita’s Matthew Pierce and Paul “Zok” Zocco of Zok’s Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies with JW Lees Harvest Ale 2010 (Calvados Aged), Back East Porter. The competition winners were Rob Brown - Light Ale (APA); Alex Dee - Amber Ale (IPA); Brad Buck - Dark Ale (Belgium Strong Ale); Alex Dee - Best

of Show (IPA); and Kevin Sullivan - Novice (Imperial Stout).

DIAGEO AWARDS HARTLEY & PARKER REP FOR SALES EXCELLENCE

Sales Representative Darren Carbone was honored by Diageo as their “Sales Person of the Year at Hartey & Parker.” The salesperson of the year is awarded to the individual who best exemplified sales excellence.

Darren Carbone, Sales Representative, Hartley and Parker and

Domenick Italiano, CT Distributor Manager at Diageo.

AROUNDTOWN

MISPRONOUNCED FOR 200 YEARS.Flavor that’s stood the test of time. Despite some pronunciation issues...

cockburns.com


CDI SALES MEETINGS MARK CHARITABLE EFFORTS AND NEW WINES, SPIRITS

Connecticut Distributors, Inc. (CDI) and Pernod Ricard presented a check for over $11,000 to the Connecticut Food Bank at a sales meeting on February 13, 2015. This is the fourth year that the two companies joined together on a sales effort that collected proceeds from Kenwood Wines per-bottle sales in the month of November. The donation enables the non-profit organization to offer 108,000 meals to people in Fairf ield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham counties. Additionally, two new wine lines from California in CDI’s portfolio were presented: One Hope Wines from Robert Mondavi, Jr. and Two Lands Wine, a collaboration wine from Napa Valley. Spirit launches in February included Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream, Kinky Gold and Polly & Joan Cordials of Wallingford.

1. Paul Fede, Regional Manager New England, Pernod Ricard;

Tom Talmadge, Business Manager, CDI; Sarah Morocco,

Events and Promotions Manager, Connecticut Food Bank;

and Brian Albenze, President, CDI.

2. From Southern California, One Hope Wine is produced

in partnership with Robert Mondavi, Jr. Half of the profits

from every sale of One Hope is donated to partner causes

including End Childhood Hunger, Save Our Planet, Breast

Cancer, Pet Adoptions, Support Our Troops, Fight Against

AIDS, Children with Autism, World Poverty, Clean Water and

Cure Heart Disease. Over $1.4 million has been raised to

date. Pictured are Michelle Ortago and Danielle Caravella

from One Hope.

3. Two Lands Wine from Napa Valley’s Ehren Jordan is

produced in collaboration with Jacob’s Creek Winemaker

Bernard Hickin. The wines are billed as “where California

craftsmanship meets Australian character.” Pictured are

Matt Foley, Director Still Wines, Pernod Ricard and Paul

Fede, Regional Manager New England, Pernod Ricard.

4. The makers of Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream

visited CDI to launch the liqueur, which is made with all-

natural ingredients featuring a Tennessee whiskey base and

pure dairy cream. Speakeasy Spirits National Sales Manager

Bobby Wegusen, CDI Business Manager Steve Drew with

Jeff Pennington, Owner, Speakeasy Spirits.

5. Prestige Wine Group’s Vice President Chuck Andreae

pictured with CDI’s Business Manager Steve Drew and

Ryan Sullivan, Regional Manager of Prestige Wine & Spirits

presenting Kinky Gold. Kinky Gold, the newest flavor in

the line that includes Kinky Blue and Kinky Pink Liqueur, is

a fusion of premium vodka with a tropical blend of peach

flavors.

6. Tim Clarke, General Manager of Polly & Joan Cordial Co. and

Steve Baye, Vice President of Business Management and

Marketing, CDI, with Polly & Joan’s Cordials. The new line

of whole-cluster fresh fruit and clear-filtered handcrafted

cordials from Wallingford, Conn. is available in two flavors:

P&J Cold-Soaked Berries and P&J Cold-Soaked Peaches.

AROUNDTOWN

1

2

3

4

5

6


MARDI GRAS BASH AT INFINITY HALL FEATURES SUGAR ISLAND RUM

Infinity Music Hall in Hartford and Connecticut Distributors, Inc. (CDI) teamed up to support the hall’s first annual Mardi Gras bash with beads, masks, music and brands on February 17, 2015. Sugar Island Rum by Trinchero Family Estates was the featured spirit. Sugar Island Rum Hurricane cocktails were served and, in keeping with the brand’s icon, mermaid models posed with guests and handed out Sugar Island Rum tattoos. Over 300 people attended and Buckwheat Zydeco, known for authentic New Orleans-style music, performed.

1. Mermaid models with Sugar Island Rum.

2. Hurricanes were the featured cocktail.

3. Stanley Dural, Jr., famed New Orleans accordionist and

zydeco musician, who performs under the name Buckwheat

Zydeco.

4. Local music group Colonel Albert Pope & The Hartford Hot

Several also provided entertainment.

5. Masked guests.

6. Mermaid models with Nadine Gengras, Account

Development Specialist - Spirits, Connecticut Distributors,

Inc., at the “selfie station.” Gengras organized Sugar Island

Rum’s participation in the event.

AROUNDTOWN

1

Photos by Joe Palisi.

2

3

4

5

6





TWO ROADS BREWING GROWLERS REACH WIDER CONSUMER BASE

Stratford’s Two Roads Brewing announced its craft beers will be on sale at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. In what has been called a “first for a live entertainment venue,” the Webster Bank Arena will now be featuring 64- and 32-ounce refillable glass growlers available for suite-level customers. The growlers can be filled with a variety of Two Roads craft beers, including seven of the brews that were awarded medals at this year’s “Great International Beer Festival.” Once purchased, the growlers can be refilled at Two Roads Brewery’s location.

CONTEST SERIES AIMS TO RAISE PROFILE OF CRAFT COCKTAILS

Jeff Marron, beverage manager for Kawa Ni, The Whelk and leFarm, announced a series of cocktail competitions that bring together industry professionals and consumers, with the goal of raising the profile of craft cocktail programs and the talent behind them. The series kicked off on March 24, 2015 at Kawa Ni, a new Japanese Izakaya located in Westport, a block away from The Whelk. “The whole idea of these events is to push the bartending community out of their comfort zone and into the utilization of craft spirits in their cocktail programs.” The series continues on May 12, June 23, Aug. 4, Sep. 15, Oct .27 and the final scheduled for Nov. 15, at The Whelk. A total of seven contests will yield the final six bartenders, who will compete against each other for first, second and third place prizes. The seventh event will have the first place winners of the previous six contests compete against each other. Contact Marron to participate or to sponsor.

Jeff Marron, cocktail competition series organizer and beverage

manager for Kawa Ni, The Whelk and leFarm.

SAVOR FESTIVAL OFFERS CELEBRITY CHEFS AND LOCAL TALENT

Celebrity chefs Robert Irvine, Ming Tsai, Mary Ann Esposito and Michael Schlow will be among local star chefs from Connecticut at “Savor: A Celebration of Wine, Food & Spirits” held on April 10 and April 11, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. For two days, Savor will also feature more than a dozen of Connecticut’s best chefs including Tyler Anderson, Prasad Chirnomula and Jeffrey Lizotte, with more than 25 local restaurants, pairing their artisanal cuisine with world-class wines, craft beers and exceptional spirits. The event consists of the Grand Tastings, the Chandon Bubble Lounge, and the Savor in Style Charity Gala on Saturday evening. William Grant & Sons Brand Ambassadors Gemma Cole for Tullamore Dew, Fred Parent for Hendrick’s Gin, and Winemaker Tyler Wolf will be among the many presenters.

AROUNDTOWN

Photo by Dave Curtis of HD from Above.


DIAGEO AND BRESCOME BARTON WELCOME CARL NOLET TO CONNECTICUT

Executive Vice President of Nolet Spirits USA, Carl Nolet, Jr. visited the state for local market product education sessions and tasting events. Carl represents the 11th generation of family management from the Netherlands-based Nolet Spirits, whose products include Ketel One Vodka, Ketel One Citroen, Ketel One Oranje and Nolet’s Silver Gin. The main event was held on March 4, 2015 at Dolce Italian in Stamford, where another special guest, Portland, Oregon’s Ricky Gomez, Diageo World Class U.S. Ambassador, created Ketel cocktails.

1. Ketel One Vodka.

2. All with Diageo except where indicated: Brad Essig, Vice

President, Vodka; Justin Zylick, Vice President, Sales;

Joe Bennett, Sales Manager; Kim Maciejewski, Marketing

Manager; Domenick Italiano, Distributor Manager; Carl Nolet

Jr., Executive Vice President, Nolet Spirits USA; Nazli Binbay,

Sales Specialist; Doug Campbell, Director, Ketel One; Mark

Rappel, Director, Vodka; Steve Giles, Sales Director.

3. Ricky Gomez, Diageo World Class U.S. Ambassador.

4. Nolet signed bottles for guests.

5. Dan Miller, Cara Passarelli, Veronica Saurett, David Rudman,

Dee Blackmer, Megan Ligouri and Giancarlo Cowan, all of

Brescome Barton, with Carl Nolet, Jr. (third from right).

6. The tasting line up.

7. Carl Nolet, Jr., Executive Vice President of Nolet Spirits USA,

shared stories and industry knowledge.

8. Members of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG)

Connecticut Chapter gather with Nolet, and Brescome

Barton’s Veronica Saurett (third from left) and David Rudman

(lower center).

AROUNDTOWN

1

2

3 4

5

6 7

8

Photos by Michael Leung.


DIAGEO AND BRESCOME BARTON WELCOME CARL NOLET TO CONNECTICUT

Executive Vice President of Nolet Spirits USA, Carl Nolet, Jr. visited the state for local market product education sessions and tasting events. Carl represents the 11th generation of family management from the Netherlands-based Nolet Spirits, whose products include Ketel One Vodka, Ketel One Citroen, Ketel One Oranje and Nolet’s Silver Gin. The main event was held on March 4, 2015 at Dolce Italian in Stamford, where another special guest, Portland, Oregon’s Ricky Gomez, Diageo World Class U.S. Ambassador, created Ketel cocktails.

1. Ketel One Vodka.

2. All with Diageo except where indicated: Brad Essig, Vice

President, Vodka; Justin Zylick, Vice President, Sales;

Joe Bennett, Sales Manager; Kim Maciejewski, Marketing

Manager; Domenick Italiano, Distributor Manager; Carl Nolet

Jr., Executive Vice President, Nolet Spirits USA; Nazli Binbay,

Sales Specialist; Doug Campbell, Director, Ketel One; Mark

Rappel, Director, Vodka; Steve Giles, Sales Director.

3. Ricky Gomez, Diageo World Class U.S. Ambassador.

4. Nolet signed bottles for guests.

5. Dan Miller, Cara Passarelli, Veronica Saurett, David Rudman,

Dee Blackmer, Megan Ligouri and Giancarlo Cowan, all of

Brescome Barton, with Carl Nolet, Jr. (third from right).

6. The tasting line up.

7. Carl Nolet, Jr., Executive Vice President of Nolet Spirits USA,

shared stories and industry knowledge.

8. Members of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG)

Connecticut Chapter gather with Nolet, and Brescome

Barton’s Veronica Saurett (third from left) and David Rudman

(lower center).

AROUNDTOWN

1

2

3 4

5

6 7

8

Photos by Michael Leung.

JACK DANIEL’S TENNESSEE FIRE HIGHLIGHTED AT EDER BROS.

Brown-Forman and Eder Bros., Inc. launched Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire at a February sales meeting. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire is made from Black Label “Old No. 7” and blended with a proprietary cinnamon liqueur. It is bottled at 70 proof and described as the “ultimate combination of red hot cinnamon complemented by the authentic taste of Jack Daniel's.”

1. Tom Kachmarck, CT State Manager, Brown-Forman and


2. Neil Santorella, Territory Manager, Northeast, Brown-

Forman; Tim Senft, Eder Bros. Sales Consultant; Jennifer

Caulfield, Eder Bros. District Manager; Tom Kachmarck, CT

State Manager, Brown-Forman; and Sophia Pecora, Eder

Bros. Sales Consultant.

PLAN B BURGER HOSTS BOURBON COCKTAIL COMPETITION SERIES

With a nod to Iron Chef competitions, Plan B Burger Bar is hosting “Iron Bourbon” the second Tuesday of every month through August 2015 at different Plan B locations. The kickoff event was held March 10 in West Hartford and featured Knob Creek Rye. Each month features a Jim Beam Portfolio bourbon and a new secret ingredient, with prizes for the winner and an invitation to compete at the Grand Gala. The Grand Gala winner will receive a trip to Kentucky with Jim Beam and a trip to Boston’s Harpoon Brewery for Oktoberfest. All competitors must arrive by 8:00 p.m. to each event, with only the first 12 granted entry to compete. The competitions are audience-judged. The April 12 event is at the Simsbury location and will feature Devil’s Cut. Competition dates are: Glastonbury on May 12 with Makers Mark; Fairfield on June 9 with Knob Creek; Milford on July 14 with Maker’s 46; Stamford on August 11 with Basil Hayden. The finale location will be at Plan B Milford on September 8, featuring Jim Beam Bonded.

NEWPORT STORM LAUNCHES NEW FOUR-PACK

Rhode Island’s Coastal Extreme Brewing Company, brewers of Newport Storm beers, announces its new four-pack addition, called Rye of the Storm. The brewers used double the rye, double the IPA and Cascade, New Zealand Orbit and German Tradition hops to invoke floral and tropical citrus aromas with an American Pale Ale kick. Rye of the Storm is now available in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Maine. The new brew is 8% ABV.

AROUNDTOWN

21


BOURBON & CIGAR DINNER HIGHLIGHTS MEZZO GRILLE MENU

Mezzo Grille in Middletown hosted its first Bourbon & Cigar Dinner on February 26, 2015. The sold-out event, coordinated with Connecticut Distributors, Inc. and Beam Suntory, featured Nat Sherman Cigars from 911 Smoke Shop, bourbons from the Beam Suntory portfolio including Basil Hayden, Maker’s 46, Jim Beam Single Barrel, Booker’s and Knob Creek Bourbon, and a bourbon-inspired five-course pairing menu.

1. The bourbons and cigars.

2. All with Mezzo except where indicated: General Manager

Christopher Kelly; Mike DePasqua Connecticut Territory

Manager, Beam Suntory; Chef Jamie Bohusz; Joe Aceto, Bar

Manager; Brandon Bullock; and Owner Bill Fox.

3a. 3b. A table setting and tasting place.

CPSA ANNOUNCES DATE FOR ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

The Connecticut Package Stores Association (CPSA) announced that its annual golf tournament will be held on June 17, 2015 at Whitney Farms Golf Club in Monroe, Conn. An association mailing will go out in April with a registration form. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. and is open to CPSA members, friends and industry professionals.

VALENTINE’S DAY WINES CELEBRATED AT YANKEE DISCOUNT LIQUOR

Janna Waite, Key Account Manager and Education Director at Eder Bros., Inc., conducted a wine seminar on February 7, 2015 at Yankee Discount Liquor in East Haven. The Valentine’s Day-themed wine ideas highlighted several selections from Australia, California and New Zealand, including Chocovine from Holland and Bolla Amarone from Italy.

BabuRam Khatiwada, Manager, Yankee Discount Liquor; Janna Waite, Key Account Manager & Education Director, Eder Bros., Inc.; Deepak Pattani, Owner, Yankee Discount Liquor; and Brian

O’Leary, Sales Consultant, Eder Bros, Inc.

AROUNDTOWN

1

2

3a 3b

Photos by Roger Ho-Yen for PTR Photography.


Last summer I wrote about beer cans: about how popular they are

among commercial lager consumers, and about the fact that craft

brewers are canning their products more than ever before. It was

a positive view of canned beer and its future. Since then I have

come across the rising concern over a chemical that is used in the

interior linings of beer cans. The chemical is bisphenol A, called

BPA for short, and it is controversial among producers, regulators,

healthcare providers, consumer advocacy groups, and regular folks

like us.

BPA is a component in the plastic epoxy lining of beer cans –

and many other cans as well – for the purpose of preventing

the contents from reacting with the aluminum. It’s also part of

many other items with which we come into contact, such as water

bottles, dental fillings, medical and dental devices, eyeglass lenses,

CDs and DVDs, household electronics and sports equipment, to

name a few.

The chemical has been associated with a range of human ailments,

including cancer, diabetes, irregular brain development in

children, and reproductive issues. In 2012, the FDA banned its

use in baby bottles and sippy cups, and later added infant formula

containers to the list.

According to medicalnewstoday.com, bisphenol A “can behave in

a similar way to estrogen and other hormones in the human body.”

The report says that BPA “is an endocrine disruptor – a substance

which interferes with the production, secretion, transport, action,

function and elimination of natural hormones. BPA can imitate

our body’s own hormones in a way that could be hazardous for

health. Babies and young children are said to be especially sensitive

to the effects of BPA.”

The article goes on to list the possible health effects, just about

everything nobody wants to have: heart disease, effects on memory

and learning, breast cancer, asthma, male impotence, and a bunch

of other reproductive undesirables. By this time you are wondering,

as am I, if we should keep drinking canned beer. Consider this:

Cans accounted for 53.2% of the beer market in the U.S. in 2012,

according to the Beer Institute. Right now the packaging industry

doesn’t have a good replacement for BPA in its can liners. So

what’s going on?

There are two schools of thought, as you can guess. On one side is

the FDA, which says that BPA is okay, at least for now. In an article

published in February of this year, Mother Jones writer

Tom Philpott said, “The FDA,

after a lengthy review process,

has opted to give BPA a tentative thumbs-up.” Last year the agency

pronounced BPA “safe at the current levels occurring in foods.”

