IrishWhiskeyEXPANDING MARKET SHAREIS MORE THAN JUST LUCK

CHIANTI 101

SELLING BORDEAUX NOW

BAR DESIGN GETS SMART

TIPS FOR VINTAGE

WINES6

MARCH 2018

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MARCH18

VOLUME80NUMBER03 March 2018 BEVERAGE JOURNAL 1

Maryland l Washington, DC l DelawareFEATURES

18 Irish Whiskey: More Than Just Luck The Irish resurgence is looking more and more like a sustainable trend.

28 Chianti 101 Tuscany’s staple red remains a vital, multi-level category.

30 Bordeaux’s Shifting Gears Modern Bordeaux is ready for its close-up.

32 It Was a Very Good Year (Wasn’t It?) Tips for selling wine with vintages in mind.

38 Bar Biz: Speed + Style Form is finally catching up to function behind the bar.

DEPARTMENTS

02 Pub Page: Distilled Spirits Council Reports Record Sales l WSWA's Craig Wolf Leaving Association

04 In Memoriam: James ' Andy' Anderson

06 By The Numbers

08 Talkin Tech

10 The Find

12 Wine Buzz

14 Last Call: Optimizing Irish Coffee

16 Bar Talk

26 Brand Profile: With Knappogue, Castle Brands has an Irish whiskey tiger by the tail

36 New Products & Promotions

MARYLAND ONLY

42 The New Federal Tax Law: Local professionals react

46 Made In Maryland: News About Local Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries

48 Market Shots: Local News, Events & Promotions

1md Wholesaler Directory, Brand Index & Price List

WASHINGTON DC ONLY

1dc Wholesaler Directory & Brand Index

DELAWARE ONLY

1de Supplier Brand Index ON THE COVER: Photograph by Marti Sans / Stocksy

30

04

42

18

26

28

2 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

Distilled Spirits Council Reports Record Spirits Sales

The Distilled Spirits Council recently released their 2017 economic impact report. “We were very pleased to report record sales of distilled spirits and increased market share at our Annual Economic Briefing in New York City to a packed audience of business media and Wall Street analysts,” explained Kraig Naasz, Distilled Spirits Council President and CEO.

Key drivers of growth included American Whiskey, up 8.1 percent or $252 million to $3.4 billion; Tequila, up 9.9 percent or $246 million to $2.7 billion; Cognac, up 13.8 percent or $200 million to $1.6 billion; and Irish Whiskey, up 12.8 percent or $114.8 million to $897 million.

The spirits sector had a banner year in 2017, driven by consumer confidence in the U.S. economy, product innovations that adult consumers want, and a fascination with premiumization across categories.

WSWA President and CEO Craig Wolf to Depart June 30

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) President and CEO Craig Wolf has announced that he will depart the organization at the end of June, capping an 18-year run at the association that serves as the voice of family-owned American distribu-tors of wine and spirits.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work within the beverage alcohol industry in general and in the wholesale tier in particu-lar. In so many ways, distributors represent the American dream—family businesses,

grown over time through hard work, passed on to the next generation, yet always at the forefront of technology, innovation and continuing to responsibly deliver the variety and choice that makes the American market the envy of the world,” Wolf said.

The association has achieved an impres-sive record of accomplishment under Wolf’s leadership.

WSWA recently concluded a decade-long effort to protect tax provisions impor-tant to wholesalers and support tax relief for family-owned businesses. The WSWA-Polit-ical Action Committee is ranked among the association community’s largest and most well-known, having grown from $341,000 per year when he took over to more than $1 million per year, backing candidates in both parties who support issues important to wholesalers. During that same time frame, the organization has grown from 12 staff members and a $6 million budget to 23 staff members and an $11 million annual budget.

WSWA’s membership ranks have expanded to include small and mid-size wholesalers and its suite of member services have grown considerably during Wolf’s term—as has the success and market impact of the WSWA Annual Convention & Expo-sition, which has experienced seven straight years of growth. Under Wolf’s leadership, the organization built WSWA’s State Law Database, an industry-leading research tool used by wholesalers, suppliers, associations and attorneys nationwide—a first of its kind product.

WSWA’s Executive Committee has begun a nationwide search for Wolf’s succes-sor. n

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The opinions expressed by guest columnists are their own and not necessarily those of The Beverage Journal, Inc. The Beverage Journal, Inc. is an affirmative action/equal opportunity corporation.

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4 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

By Teddy Durgin

Apologies ahead of time to anyone I didn't get to talk to for this trib-ute feature on long-time Mary-land beverage salesman James

"Andy" Anderson. I know I missed quite a few of you. Because every time I would talk to a former co-worker, boss, or relative of his, that person would inevitably end the inter-view with, "Hey, did you also speak to so-and-so? No? Oh, you absolutely HAVE to get some quotes from him! He knew him best!" Maybe that was Anderson's secret magic. He made so many people in his professional and personal life feel like they knew him best. Anderson died on Jan. 31 after a battle with cancer. He was 75. Anderson grew up in the College Park/Greenbelt area and graduated from High Point High School in 1960. He first worked for the local telephone company as a lineman before getting involved in bever-age sales.