The European Food Safety Authority recently ended its own BPA

reassessment with the same conclusion, Philpott wrote, “though

the French government vehemently disagrees and has instituted a

ban.” (motherjones.com)

In 2010, Health Canada found BPA in eight canned beers that

it tested, but called the levels “extremely low” and reiterated

its assessment that “current dietary exposure to BPA through

food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to

the general population.”

The other side is populated by quite a few scientists and medical

people who point to research reports from around the world

showing that consuming canned beer, soup, soy milk and

other products resulted in high spikes of BPA in the urine

of test subjects.

What are the brewers saying? Some of those who bottle their beers

say that they will not add cans to their line-up until any potential

risk is gone. Oskar Blues, the Colorado company that started the

can craze among craft brewers, says it is looking for alternatives to

BPA. What are those alternatives? Right now there seem to be two.

One of them is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which comes with its own

set of negatives, including hormone disruptors; the EPA classifies

it as a known carcinogen. The other possibility is bisphenol S, or

BPS, which is a close relative to BPA and said to come with its own

set of chemical issues for humans.

Not all of the beers I consume come from cans, but I doubt if I’m

going to reject them outright over this controversy. BPA is coming

at us from all sides, it seems, so I’m going to keep studying the

issue and reporting. In the meantime, I’ll think fondly of my Uncle

Steve, who drinks a 30-pack of Schaefer cans every week. He’s 94

years old.

Jack Kenny has been writing The Beer Column for The Connecticut Beverage Journal since 1995.

ABOUTJACK KENNY

WRITE TO [email protected]

BY JACK KENNY

BEERCOLUMN

BPA: BEER CAN LININGSCHALLENGE THE INDUSTRY


THEFIND

LIMITED-EDITION JOHNNIE WALKER CELEBRATES LUNAR NEW YEAR John Walker & Sons has announced the second annual release of a collector’s edition to commemorate the celebration of the Lunar New Year. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Ram marries traditional Chinese ceramic artistry with one of the brand’s rarest and most luxurious expressions of the art of blending. When four bottles, with their signature Johnnie Walker slanted labels are placed side by side, a single image unfolds—like a magnificent Chinese scroll painting. SRP $258. 80 proof. johnniewalker.com

E&J GALLO ANNOUNCES NATIONAL EXPANSION OF VINIQNo, this photo is not doctored; the liquid inside is shimmering. The latest addition to Gallo’s expanding spirit portfolio, Viniq, is America’s first shimmery liqueur—and is the largest introduction in spirits since 1978, based on sales growth following the regional product launch. Viniq Original is a fusion of vodka, Moscato, natural fruit flavor and a one-of-a-kind shimmer (the same ingredient that gives frosting its sheen or rock candy its sparkle). Best served on the rocks or with favorite mixers. SRP $19.95/750ml, $12.99/375ml. 40 proof. viniq.com

BACARDI RETOOLS BOTTLE FOR FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADECelebrating its 153rd anniversary, Bacardi announced their first packaging update in more than a decade—inspired, not surprisingly, by bartenders. Taller, slimmer and more cylindrical, the new, easy-to-grip bottle aims to ensure superior balance and the perfect pour. Labels made from recycled cane fiber add a green touch. The makeover represents an important complement to the “Bacardi: Untameable Since 1862” campaign. Fittingly, the new packaging was seen for the first time by industry members at the 2015 USBG National Legacy Cocktail Showcase sponsored by Bacardi, which took place in February in Miami. bacardi.com

NEW HENNESSY COGNAC: CENTURIES IN THE MAKINGTurning 250 years old is no small accomplishment, so Hennessy Master Blender Yann Fillioux crafted a Collector’s Blend worthy of the anniversary. Fillioux filled 250 barrels (each 250 liters) with a blend of eaux-de-vie ranging from 15 to 40 years of age. Renaud de Gironde, member of the Hennessy Tasting Committee, describes the liquid as equal parts structured and refined—“It is not a comfortable leather armchair, it has too much energy for that.” Bitter orange, chocolate and loads of spice jump out on the nose. Packaged only in 1L bottles, the Collector’s Blend is expected to run out in about a year. SRP is $600. hennessy.com

Ron Duan 2015 Winner of

USBG National Legacy Cocktail Showcase


V-TownPackage Store

If you own a small, medium or megastore and would like to be featured, email: [email protected]

ow do you keep a family business

going strong for three generations?

Hard work, dedication to

customer service and a willingness to try

new things, say Paula and Spencer Grillo of

V-Town Liquor in Voluntown.

This mother-and-son team runs the V-Town

Package Store fast by the Rhode Island

border. It bears little resemblance to the

store Paula’s dad, John Wood, Sr., purchased

in 1975. Nonetheless, the same friendly

atmosphere prevails – and Paula and Spencer

both work hard to keep it that way.

“It was a tiny shop when Dad started, with

about 1,500 square feet of floor space and a

potbellied stove,” Paula recalled. “Dad also

purchased two lots behind the store, then

rebuilt and extended the store building

during the 1980s.”

More recently, the store expanded sideways

into a former office space, adding even more

room for product expansion. It was perfect

timing. Big-name domestic beers were the

store’s largest sellers as late as the 1990s,

but the increased space allowed V-Town to

embrace the upcoming deluge of craft beer.

“We now carry between 350 and 400 different

SKUs of craft beer,” said Spencer, who began

working at V-Town in 2008 and has boosted

selection by approximately 40 percent since

then. “While we’ve continued to carry the

standards, people began asking for new

things, and we want to satisfy them. Once

we increased our selection, new customers

began coming to the store to shop.”

The hottest store beer trends have been

IPAs and other brews considered “hoppy” by

aficionados. In addition, beers with higher

alcohol content have come into vogue.

Beer now accounts for about 40 percent

of the sales, with liquor accounting for 30

percent and wine 20 percent. The remainder

consists of bar accessories and tobacco

products. The added space also enabled the

store to offer more wines and spirits.

Wines in the $10 to $15 range are the strongest

selling, but the store also carries bottles

costing hundreds of dollars. Reds dominate

during winter months, while preference

tilts toward lighter, sweeter white wines

during warmer weather. Flavored whisky and

bourbon are also popular customer picks,

mirroring the national trend.

“People are now focusing on high-quality

brands of Scotch and bourbon, and even

rare brands,” said Spencer. “They want to

see variety and we try to give that to them.”

“One important advantage is that we sample

everything we sell,” Paula added. “So when

we tell the customer what an item tastes like,

he or she knows we are truly knowledgeable

about our products.”

About 75 percent of the store’s customers

greet the staff by name. This includes the

campers and hunters who descend on the

area in droves during warmer months.

“People come from all over the U.S. and

they shop here year after year,” said Paula.

“Owning a store involves hard work and

long hours, but [serving] people and

providing good service is something we

all enjoy.” ■

BY BOB SAMPLE

RETAILREVIEW

HLOCAT ION

144 MAIN STREET

VOLUNTOWN, CT

FACTS

SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,000

YEARS IN OPERATION: 40

CPSA fights for you in the halls of the Capitol by communicating the

great benefit small businesses such as yours offer to the framework of

the CT economy and the service and products you provide to your

customers. In the past few legislative sessions we have had to turn back

several legislative initiatives that could have decimated your business

and the product selection you offer your customers.

The Connecticut Package Stores Association (CPSA) is YOUR trade

organization that promotes retailer interests across the state. We

will always fight legislation that negatively affects your business and

advocate for legislation that makes your business better. We are the

only entity at the capitol that advocates 100% for package stores.

We need you to join!

For $350 you can help us continue to fight.

The Voice of the Retail LiquorIndustry in Connecticut

Name

Business Name

Address

City State Zip

Phone Email

Store Contact Name

Credit Card Number Exp. Date

WHAT VICTORIES HAVE WE HAD?

Fought against wine in food stores, against repeal of

minimum bottle, against increasing the permit limit

from three to nine, against grocery stores owning

package stores and beer permits, against quantity

discounting, against increased hours, etc..

Now is the time to send in your membership dues

which we use to support these efforts. CPSA has a

team of lobbyists that communicate every day to

legislators from both parties when the legislature is in

session. This takes a tremendous amount of work and

we need you to help support that effort.

CALL us at

860.346.7978

FAX this page to

860.346.7978

PRINT an application from our website: www.ctpsa.com and mail your check to: 700 Plaza Middlesex,

Middletown, CT 06457OROR

APPLICATION FORM


Thinking of selling your business? Then the time to get ready is

now. All too often, the sale of a business is unnecessarily delayed

or even scuttled because the seller did not adequately prepare.

Imagine selling your house without cleaning, painting and fixing-

up first.

The same care should be given to “housekeeping” matters for

the sale of a business. This is especially true for those businesses

that sell alcohol because of the significant government regulation

involved, particularly where the collection of taxes are concerned.

Sales tax collection is perhaps the single most significant issue that

arises during the course of a sale, catching both buyer and seller

by surprise, unprepared for the delays and resulting frustration.

What follows is a guide to help avoid the sharp rocks of sales tax

problems that may lie hidden beneath the surface while cruising

toward new opportunities.

Expect a sales tax audit. Connecticut law provides that a buyer

of a business will be liable for a predecessor’s unpaid sales taxes.

Obviously buyers want to “cut off” any liability from the seller’s

sales tax obligations, so they will insist on a Department of

Revenue Services (DRS) “Tax Clearance Letter” as a contract

contingency. The buyer must request the letter from Department

of Revenue Services (DRS) and provide it with information about

the purchase. This request will automatically trigger a sales tax

audit for the seller.

Prepare for the audit before listing your business for sale. Start by

getting your accountant “on deck” for the sale and the likely sales

tax audit. Addressing issues during the course of your own internal

audit, rather than after a finding is made by DRS, helps control

liability and avoid delays in closing that can ultimately lead to the

breakdown of the sales contract.

Whether aided by an accountant or not, make sure your financial

records are complete and organized. Arrange your records for

the previous three years chronologically, grouped by record type.

Include bank statements, deposit records, cash register tapes, “Z”

tapes, income tax returns and wholesaler purchase records. Check

for continuity from one period to the next and get duplicates of

any missing records. Having your records in order and anticipating

issues will speed the audit process. Remember, not having the

paperwork available is never an excuse and may raise red flags.

In fact, missing documents can complicate the audit by allowing

DRS to establish total taxable sales through “any reasonably

reliable” method.

DRS will already have a good idea

of your taxable sales before the

audit even starts. They require

alcohol wholesalers to provide it with sales data on an annual basis.

DRS analyses this data to determine individual retailers’ inventory

purchases as a way to estimate a given retailer’s total sales. If your

reported sales do not fall within the DRS’s estimate, be prepared to

explain why their sales estimate is not accurate.

Anticipate Delays of the Closing. Don’t make the mistake of

thinking you can sell your business quickly, at least without risking

unwarranted sales tax liability. The sales tax clearance process can

take up to five months from the day the Sales Tax Clearance Letter

is requested to the day it’s issued by DRS. Build time for a sales tax

audit into your contract’s key dates accordingly.

Escrow Letters. Sometimes a seller can’t wait to close, maybe

because the buyer won’t agree to wait, or even for a seller’s

own personal reasons. Fortunately, DRS has its Escrow Letter

procedure that eliminates liability to the buyer and allows the

closing to proceed during the tax clearance process. While not

ideal, Escrow Letters are helpful to sellers who are under pressure

to get on with their future plans. However, a seller should

expect that initially all of the net proceeds will likely be held in

escrow. This is particularly true if the buyer waits to request the

Tax Clearance Letter from DRS, forcing DRS to make a quick

determination of an appropriate escrow amount. Sellers can reduce

this risk by requiring in the sales agreement:

1. Immediate application by Buyer for the Sales Tax

Clearance Letter;

2. The closing can occur after the receipt of an Escrow Letter

(not the Tax Clearance Letter).

Waiting is too expensive. Your money can’t work for you if it’s held

in escrow while DRS audits your books. Delays in closing may sink

your deal and your new opportunities along with it, but you can

ensure smooth sailing by preparing for the weather ahead.

The foregoing is intended as general information only and not as legal advice.

Contact an attorney to get advice about your particular circumstances.

Attorney Berdon, a partner with Berdon, Young & Margolis, PC, has represented wholesalers, manufacturers, package stores, restaurants and bars before the State of Connecticut DCP and the Federal TTB as well as in litigation matters in court since being admitted to practice in 1991. He can be reached at [email protected] or www.bymlaw.com

ABOUTPETER A. BERDON

BY PETER A. BERDON, ESQ.

LEGALVIEW

SMOOTH SAILING WHEN SELLING

Thinking of selling your business? Then the time to get ready is

now. All too often, the sale of a business is unnecessarily delayed

or even scuttled because the seller did not adequately prepare.

Imagine selling your house without cleaning, painting and fixing-

up first.

The same care should be given to “housekeeping” matters for

the sale of a business. This is especially true for those businesses

that sell alcohol because of the significant government regulation

involved, particularly where the collection of taxes are concerned.

Sales tax collection is perhaps the single most significant issue that

arises during the course of a sale, catching both buyer and seller

by surprise, unprepared for the delays and resulting frustration.

What follows is a guide to help avoid the sharp rocks of sales tax

problems that may lie hidden beneath the surface while cruising

toward new opportunities.

Expect a sales tax audit. Connecticut law provides that a buyer

of a business will be liable for a predecessor’s unpaid sales taxes.

Obviously buyers want to “cut off” any liability from the seller’s

sales tax obligations, so they will insist on a Department of

Revenue Services (DRS) “Tax Clearance Letter” as a contract

contingency. The buyer must request the letter from Department

of Revenue Services (DRS) and provide it with information about

the purchase. This request will automatically trigger a sales tax

audit for the seller.

Prepare for the audit before listing your business for sale. Start by

getting your accountant “on deck” for the sale and the likely sales

tax audit. Addressing issues during the course of your own internal

audit, rather than after a finding is made by DRS, helps control

liability and avoid delays in closing that can ultimately lead to the

breakdown of the sales contract.

Whether aided by an accountant or not, make sure your financial

records are complete and organized. Arrange your records for

the previous three years chronologically, grouped by record type.

Include bank statements, deposit records, cash register tapes, “Z”

tapes, income tax returns and wholesaler purchase records. Check

for continuity from one period to the next and get duplicates of

any missing records. Having your records in order and anticipating

issues will speed the audit process. Remember, not having the

paperwork available is never an excuse and may raise red flags.

In fact, missing documents can complicate the audit by allowing

DRS to establish total taxable sales through “any reasonably

reliable” method.

DRS will already have a good idea

of your taxable sales before the

audit even starts. They require

alcohol wholesalers to provide it with sales data on an annual basis.

DRS analyses this data to determine individual retailers’ inventory

purchases as a way to estimate a given retailer’s total sales. If your

reported sales do not fall within the DRS’s estimate, be prepared to

explain why their sales estimate is not accurate.

Anticipate Delays of the Closing. Don’t make the mistake of

thinking you can sell your business quickly, at least without risking

unwarranted sales tax liability. The sales tax clearance process can

take up to five months from the day the Sales Tax Clearance Letter

is requested to the day it’s issued by DRS. Build time for a sales tax

audit into your contract’s key dates accordingly.

Escrow Letters. Sometimes a seller can’t wait to close, maybe

because the buyer won’t agree to wait, or even for a seller’s

own personal reasons. Fortunately, DRS has its Escrow Letter

procedure that eliminates liability to the buyer and allows the

closing to proceed during the tax clearance process. While not

ideal, Escrow Letters are helpful to sellers who are under pressure

to get on with their future plans. However, a seller should

expect that initially all of the net proceeds will likely be held in

escrow. This is particularly true if the buyer waits to request the

Tax Clearance Letter from DRS, forcing DRS to make a quick

determination of an appropriate escrow amount. Sellers can reduce

this risk by requiring in the sales agreement:

1. Immediate application by Buyer for the Sales Tax

Clearance Letter;

2. The closing can occur after the receipt of an Escrow Letter

(not the Tax Clearance Letter).

Waiting is too expensive. Your money can’t work for you if it’s held

in escrow while DRS audits your books. Delays in closing may sink

your deal and your new opportunities along with it, but you can

ensure smooth sailing by preparing for the weather ahead.

The foregoing is intended as general information only and not as legal advice.

Contact an attorney to get advice about your particular circumstances.

Attorney Berdon, a partner with Berdon, Young & Margolis, PC, has represented wholesalers, manufacturers, package stores, restaurants and bars before the State of Connecticut DCP and the Federal TTB as well as in litigation matters in court since being admitted to practice in 1991. He can be reached at [email protected] or www.bymlaw.com

ABOUTPETER A. BERDON

BY PETER A. BERDON, ESQ.

LEGALVIEW

SMOOTH SAILING WHEN SELLING

Monday, April 27, 2015Richmond Country Club

135 Flagg Place, Staten Island, NY 10304

For information, please contact Golf Chairman Frank Cognetta at [email protected] additional info. contact Antonio Coppola at [email protected] or 718-309-7100.

“Tee Up For a Cure” Charity Golf Outing

Presents the 3rd Annual

SAVE the

DATE

HONORING

STEVE BELLINIExecutive Vice President

Business Intelligence and Trade Development Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc.

RECIPIENT OF THE MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

AND BENEFITTING MICHAEL’S CAUSE

Last year’s check presentation from UFCW to the supporting charities


Red Blend Power Brands: Apothic, Cupcake Red Velvet and Ménage à Trois

BLEND NATION?Yes, America’s current generation of American wine drinkers has been raised on varietal wines. And in fact, good ol’ Chardonnay remains America’s most popular wine, according to Nieslen sales fi gures from 2014. But what comes after Chardonnay these days? Cabernet Sauvignon is next, and then Pinot Grigio. And right on those grape-named wines’ heels: Red Blends.

Recent Nielsen fi gures confi rm that U.S-made red blends have become legitimately the hottest wine category in our market, growing 11.7% by volume in 2014. An even more compelling fi gure: 41% of all new wines on the market last year were red blends—which likely will lead merchants to continue to devote even more prime shelf space to red blends. Nielsen Senior VP Danny Brager notes, however, that unlike the Moscato trend, red blends do not appear to be attracting new consumers; rather, the blends are being purchased at the expense of varietal wines.

Sales of Merlot were down in 2014, though not as much as Shiraz (-14.5% by volume). Riesling and Zinfandel

also decreased. Cabernet Sauvignon was a winner, however, growing 9.5% in 2014.

On the import side, sales of wines from Spain, Chile and Argentina slipped, but Portugal swelled 9.9% by volume and 13.4% by value. And, according to Nielsen, Millennials appear to be driving the growth in Portugal and are also the biggest fans of Greek, Austrian and South African wine.

On fi nal takeaway: the fi ne wine market is creeping upscale. The average price for a 750ml bottle of wine in Nielsen-measured stores hit a record $9.41 in 2014.

HOW TO SAY JUGGERNAUT IN FRENCH: ROSÉ For the 11th consecutive year, exports of rosé wines from Provence to the U.S. grew at double-digit rates in 2014, climbing 29% on volume and increasing 38% on value according to the the CIVP/Provence Wine Council.

Here in the U.S., the trend is even steeper. Retail sales of imported rosé wines priced at $12+/bottle grew by 41% on volume and 53% on value in 2014. This is compared to respective rates of 1.0% and 3.3% for our total table wine. In addition, the average price per bottle in this category rose to $16.83, a sign that “consumers are seeking out premium rosé—a segment in which Provence continues to be the leader,” said Francois Millo, director of the council.

And it can still get better for Provence: The plentiful 2014 vintage was “a blissful dream-come-true for Provençal vintners,” according to Michael Romano, importer of Maison Belle Claire, from Côtes de Provence. ■

BY THENUMBERS

MONTEFALCO SOARINGThe once-sleepy Umbrian wine region Montefalco and its signature grape Sagrantino are on a tear. Data at the inaugural “Anteprima” event revealed that in the last 15 years, production of Montefalco Sagrantino has more than tripled. In 2014 alone, 3.5 million bottles of Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG and Montefalco Rosso DOC were sold, resulting in a revenue of £100 million, the highest number to date.

According to research by the Edmund Mach foundation, vineyard acreage in the DOCG area increased fi vefold since 2000, going from 122 to 650 acres, while the number of bottles produced per year spiked from 666,000 to 1.5 million today. These increases in production have led to a 3% increase in employment opportunities and a 17% increase in tourism to the area. The Sagrantino grape had all but disappeared by the 1970s, but a few

committed producers in Montefalco resurrected it. Since achieving DOCG status in 1992, the region has seen a massive transformation.

varietal wines. And in fact, good ol’

41%of all new wines on the market last year

were red blends

Red Blend Power Brands: Apothic, Cupcake Red Velvet and Ménage à Trois

BLEND NATION?Yes, America’s current generation of American wine drinkers has been raised on varietal wines. And in fact, good ol’ Chardonnay remains America’s most popular wine, according to Nieslen sales fi gures from 2014. But what comes after Chardonnay these days? Cabernet Sauvignon is next, and then Pinot Grigio. And right on those grape-named wines’ heels: Red Blends.

Recent Nielsen fi gures confi rm that U.S-made red blends have become legitimately the hottest wine category in our market, growing 11.7% by volume in 2014. An even more compelling fi gure: 41% of all new wines on the market last year were red blends—which likely will lead merchants to continue to devote even more prime shelf space to red blends. Nielsen Senior VP Danny Brager notes, however, that unlike the Moscato trend, red blends do not appear to be attracting new consumers; rather, the blends are being purchased at the expense of varietal wines.

Sales of Merlot were down in 2014, though not as much as Shiraz (-14.5% by volume). Riesling and Zinfandel

also decreased. Cabernet Sauvignon was a winner, however, growing 9.5% in 2014.

On the import side, sales of wines from Spain, Chile and Argentina slipped, but Portugal swelled 9.9% by volume and 13.4% by value. And, according to Nielsen, Millennials appear to be driving the growth in Portugal and are also the biggest fans of Greek, Austrian and South African wine.

On fi nal takeaway: the fi ne wine market is creeping upscale. The average price for a 750ml bottle of wine in Nielsen-measured stores hit a record $9.41 in 2014.

HOW TO SAY JUGGERNAUT IN FRENCH: ROSÉ For the 11th consecutive year, exports of rosé wines from Provence to the U.S. grew at double-digit rates in 2014, climbing 29% on volume and increasing 38% on value according to the the CIVP/Provence Wine Council.

Here in the U.S., the trend is even steeper. Retail sales of imported rosé wines priced at $12+/bottle grew by 41% on volume and 53% on value in 2014. This is compared to respective rates of 1.0% and 3.3% for our total table wine. In addition, the average price per bottle in this category rose to $16.83, a sign that “consumers are seeking out premium rosé—a segment in which Provence continues to be the leader,” said Francois Millo, director of the council.

And it can still get better for Provence: The plentiful 2014 vintage was “a blissful dream-come-true for Provençal vintners,” according to Michael Romano, importer of Maison Belle Claire, from Côtes de Provence. ■

BY THENUMBERS

MONTEFALCO SOARINGThe once-sleepy Umbrian wine region Montefalco and its signature grape Sagrantino are on a tear. Data at the inaugural “Anteprima” event revealed that in the last 15 years, production of Montefalco Sagrantino has more than tripled. In 2014 alone, 3.5 million bottles of Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG and Montefalco Rosso DOC were sold, resulting in a revenue of £100 million, the highest number to date.

According to research by the Edmund Mach foundation, vineyard acreage in the DOCG area increased fi vefold since 2000, going from 122 to 650 acres, while the number of bottles produced per year spiked from 666,000 to 1.5 million today. These increases in production have led to a 3% increase in employment opportunities and a 17% increase in tourism to the area. The Sagrantino grape had all but disappeared by the 1970s, but a few

committed producers in Montefalco resurrected it. Since achieving DOCG status in 1992, the region has seen a massive transformation.

varietal wines. And in fact, good ol’

41%of all new wines on the market last year

were red blends

Visit savorct.com

for complimentary

trade tickets and

discounted rates

(LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

For tickets and more event information, visit savorct.com

Sponsored by: A portion of Savor’s proceeds benefit:

All included

in the single

cost of admission:

� Exquisite Wines

� Distinctive Dishes

� Inspired Spirits

� Craft Beer

Connecticut Convention Center • Friday, April 10th & Saturday, April 11th

Prasad Chirnomula

Robert Irvine, Host Chef

Steve Cavagnaro

Mary Ann Esposito

Gemma Cole

Tyler Anderson

Dale Miller

Scott Miller

Ming Tsai

FredParent

ChrisSheehan

Marc Summers

Tyson Wolf

Peter Merriam

Steven Rosen

Chris Torla

Franck Iglesias

Beau MacMillan

Jeffrey Lizotte

Billy Grant

Ryan Jones

A Wine Collector’s Wine Event

EdwardAllen


SERVINGUP

182 MA IN ST. BR ISTO L , CT

Designed as an alternative to a traditional tavern or sports bar, the craft-inspired gastropub serves seasonal, local artisanal pub food that pairs with craft beer, wine and spirits in a casual setting.

MIXOLOGIST: Nikki Simches

DRINK: The Barley Vine Smoked Bacon Bloody Mary

RECIPE:

Mix• 1.5 oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka• 4 oz. tomato juice • Pinch of fresh ground black pepper • Pinch of celery salt• 2 dashes Tabasco Chipotle Sauce• 1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice • Dash of Worcestershire sauce • ¾ tsp horseradish

Shake with ice. Pour over ice into 16 oz. glass dipped in smoked whiskey-sugar rim. Garnish with house-made candied bacon, lime and olive.

Rimming salt: Barley Vine makes its own creation of equal parts smoked sea salt and Sugar In The Raw. Dip rim of glass into Black Label Old No. 7 Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. Dip the rim of the glass into rimming mix.

“The taste hits on all levels,” said Terry Lugo, co-owner of Barley Vine with her husband Victor. “It's a well-balanced drink, perfect for any time of day.”

Brian Mitchell is the Corporate Beverage Director

for the Max Restaurant Group. He is a 25 year

drinks industry expert, specializing in sales,

service and training. Follow him on Twitter

@VintageVino and VintageBeverageWorks.com.

ABOUT BRIAN MITCHELL

well-made and flavorful ingredients.

A float of Laphroaig or a spritz of

Mezcal can make a huge difference

to an otherwise “okay” drink. A few

drops of saline will pull an amazing

amount of flavor into your drink

(that is why chefs use it for stocks).

Set yourself apart by making drinks

with layers of flavor.

Peppers are hot! Well, they can be mild,

medium or hot, and a lot of people like

the addition of a little heat in their drinks.

Heat goes way beyond jalapeños; so look

for combinations that best suit your drink

for spice, heat and sweetness. Do you want

a sweet, smoky pablano flavor, the mellow

lasting heat of ancho, or the intense burn of

a habanero? Maybe a combination of all of

the above. Integrating peppers into a drink

can be as simple as pureeing and making

syrup – this is a great way to control heat

from the hotter varieties. Or perhaps take a

little more interesting tack by fire-roasting

for added flavor and aromas. Peppers can

make interesting garnishes. You can also

play the heat in a spicier pepper against a

sweet component, such as a tropical fruit.

One of my biggest growth areas in sales and

guest requests is tequila. I have been a fan

of the agave distillate for a long time, and I

laugh when in a training session someone

(and someone always does) says, “I can’t drink

tequila.” Look for the “real” stuff made from

Weber Blue Agave; the quality is better than

ever. My personal preference for cocktails

is the silver or blanco. The best ones have a

purity of agave saltiness and earthiness that

comes through without being masked by wood

aging. These are perfect for cocktails. Lime is

a common companion, but my preference

lately is grapefruit. The combination of salt

flavor in the agave matches so well with the

white pepper in grapefruit.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Get some interesting glasses and use them.

Glass manufacturers are putting out more

interesting and classic styles of glass. But

don’t be afraid to use a specialty glass to

enhance your style. Second hand stores can

be great places to pick these up. It is also

very important for everyone to know the

sizes of glassware on the bar. Bartenders may

sometimes not correlate recipes to glass size

and this can either cause waste if they make a

drink too big or recipe variances if the drink

is too small and an adjustment is needed.

Know your recipes, know your glasses.

There are a number of recipes out there, all

of which are easy to follow. Just find one that

works best for you and tweak as you see fit.

Your guests will appreciate the hand-crafted

aspect of this drink and your pour costs will

reflect the savings. In my recipes, I like to use

espresso and dark chocolate, as I am going

for layers of complexity in flavor.

So fear not! Spring is here and now you are

tuned up and ready to go at the bar with a

new selection of warm weather oriented

cocktails. They’ll be in demand this year

more than ever.


KOSHERFOCUS

royalwine.com

palmbay.com

SRP: $39.99

SRP: $16.99

SHILOH LEGEND 2010Shiloh’s “Legend” is a blend of Petite Sirah, Petite Verdot and Shiraz, with each varietal aged separately in French oak barrels. Once blended, the wine is further aged for an addi-tional eight months in French oak. Hailing from the Judean Hills, Legend is a deep red, opaque color, with black fruit aromas and a rich earthy, fruity and spicy palate.

RECANTI DIAMOND SERIESCHARDONNAY 2012This 100% Chardonnay wine comes from hillside vineyards in Israel’s Galilee district, at an altitude of 2,500 feet above sea level. The wine is fermented in small French oak barrels and aged sur lie for nine months. It is then mixed with yeast every three weeks, enhancing creaminess and complexity. Aromas of tropical fruit, caramel and hazelnut lead into a full-bodied palate and long, smooth fi nish.

W ith Passover on the calendar this month, it’s time again for

the perennial question: What makes a wine kosher for Passover? Kosher wine, of course, must be created under a rabbi’s supervision, and be handled only by Sabbath-observant Jewish males. Kosher for Passover certification, however, like food, hinges on avoiding all things connected to bread. Specifically, the yeast used to ferment the grapes must not come from any

of the grains that are prohibited on Passover, namely barley, oats, rye, spelt and wheat. However, the

yeast can be derived from various types of fruits or sugar. Most, but not

all, kosher wines are in fact kosher for Passover. Additionally, all wines exported from Israel are kosher for Passover. A “P” on the label lets buyers know that the wine is not just kosher, but kosher for Passover as well.

RECANATI ‘YASMIN’RED MEVUSHAL 2011Part of the Recanti “Yasmin” series of wine, this red from the Jezreel Valley in Israel is specifi cally pro-duced to be “mevushal”—keeping it kosher regardless of who serves it. Made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, this supple, medium-bodied wine with fl avors of ripe red berry fruit is a wonderful all-occasion red that will complement a wide array of dishes, especially meat and poultry.

tri-vin.comSRP: $25

GRINALDA KOSHER VINHO VERDEThe 2013 Grinalda Kosher from Aveleda hails from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal. The grapes are pressed at low temperatures, the must is clarifi ed and fermented at con-trolled temperatures, and the wine is fi ltered and cold-stabilized before bottling. This blend of native grapes—40% Trajadura, 30% Loureiro, 20% Arinto and 10% Azal—yields a young and vibrant wine, with a delicate fruity aroma. Ideal with seafood and salad.

palmbay.com

SRP: $11.99

CARMEL SELECTCurrently the best-selling Israeli wine in Israel, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc expressions of Carmel Select both received 89 points from Wine Enthusiast. The Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of black currant and berry fruit. The Sauvignon Blanc is aromatic with tropical fruit notes, a back drop of cut grass and a clean, citrusy fi nish.

royalwine.com

SRP: $10.99

from Israel are kosher for Passover.

PASSOVERBEGINS

APRIL 3RD AT SUNDOWN

GUIDE PUBLISHED JOINTLY BY BEVERAGE MEDIA GROUP AND ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE ULTIMATE-BEVERAGE.COM

ULTIMATE WINE CHALLENGE is aptly named due to its fi ve year record of providing the world’s most respected and uncompromising wine evaluations. Founded in 2010 by award-winning journalist, author, educator and critic F. Paul Pacult, wine and spirits publishing veteran David Talbot, and Spirit Journal managing editor Sue Woodley, Ultimate Wine Challenge is to wine competitions what Bentleys are to automobiles: distinctive, trusted, cutting-edge, and the image of quality.

Accepting entries nowwww.ultimate-beverage.com

FOR MORE DETAILS: [email protected] or 1-347-878-6551

ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE

PRESENTS

ULTIMATE WINE CHALLENGE ALL ENTRIES DUE APRIL 30th, 2015

PRESENTSPRESENTS

UBC GUIDE: TOP SCORES TO BE FEATURED IN THE OCTOBER 2015 BEVERAGE MEDIA GROUP TOP U.S. MARKETS.


WINEBUZZ

NEW ROSÉ WINES FROMTHE NORTH AND THE SOUTH... OF ITALY?Pink is hot. So hot that suppliers who previously stuck to red and white are happily expanding their style palettes. And while Provence arguably remains the gold standard for crisp rosé, the region certainly holds no monopoly—dry pink wines are made well everywhere these days. Recently joining the pink parade for the first time: Mezzacorona 2014 (SRP $8.99), made from 100% Lagrein grapes, locally grown along the Adige Valley north of Trento. And Sicily’s Stemmari 2014 (SRP $9.99) is produced from 100% Nero d’Avola, which is cultivated on sandy soils in the Ragusa province. Of course, the truth about rosé is that terroir takes a backseat to style; crisp, fruity and refreshing is dry rosé’s calling—and that can be attained from a multitude of red grapes, all over the globe. Interestingly, these two new Italian pink wines are labeled “rosé,” not rosato. Chalk that one up for the French? gruppomezzacorona.itstemmari.it

ZAC POSEN GIVESECCO DOMANI A STYLISH MAKEOVERAcclaimed fashion designer Zac Posen will be dressing-up Ecco Domani for summer. Posen, whose designs are frequently found on red carpets as well as catwalks, is bringing his signature style to the Pinot Grigio bottle, which will be available nationwide starting in May. This easy-drinking Pinot Grigio from the delle Venezie region of northern Italy melds citrus and fl oral aromas with tropical fruit fl avors to create a crisp, refreshing wine. SRP $10.99. eccodomani.com

JOINING THE RED BLEND WAVE:STAGS’ LEAP WINERY ‘THE INVESTOR’No price point is exempt from the fast-evolving, steam-gathering trend of the Red Blend. Stags’ Leap Winery’s new contender, The Investor, takes aim at the luxury end of the spectrum, tapping into another trend: $25+ wines continuing to come back in popularity. The Investor 2012 blends Petite Sirah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, yielding a complex, full-bodied red that is right at home as a steakhouse wine and ready to appeal to consumers with high wine involvement. Available nationwide for $53. stagsleap.com

RUFFINO JOINS THE ‘GRAN SELEZIONE’ TIERWith the 2010 vintage, Ruffino has re-created Riserva Ducale Oro as the winery’s first entry in the Chianti Classico consorzio’s “Gran Selezione” classification that debuted in 2014. Designed to distinguish these Tuscan reds as the ultimate expression of Sangiovese (80% minimum is required), the new classification represents just 10% of all Chianti Classico production. An eligible wine must be produced entirely from winery-owned vineyards; be aged a minimum of 30 months in oak; and be approved by a tasting panel. SRP $42. ruffino.com

Zac Posen, leading women’s fashion

designer, teamed up with Ecco Domani for

his fi rst everwine label design.