He worked for Standard, retired from Reliable Churchill, then came out of retire-ment to sell for Prestige Beverage Group.

His work ethic was practically legendary. But it was his ability to work with others and help them that really distinguished him.

His daughter, Kim Hanke, recalled, "He was known for being a mentor. Since his passing, I've heard so many stories from vari-ous individuals in the industry. And over and over again, I can't tell you how many people have said to me, 'I learned SO much from him!' I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't met him.' That's huge when you think about it."

Some of the people he mentored are among the biggest names in our business. James "Jimmy" Smith Jr. of the Smith/Reli-able Churchill dynasty recalled, "I learned the business from Andy. I was 22 years old when I started at Reliable Liquors in 1973. He had started in 1971, but he already knew so much. He made me come out and see his trunk. I asked, 'Andy, why do I need to see your trunk?' And he said, 'Every salesman should have this in their trunk.' It looked like a miniature Staples! He had markers and cardboard and stuff to do what a sales-man does … to merchandise product."

Retired Reliable Churchill salesman Ed-

die Gardiner was one of his best friends, hav-ing met him in 1986. He also had a funny anecdote to tell about Anderson. "We intro-duced Wyndham Estates' Australian wines into the Maryland market," he recalled, "and it was around the time 'Crocodile Dundee' was popular. So, he and I had this bright idea of dressing me up in a bush jacket, a drover's hat, and a knife, and we'd pretend Andy brought me in from the winery Down Under. I developed an Australian accent and spoke like this all day. 'G'day mate! That's not a knife!'"

Gardiner continued, "The month before that, we had Jameson Irish whiskey at the time. So, I pretended I was from Ireland and the distillery brought me over, and I did a whole accent for that all day while Andy was my straight man. And I'll never forget. At the Wyndham event, this old retired of-ficer walked up to Andy and said, 'Hey, you know that guy you got here from Australia. He looks an awful lot like that guy from Ire-land last month!' Andy said, 'Excuse me, sir.' And he went to a back room and you could just hear him belly laughing!"

Even Hamke had a humorous story to

LEAVING A LEGACY THAT EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

James 'andy' anderson

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WE HONORWE HONOR

Rougeon Dark and Erratic

BY KEVIN ATTICKS

This black French-American hybrid

grape is known for its ability to make simple, tasty wines.

Rougeon produces medium-sized compact clusters. Its grape vines are hardy, but production can be erratic at times, causing its yields to come as often as twice a year or as few as every two years.

Like all other grapes, Rougeon is susceptible to disease. The two highest disease exposures this grape could suffer from are downy mildew and powdery mildew. These diseases have the potential to reduce vine growth, yield, quality, and winter hardiness, especially because the Rougeon grows in tight clusters. Other disease

susceptibilities are black rot and botrytis as well as some sensitivity to sulfur.

Rougeon also produces a beautiful red color and is often mixed to make a blended wine. However, it has also been used to make port wines. Rougeon grape is often blended with grapes such as Chambourcin and Baco Noir. Erik Bandzak, of Aliceanna Winery chose this grape due to its deep red color and very dry taste.

“Most winemakers use this grape to make port-style wines, but I believe it has a great taste on its own,” said Bandzak.

Bandzak maintains that his use of the grape has lit-tle to no downsides. “While most winemakers dislike it because of its inconsistent

yields, I have been able to source enough from the farm for the last 10 years to make the smaller amounts I require,” said Bandzak. “I have found it to be consistent in taste and color.”

Romano Winery, founded by Joseph and Jo-Ann Romano, also uses Rougeon in its wines. The founders say that Rougeon boasts “a black cherry aroma leads to a medium-bodied red with a deliciously sweet finish.” The label suggests enjoying with red meat, ripe cheeses or good conversation.

Joe Romano spoke highly of the Rougeon grape. “One of the reasons that I selected Rougeon was because Rougeon wine was not widely avail-able as a varietal as it is typically used in blending for its color,” said Romano. He was looking for a wine that would stand out, and he found the dark red color and aroma attrac-tive and thought as a sweet wine—also atypical or this grape—it would be very interesting. “In the end, the wine turned out to be everything I hoped for, and it’s great with chocolate!”

Taste Maryland WineCome to The Maryland Wine

Festival in September. We have passes available for members of the trade to come to The Maryland Wine Festival in September at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster. To register for passes, contact a Mary-land winery representative. Limit two passes per account.

Come early on Saturday, Septem-ber 15 or Sunday, September 16 to try Maryland wines and learn more about our industry before the crowds arrive. Learn more about the event on www.marylandwine.com/events-festivals. n

MARYLANDWINERIES

KEVIN ATTICKS is the executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, the trade group representing Maryland’s wineries. He is a regular contributor to the Daily Record and was the wine editor of The Grapevine magazine. Kevin may be reached at 410 252-WINE or kevin@marylandwine.com.