REVENUEREPORTS

CONNECTICUT INFOKEVIN B. SULLIVAN,COMMISSIONER

STATE OF CT, DEPT. OF REVENUE SERVICES 25 SIGOURNEY STREET, HARTFORD, CT 06106COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF OCT ‘14 AND OCT ‘13 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF NOV ‘14 & NOV ‘13No. 752

Due to electronic funds transfer procedures and filing dates for tax returns, the cumulative revenue figures may not include all monies due for the current tax period, it may include some monies due for the prior tax period (s) of the previous fiscal year.No. 752

STATE OF CONNECTICUTDEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SERVICES

25 SIGOURNEY ST. HARTFORD, CT 06106KEVIN B. SULLIVAN, COMMISSIONER

TYPE OF BEVERAGE Tax Rate- Effective Oct-14 Oct-13 Oct-14 Oct-13 % INCREASE/7/1/2011 QUANTITY QUANTITY TAX TAX DECREASE TAX

MALT BEVERAGES $7.20 (per barrel) 18,733.00 (barrels) 18,314.00 $134,877.60 $131,860.80 2.29%MALT BEVERAGES $0.24 (per gallon) 4,138,776.00 (gallons) 4,169,419.00 $993,306.24 $1,000,660.56 -0.73%TOTAL TAX - MALT BEVERAGES $1,128,183.84 $1,132,521.36 -0.38%

WINES UNDER 21% ALCOHOLLARGE WINERIES $0.72 (per gallon) 1,341,114.00 (gallons) 1,377,547.00 $965,602.08 $991,833.84 -2.64%SMALL WINERIES $0.18 (per gallon) 26,631.00 (gallons) 27,598.00 $4,793.58 $4,967.64 -3.50%

WINES OVER 21% ALCOHOL & SPARKLING WINES $1.80 (per gallon) 76,649.00 (gallons) 74,922.00 $137,968.20 $134,859.60 2.31%TOTAL TAX - WINES $1,108,363.86 $1,131,661.08 -2.06%

DISTILLED LIQUOR $5.40 (per gallon) 752,061.00 (gallons) 739,998.00 $4,061,129.40 $3,995,989.20 1.63%LIQUOR COOLER $2.46 (per gallon) 860.00 (gallons) 1,100.00 $2,115.60 $2,706.00 -21.82%ALCOHOL $5.40 (per proof gallon) 5,310.00 (gallons) 5,450.00 $28,674.00 $29,430.00 -2.57%TOTAL TAX - DISTILLED SPIRITS $4,091,919.00 $4,028,125.20 1.58%

TOTAL - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TAX $6,328,466.70 $6,292,307.64 0.57%

REVENUE COLLECTION SUMMARYRevenue for period July 1, 2014 - November 30, 2014: $17,377,410.32Revenue for period July 1, 2013 - November 30, 2013: $16,931,297.37

Increase or decrease in revenue for current Fiscal Yea $446,112.95 2.63% of increase/decreaseDue to electronic funds transfer procedures and filing dates for tax

returns, the cumulative revenue figures may not include all monies due for the

current tax period; it may include some monies due for the prior

tax period (s) of the previous fiscal year.

No. 752

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2014AND OCTOBER 2013 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF NOVEMBER 2014 AND NOVEMBER 2013



TYPE OF BEVERAGE Tax Rate- Effective Jul-14 Jul-13 Jul-14 Jul-13 % INCREASE/7/1/2011 QUANTITY QUANTITY TAX TAX DECREASE TAX

MALT BEVERAGES $7.20 (per barrel) 19,813.00 (barrels) 18,502.00 $142,653.60 $133,214.40 7.09%MALT BEVERAGES $0.24 (per gallon) 5,049,093.00 (gallons) 5,123,283.00 $1,211,782.32 $1,229,587.92 -1.45%TOTAL TAX - MALT BEVERAGES $1,354,435.92 $1,362,802.32 -0.61%

WINES UNDER 21% ALCOHOLLARGE WINERIES $0.72 (per gallon) 1,182,140.00 (gallons) 1,171,038.00 $851,140.80 $843,147.36 0.95%SMALL WINERIES $0.18 (per gallon) 19,734.00 (gallons) 16,962.00 $3,552.12 $3,053.16 16.34%

WINES OVER 21% ALCOHOL & SPARKLING WINES $1.80 (per gallon) 32,838.00 (gallons) 28,310.00 $59,108.40 $50,958.00 15.99%TOTAL TAX - WINES $913,801.32 $897,158.52 1.86%

DISTILLED LIQUOR $5.40 (per gallon) 491,411.00 (gallons) 484,240.00 $2,653,619.40 $2,614,896.00 1.48%LIQUOR COOLER $2.46 (per gallon) 778.00 (gallons) 628.00 $1,913.88 $1,544.88 23.89%ALCOHOL $5.40 (per proof gallon) 6,949.00 (gallons) 6,046.00 $37,524.60 $32,648.40 14.94%TOTAL TAX - DISTILLED SPIRITS $2,693,057.88 $2,649,089.28 1.66%


REVENUE COLLECTION SUMMARYRevenue for period July 1, 2014 - Auguts 31, 2014: $2,265,773.09Revenue for period July 1, 2013 - August 31, 2013: $3,072,342.15

Increase or decrease in revenue for current Fiscal Yea ($806,569.06) -26.25% of increase/decreaseDue to electronic funds transfer procedures and filing dates for tax




No. 749

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2014AND JULY 2013 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF AUGUST 2014 AND AUGUST 2013


STATE OF CT, DEPT. OF REVENUE SERVICES 25 SIGOURNEY STREET, HARTFORD, CT 06106COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF NOV ‘14 AND NOV ‘13 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF DEC ‘14 & DEC ‘13No. 753




TYPE OF BEVERAGE Tax Rate- Effective Nov-14 Nov-13 Nov-14 Nov-13 % INCREASE/7/1/2011 QUANTITY QUANTITY TAX TAX DECREASE TAX

MALT BEVERAGES $7.20 (per barrel) 16,215.00 (barrels) 16,411.00 $116,748.00 $118,159.20 -1.19%MALT BEVERAGES $0.24 (per gallon) 3,986,251.00 (gallons) 3,978,844.00 $956,700.24 $954,922.56 0.19%TOTAL TAX - MALT BEVERAGES $1,073,448.24 $1,073,081.76 0.03%

WINES UNDER 21% ALCOHOLLARGE WINERIES $0.72 (per gallon) 1,355,280.00 (gallons) 1,435,186.00 $975,801.60 $1,033,333.92 -5.57%SMALL WINERIES $0.18 (per gallon) 25,628.00 (gallons) 23,077.00 $4,613.04 $4,153.86 11.05%

WINES OVER 21% ALCOHOL & SPARKLING WINES $1.80 (per gallon) 80,749.00 (gallons) 85,642.00 $145,348.20 $154,155.60 -5.71%TOTAL TAX - WINES $1,125,762.84 $1,191,643.38 -5.53%

DISTILLED LIQUOR $5.40 (per gallon) 592,186.00 (gallons) 600,220.00 $3,197,804.40 $3,241,188.00 -1.34%LIQUOR COOLER $2.46 (per gallon) 540.00 (gallons) 413.00 $1,328.40 $1,015.98 30.75%ALCOHOL $5.40 (per proof gallon) 9,948.00 (gallons) 10,046.00 $53,719.20 $54,248.40 -0.98%TOTAL TAX - DISTILLED SPIRITS $3,252,852.00 $3,296,452.38 -1.32%

TOTAL - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TAX $5,452,063.08 $5,561,177.52 -1.96%

REVENUE COLLECTION SUMMARYRevenue for period July 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014: $25,639,805.90Revenue for period July 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013: $25,978,485.65





No. 753

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2014AND NOVEMBER 2013 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF DECEMBER 2014 AND DECEMBER 2013



TYPE OF BEVERAGE Tax Rate- Effective Aug-14 Aug-13 Aug-14 Aug-13 % INCREASE/7/1/2011 QUANTITY QUANTITY TAX TAX DECREASE TAX

MALT BEVERAGES $7.20 (per barrel) 18,346.00 (barrels) 18,892.00 $132,091.20 $136,022.40 -2.89%MALT BEVERAGES $0.24 (per gallon) 4,780,778.00 (gallons) 5,206,957.00 $1,147,386.72 $1,249,669.68 -8.18%TOTAL TAX - MALT BEVERAGES $1,279,477.92 $1,385,692.08 -7.67%

WINES UNDER 21% ALCOHOLLARGE WINERIES $0.72 (per gallon) 901,464.00 (gallons) 965,639.00 $649,054.08 $695,260.08 -6.65%SMALL WINERIES $0.18 (per gallon) 20,415.00 (gallons) 20,950.00 $3,674.70 $3,771.00 -2.55%

WINES OVER 21% ALCOHOL & SPARKLING WINES $1.80 (per gallon) 28,261.00 (gallons) 34,943.00 $50,869.80 $62,897.40 -19.12%TOTAL TAX - WINES $703,598.58 $761,928.48 -7.66%

DISTILLED LIQUOR $5.40 (per gallon) 489,000.00 (gallons) 503,654.00 $2,640,600.00 $2,719,731.60 -2.91%LIQUOR COOLER $2.46 (per gallon) 1,187.00 (gallons) 1,166.00 $2,920.02 $2,868.36 1.80%ALCOHOL $5.40 (per proof gallon) 3,931.00 (gallons) 4,898.00 $21,227.40 $26,449.20 -19.74%TOTAL TAX - DISTILLED SPIRITS $2,664,747.42 $2,749,049.16 -3.07%

TOTAL - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TAX $4,647,823.92 $4,896,669.72 -5.08%

REVENUE COLLECTION SUMMARYRevenue for period July 1, 2014 - September 30, 2014 $8,875,347.31Revenue for period July 1, 2013 - September 30, 2013 $8,909,911.23





No. 750

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2014AND AUGUST 2013 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF SEPTEMBER 2014 AND SEPTEMBER 2013


LEGISLATIVENEWS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

operational hours until 10:00 p.m.) “ludicrous” and cited

increased work hours, increased operational expenses and no

revenue gain.

Edward Cooper, vice president for public affairs and community

relations for Total Wine & More, countered: “We’re for the

customer on this issue, on [minimum bottle pricing], and I think

package stores are only interested in themselves.” Cooper

said the legislation is good for the consumer, and that he didn’t

think it was necessarily a tax issue that made Connecticut less

competitive than its neighbors — a comment that drew laughter

in the room.

Also testifying in favor of the proposed budget was Stan Sorkin,

president of the Connecticut Food Association, which represents

supermarkets and convenience stores and the Distilled Spirits

Council of the United States.

Malloy’s budget director, Ben Barnes said, “The governor has

proposed these changes because they are pro-consumer

and they favor the residents of the state of Connecticut who

purchase alcoholic beverages… I know the data is uncertain as to

the impact of Sunday sales… I don't know the impact financially

in terms of increased sales.”

Doug Rankin, owner of Missing Link Wholesale and Imports

based in Wallingford, testified: “Connecticut’s minimum bottle

pricing laws are not the cause for regional price discrepancies.

What the bottle pricing laws do is form a firewall that prevents

large chains from clubbing small and mid-sized package stores

out of business… Well-financed chains have the power to

maintain artificially low prices… Then we compound this problem

by allowing these big-boxes an additional three permits.”

Adam Von Gootkin of Onyx Spirits Company in East Hartford

and president of The Connecticut Small Brand Council, said the

current laws “keeps the playing field fair” for smaller suppliers,

allowing products to be available in stores and bars. He stated

that for distillers in the state, “repealing single bottle pricing will

destroy the product selection available today in the market,” and

make smaller brands “no longer viable.”

Sarah Gersky, of The Cork Fine Wine & Spirits in Torrington,

testified: “Removing the minimum bottle pricing was discussed

several years ago and the Governor’s own task force concluded

that Connecticut’s sales and excise taxes are higher than

surrounding states, and Connecticut prices before taxes are

actually competitive with surrounding states — so why is this

being proposed again? Repealing minimum pricing only allows

out of state big-box retailers to do predatory pricing… Once

they dominate the marketplace, pricing will no longer have

competition and our businesses cease to exist… How does this

help the consumer?”

Full testimony can be found at www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABillInfo/

CGABillInfoDisplay.asp and scroll to SB 946. ■


STATE OF CT, DEPT. OF REVENUE SERVICES 25 SIGOURNEY STREET, HARTFORD, CT 06106COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF DEC ‘14 AND DEC ‘13 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF JAN ‘14 & JAN ‘13

No. 754




TYPE OF BEVERAGE Tax Rate- Effective Dec-14 Dec-13 Dec-14 Dec-13 % INCREASE/7/1/2011 QUANTITY QUANTITY TAX TAX DECREASE TAX

MALT BEVERAGES $7.20 (per barrel) 18,445.00 (barrels) 16,158.00 $132,804.00 $116,337.60 14.15%MALT BEVERAGES $0.24 (per gallon) 3,980,551.00 (gallons) 4,012,190.00 $955,332.24 $962,925.60 -0.79%TOTAL TAX - MALT BEVERAGES $1,088,136.24 $1,079,263.20 0.82%

WINES UNDER 21% ALCOHOLLARGE WINERIES $0.72 (per gallon) 1,221,734.00 (gallons) 1,156,076.00 $879,648.48 $832,374.72 5.68%SMALL WINERIES $0.18 (per gallon) 15,863.00 (gallons) 13,901.00 $2,855.34 $2,502.18 14.11%

WINES OVER 21% ALCOHOL & SPARKLING WINES $1.80 (per gallon) 86,181.00 (gallons) 74,841.00 $155,125.80 $134,713.80 15.15%TOTAL TAX - WINES $1,037,629.62 $969,590.70 7.02%

DISTILLED LIQUOR $5.40 (per gallon) 550,705.00 (gallons) 555,115.00 $2,973,807.00 $2,997,621.00 -0.79%LIQUOR COOLER $2.46 (per gallon) 1,022.00 (gallons) 1,007.00 $2,514.12 $2,477.22 1.49%ALCOHOL $5.40 (per proof gallon) 7,241.00 (gallons) 7,341.00 $39,101.40 $39,641.40 -1.36%TOTAL TAX - DISTILLED SPIRITS $3,015,422.52 $3,039,739.62 -0.80%


REVENUE COLLECTION SUMMARYRevenue for period July 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015: $29,440,493.60Revenue for period July 1, 2013 - January 31, 2014: $31,084,146.18

Increase or decrease in revenue for current Fiscal Yea ($1,643,652.58) -5.29% of increase/decreaseDue to electronic funds transfer procedures and filing dates for tax




No. 754

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2014AND DECEMBER 2013 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF JANUARY 2015 AND JANUARY 2014



TYPE OF BEVERAGE Tax Rate- Effective Sep-14 Sep-13 Sep-14 Sep-13 % INCREASE/7/1/2011 QUANTITY QUANTITY TAX TAX DECREASE TAX

MALT BEVERAGES $7.20 (per barrel) 20,052.00 (barrels) 16,857.00 $144,374.40 $121,370.40 18.95%MALT BEVERAGES $0.24 (per gallon) 4,216,420.00 (gallons) 3,991,391.00 $1,011,940.80 $957,933.84 5.64%TOTAL TAX - MALT BEVERAGES $1,156,315.20 $1,079,304.24 7.14%

WINES UNDER 21% ALCOHOLLARGE WINERIES $0.72 (per gallon) 1,015,462.00 (gallons) 954,934.00 $731,132.64 $687,552.48 6.34%SMALL WINERIES $0.18 (per gallon) 25,474.00 (gallons) 28,468.00 $4,585.32 $5,124.24 -10.52%

WINES OVER 21% ALCOHOL & SPARKLING WINES $1.80 (per gallon) 31,276.00 (gallons) 27,618.00 $56,296.80 $49,712.40 13.24%TOTAL TAX - WINES $792,014.76 $742,389.12 6.68%

DISTILLED LIQUOR $5.40 (per gallon) 509,298.00 (gallons) 443,301.00 $2,750,209.20 $2,393,825.40 14.89%LIQUOR COOLER $2.46 (per gallon) 470.00 (gallons) 573.00 $1,156.20 $1,409.58 -17.98%ALCOHOL $5.40 (per proof gallon) 6,387.00 (gallons) 5,149.00 $34,489.80 $27,804.60 24.04%TOTAL TAX - DISTILLED SPIRITS $2,785,855.20 $2,423,039.58 14.97%


REVENUE COLLECTION SUMMARYRevenue for period July 1, 2014 - October 31, 2014: $14,504,059.83Revenue for period July 1, 2013 - October 31, 2013: $13,832,896.60

Increase or decrease in revenue for current Fiscal Yea $671,163.23 4.85% of increase/decreaseDue to electronic funds transfer procedures and filing dates for tax




No. 751

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2014AND SEPTEMBER 2013 INDICATED BY REVENUES OF OCTOBER 2014 AND OCTOBER 2013

©20

15 P

alm

Bay

Inte

rnat

iona

l, B

oca

Rato

n, F

L

It’s a new moon

New Package • New Screw Caps • New Sauvignon Blanc

P18088-PriceBookTrade_Ver2.indd 1 3/9/15 1:14 PM

Just-released 2014 sales data compiled by the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) reveal what most retailers and many marketers already knew: higher-priced tequilas have caught fire. Super-premium (SRP $30+) brands shot up nearly 15% in volume, while high-end premium ($18-$30) and premium ($12-$18) grew at the same healthy but more modest 3.7% rate. So strong is the top end of the market now that super-premium accounts for about 40% of supplier revenue in the tequila category.