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tell of her father on the job. "One of the bosses, I can't remember his name, told me he went with one of his salesman on a call to a particular store. That salesman took off his coat, laid it down, and looked at the boss and said, 'Sir, you gotta take your coat off!' And he said, 'Why?' And the salesman replied, 'Because Andy said so! It's what you do!' My father always preached that when you go into a store, you take your coat off, you find a place for your own things, because they then know you're there to stay. You're committed to their success."

Most had a favorite personal memory of Anderson, too. For Smith, it was the time Andy got him on Air Force One parked at Andrews Air Force Base. "Andy had contacts, and he said 'Would you like to go on Air Force One?' I said, 'Oh, come on, Andy!' Whatever it took, he got us on. It was during Ronald Reagan's term, so we saw the famous jar of jellybeans on the plane. I still have the Presidential match-box cover I took from the plane!"

Bill Burrill, Director of Republic Na-tional's Severn Division, had known An-

derson since 1997. In fact, when Burrill helped Jimmy Smith's late son, Joey, start Prestige Beverage Group in 2013, it was Burrill who proved instrumental in con-vincing Anderson to un-retire and help with sales. "My favorite memory of Andy?!" he exclaimed. "I heard he'd retired, and I heard he was bored. So, I had lunch with him and convinced him to come work for me part-time. A while later, my wife and I were having dinner with Andy, and he said to her, 'Your husband is the best salesman

I have ever met!' And she asked, 'How is that?' And he said, 'He convinced me to come to work for him part-time … and now I'm working 50 hours a week!' But to Andy that was part-time."

All agreed that saying farewell to some-one so special has been hard. But Ander-son left behind a legacy, in ways both big and small, that people can take comfort in for the rest of their days. Smith fondly re-membered, "My son, Joey, was the owner of Prestige Beverage and he passed away in 2016. I remember Andy telling me before that, 'Jimmy, my greatest thrill is now work-ing for the third generation of Smiths. I worked for your father. I worked for you. And now I work for Joey. It's my honor.' I just lost it."

Prestige Beverage Group COO Alex Thompson concluded, "Andy hand-made a sign that hangs in my office. It reads 'Let's Exceed Expectations.' That was Andy. He kept rewriting and raising his own expec-tations for himself, and he never stopped exceeding them." n

www.BeverageJournalInc.com March 2018 BEVERAGE JOURNAL 5

by the numbersN

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR SPIRITSTHE DISTILLED SPIRITS COUNCIL RELEASED THEIR OFFICIAL INDUSTRY STATISTICS FOR 2017. HERE ARE SOME TOP TAKEAWAYS:

MOMENTUM CONTINUED IN 2017SPIRIT TYPE VOLUME GAIN REVENUE GAIN REVENUE

(IN MILLIONS)

TEQUILA + 8.5% + 9.9% $2,731

AMERICAN WHISKEY + 6.4% + 8.1% $3,368

IRISH WHISKEY + 11.3% +12.8% $897

RED HOT CATEGORIES TO WATCH…

PREMIUMIZATION SITUATION Overall, the upward value trend of consumer spending continues. The council divides each beverage alcohol category into four price segments: value, premium, high end and super-premium. In short, value brands are

stagnant or slipping while super-premium is booming. Super-premium offerings rose from 6.9% of the market to 9.7% by volume over the past ten years; an estimated $2.4 billion dollars were gained just from “trading up.”

9.7%22 M

U.S. SPIRITS VOLUME BY PRICE CATEGORY

REVENUE BYPRICE CATEGORY PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION BY PRICE TIER

22.4%5.9 B

33.0%74.7 M

32.4%8.5 B

22.1%49.9 M

29.9%7.8 B

35.2%79.5 M

15.3%4.0 B

Value Premium High End Super-Premium

TASTELESS BUT STRONG Vodka—the sector’s largest category, representing one-third of all volume—had a solid 2017 with volumes up 2.2% and revenues up 3% to $6.2 billion. Interestingly, vodka sales were paced by high-end premium products with revenue growth of more than 15% to $1.6 billion.

GREEN PASTURES ABROAD Spirits exports hit a new high in 2017: $1.63 billion, up 14.3% from 2016, with volumes up 5%, driven by American whiskies representing almost half the volume and two-thirds of the export revenue.

10%

2007 2012 2017

20%

30%

40%

Supplier sales were up 4%, rising $1 billion to a total of $26.2 billion, while volumes rose 2.6% to 226 million cases, up 5.8 million cases from 2016.

Spirits gained market share for the eighth straight year, accounting for 36.6% of alcohol beverage spending, up from 34.7% in 2013. That growth came mainly at the expense of beer.

SUPPLIER SALESINCREASED: 4%

RISING: $1 BILLION

TOTAL: $26.2 BILLION

SUPPLIER VOLUMEINCREASED: 2.6%

RISING: 5.8 MILLION CASES

TOTAL: 226 MILLION CASES

39.5%

35.9%

17.7%

6.9%

38.1%36.1%

18%

7.9%

33.0%35.2%

22.1%

9.7%

1/3VODKA EQUALS

OF ALL SPIRITSBY VOLUME

AMERICAN WHISKIES REPRESENT ABOUT

1/2 OF EXPORT VOLUME

2/3 OF EXPORT REVENUE

M - Millions of 9-Liter cases in price categoryB - Gross revenue in price category, billions

6 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

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NEW SHOPPING CART FEATURES

Beverage Media officially launched our brand-new Shopping Cart and Check-

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Our goal was to improve upon the thousands of orders placed daily with clear and concise information, the ability to view all deal levels in the cart, and the fl exibility to save items for a later date. All of these elements are aimed to streamline the ordering process.

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To learn more about how Beverage Media can help with a website for your store visit BevSites.com, or contact Karli Del Rossi at 617-864-1677. Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/bevsites.

8 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

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PUTTING THE RYE IN SCOTCH? GLENMORANGIE INTROS ‘SPÌOS’Special-release whiskies continue to sprout like mush-rooms after a Scottish rain. The ninth release in the Highland distillery Glenmorangie’s Private Edition series—Glenmorangie Spìos—positions itself as the fi rst single malt scotch whisky fully matured in American ex-rye whiskey casks. (Spìos is Scots Gaelic for spice and pronounced “spee-oss.”) Long before the rye whiskey resurgence of today, Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, sourced fi rst-fi ll casks from Kentucky. Glenmorangie Spìos is non-chill fi ltered and bottled at 92 proof. SRP $99. glenmorangie.com

NEW SAKÉS AIM FOR ATTENTION, TRACTIONIs 2018 a turning-point year for saké? Two brands recently launched in limited markets with an eye on expanding. Heavensake arrives with an offbeat pedigree: it is blended by Régis Camus, of Cham-pagne renown, in collaboration with two saké brew-eries, resulting in the world’s fi rst Franco-Japanese sakés. Heavensake presents two expressions: Junmai Daiginjo (SRP $95-$100) and Junmai Ginjo ($45-$50.) heavensake.com

OLD FORESTER GOES BACK TO BAR BASICSOld Forester and Bourbon Barrel Foods have launched Cocktail Provisions—a collection of three bitters, two syrups and one tincture. The line serves as a reminder that every American generation seems to have a thirst for taking the guesswork out of creating cocktails. “Cocktail Provisions is there to help you fi nd your inner bartender and discover new, unique ways to experience Old Forester,” says Master Taster and Bourbon Specialist Jackie Zayan. The Cocktail Provisions line includes:

n Bitters (Old Forester base)—Bohemian Bitters (cherry to-bacco), Smoked Cinnamon Bitters and Hummingbird Bitters (citrus and fl oral), each SRP $11.50/2 oz;

n Syrups (sugar base—Perfect Old Fashioned Syrup (rich de-merara); and Oleo-Saccharum Syrup, SRP$8.50/2 oz; and

n Salt and Pepper Tincture (water base), SRP $7.50/2oz.oldforester.com

NEW LOOKS FOR BOLS LIQUEURS & BURNETT VODKA

Dutch distiller Lucas Bols has announced a full-line packaging makeover for 2018. “Our mission has always been to improve the cocktail experience for our customers when they visit their local bar or restaurant as well as for home entertaining,” said Brett Dunne, Lucas Bols USA Managing Director. Back labels now include both tasting notes from the Bols Master Distiller and a signature cocktail suggestion. Improved paper quality lets the key ingredient in each fl avor pop off the label. And the Bols logo is crowned by “Amster-dam,” as well as “since 1575” and the Bols family crest. bols.com

For the fi rst time since its inception 25 years ago, Burnett’s Vodka is launching a major redesign. “As an iconic brand, our new bottle and label design celebrates the Burnett’s essence as a leader in fun and entertainment,” notes Max L. Shapira, President, Heaven Hill Brands. The new look features a sleek, taller bottle and refi ned logo; the brand’s 34 all-natural fl avored vodkas also sport updated, custom illustrations. Key brand attributes of “gluten free” and “Made in America” adorn the new two-piece la-bels on the entire line. Pricing will remain the same. burnettsvodka.com

Niche Import Co. is introducing Akashi-Tai, a small artisanal producer based in a fi shing town in Hyogo prefecture, the traditional saké brewing capital of Japan, known for its rice and water. Brewed in small batches, the Akashi-Tai line includes Tokubetsu Honjozo, Tokubetsu Honjozo Genshu, Daiginjo Genshu, Tokubetsu Junmai, Junmai Daiginjo Genshu and Shiraume Ginjo Umeshu, with retail pricing from $20-$58. ourniche.com