Brian Bowden, a VP overseeing spirits, beer, beverages and tobacco for the California-based BevMo! stores, notes

that customers are more often open to higher-priced tequila expressions. “We’ve seen an increase in our price points toward more of the premium and super-premium and a

There’s no arguing with the numbers: high-end and super-premium tequilas have never before been as popular and successful in the U.S.

OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Blue agave, seen here in Patrón’s fields, is now a common baseline for quality, prompting suppliers to emphasize other key techniques to stand apart. DeLeon is one of many putting extra care into barrel regimens. Herradura hosts a big event for each year’s Colección de la Casa release; the limited-release project is geared yielding fine cask-aged reposado tequila for sipping, not margaritas. Sauza 901 has both a celebrity founder (Justin Timberlake) and triple distillation as points of distinction. Roca Patrón is one of a handful of tequilas produced using the ancient “tahona” stone-grinding technique.

TEQUILA ON FIRE

decrease in mixtos. During the holidays, for instance, whether for gifting or personal consumption, some of our best SKUs were between $75 and $125 in terms of sales.”

Those people in charge of producing, branding and packaging tequila have a few ideas why the market is changing. “Different expressions, premiumization and personalization—those are the trends, along with craft cocktails, that can be said to be driving the discovery of quality tequila,” says Ann Stickler, SVP, Managing Director for Brown-Forman’s Herradura, El Jimador and Antiguo tequilas.

“Overall, consumers want to drink better,” says Andrea Sengara, Director, Tequilas at Diageo, where Don Julio was joined last year by ultra-premium DeLeon. “They’re more interested in a quality story and brands that have credentials. We see that across Scotch and whiskey and we see it in tequila. It’s truly a beautiful spirit to be appreciated.”

PRICEY, BUT LED BY QUALITYDeLeon is a prime example of how tequila’s price limits are being pushed. Now with two lines priced at the top of the category, there are the three expressions in the ultra-premium line retailing for $60 - 70,

and three in the the Luxury line; a joven mixture of blanco and añejo at $150, a cask-strength extra añejo at $350 and the $850 Leona, finished in Sauternes barrels.

Other high-end brands have joined the fray. Not surprisingly, with every upscale expression sharing a common denominator of being 100% agave, communicating points of distinction often involve other aspects of production, notably piña preparation and distillation techniques, blending, aging and wood treatments.

For example, Terlato Wines recently added the $45-$65 super-premium Riazul to their Artisan Spirits portfolio. The añe-jo spends two years in French Limousin oak, teasing hints of caramel, honey and vanilla out of the barrels. Lunazul’s Prim-ero añejo is aged 18 months in American

white oak. Tres Agaves ages their añejo in Woodford Reserve barrels for 18 months.

Corzo points to triple distillation as cru-cial to their añejo being “the fullest, most complex expression of modern tequila.” Baron “Platinum” is another tequila brand that is distilled three times, “resulting in an extract that gets cleaner and cleaner,” eliminating any off odors or tastes.

Casa Dragones Joven takes a differ-ent route to distinction, employing cre-ative blending on top of multiple distilla-tion and “ultra-modern” filtration. Their twist: hand-finishing their silver tequila with five-year-old extra añejo. Casa Dragones then goes into a handmade bottle of lead-free crystal, individually engraved with the brand’s “pepita” signa-ture design element.

Wood treatments are becoming a hotbed of experimentation among high-end producers. While regular Patrón is aged in a mix of new and used barrels, the Roca line rests in single-use bourbon barrels. BELOW: Herradura is among a growing number of producers to add a luxury or limited bottlings to enhance the entire line; the Selección Suprema Extra Añejo and Colección de la Casa tequilas top the portfolio. Bottom right: Larry Schwartz, President, North America, Diageo and Sean Combs hope to replicate the success of Cîroc.

“Different expressions, premiumization and personalization—those are the trends, along with craft cocktails, that can be said to be driving the discovery of quality tequila.” — Ann Stickler, Brown-Forman

As packaging goes, extra credit is surely due to 1800 Tequila, whose newest offering, 1800 Colección, an extra añejo, comes in hand-numbered bottles, within a custom-designed pewter decanter designed by artist Gary Baseman. The design is inspired by the tragic love story between a Mexican warrior and a magical mermaid. Only 40 bottles have been made available—at a suggested price tag of $2,000.

Two-grand is a bit steep for most aficionados, but a sure sign that consumers are in fact willing to trade way up came last year with the launch of Patrón Spirits’ Roca Patrón line, with a 90 proof silver, 84 proof reposado and 88 proof añejo, Roca retails between $69-$89 and is made using the traditional “tahona” stone-ground as well as aging in single-use bourbon barrels, unlike the standard Patrón which uses a mix of new and used barrels.

“The Roca roll-out has far exceeded our expectations, and our expectations are usually very high because new products are so few and far between for us,” says Patrón Chief Marketing Officer Lee Applbaum. He attributes the success to Patrón’s brand equity and the growing consumer appreciation in general for higher-priced spirits. “The category is growing with a lot of new entrants, and the interest in artisanal, hand-crafted spirits is good for us in tequila,” he notes.

DEMAND FACTORAs tequila consumers look to broaden their palates, brands like Roca, with a different production method and higher proof, become more appealing. Three years ago Herradura launched a limited release program that foresaw just such a level of interest, called Colección de la Casa, in which reposados are finished in different types of casks (in 2014 they used Scotch whiskey barrels).

Brown-Forman’s Stickler says the limited expressions sell out, encourag-ing further experimentation at the high end. “The category is really turning to more premium offerings and as consum-

ers are rediscovering the craft of tequila, getting interested in añejo and reposado and exploring the other expressions.

It’s a joy to be having the conversation about tequila and quality.”

She notes that while Herradura’s Selección Suprema

extra añejo, one of the stalwarts of the category and retailing near $400, is clear-ly meant for the connoisseur, the Colec-cion line is generally priced under $100 and allows the tequila aficionado the op-portunity to step up. “But even the fact that people are regularly paying $40 for a bottle is so encouraging’” adds Stickler. “And now, whenever people start to take the next step in exploration in the cat-egory, there’s something there for them.”

“Extra añejo has tremendous oppor-tunity to grow,” notes a spokesperson for Proximo Spirits, which now includes Jose Cuervo, 1800 and Gran Centenario in its portfolio. According to Nielsen track-ing, extra añejo has grown by about 8%in volume last year. 1800 XA is fairly new to the market, but producers don’t see it as just tequila, but rather “more as a fine brown spirit for special oc-casions,” according to the Proximo spokesperson. That places extra añejos in competition against high-end Cognacs and Scotches, with produc-ers consciously targeting those luxury consumers.

“This is an exciting time for the extra anejo category,” says Avion’s president Jenna Fagnan. “We launched our Reserva 44 last year and have seen an incredible reception. Both tequila consumers as well as whiskey consumers are drawn to the complexity and depth of a good extra añejo tequila.”

BARREL POWER & BEYONDAmong current initiatives, Avion is roll-ing out a by-the-barrel program for retailers with their reposado expression. By-the-bar-rel programs, quite common among whis-key producers, are fairly new to the tequila world. Herradura has for a while been in-viting on-premise customers to select their own barrels, a program with a premium at-tached. Recently, some retail customers are asking about añejo barrels. “It’s a very per-sonal thing that allows them to be part of the experience. What a great trend to have customers coming to us to have that experi-ence—you wouldn’t have seen that five to ten years ago,” says Stickler.

All these evolutions are only the be-ginning, say many in the tequila business.

“The tequila market in U.S. was, and still is underdeveloped, especially

in the higher segment,” says Jose Hermosillo, founder of Casa Noble Tequila. “In the super-premium tequilas

growth is almost 500% since 2002. I believe we still have a ways to go.” The versatility of tequila fits many drink occa-sions, he notes—shoot-ing, sipping, classic and contemporary cocktails.

TEQUILA ON FIRE

Two-grand is a bit steep for most aficionados, but a sure sign that

consumers are in fact willing to trade

way up.

Date:3-9-2015 12:40 PM| Client:WT| Studio Artist: Matthew Torres / Matthew Torres| Printed At: None Job number: WILD0190 | WILD0190_AH_Master_Distiller_FP_BMG_April_2015_v1_300md_sw3_PP.indd T: 8.25” x 10.875”, L: 7.5” x 10.375”, B:8.75” x 11.375”, Gutter: A.Gutter, Bind: Perfect Bind, Linescreen: A.LS, MD: 300%, Color: NoneNotes: pdfxla

JIMMY RUSSELL

M A S T E R D I S T I L L E RW I L D T U R K E Y® B O U R B O N

Jimmy Russell does things his way.

So thirty years ago, when he f irst mixed

bourbon with honey, the idea was almost

unheard of. But today his premium

blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Whiskey and pure honey is being used in

cocktails all across the country.

And Jimmy wouldn’t have

it any other way.

Enjoy Responsibly. Wild Turkey American Honey® Liqueur. 35.5% alc./Vol. (71 Proof). Campari America. San Francisco, CA ©2015

Casa Noble, now in Constellation’s portfolio of spirits, has an edge: it has been certified organic, and also has been pushing other “green” practices. Beam Suntory’s Tres Generaciones has done well in the organic space created by high-end specialty bars and hotels since its certification in 2012. “There is a passionate and growing niche of places that are focusing on that,” says Gary Ross, Beam Suntory Senior Director of Tequila, who oversees Sauza, 901, Tres Generaciones and El Tesoro.

Ross echoes what other tequila marketers highlight: more educated consumers interested in well-crafted spirits willing to pay more for better and different. “Plus there are a lot more players in super premium using more interesting techniques,” he adds.

Sauza has increased its attention to the recently-acquired 901, focusing on the connection to brand founder and pop star Justin Timberlake. Celebrity tequila, with Sean Combs involved in, is part of the category’s curiosity factor lately, as with Casamigos, founded by entrepreneur Rande Gerber with partner George Clooney.

“When George and I decided to create our own tequila, we did it out of our desire to have the best tast-ing, smoothest tequila for us to drink and share with friends,” says Gerber. “Word started to spread and we re-alized that others were looking for something similar. Consumers know what they like and appreciate the time, effort and patience we took to create Casamigos. To us, Casamigos is a lifestyle brand.”

While many smaller brands continue to aim for the on-premise as a place to break in, the move to higher end means greater retail involvement. Diageo’s Don Julio has done very well in the on-premise, where the brand has been focused for some time, says Sengara. “That eventually set strong off-premise growth once scale was built,” she explains. “We’ve definitely seen the off-premise start to pick up in the past two years.”

The power of more pricey tequilas is just beginning to emerge, and there are still many possibilities for developing new expressions. Says Avión’s Fagnan, “We are eager to see tequila become a greater force in the spirits industry well beyond North America, and we sense it’s coming. The time is certainly right to be in the ultra-premium tequila business.” ■

TEQUILA ON FIRE

While high-end tequila has increasingly gained traction as a fine sipping beverage, bartenders are still inclined to tinker.

One of them, Chris Simmons, General Manager at The Patio on Goldfinch in San Diego, started something he now calls the Ocho Project, inspired by the makers of the unusual single-estate and vintage brand but interested in seeing how different aging techniques would alter the flavor.

Simmons connected with Tomas Estes and Carlos Camarena, co-owners of Ocho to get their approval before aging one of the blancos in five-liter new American Oak barrels. His goal: to craft a tequila with oak-driven characteristics (as opposed to original Tequila Ocho aged in used barrels). Simmons serves the two different styles of tequila side-by-side for guests to experience first-hand the differences the aging process imparts.

“I wanted to focus on one particular component, the aging process, since some producers use brand new oak and some use barrels several times, like Ocho,” says Simmons. He removed samples at 14, 28 and then 42 days, and serves them paired with reposado, añejo and extra añejo Ochos. “They show that if you start in the exact same place and change the next step, you end up in an entirely different place,” he says.

★ NOT A MARGARITA ★

TEQUILA AGE DESIGNATIONS

Blanco (aka silver) is clear and unaged.

Joven (aka gold or abocado) spends several months in tanks before bottling.

Reposado (meaning rested) is the first definitive level of aging; these tequilas rest in wood (usually oak) barrels for two to 12 months.

Añejo (meaning “old” or “mature”) applies to tequilas aged at least one year in oak barrels; these tend to be darker, smoother and more complex.

Extra Añejo tequila has rested at least three years in barrel.

RA

ND

E G

ER

BE

R A

ND

GE

OR

GE

CLO

ON

EY

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H B

Y A

ND

RE

W S

OU

THA

M

Casamigos star power is accentuated by the fact that founders George Clooney and Rande Gerber sourced the tequila themselves, trying more than 700 samples, leading to the tagline “Brought to you by those who drink it.”

Heaven Hill is marking their 80th birthday in an unexpected way, by changing their name. While the switch

from “Heaven Hill Distilleries” to “Heaven Hill Brands” might not seem like a huge departure, it does reflect the dramatic way in which this family-driven company has evolved over the last eight decades.

“We are still heavily in the distillery business, but we are about so much more today than American whiskey,” says Max Shapira, President, who has worked for the company his father founded since

1970. “We have an immense range of brands which we’re building for the future, so our new name really describes what we do today.”

Betting on BourBonThe five Shapira brothers made no small gamble in founding Heaven Hill Distilleries in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1935, on the heels of Prohibition and in the thick of the Great Depression. Their first brand, Bourbon Falls, was just up and running when they were forced to shut down, along with many other distilleries during WWII,

in order to produce alcohol for the war effort. Yet their commitment to American whiskey production paid off eventually, as Heaven Hill went on in subsequent decades to become a leading bourbon distiller, particularly with the introduction of Evan Williams in the 1950s (which remains the company’s flagship brand).

1935“Heavenhill Springs” distillery is founded by Bardstown-area investors and the five Shapira brothers; the company has 12 employees and Bourbon Falls is their first label.

1946Earl Beam leaves the Beam Company to succeed his cousin, Harry Beam, as Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller.

’70sMax L. Shapira joins the family business. Parker Beam succeeds his father Earl as Master Distiller.

’80sElijah Craig 12YO—the first “Small Batch” bourbon—is introduced. Acquisitions include Burnett’s Gin, Henry McKenna Bourbon, Harwood Canadian Whisky.

Left: Heaven Hill Brands leadership today includes Kate (Shapira) Latts; Max L. Shapira; Allan N. Latts; and Andy L. Shapira. Top: Heaven Hill’s 80 years of history includes over 7,000,000 barrels of American whiskey.

a FaMILY

DISTILLATEHeaven Hill Celebrates 80 Years

of Crafting WHiskeY & building brands

By Kristen Bieler

2010-2015 Admiral Nelson’s (2011) & Domaine de Canton (’14) acquired. Evan Williams Bourbon Experience opens (’13). Heaven Hill fills its 7 millionth barrel of American Whiskey (’15).

’00sHpnotiq (2003), Pama (’05) and Lunazul (’08) added. Heaven Hill named “Distiller of the Year” (’04), Rittenhouse Rye tops at SF World Spirits competition (’06). Parker’s Heritage Collection debuts 2007.

’90sA rush of line extensions (Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Henry McKenna) and new brands (Burnett’s Vodka, Christian Brothers Brandy, Old Fitzgerald) join portfolio; historic Bernheim distillery acquired.

Their passion for bourbon never wavered, in spite of the fickle nature of consumer drinking habits. In the midst of the current American whiskey craze, it’s easy to forget that bourbon has “not always been successful,” reminds Andy Shapira, Director, Sales Analysis/Western Division Sales Manager, referring to the category’s steep decline in the 1970s through the early 1990s. “We survived by developing interesting offerings in many other categories. We have skin in the game with every trend in the industry, which has allowed us to compete against bigger players.”

Change, aCCelerated The third generation of Shapiras brought a thirst for innovation and trend-setting. When Kate (Shapira) Latts, VP of Mar-keting, and her husband, Allan, COO, moved back to Kentucky from Cincin-

nati to work for Heaven Hill in 2001, she admits that, “like a lot of people at the time, I thought Heaven Hill was all about American whiskey, but quickly saw that there was so much more to the com-pany.” Having just acquired Christian Brothers—the number three brandy in the country—the company soon embarked on a period of acquisition and innovation.

An early leader in the flavored vodka world with Burnett’s, Heaven Hill released best-seller after best-seller with offerings like Citrus, Raspberry and Orange. “I remember my dad saying we needed to try vanilla cautiously. It felt like a real risk at the time, which is funny in retrospect,” says Kate. The company was ahead of its time with Sour Apple and Coconut, too.

But the defining moment of the company’s culture shift was the purchase of Hpnotiq in 2003. “We had to learn how to do so many things differently,” Kate recalls, as they had never before worked on “a high-energy, on-premise promotion brand with a tidal wave of momentum behind it.” In the early days, just trying to figure out how many T-shirts to order was perplexing (“Should we order four or five thousand? In 2004 we ordered a million,” Kate remembers).

“Hpnotiq taught us how to do promotions,” says Andy. “It paved the way for the future of the company. Without that brand, there would have been no Pama or Canton,” the company’s successful pomegranate and recently-acquired ginger liqueur brands. “We have been focused on a very vibrant section of the flavored liqueur category, which captures the enthusiasm and interest of bartenders, which then translates into off-premise sales,” Kate describes.