10 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

wine buzzW

THE WALKING DEAD WINE: READY FOR ITS SMARTPHONE CLOSE-UPThe zombie apocalypse has reached the wine world—and it’s a lot of fun. The Walking Dead, one of TV’s biggest hits of the past decade, now has a wine label, thanks to Treasury Wine Estates (TWE). The fi rst two releases, Blood Red Blend and a Cabernet Sauvignon, both from California with SRP $18.99, feature packaging that responds to an Augmented Reality (AR) app that proved phenomenally successful with their 19 Crimes line (500,000 downloads for the app).With the updated app, now called “Living Wine Labels,” a smartphone pointed at the Blood Red Blend label brings Sheriff Rick to life as he fi ghts off the “walk-ers” in the wine aisle. The Cabernet has zombies busting out of the label onto the phone screen. The app will continue to work with other TWE la-bels, namely Chateau St. Jean, Beringer Brothers and Gentleman’s Collection. tweglobal.com

ZOMBIESCOMEALIVE!

PUTTING THE “PREMIER” IN POUILLY-FUISSÉ Frédéric Burrier’s Quest To Classify Burgundy’s Most Underrated Appellation

Frédéric Burrier, sixth generation owner of Château de Beauregard in Pouilly-Fuissé, wants his region to move beyond its reputation as “poor man’s Meursault.” So, as president of the local winegrower’s association, he has spent the last two decades dog-gedly pursuing the solution: identify-ing and classifying Pouilly-Fuissé’s best vineyards as Premier Cru.

This affordable appellation inside the Mâconnais, located just south of Burgundy’s more prestigious Côte d’Or region, has long been a favorite of American drinkers—in some years the U.S. has consumed over three-quarters of Pouilly-Fuissé’s production. Unlike its northern neighbor, however, the region has never formally classifi ed its vineyards, which is a serious handicap when it comes to prestige, believes Burrier: “I have worked in Côte d’Or and I knew how important this hierarchy is; I had to convince my colleagues how much it mattered.”

With a complex set of criteria—including taste, historical reputa-tion and prices fetched—Burrier identifi ed 22 designated sites wor-thy of Premier Cru status, a mere 23% of the region’s vineyards. His proposal—recently approved by a majority of producers—comes at a time when Pouilly-Fuissé is achieving new levels of quality. Histori-cally, growers sold their fruit to negociants in Beaune (Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, etc). Today more and more are bottling on their own; a new generation of site-specifi c, higher-quality wines which showcase the terroir’s impressive purity and potential.

With the same landscape of broken cliffs and hard limestone soils as Côte d’Or, plus slightly warmer temperatures which can add a desirable richness, Pouilly-Fuissé belongs in the same league. “The growers here have really proved themselves and the land’s poten-tial,” says Burrier. “There is great excitement to make better, truly Pre-mier Cru wine here and with our new classifi cation system we are one step closer to being recognized for our exceptional quality.”

MATCHING GRAPES & PLACES IN AUSTRALIAHandpicked Wines, true to their name, effectively hand-selects wines from distinct regions that refl ect a supreme sense of place. Although not necessarily limited to Australia, Oz is the brand’s home base and the Aus-sie releases, out now, exemplify the terroir-driven approach.

Each wine in the “Versions” series tells the story of its journey—the region, the vintage, its voyage from vine to drinker. Handpicked Victorian Chardonnay sings with fresh citrus and stone fruit and a slight creamy edge balanced by crisp acidity.

The Regional Selection range is all about classic regional varietal wines. The Margaret River Cabernet has complex aromas (berries, cedar, hints of choco-late) and rich blackberry fl avors comple-mented by fi ne tannin structure.

The Collection range is a set of premium wines each crafted to refl ect a sense of place and excep-tional character, as is evident in the Tasmania Pinot Noir, with its pretty fl oral perfume and bright fruit with hints of herbs and oak complexity.handpickedwines.com.au

THE BURRIER FAMILY OWNS 54 ACRES OF CHARDONNAY IN POUILLY-FUISSÉ APPELLATION,

FARMED SUSTAINABLY.

12 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

RB_print ad_ Berage Journal_8.25x10.875 FA_TZ.indd 2 12/1/17 11:41 AM

last callL

• Dead Rabbit Bushmills Irish Coffee

Ingredients:1 oz Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey.625 oz Rich Demerara Syrup3.25 oz Sumatra Coffee (fresh-brewed)Whipped Cream (33-40% butterfat) Method: Pour all ingredients into a 6 oz Irish Coffee glass leaving half an inch for cream. Top with freshly whipped heavy cream.

Optimizing IrishWith the classic coffee cocktail, a little attention goes a long way.

BY W. R. TISH

T he leprechaun’s pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is pure fiction, but the pot of green

at the end of the bar is quite real. As drinking establishments surf the Irish whiskey wave, bars that cater to the shot crowd are apt to offer creative variations on the theme; and cocktails can be as simple as whiskey-based classics that showcase Irish as their base, or complex creations.