Cross-Category expansionWith a small team of decision

makers, things move quickly, giving Heaven Hill the ability to stay ahead of trends and bring new products to market efficiently. “Innovation is the lifeblood of our industry, and it usually doesn’t come from the big companies,” says Andy.

The successful launch of Blackheart Rum in 2010 inspired the acquisition of Admiral Nelson, the country’s second-bestselling spiced rum, in 2011, making Heaven Hill a major player in the rum category. Blackheart is a higher-proof rum, with a bolder flavor profile and has been propelled by the ever-strong rum-and-cola trend. “One of the most fun things we do is create a brand from scratch,” Kate shares. “When you create the name, build the equity, figure out how to best support a brand, it feels like your child.”

BourBon ComesFull CirCleFew companies were better positioned to take advantage of the American whiskey renaissance than Heaven Hill, with its cache of historic brands and vast stocks of aged bourbon. Looking back, how did one of the worst-performing categories reemerge as the fastest growing distilled spirit today? “About 15 years ago, we in the industry got our act together with the launch of single-barrel and small-batch releases, better packaging and flavors,” says Max. “The consumer today demands all these things.” Heaven Hill helped pioneer this trend with the release of Elijah Craig 12 Year Old in 1986, the first “small batch” bourbon on the market.

Heaven Hill’s modern era has been marked by expansion and diversification. Top: Seeking inventive ways to support the brand portfolio, the company recently opened “Heaven Hill” at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY. Above: The firm grew to become a leader in flavored vodka, after starting with the trio of Citrus, Raspberry and Orange.

Hpnotiq Liqueur, acquired in 2003, “paved the way for the future of the company.”

heaven hill

Heaven Hill’s flavored whis-kies continue to grow double digits, and the company has re-leased a steady stream of premi-um extensions: Elijah Craig 21 and 23 Year Old, Parker’s Heri-tage Collection, Rittenhouse Rye—“the darling of the mix-ology community,” Kate says—a wheated bourbon, Larceny, even unaged whiskey, TryBox, among others. For Kate, the most exciting part about today’s boom is that growth is hitting every segment, not just the premium end, and boosting tourism. “It’s fascinating to see the types of visi-tors we get at our Bourbon Heritage Cen-ter, from legal drinking age college kids, to young women on ‘girl’s weekends’ to longtime aficionados.”

size—and Family—matters The Shapiras at the helm today navigate a very different industry landscape than that of their founders. “You have to be so much quicker to market,” says Max. “And pay more attention to carving the marketplace into multiple pieces, it is much more segmented.”

Being smaller than the big suppliers, and family-run, puts Heaven Hill in an advantageous position, believes Andy: “We are nimble, and we don’t have to focus on the quarter—we can think long term. It also allows us to have consistent pricing strategy; our distributors and retailers like the fact that they don’t see end-of-quarter pricing activity with our brands that they do with many others.”

David Sparrow, VP at RNDC in North Carolina/Virginia, has worked with a vast

array of suppliers in his 40-plus years in the industry, and never met one that cared more for the people they work with. “The Shapira family treats everyone like family. They possess an unusual amount

of character and integrity,” says Sparrow. “For example, when they run sales incentive trips, the winning sales reps’ entire

families are invited, including children. I have never seen any other

supplier offer something like that.”

the more things Change… As different as today’s Heaven Hill portfolio might appear from the original (and payroll, which has ballooned from 12 employees to 600) the company’s culture remains essentially unchanged. “We have always tried to make sure that our employees have jobs that are challenging and interesting day in and day out,” says Max. “And that our products are the highest quality. We are still using the same mash bills from 80 years ago, and have some of the original stills.”

Presiding over the country’s largest independent, family-owned producer and marketer of distilled spirits in the country, Max has a considerable amount to be proud of. Yet he is absolutely certain about his greatest accomplishment: “Enticing the third generation of the family to leave their careers and join this business has been my most significant contribution. I believe having my son, daughter and son-in-law working at Heaven Hill, bringing the same passion and commitment to excellence, has ensured our future like

nothing else.” n

heaven hill

The late Executive VP Harry Shapira worked with his cousin Max Shapira to develop Heaven Hill’s tourism destinations, the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown (opened 2004) and the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville (opened 2013).

As Heaven Hill Brands continues national outreach, two key personnel are Lynn House (left), National Brand Educator focusing on-premise; and Bernie Lubbers, American Whiskey Brand Ambassador.

elijah Craig 21yO & 23yO add prestige

to the flagship bourbon line

AT A GLANCE

Having grown from 12 employees to 600, Heaven Hill Brands is America’s largest independent, family-owned and operated producer and marketer of distilled spirits. Here are some more key facts:

❖ America’s seventh-largest supplier

of distilled spirits.

❖ Second-largest inventory of aging

Kentucky whiskey (nearly 17% of the

world’s future supply of bourbon).

❖ Whiskeys are produced at the historic

Bernheim Distillery, designated Kentucky

Distilled Spirits Plant (DSP) #1.

❖ Brands acquired or developed include

Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral

Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; Hpnotiq

Liqueur; The Christian Brothers brandies;

PAMA Liqueur; Domaine de Canton

Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila; and Cinerator

Hot Cinnamon Flavored Whiskey.

❖ Major whiskey brands: Evan Williams,

America’s second-largest selling

Bourbon; Elijah Craig, the original Small

Batch Bourbon; and Old Fitzgerald, a

wheated Bourbon with a storied history.

Sometimes, seizing the future means turning away from the past. Such is the case with the Vin de France (VDF)

classification, which frees producers to source grapes across regional boundaries, and to blend (or not blend) based on their own stylistic goals not only AOC rules.

Though delayed in its exposure to Americans because until a TTB ruling in late 2013, Vin de France is shaping up to be one of the fastest-growing and most notable category launches in the history of modern viticulture.

Consider this: Just five years after being created, Vin de France wines already account for 17% of all still wine exports out of France (Germany, the UK and China are the biggest customers). And momentum is building: exports increased by 2.5% overall 2014—and 35% outside Europe.

The United States currently accounts for about 3% of the VDF wines that leave France, but remains a prime target market because these flexible, fruity wines appeal to Americans on many levels:The Palate — Wines that are fresh,

fruity, accessible, smoother; with a range that spans multiple hot categories here.

The Wallet — The modern opposite of last century’s iconic collectibles, Vin de France wines are clearly targeting an identity built on best value for money.

The Mindset — VDF wines represent freedom, creativity and thoroughly modern methods; blends and varietals going where French wine never went, and packaged to please the eye and be opened now.

SETTING THE BAR An important part of Vin de France’s identity is defined by having fewer rules, in fact, strict quality and traceability con-trols govern production. All growers and producers operating within the classifica-tion must register with FranceAgriMer, a division of the French Ministry of Agri-culture. This ensures that consumers and retailers can be confident in the prov-enance of their product.

Additionally, Vin de France receives valuable independent endorsement through an annual competition in February at which wines are evaluated by professional judges from key markets. Run by trade organization Anivin de France, the Vin de France “Best Value Selection” picks

out the best examples of this classification, with the top performers awarded a Gold or Silver medal.

The competition helps benchmark the growth of the classification [see 2015 Key Figures box] and demonstrates the confidence and commitment among the producers. The Best Value Selection results from 2015 were officially announced in mid-March at ProWein, the first of the wine industry’s cycle of major annual trade shows.

VIN DE FRANCE

STEPS UPANNUAL COMPETITION CONFIRMS

NEW CATEGORY’S QUALITY & OFFERS INSIGHT TO TRENDS

BY W. R. TISH

CATEGORYFOCUS

JUDGING GLOBALLY

ABOVE: This year’s Vin de France “Best Value Selection” competition was the sixth, and took place February 11-12 in Paris. Among the international panel of 34 professionals from eight countries were seven Americans: Karen and Philip Burkhart, Latitude Wines; and Steven Johnson, Market of Choice; Brad Lewis, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Geoffrey Pattison, Wally’s; Bethany Burke Scherline, Palm Bay International; and Bernard Sun, Kobrand.

The International Panel - Best Value Vin de France Selection 2015

ON TREND This competition is also important in helping to pick out trends happening un-der the Vin de France umbrella. Of the mono-varietal expressions, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc have historically performed particularly well, while 2014’s competition saw Merlot win multiple gold medals. However, there was also plenty of room for the offbeat, with one sweet wine taking a Gold medal, as well as awards for a Negrette rosé and blends such as Char-donnay/Muscat and Viognier/Roussanne.

Based on the 2015 winners, VDF appears especially well-positioned to tap into two hot trends. The first is rosé, with 23 medal winners. The other is blends; 21 white medal winners and 15 red were awarded in 2015. This year also saw five Sauvignon Blancs earn Gold, and nine winning Silver, while Chardonnays won 10 Silver.

The jump in medals from 2014 to 2015 speaks to the rising baseline of quality as well as vibrancy of the category across a range that just a decade ago would have struck most industry observers as downright radical. Meanwhile, the decision of major producers such as Boisset and Gérard Bertrand to join Vin de France has added validation to the category’s progress.

Medals, of course, are never an end-all. Yes, it is hoped that the competition, and medal stickers, will help open new markets and attract new customers. But the competition remains one indicator that Vin de France as a category is beginning to hit a stride in terms of

quality and have significant impact in the U.S. market.

Judge Brad Lewis, Fine Wine Buyer for Florida-based ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, noted that he is especially optimistic about the category’s “opportunities for blending.” He added: “Overall, Vin de France [wines] are solid in their price point for our market, and we are seeing more wines available with increasing quality.”

Geoffrey Pattison, Buying and Import Director at Wally’s in Beverly Hills, CA, summarized: “I think this category is posi-tioned to do very well in America. I think the production standards give winemak-ers the ability to craft wines creatively and achieve better ripeness, flavors and drink-ability than they would under the more restrictive AOC system.” Perhaps just as important, Pattison noted that savoir-faire is evident on the outside of VDF bottles as well: “The New World–style labeling, cre-ative marketing and modern winemaking all cater to exactly what American con-sumers gravitate toward.” ■

2015 KEY FIGURES28% increase in the number of

entries, to 372 wines38% increase in the number of

companies entering, to 8323 Gold and 89 Silver medals

(OIV regulations cap medals at 30% of entries).

Of the medal winners, 49 were white, 40 red and 23 rosé

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

VIN DE FRANCE‘BEST VALUE SELECTION’

2015 WINNERSShown here is a sampling of Gold medal winners from this year’s competition. Only 23 Gold medals were awarded in all (6% of total entries), indicating the judges’ high standards; 24% of the 2015 entries earned Silver medals.

1Gérard Bertrand 2014

“6ème Sens”

2Belles Vignes 2014 “GSM”

(Grenache-Syrah-Marsellan)

3 French Connection 2014 Merlot

4Gau 2014 Sauvignon Blanc -

Pinot Grigio

5 Jean Berteau Merlot

6 La Châsse 2014 Shiraz-Grenache

7 Fat Bastard Red

8 Le Val 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

9François Lurton 2014

“Fumées Blanches” Rosé

10 Les Rivages Sauvignon Blanc

11L’Original French Kiss

Sauvignon Blanc

12Pâtisserie 2014 Chardonnay-

Muscat

13 Temps d’M 2013 Blanc

➥ See the full selection of medal winners at: vindefrancewines.com

There are wine pairings, and there are Wine Pairings. Selecting a wine to accompany a steak is one thing, but what about pairing all

three, seven or 26 courses of a meal? “Our menu ends up being 20 to 30 courses,” says Scott Cameron, Beverage Director at Atera in New York. “The pairing is the best option to accommodate the guest and provide the best experience.” Guests seem to agree; Cameron says a third to a half of Atera guests opt for the pairing, up from one quarter a year and a half ago.

The Umstead Hotel in Cary, NC, offers a three-course prix-fixe and a seven-course tasting menu, and Head

Sommelier Hai Tran says sales of pairings have quadrupled in the past year.

Creating a successful pairing menu doesn’t come easy. To start with, there’s a need for variety. Tran says a good menu will inherently call for different types of wines in the first place, but he still makes an effort to draw on wines from different parts of the world. One need not stop at wine, either. “I use beer, cocktails, saké, non-alcoholic drinks…” says Cameron.

WHEN WINE IS ON THE MENU

WITH PAIRING MENUS, WINE MAKES CULINARY ARTISTRY MORE PROFITABLE

BY JIM CLARKE

TOP: The wine pairing at Forage in Salt Lake City, just like their menu, changes, slightly, every day. LEFT: Head Sommelier Hai Tran of The Umstead Hotel in Cary, NC.

Tran does the same, though he usually steers away from cocktails to make it easier to control the overall amount of alcohol being served.

Logistics are another impera-tive. During service, Tran says com-munication is key to make sure the pairings go smoothly; the kitchen’s timing needs to align with that of the server and sommelier, both of whom need to know which wine goes with which course in case the sommelier is stuck at another table. “We always have two glasses staged, the bottle on display and the next beverage,” says Cameron. He’s also careful about glass placement, so “the guest doesn’t feel obligated to pound leftovers, and the table’s not getting cluttered.”

PORTIONS & PRICINGPortion size can be an issue when serving so many courses. Some guests will balk at ordering “20 glasses of wine” while others will look askance at a 2oz pour, so it’s important to set expectations. “I make sure they have enough to enjoy with what’s on the plate,” says Tran,

“so as plates get bigger the pours get bigger. I may start off with two ounces and move up to three or four. They drink a total 3–3 ½ glasses by the end of experience. I’m not averse to topping them

off if needed.” With a longer menu, some wines may do double duty. “Our menu has a span of snack courses which I pour a really great Alsatian Riesling with,” says Cameron. “One bite snacks—all smoky, rich, and fatty; all great with a bit more savory style of Riesling.”

Portion control can also mean price control. “An equilibrium can be reached,” says James Tidwell, MS, Beverage Manager at the Las Colinas Four Seasons Resort in Dallas. “You put together the pairing as a grouping, but based on individual pricing. The highest expense wines are balanced by unexpected, cool, fun wines that are still inexpensive.”

Having multiple wines open for a pairing can lead to waste, but the more popular the pairing, the easier that is to control, since turnover is faster. “We are lucky that the majority of our wine sales are from the wine

FOR

AG

E P

HO

TOG

RA

PH

S B

Y C

HE

F/O

WN

ER

, BO

WM

AN

BR

OW

N /

SC

OTT

CA

ME

RO

N B

Y M

ATT

AB

BIC

K /

ATE

RA

TA

BLE

AN

D T

HE

CO

UN

TER

BY

MIC

HA

EL

WE

BE

R

TOP: Scott Cameron, Beverage Director at Atera in New York. BELOW: Atera's recent tasting menu.

pairing, so we rarely end up with wine that is open more than one day,” says Brooklyn Delmont, Wine Director at Forage in Salt Lake City. The Forage tasting menu may change daily; if a wine can’t be used with a new menu, Delmont temporarily offers the remainder of the wine by-the-glass.

But why dwell on negatives like waste? Tidwell says pairings can be a plus in managing other aspects of one’s product mix. “Pairings offer opportunities for inventory control, especially where you have excellent wines that people don’t know about. It introduces people to those wines, and then they enjoy them on return visits,” says Cameron.

TURNING EXPECTATIONS INTO OPPORTUNITYGuest expectations for pairings may go beyond the interplay of fats and tannins.

“People who ask for the pairings are peo-ple who want more engagement with the service staff,” says Tidwell. “That added enjoyment is a PR and marketing oppor-tunity.” But don’t assume they’re study-ing for an MS exam. “Unless a guest shows an increased interest in wine we do not elaborate too much on it,” says Delmont, “since we are already at their table often and would still like to allow them some private time. Typically, it is after the wine is served and eaten with the food that I receive questions about it because it is a wine that either surprised them or they really enjoyed.”

Sometimes one goes to all that trouble to create a pairing menu, and the guest asks you to change it. “The pairing is set,” says Cameron. “That’s what we do. It doesn’t do justice to the food to just throw another beverage in there. I steer guests who ask for changes toward the by-the-glass wines or a bottle.”

Delmont often does much the same, but also encourages guest to try the pairing as is. “We have a lot of people, at the end of the pairing, say they were not big fans of white wine but have enjoyed seeing how the wine is very different when it is put with food. This is what I believe the point is to a wine pairing. The wine and the food changing each other into something greater.” ■

“Pairings offer opportunities for inventory control, especially where you have excellent wines that people don’t know about.”

— Brooklyn Delmont, Forage, Salt Lake City

WINE PAIRING MENUS

TOP: Brooklyn Delmont, Wine Director at Forage and one of her all-time favorite pairings; elk heart tar-tar and a White Burgundy, particularly Chablis.

‘SET’ OPTIONS

Even if you don’t have a standing tasting menu, there are plenty of occasions for a set menu where wine pairings can be part of building your revenue:

The Prix-Fixe. This old-standby is a three-course seat-filler, often only offered at certain times of day: (lunch or Pre-Theater most typically). If the guest feels they’re saving money on the set menu, the wine-pairing option becomes an affordable indulgence. Since guests have options for each course, pairings can either be broad—a wine that suits the course, more-or-less, regardless of choice—or a wine paired with each potential choice.

The Chef or Tasting Menu. These are longer menus—seven or nine courses, perhaps—meant to highlight the range and quality of the kitchen. They give a beverage director a chance to show off the wine program's range and quality.

The Seasonal Menu. Often focusing on seasonal ingredients; when those ingredients are pricey—white truffle season, for example—you're attracting guests who are ready to spend. If it’s built around a single ingredient, like truffles, just as the kitchen needs to find variations on that ingredient, so will the pairing, to ensure a progression that’s interesting enough but stays true to that component.