Without doubt the most recognized Irish cocktail is Irish Coffee. A bit tired and stereotypical? Not when given the attention it deserves. At The Dead Rabbit in NYC, partners Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry are currently using Bushmills as a base. Among their other tricks to keep Irish Coffee fresh and rewarding, use:

• roughly a three-to-one ratio of fresh-brewed coffee to whiskey

• concentrated demerara syrup for sweetening

• fresh whipped cream

Beau du Bois oversees the b e v e r a g e p r o g r a m s a t Clifton’s Republic (aka Clifton’s Cafeteria) and the

Edison in downtown Los Angeles.

BEVERAGE MEDIA GROUP: When you joined Clifton’s Republic, which encompasses a number of distinct bars, the objective was to revamp a massive beverage program. How did you approach that?

BEAU DU BOIS: I recognized right out of the gate that I needed to be diligent and patient before creative. First and foremost, I needed to design a cocktail kitchen for all bar prep. With a place the size of Clifton’s, pumping through thousands of people on any given night, the amount of fresh juice and beautiful garnishes is staggering. I wanted to take that strain off the staff so they could focus on great cocktails and service.

BMG: What have you created for Clifton’s so far?

BDB: I’ve tweaked the current Pacific Seas menu with Clifton’s head bartender, Bethany Ham. The Junglebird is seeing a newfound popularity. Now that Clifton’s has fantastic infrastructure for the beverage programs, I’ll be rolling out a new menu for each of the bars over the next few months.

BMG: Prior to Clifton’s you worked at The Corner Door in Culver City, where you were known for themed menus. Why do you think your drinks resonate with guests?

BDB: You’ll always hear me say ‘thoughtful cocktails.’ This applies to the ingredients, recipe, glassware, garnish and the way it reads to the guest. The best cocktail menus are based on the guest experience. If you don’t consider them first, you might as well just toss the menu in the trash.

BMG: Downtown L.A. is rapidly growing and it’s now filled with quality bars. How does Clifton’s stand out?

BDB: With our striking design and history, it was only a matter of time until the staff naturally became ambassadors of the unique curiosities inside. Combine that enthusiasm with top-notch cocktail service. ■

BAR TALK

How long have you been bartending? 14 years

Favorite spirit? Cognac

Favorite cocktail? Pearl Diver

If you weren’t bartending you would be… A writer

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BEAU KNOWSBEAU DU BOIS, CLIFTON’S, LOS ANGELES

BY ALIA AKKAM

For this house specialty, du Bois brews up a big batch of “ginger and turmeric cordial.” To make it, brew two tangerine/ginger tea bags in 1 quart of water for 5 minutes. Blend 95g ginger and 452g turmeric in a Robot Coupe processor and add to tea with 1 quart sugar. Simmer 10 minuntes, then strain and store.

• Evening Glow

Ingredients:2 oz Bourbon ¾ oz Ginger and Turmeric Cordial 1/8 oz Apricot Liqueur ¾ oz Lemon 1 Egg White

Method: Wet shake until chilled, strain into shaker; dry shake. Then pour into chilled Georgian glass. Garnish with mint sprig.

16 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

According to Bord Bia, the Irish food board, revenue from Irish whiskey exports to the U.S. market surged 16%, slightly outpacing the 14% jump in exports to Eu-ropean Union countries outside of Ireland. The Distilled Spirits Council reported 11.3% volume growth for the category in 2017, now totaling over 4 million cases in the U.S.

It seems that Irish is finally reclaiming its place on the world stage. It had been considered, for most of the 19th century and the early 20th century, a spirit of pres-tige before World Wars, trade wars and

American Prohibition helped hasten its fall from prominence—to be usurped, pri-marily, by Scotch.

“It’s a really exciting time for Irish whiskey as there’s been a category-wide commitment to superior taste and qual-ity that has brought on its current boom,” says Paige Parness, Senior Brand Manager for Tullamore D.E.W., owned by Wil-liam Grant & Sons. “I think the reason it resonates with consumers so much is that there’s a camaraderie element to how it’s consumed—in groups, with good friends in bars and social settings—that adds to its appeal.

DEMAND, MEET SUPPLY…Until recently, most U.S. consumers had easy access only to high-volume Irish blends like Jameson and Bushmills—which have certainly represented the genre well—but the category’s resurgence has created an opportunity for above-pre-mium styles like single pot still, single cask, single grain and, yes, even single malt.

Bill Thomas, owner of Washington, DC’s iconic whiskey mecca, Jack Rose

Dining Saloon, says that the market for higher-end Irish whiskey has always been there, it was just a matter of making it available to the consumers who were ready for it—beyond travelers to Ireland bringing back bottles with them. “The problem was accessibility,” says Thomas. “We’re finally getting it imported and into broader markets in the U.S.”