The Holiday Menu. Valentine’s Day, New Years Eve…whatever it may be, people are looking for a special experience. The pairing needs to be highlighted and special, though; for many people, a special occasion means a bottle, so you may find yourself working against that mentality.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY www.pernod-ricard-usa.com ©2015 Imported by Pernod Ricard USA, Purchase, NY. www.acceptresponsibility.org

the premium spirits and wines company in the U.S.

INTRODUCING FLIGHT SONGby BRANCOTT ESTATE

GOLD MEDAL WINNING SAUVIGNON BLANC CRAFTED TO BE 20%

LIGHTER IN CALORIES *

Classically styled full-flavored Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc which delivers on taste.

Gold Medal winner in a blind taste test against leading New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc brands.**

Whether by the bottle or by the glass, the Pernod Ricard USA Wines & Champagnes portfolio delivers quality, heritage and value with every pour.

*Source: Versus Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc**Source: At the New Zealand International Wine Show. (Vintage 2012)

Chances are, if you have heard “Cariñena” it was in the context of a wine grape. Which it is. But Cariñena is

also one of Spain’s oldest regions and one of Europe’s oldest appellations, awarded Denominacion de Origen status in 1932 (the second D.O. region in Spain). Yet today it remains relatively obscure in the U.S. market, even among wine professionals, as very few wines from Cariñena are imported. Many seasoned sommeliers have never even tasted one.

This will likely be changing in the not-so-distant future. A lot has changed in the region since Romans planted vines here. Cariñena had a multi-century-long reputation for excellence, but while the region survived the Phylloxera plague that destroyed most European vineyards in the 1860’s (thanks to those absurdly rocky

soils—see photo), it couldn’t escape the devastating effects of the Spanish Civil War and WWII. Quality today is on an accelerated upswing, thanks to a handful of cooperatives who dominate production here and who uniformly defy the co-op stereotype of poor quality mass production.

Last month we sat down with three of New York City’s top sommeliers—Jessica Brown (The Breslin), Thomas Pastuszak (The Nomad) and Marika Vida (The Ritz-Carlton) to taste through a selection of wines from the Cariñena region and record our impressions. What we discovered pleasantly surprised us all.

The Value “Overall, I think these wines offer a very approachable, accessible style for the larger U.S. market—especially those seeking fuller, lush wines at a great value,” Brown

believes. This was a sentiment shared by all the panelists, especially considering that for a very low price, one can obtain a wine with real personality. “In most of these wines, I found terrific minerality, freshness, salinity and an appealing savory character—particularly in the younger wines—and a very judicious use of oak,” Pastuszak observed. “It’s unique to see that much character and sense of place come through in wines this inexpensive.”

A useful selling technique is “value by reference,” he continued: “If you enjoy

The Under-The-radar Cariñena region offers old Vines, CharaCTer & ValUe

By kristen Bieler

off spain’sbeaten path

above left: Jessica Brown (the Breslin), thomas Pastuszak (the nomad) and Marika Vida (the ritz-Carlton) taste through a range of Cariñena wines at the Beverage Media nyC office. above right: Cover crops between vine rows provide a habitat for beneficent insects as well as gorgeous fall color.

region focus: cariÑena

Châteauneuf, here is a place you can get that same character and old-vine intensity for half the price. A glass of Cariñena may cost $12 on a by-the-glass list, whereas you could pay two or three times as much if you go to the Rhone.” Vida agreed: “You can’t even get AOC Cotes du Rhone for $15 a glass most places!”

Finding old-vine expressions at these price points is another critical point of distinction for Cariñena, emphasized Florida-based Master Sommelier, Virginia Philip, who was not at our tasting but vis-ited the region last June: “To find a wine coming from 50- or 90-year-old vines for under $30 is practically unheard of.”

The grapes The region produces some lovely whites from Macabeo and Chardonnay, but this is undeniably red wine country, which

is exclusively what our panel tasted. Confusingly, though named after the Cariñena grape, the region is dominated by Garnacha which represents 55% of total vineyard acreage. Years of viticultural trial

and error revealed that Garnacha more easily achieves ripeness in the landscape’s sloping hills. The Cariñena grape remains important for blends, however, and has proven to thrive in many lower-elevation sites. Interestingly, our panel’s favorite wine was the one mono-varietal Cariñena we tasted (Bodegas San Valero Particular Cariñena 2012).

“Cariñena is a grape no region has really tried to own, and I think there is huge potential for this region to make it their signature,” said Pastuszak. “The quality of this San Valero Cariñena is really exciting, and I would be very curious to taste more.”

The range of sTyles“The gamut of styles is really impressive,” said Philip. “One hears so much about Priorat, but the dimension of wines from

continued on next page ➥

We tasted nine wines from the Cariñena region. These wines are currently not imported; prices listed are best estimates of suggested U.S. retail prices.

Bodegas san Valero Particular garnacha JoVen 2013Young Garnacha at its best. Bodegas San Valero was established as a cooperative in 1944, and is today one of the region’s largest—and finest. Crafted from 15- to 20-year-

old vines with zero oak aging, this expression is fresh vibrant and red-fruit dominated, the group agreed. Brown found it “spicy, bright but with a nice richness—almost Syrah-like.” Vida was similarly impressed: “It’s a fun red, and a banging wine for $10.” (SRP: $10)

Bodegas san Valero Particular old Vine garnacha 2011BSV uses 30 year old vines from fairly high-elevation vineyards for this small-production Garnacha, which

sees six months minimum in French oak barrels. The result is a more concentrated, richer version of their Joven and a wine that the group very much enjoyed. “It’s a very classy wine with more baked fruit flavors and a hint of old Châteauneuf-du-Pape character,” Pastuszak said. Vida commented on the “tremendous long finish” marked by black fruit, smoke and black licorice—“also amazing for the price.” ($15)

Bodegas san Valero Particular cariÑena 2012Hands-down the group’s favorite wine of the tasting. Vida praised the floral,

menthol, dried-strawberry aromatics and elegant texture. “The Cariñena grape is known for having a lot of reductive aromatics and sulphur-like tones, but this was super fresh and really lifted with beautifully integrated oak and great structure and acidity to balance the fruit flavors and alcohol,” Pastuszak shared. “This wine excited me with its flavors and quality, but also as a potential for what this grape could mean for the region in the future.” ($15)

The panel weighs in

“If you enjoy Châteauneuf, here is a place you can get that same character and old-vine intensity for half the price.”

-Thomas Pastuszak, The Nomad Hotel

Cariñena makes it a truly compelling place. Depending on the age of the vines and the blend, these wines range from light and aromatic to dark, intense reds that demand food.”

Cariñena’s 29 wineries craft every-thing from Joven reds, Crianzas and Gran Reservas—some in large quanti-ties, some in boutique amounts. We tasted a range of styles, and the group overall preferred the younger examples. “I think the wines are most expressive and exciting in their younger, fresher versions, where there is terrific mineral-ity and the terroir really comes through,” Pastuszak summarized.

The DiscoVery facTorSommeliers wade through a sea of wine daily, and most search for wines that are truly distinct and authentic; our panelists agreed that the wines of Cariñena fit the bill. “I would promote

these as ‘something new by-the-glass,’ you can really go that direction with these wines,” said Vida. “The fact that Garnacha is a known entity definitely helps, and I would describe many of these wines to my customers as falling between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo in style.” Brown agreed, adding that Cariñena is still a discovery region, which can set a wine list apart: “These wines have great appeal for a sommelier who wants to offer something truly unique by the glass that very few others have.” n

cariÑena

Bodegas Paniza Paniza gran reserVa 2007This Cabernet-dominated blend is rounded out with Tempranillo and Garnacha and spent two years in oak barrels and three years in bottle before release. With a slightly orange hue, it displays mature flavors of dried herbs, stewed fruit, some nice cherry notes and mellowed tannins. ($23)

Bodegas Paniza artigazo 2008A blend of Galnacha, Syrah and Cabernet, this more modern-styled red from Paniza spent 18 months in mostly-French oak barrels and several years in bottle before release. Over 40-year old vines contribute concentration of flavor and the time in oak adds spice and cedar notes. ($27)

grandes Vinos y ViÑedos corona de aragÓn crianza 2011The largest winery in all of Aragon, Grandes Vinos y Viñedos produces under a number of different brands. This label is named for the great kingdom of Aragon which reigned in the Middle Ages. The Crianza is composed of Tempranillo, Cabernet, Garnacha and Cariñena from 40-year-old vines. Brown wished it had a bit more acidity. ($12-$15)

grandes Vinos y ViÑedos Monasterio de las ViÑas reserVa 2008Dominated by Garnacha from 45-year old bush wines, this was the group’s favorite wine from this producer. Brown complimented its “pretty fruit character and dried flower

aromas,” while Vida admired the flavors of black tea and dark plums and balanced tannins. “This is the highlight of the older wines we have tasted today,” shared Pastuszak. “It has the best combination of fruit purity and evolution, and didn’t fall apart with time.” ($12-$15)

grandes Vinos y ViÑedos Monasterio de las ViÑas gran reserVa 2007The group found this to be a very elegant Gran Reserva, laden with mulled fruit, crushed red berries, earth and a lovely floral character. Garnacha, Termpranillo and Cariñena (40- to 50-year-old vines) make up the blend, which spent 24 months in French and American oak. “This really held up,” said Pastuszak. “It has a good structure and still shows youthful character. The oak is present,

but doesn’t dominate or dry out the fruit character.” ($15-$18)

Bodegas Paniza ViÑas VieJas de Paniza garnacha 2012The vineyards are located at the foot of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range, which runs from the Cantabrian hills in the Northeast to the Mediterranean. A large cooperative, the winery has undergone a major overhaul in recent years, outfitted with high-tech winemaking equipment. Vines up to 100 years old contribute to this wine, which spends six months in French and American oak barrels. The panel praised this wine for its purity of black fruit flavors and long finish. “It shows terrific violet aromas and well-integrated oak,” added Pastuszak. ($18)

cariÑena’s blesseD Terroir

spanish-sommelier José Carlos román joined the tasting.

D.O.P. Cariñena is focused on a new tagline, “The Next Great Grape,” that builds on the popularity of Garnacha

sourced from older vines (the region has more old-vine Garnacha than any other in Spain). Large, rocky soils predominate here, forcing vines to burrow deep for water. Punishing conditions—extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night, low rainfall, and the whipping Cierzo winds—can make farming difficult for growers, but can result in superior grapes. Slow ripening ensures phenolic maturation without excessive alcohol, and good tannic structure. Elevation—up to 2,600 feet, high for Spain—helps Cariñena’s 35,000 acres of vines retain acidity.

Since 1933, M.S. Walker has been proud to offera dynamic range of quality products to

our valued customers across the country.

©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com©2015 M.S. Walker, Inc. Produced & Bottled/Imported By M.S. Walker, Inc., Somerville, MA 13% - 50.5% Alc/Vol. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. www.mswalker.com

Grocery stores sell $3 wines. Convenience stores have wines at $5. What about independent wine retailers?

How low in price should a wine shop go?I called a selection of wine retailers

around the country, and I didn’t find any independent shops that carry bottles of wine under $6. Some carry jugs and boxes of wine that cost the equivalent of less than $6 per 750ml. But ultra-cheap wine in a bottle doesn’t seem to be a good product for wine stores.

Even $6 was on the low side. “The lowest we’ve had was $6.99.

We’ve got two or three SKUs,” Julia Cochran, store manager for The Wine Club in Santa Clara, CA, told me.

Most every wine shop I spoke to, even the most exclusive, carries at least one wine under $10. So the bottom tier in 2015 for independent retailers is somewhere between $6 and $10.

I was curious about the dynamic at work here. In discussing their stocking principles, I learned there are a number of reasons that savvy independents are deliberately avoiding the lowest of the price rungs:

Super-cheap wines in grocery stores, like the infamous Two-Buck Chuck (now $2.50 even in California) are loss leaders for stores whose main business is not wine. “Trader Joe’s sells Two Buck Chuck because they sell other things,” said Ken Irving, Director of Fine Wine at Westchester Wine Warehouse in White Plains, NY. “They bring people in to buy $2 wine and make very little margin, but they’re also selling chicken and making 100% margin.”

In states where grocery stores are al-lowed to sell wine, people looking to buy $5 to $7 wine usually pick it up while buying pork chops and applesauce. “My

consumer base is basically the $10 to $20 people,” noted Ken Maykut, a wine manager at Coastal Wine & Spirits in Branford, CT.

The U.S. wine market is divided. Sales of wine under $10 have been fall-ing, but over $10 have been rising, and over $20 is the hottest of all. Thus, even if stores find a great $7 wine, it may be too cheap for their clientele.

NEW SWEET SPOTSThis fundamental rising price point represents a big change from five years ago, when consumers were trading down after the economic crisis. Now, they’re trading up. “The premium wine business is strong and prospects are good,” says wine industry analyst Jon Fredrikson. “All the big wineries—Gallo, Constellation, the Wine Group, DFV—are moving into the $10 to $14 segment.”

SELLING THE GOOD STUFFINDEPENDENTS FIND REWARD IN VALUE SWEET SPOTS, AVOIDING LOWEST PRICE TIER

BY W. BLAKE GRAY

RETAILMANAGEMENT

In contrast, Fredrikson says wines priced below $9 began steadily dropping in sales in late 2011. In food and drug stores measured by Nielsen, sales of wines under $10 dropped 816,000 cases in 2014, while sales of wines priced $10 to $14 rose by just over 1 million cases.

It appears that the economic or some stores, carrying $8 wines would hurt their image. “We are a boutique, artisanal producer-oriented wine store,” says Mark Mazur, operations manager of Best Wine Purveyors in Pleasantville, NY. “We do not go below about $10 a bottle. We can’t find wines that are good enough to sell that represent the store that we are. The fighting range for us is $14 to $19.”

New York, of course, is a special case because grocery stores are not allowed to sell wine. Given that context, there is a need for stores like Westchester Wine Warehouse. It’s in a relatively affluent area, but it still carries Glen Ellen and jugs. Ken Irving employs “stores within the store” to service multiple different types of custom-ers that come in: “Some are coming in be-cause they want the jug wine, they know they can get it here, and it’s reliable. Then you’ll have the everyday consumer who’s looking for something $8 to $25. Then you’ll have the higher-end collector who wants to buy Mouton-[Rothschild].”

Even with some clients that might be interested in very cheap wines, though, there is an important factor limiting Westchester Wine Warehouse’s purchase of them: margin. “If you could sell $6 wine and you paid $1 for it, you would want to sell it all day,” Irving says. “The margins make it worthwhile.”

For the most part, distributors in New York don’t, and can’t, offer bottles of wine at such low wholesale prices, which means that selling a $6 wine at 20% margin just isn’t as attractive as selling a $15 wine at 20% margin.

States like California don’t have that issue. Retailers can buy direct from many sources, which means theoretically it’s

possible to get a wine very cheaply and charge a decent margin on it. However, such a deal would almost certainly have to be exclusive to a single store.

“If I saw a great $5 wine, I might be interested but I’d also be interested in a nice mark-up on it,” says The Wine Club’s Cochran. “We’d look at Wine Searcher and see what kind of mark-up we could get. The effort to bring in the wine, and put it in the system, wouldn’t be worth it for a 20% mark-up.”

THE QUALITY-PRICE CONUNDRUMI’ve skipped over a crucial issue about cheap wines in fine wine shops: Even with the worldwide advances in winemaking and hygiene, wines under about $7 usually just aren’t very good.

This has become a huge problem in the United Kingdom, where years of ruthless price competition among the five big supermarkets that dominate wine sales have taught British consumers that wine can be had for 5 pounds sterling. At current exchange rates, that’s about $7.50, so it’s not as cheap as the cheapest wines in U.S. food stores.

However, these supermarket wines have developed a terrible reputation and, rather than nudging customers upscale, as has happened in the U.S., they have begun to drive consumers away to other alcoholic beverages.

For smaller American shops that emphasize a curated selection, it has be-come very difficult to find wines under $10 that fit the bill. “The less-than-$10 segment is made of world surplus bulk wines,” says Jeff Bitter, Vice President of Operations at Allied Grape Growers in California.

At Best Wine Purveyors, Mazur and his staff write information cards about every wine. They’re not averse to large producers. “We have La Vieille Ferme blanc. That’s our lowest-priced wine,” Mazur says. “It’s a fairly widely available brand, but it’s the Perrin family and it is well made. We’ve also got Thomas Hyland Cabernet from Australia, from Penfolds. I can tell customers the story of Penfolds. And we’ve been able to find small Bordeaux producers that fit in the $10 to $12 range.”

But drop below $10 and that kind of wine with a story behind it tends to drop away, replaced by generic varietal wine from whatever country currently has the cheapest currency.

There is a customer for that kind of wine, and you can see them, state laws permitting, in Trader Joe’s, buying com-modity wine by the case. However, as long as the economy remains strong, when cus-tomers come to your independent wine shop, chances are good that super-cheap isn’t what they’re looking for. Which means less time and energy invested at that low-margin low end, and more in-vested in developing a value “sweet spot” that works for your clientele.

Times change, people change, budgets and behavior change. “With gas prices being so low, I’m getting people to step up out of their $20 range and buy a $25 wine,” says Coastal Wine & Spirits’ Maykut. ■

Wine sales under $10 dropped 816,000 cases in 2014, while wine sales priced between $10–$14 increased by 1 million cases.

Ken Maykut, a wine manager at Coastal Wine & Spirits in Branford, CT.

Just what role do flavored whiskies have in a hard-core whiskey program like his? “There are some flavors that are far better than others,” Vargas shares. “When it comes to cocktails, I prefer those that offer an authentic flavor and aren’t too sweet.”