Thomas points to major market events like Beam’s purchase of Cooley Distillery from founder John Teeling in 2012 as sig-nificant factors in Irish whiskey’s expan-sion. Cooley producers of such brands as The Tyrconnell, Kilbeggan, Greenore and Connemara. “Even prior to that, Cooley was introducing some great stuff into the market in dribs and drabs,” Thomas notes. “And we’ve had some independent bot-tlers who were instrumental in bringing some stuff in.”

Pernod Ricard deserves a lot of the credit as well. Not only did the company expand the global market presence for the No. 1 Irish whiskey brand, Jameson, but it

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Jameson, the industry leader in volume and recognition, is also at the forefront of innovation. / Teeling opened in 2015 as the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years. / Lambay is among a wave of new labels reaching U.S. shelves. / Knappogue Castle specializes in age statement single malts, while also producing the value-priced Clontarf. / Barrels resting at Bushmills. / Jameson Black Barrel, featuring extra char, is one of the permanent extensions to the popular line. / Bushmills, in County Antrim, is the oldest distillery on the island of Ireland, but the stills are thoroughly modernized. / RIGHT: Tullamore stills

Irish whiskey continues to be the big international growth story in the spirits space, with another year of double-digit gains for the U.S. market. And it’s become a force to be reckoned with, as the base it’s been growing from isn’t nearly as small as it used to be.

IRISH WHISKEY: MORE THAN JUST LUCK

THE IRISH RESURGENCE IS LOOKING MORE

AND MORE LIKE A SUSTAINABLE TREND

BY JEFF CIOLETTI

also whet Americans’ appetites for single pot still brands like Redbreast, Green Spot and Yellow Spot. Pernod’s Irish pro-gram has become a petri dish for experi-mentation, empowering them to continue releasing connoisseur-level bottlings for years to come.

TOURISTS’ EYES ARE SMILINGHeightened demand also lit the fuse for an Irish distilling boom of sorts. A de-cade ago there were only three working distilleries left in Ireland. Now there are 18 operating across the country, according to the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA), with at least 16 more in planning.

Among the new facilities to open re-cently was Dublin’s Teeling Whiskey Dis-tillery—run by John Teeling’s sons Jack and Stephen—the first new distillery in the Irish capital city in more than 125 years. The Teeling family’s whiskey roots go back to 1782.

“Things are so different than when my father started [Cooley] in the ’80s,” says Stephen Teeling. “There’s now this young generation of progressively minded people seeking new taste profiles. The new gener-ation of whiskey drinker tends to be very knowledgeable, very education focused.”

The IWA’s “Irish Whiskey Tourism Strategy,” which it launched a little over a year ago, seems to be bearing fruit. The organization reports that visits to Irish distilleries increased 11 percent in 2017, with 814,000 people touring the coun-try’s production facilities. IWA’s goal is to make Ireland a world leader in whiskey tourism by 2030.

BOTTLES TO WATCHHere are a few highlights of Irish brands and producers, both new and established, that are making waves in the U.S. whis-key market.

WALSH WHISKEY Bernard and Rosemary Walsh launched their company in 1999, initially to blend and bottle their Irish coffee recipe, which became the Hot Irishman. Eight years lat-er, they launched The Irishman 70 (mar-keted as The Irishman Original Clan in the U.S.) and The Irishman-Single Malt. The former is a blend of both single malt and single pot still Irish whiskey and the rare blend of whiskies made completely in pot stills. Walsh has since launched The Irishman-Cask Strength, as well as a 12 Year Old Expression. In 2009, it unveiled Writers’ Tears Copper Pot, distilled from 60% pot still and 60% single malt whis-

EMERALD ISLE APPEAL

The steadily growing selection of Irish whiskey in America is, not surprisingly, often seen tapping into fondness for Irish culture and the Emerald Isle itself.

Walsh family distillery’s The Irishman declares its heritage proudly. The distillery’s other whiskey, Writers’ Tears, honoring 19th century Irish writers and playwrights, is a unique vatting of 60% pot still and 40% single malt whiskies.

Winebow imports Dublin-based Kinahan’s, the first whiskey ever to be trademarked.

Claddagh Irish Whiskey honors its namesake traditional Irish ring design.

The brands West Cork Distillers and Donegal Estates both evoke beloved counties in Ireland.

The Pogues, an Irish rock band with strong America fan base, have a whiskey of their own, imported by M.S. Walker.

But wait, there’s more. No Irish liquor collection is complete without some Irish Creams and the Irish specialty called “poitin.” Traditionally, poitin (pronounced “po-CHEEN”) was made from malted bar-ley, sugar beets and potato. Brands in the U.S. include Glendalough, Mad March Hare and Irish Glory.

ABOVE LEFT: Louise McGuane is a leader in the revival of whiskey bonding in Ireland, which practically disappeared in the 1930s; under the J.J. Corry label, she blends and matures whiskies from multiple sources. / Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old / Brothers Jack and Stephen Teeling. / Caskmates is Jameson’s crossover project using beer-seasoned barrels. / Bushmills barrels.

kies, aged in American oak bourbon casks. Writers’ Tears is a gold medal winner at the International Spirits Challenge in London.