For his “Friends With P” creation—inspired by the classic Gold Rush cocktail, a mix of bourbon, lemon and honey—Vargas uses Jim Beam Honey along with Beam’s Rye and gives it a grapefruit twist (“I love the aroma of grapefruit, so I shake the drink with a grapefruit peel”).

“We use honey in a lot of our cocktails here, and using Jim Beam Honey is so much easier than stirring in real honey. In a high-volume account like ours,

that is a huge asset,” Vargas explains. Most importantly: “It actually tastes like honey.”

Jim Beam Honey is a classic shot (in fact, Vargas offers it as part of a beer-and-shot special at Happy Hour, rotating the beer with the seasons), but Halley Kehoe, Senior Brand Manager, Jim Beam, re-ports seeing a lot of recent interest from bartenders in mixing with it, too: “We’ve seen a lot of excitement around Jim Beam Honey in the basic “plus 1’s” (cola, ginger

ale, etc.), and also with citrus (lemon, grapefruit, orange) as well other

unique pairings such as hazel-nut or amaretto liqueur. The fact that it is infused with real honey, not artificially fla-

vored, really resonates with the mixology community.” n

“friends with p”

American Whiskey, New York City

oncall

oN CAll@

american whiskey

Midtown West, NYC

americanwhiskeynyc.com

Few bars pour as much whiskey as Manhattan’s American Whiskey. Bartender Joey Vargas offers 150 American whiskies, along with 50 others from around the world, and estimates that whiskey in

some form makes up close to 70% of what people drink at this establishment.

Jim Beam Honey shot with a beer

Joey Vargas at American Whiskey

friends with p

1 oz Jim Beam honey1 oz Jim Beam 90 proof rye½ oz angostura amaro.38 oz grapefruit juice.38 oz lemon

Shake with one grapefruit twist in the shaker. Strain over fresh ice.

Jim Beam cocktail

tapping into jim beam’s sweet sideJim Beam Honey is rigHt atHome in wHiskey cocktails

By KRISTen BIeleR

tequila double-shotPernod ricard brands aviÓn & altos Make a Powerful Pair By jeffery lindenmuth

figures from the distilled Spirits Council of the united States affirm that position. high-end premium and super-premium tequila, the exclusive domain of 100% agave offerings, have registered impressive growth over the past decade. for the period beginning in 2002 and ending 2013, the super-premium segment of the u.S. tequila market, virtually unknown a decade ago, soared 481% in volume, while high-end premium tequila attained a 178% increase. it’s an impressive run by any measure, especially for a spirit that has relied almost exclusively on sales of shots and a

single signature cocktail—the margarita—since making a splash in the u.S. in the 1960s.

tequila Avión, created by entrepreneur Ken Austin in 2009 and majority owned by Pernod ricard since 2014, is a perfect poster child for the changing opinions and perceptions surrounding tequila. through Austin’s friendship with doug ellin, creator of the hBO series Entourage, Avión landed a starring role in two seasons of the hit series soon after its launch. Avión’s appearance in Entourage’s fictional hollywood fast lane gave rise to an

interesting challenge: viewers weren’t sure if Avión was real. “Ken was pleased, but also pained because he was approaching tequila from a purely flavor perspective, and for people to say it was a marketing brand was simply not true,” recalls jenna fagnan, President of tequila Avión. the company

brandprofile

dominic Alcocer’s title says it all: director of tequilas, Pernod ricard uSA. the french-based company is betting big on the continued ascent of mexico’s national spirit with not just one, but two high-quality 100% agave tequilas that complement

each other in advancing market share and the overall tequila category. “the tequila age is just beginning! Our commitment as a company is ensuring we are competing with extremely well-crafted spirits that are in the fastest-growing categories,” says Alcocer.

Top of page: Avión founder Ken Austin takes a break with the jimadors who work exclusively for Avión. Olmeca Altos is known to its many Millennial fans simply as Altos. Above: Fans of the brand tend to favor Avión tequilas on the rocks. Avión Espresso, 70 proof and made with Italian espresso, has extended appeal to bartenders.

responded with a “yes, it’s real” campaign and saw demand soar. Whether choosing Avión Silver, resposado or Añejo, tequila lovers, who tend to favor the spirit on the rocks, quickly learned that Avión had the quality to back the buzz. At the 2012 San francisco World Spirits Competition, Avión Silver took the honors for not only World’s Best tequila, but also World’s Best White Spirit, beating out hundreds of vodkas, gins and rums. fagnan quickly recognized that Avión had the hallmarks of a lasting luxury brand: “tequila has to be fun and lifestyle. But something i learned in my time at lVmh, working on not just Champagne but watches, is that you can’t have a quality brand that lasts without quality first.”

much like the best wines, Avión is not made delicious by doing anything drastically different, but rather through incredibly meticulous attention to the smallest details. “Ken is such a stickler, every step of the way,” she says, noting the agave for Avión comes from 7,000 feet above sea level, where deep-rooted plants result in deeper concentrations of flavor. After being hand-

harvested at the peak of maturity by exclusive jimadors, these agave piñas are slow roasted in a brick oven to develop flavors that can’t be created in a modern autoclave. After three days, the sweet, baked piñas are allowed to rest to re-absorb their juices, much like a sizzling steak.

during distillation in a copper pot still, master distiller Alejandro lopez takes a very narrow cut of only the best distillate, followed by a proprietary filtering to create tequila Avión. “in the end, each bottle takes about 30% more agave than other tequilas. Ken is more about the finished product than cost. that entrepreneurial spirit of not cutting corners is a philosophy that guides the whole team,” says fagnan.

With unaged Avíon Silver (averaging $40/750 ml retail) as the flagship, fagnan notes that they also sell “an unusually large amount of resposado and Añejo,” aged six months and two years respectively. it’s not surprising given the excellent value of these expressions, priced only about $5-$10 more than Silver at retail.

olmeca altos: more than a sidekickOlmeca Altos has joined Avión at Pernod ricard, created by two bartenders who envisioned an authentic tequila that skews younger, while offering exceptional value. “Altos,” as fans know it, relies on some of its agave crushed by a two-ton stone tahona wheel, one of only seven distilleries in

mexico to retain the traditional method. Also like Avión, it is brick-oven baked. Priced around $25 at retail, the Altos Plata (a blanco style) and resposado offer incredibly affordable introductions to authentic 100% agave tequila.

“Altos is a younger consumer, often coming from mixto [tequila] or other spirits. they are ready to leave spring break behind. these are the same folks who are starting to explore the nuances of bourbon or Scotch and want to explore other authentic quality spirits,” says Alcocer.

While co-founders dre masso and the late henry Basant brought star bartender pedigree to the brand, the original vision of a quality tequila with a compelling price and a robust flavor profile that excels in cocktails is in good hands with co-founder and maestro tequilero jesús hernández. “henry’s life force is present in the liquid itself,” says Alcocer. “When we work with bartenders and mixologists and the trade community, i love to see the playfulness and creativity, all the ways they bring

Altos to life.”Pernod ricard also brings

Altos to life by connecting directly with consumers. At

altostequila.com, consumers are inspired to go beyond the normal margarita, with cocktails beautifully photographed in martini glasses, teacups, mason jars and flutes. in fact, most of the marketing spend for Altos is in digital. “youtube has more of our target consumer

than all the networks combined. it’s hypertargeted and very efficient,” says Alcocer. inventive on-premise promotions include a bicycle handing out free tacos street-food style.

With two progressive tequilas, united by their pursuit of quality, Alcocer sees only great synergy for the future: “i love having both these brands. it is exactly where we need to be to meet the needs of where consumers are going.” n

Since 2002, the super-premium and high-end segments of the U.S. tequila market have enjoyed an impressive run by any measure.

The pinnacle of the Avión range is Reserva 44, an extra añejo that receives 43 months in oak barrels, then an additional month in petite barrels, rotated daily to achieve a dark, rich flavor profile with well-integrated oak and lush vanilla. Priced at $150, Reserva 44 declares that tequila is prepared to compete with whiskey, Cognac and other aged spirits.

A New SigNAture CuvÉe from grove ridgeNew from winemaker Michael Alley, Grove Ridge Cuvée Brut is crafted using premium California Chardonnay and French Colombard grapes. With aromas of apple and pear, the bubbly has balanced acids and finishes with flavors of caramel and citrus fruits. Pairs beautifully with goat or sheep cheeses and charcuterie. Available in 750ml and 187ml bottles nationwide. Marketed by Bronco Wine Co.

SrP: $11.99/750ml; $4.99/187ml

Facebook.com/BroncoWineCompanybroncowine.com

SrP: $23.99

NEWPRODUCTS&PROMOTIONS

Facebook.com/JackTNFirejackfire.com

JaCk daNiel’S fireS up New CiNNAmoN SpiritFollowing a promising limited release in 2014, Jack Daniel’s red-hot cinnamon spirit is taking aim at Fireball nationwide. Tennesse Fire, aka “Jack Fire,” brings together the distinctive character of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey with a red-hot cinnamon spice liqueur. The result is a sweet, hot kick that complements the classic taste of Jack Daniel’s. 70 proof.

laird’S ‘JerSey LightNiNg’ iS A CLeAr tAke oN AppLeJACkLaird & Company, known for premium applejack, is rolling out Laird’s “Jersey Lightning” Apple Brandy. The first new Laird’s branded product to be introduced in almost two decades, the clear, un-aged apple distillate has a full mouthfeel with rich flavors of apples and peaches. 100 proof.

SrP: $99.99singlepotstill.com

AwArd-wiNNiNg YelloW SPoTwhiSkey eNterS u.S. mArketYellow Spot, one of Ireland’s premier Single Pot Still Irish Whiskies, has officially entered the U.S. market. The 12-year-old Single Pot Still is matured in a combination of bourbon, Sherry and Malaga casks. Known for its complex taste profile, it possesses honey sweetness with pot still spices. Hints of coffee, creamy milk chocolate and crème brûlée are also found in this complex Irish whiskey. 92 proof.

SrP: $29.99lairdandcompany.com

‘BeerS of mexiCo’ vAriety pACk returNS with Limited editioN doS equiS AzuLAfter a successful select-market run, Heineken USA has announced the return of the “Beers of Mexico” variety pack including the limited-edition Dos Equis Azul—a blend of signature golden wheat lager and blue agave. Dos Equis Azul will be available only in the 12-bottle Fiesta Pack, joining Dos Equis Lager, Tecate and Sol. The “Beers of Mexico” program will run through July 2015.

Facebook.com/Heinekenheinekenusa.com

SrP: $17

Facebook.com/CoppolaWine

francisfordcoppolawinery.com

FraNCiS Ford CoPPola wiNery LAuNCheS SofiA red BLeNdSofia wines started as a sparkling wine, emblematic of Francis Coppola’s love for his daughter. The line moved to varietal wines, and now Sofia Red joins the red blend fray. Made from Paso Robles fruit, Sofia Red is composed of 62% Grenache, 37% Syrah and 1% Mourvèdre, offering aromas of red cherries, pomegranate and tea leaves with a touch of tangerine.

SrP: $15.99

SrP: $12.99 SrP: $11.99/750ml

Facebook.com/captainmorganuSa

Facebook.com/19Crimes Facebook.com/uvvodka

captainmorgan.com

19crimes.com uvvodka.com

trio of New fLAvorS from CaPTaiN MorgaNCaptain Morgan is looking ahead to warmer weather with three new flavor expressions: Pineapple Rum, Coconut Rum and Grapefruit Rum. Each variant blends Captain Morgan White Rum with natural flavors, making them perfect for simple cocktails, as well as more complex, Caribbean-inspired drinks. Available nationwide. 70 proof.

19 CriMeS AddS A CABerNet to the CrimiNAL LiNeupThe Australian brand 19 Crimes celebrates the founding of that nation by criminals. With the Shiraz-driven 19 Crimes red blend already a hit, a Cabernet Sauvignon has just been added to the criminal line-up. Featuring the signature dark frosted bottle and a new criminal’s image on the label, 19 Crimes Cabernet aims to appeal to Millennials.

refreSh with uv vodka’S NeweSt fLAvorUV Vodka has an eye on summer with their latest flavor, UV Ruby Red Grapefruit. This refreshingly mixable spirit strikes a balance between tangy and sweet. Made with all natural flavors and real grapefruit juice, it is delicious over ice or in a mixed cocktail. Available nationwide in 1L, 750ml and 50ml bottles. 60 proof.

SrP: $46.99/1l

Facebook.com/Bolsgeneverbols.com

BolS importS oLdeSt geNever SiNCe repeALLucas Bols, producer of Bols Genever, has released a single-barrel genever aged six years. It is now the oldest genever available in the U.S. market since Prohibition. This genever was aged in American white oak, as opposed to the classic Bols Genever which is aged in French Limousin oak. Bols Barrel Aged Genever can be enjoyed at room temperature, with a splash of water or ice, as an aperitif, a digestif or in an old-fashioned. Four hundred 1L bottles are available nationwide. 80 proof.

AN iNSpired piNot Noir from aNTareSInspired by the brilliance of the great red star Antares, this Pinot Noir was made by winemaker Michael Alley using fruit from the high elevations of Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak AVA. Aged in American oak, the wine features berry, smoky and earthy aromas. Red-fruit flavors and balancing acidity come together in a very complex Atlas Peak Pinot Noir.

SrP: $29.99

Facebook.com/BroncoWineCompanybroncowine.com

SrP: $7.99-$9.49/six-pack, $2.49-$2.99/24oz can

Facebook.com/TwistedTeatwistedtea.com

TWiSTed Tea iNtroduCeS New yeAr-rouNd fLAvorS The Twisted Tea Brewing Company has announced the release of Twisted Tea Strawberry Lime and Twisted Watermelon Lemonade, both available nationwide. Twisted Tea Strawberry Lime combines the taste of a real iced tea with fresh, fruity strawberry notes and a hint of lime, while the Twisted Watermelon Lemonade is made with real watermelon juice, and is refreshingly light and dry. Both styles come in 6-packs and 24oz cans. 5% ABV.

DESTINATION: CLOVERTRAVIS ST. GERMAIN CLOVER CLUB, BROOKLYN, NY

BY ALIA AKKAM

THE BEVERAGE NETWORK: At a bar like Clover Club, where the classics and modern originals are both so important, how do you stay creative?

TRAVIS ST. GERMAIN: Julie and Tom go through the old menus and decide which classic drinks and authors we still haven’t paid homage to. Then, seasonal drink categories are chosen. Once all this is done I, along with the rest of the bar team, look at a sort of skeleton of a menu and we talk about how best to fill it in. The hardest part is deciding who gets to make which styles of drinks. After that’s done, we start working on our assignments.

TBN: Clover Club is a beloved industry den and, as revealed on hectic Saturday nights, attracts a more mainstream crowd as well. How does it lure in both demographics? TS: Clover Club has always done things the way that Julie wants them to be done. I think that her style of hospitality and service is appealing to a lot of different kinds of people; whether they’re in the industry, neighbors or cocktail enthusiasts. Lucky for both of us, we serve food until 3:00am and get to see a couple

of our favorite neighborhood industry pros for their dinner and nightcap.

TBN: Clover Club has such an esteemed reputation. Are patrons especially curious?

TS: Most people going to a bar like Clover Club will ask you if they have a question. Then some will try to stump you with a question, when it’s obvious they already know the answer to it. If it’s slow, and a guest looks interested, I’m happy to nerd out about the drink in front of them and all the ingredients in it, but for the most part people who are drinking would rather talk about something that is going to make them laugh rather than the tedium of mash bills, brix levels and char numbers. The staff is constantly going through trainings put on by distillers, liquor conglomerates and brand ambassadors. We try to take in as much as possible and spare our guests the painful details.

TBN: Now that you’re working with Yaguara, what cocktails are you turning guests onto at the bar to try cachaça?

TS: Everything but the caipirinha. The beauty of artisanal cachaça is in the aro-

matics. It also has a relatively low acid level due to the distillation of sugarcane juice. This gives it enough versatility to throw a ton of lime juice at it without losing balance —or even amari and vermouth for much more interesting and fun results.

TBN: Having traveled to Brazil, what are the biggest differences you encountered in their bar culture?

TS: In both Rio and in Sao Paulo I imme-diately saw the emphasis on fresh fruit. In Brazil everything revolves around the in-digenous tropical fruits, most of which are not exported. My favorite, and one I hope to see here in the States, is caju, which the cashew grows off of. It tastes simi-lar to the nut, however it has the texture, sugar and acid level of a peach. Some of the fruits are highly unusual, but in Brazil bartenders utilize many of them with the utmost care and skill. ■

BARTALK

B artender Travis St. Germain spends his nights at Brooklyn’s famed Clover Club, working alongside owner Julie Reiner and head bartender Tom Macy. When he’s not slinging drinks, he consults for new-to-the-States cachaça brand Yaguara, spreading the gospel of an on-the-rise spirit.

“The staff is constantly going through trainings. We try to take in as much as possible and spare our guests the painful details.”

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?GET THE WHOLE PICTUREConnecticut’s only trade magazine and

comprehensive online resource for the local

licensed beer, wine and spirits industry.

GET

MARKET INFORMATION

LEARN

ABOUT NEW PRODUCTS

READ

NEWS, BE NEWS

SHOP

PRODUCTS & PRICES 24/7

CALL US AT 203.288.3375

VISIT US AT WWW.THEBEVERAGEJOURNAL.COM

REAL-TIME PRODUCTS AND PRICES, ANYTIME,

VIA MOBILE PHONE, TABLET OR LAPTOP

ONLINE ORDERING 24/7

INCLUDEDIN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

PLUS ACCESS TO THE ONLINE PRODUCT PORTAL

UPSCALED - The Beverage Journal

Documents

Transcript of UPSCALED - The Beverage Journal