PERNOD RICARD / IRISH DISTILLERSIn addition to making single pot still whiskeys like Redbreast, Greenspot and Yellow Spot household names among American drinkers, Pernod Ricard’s Irish Distillers unit has been having quite a bit of fun with its most famous trademark: Jameson. The company recently introduced the lat-est addition to its craft beer-themed Caskmates line. Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition is finished in barrels that previously held an India pale ale pro-duced by an Irish craft brewer, giving the whiskey some hoppy nuances.

The company also launched Jame-son: The Blender’s Dog, the second in The Whiskey Makers Series. The Blender’s Dog, a combination of ma-ture whiskeys from the vast stocks at Jameson’s New Midleton Distillery celebrates the role of Head Blend-er Billy Leighton.

WILLIAM GRANT & SONS / TULLAMORE D.E.W.Tullamore D.E.W. has been experimenting quite a bit with its cask finishes. Last fall it launched its seasonal Cider Cask, which the brand says is the first whiskey to be finished in hard cider barrels. This spring, the distill-ery will introduce Tullamore D.E.W. XO Rum Cask Finish, its Original Triple Blend, finished in first-fill XO

Caribbean rum casks. “Not only is the spirit a delicious new direction for the brand, with distinct tropical fruit and warm spice flavors, it also tells a story of seventeenth-century Irish immi-grants playing a role in the early devel-opment of rum in the Caribbean,” says Paige Parness, Senior Brand Manager. “With it, we’re hoping to continue our story of championing great blends in distilling and world in which we live.”

Jameson continues to prove that the brand is way more than a shot; The Blenders Dog is designed to be served with no ice and just a few drops of water. “Give it a swirl and allow to sit for 2 or 3 minutes,” advises Head Blender Billy Leighton.

TEELING WHISKEY CO. Teeling’s Trinity range taps a variety of barrels from around the world. The first of those is Teeling Small Batch, a blend of malt and grain whiskeys, aged for approximately six years and married in Central and South American rum casks. Teeling Single Grain is made from corn and fully aged in California Cabernet barrels. Teeling Single Malt is finished in five distinct wine casks, giving the whiskey some striking fruit notes.

J.J. CORRYLouise McGuane is a leader in the revival of whiskey “bonding” in Ireland, which practically disappeared in the 1930s. Operating on her family farm in County Clare, a mile from the coast, and bring-ing back the J.J. Corry brand (named after a legendary nearby whiskey bonder), she blends and matures whiskies from multi-ple sources. Her first release, “The Gael,” is a 60% malt, 40% grain blend of whis-kies from seven to 26 years old.

THE TEMPLE BARFresh from Dublin, The Temple Bar Whiskey, carries the name power of Ireland’s most famous bar (180 years young) and also takes the bonding approach. In 2005, The Temple Bar owner Tom Cleary started with his original triple-distilled Signature Blend; 10- and 12-Year-Old whiskies followed. All three are fin-ished in bourbon casks.

WEST CORKWest Cork is one of the few dis-tillers in Ireland to boast actual Irish ownership. They use ex-clusively Irish barley as well as fresh local spring water. Their Glengarriff Series features single

malts aged in Sherry casks and then fin-ished in barrels with a particular char; peat and bog oak char came first, Glen-garriff Cherry Charred Cask and Glengar-riff Apple Charred Cask arrive this spring.

SLANESlane’s name is familiar to rock ’n roll fans, thanks to the world-famous Slane Castle Concert se-ries, founded in 1981. Slane Irish Whiskey was created by Brown-Forman and the Conyngham fam-ily of Slane, whose roots in the Irish village date back over three centuries. Slane’s “Triple Casked” process uses virgin oak, seasoned oak and Sherry casks to produce a more robust flavor.

KNAPPOGUE CASTLEWith a 15th-century castle radiating tra-dition and authenticity, Knappogue Cas-tle has emerged as Ireland’s leading sup-plier of bourbon-barreled, age-statement single malts, with expressions aged 12, 14 and 16 years in good supply. Comple-menting the Knappogue Castle malts, the value-priced Clontarf label recalls the historic battle of 1014.

LAMBAYLambay Irish Whiskey, a crossover project, combines the Cognac-making skills of Camus with the distilling expertise of the Baring Family’s Revelstoke Trust. Small Batch Blend is malted, un-malted barley and grain whiskies, blended, triple distilled and matured in bourbon barrels with a Cognac cask finish. A touch of Lambay Island Trinity Well Water makes the whiskey as unique as the island it calls home. The Single Malt is unpeated, tripled distilled and finished in Cognac casks that have been exposed to the sea air and maritime winds on Lambay Island.

STILL MORE…• The Sexton Single Malt, from the

Emerald Isle’s North Coast, is made from 100% Irish malted barley, triple dis-tilled and aged for four years in Oloroso Sherry butts. This young single malt is crafted by Alex Thomas, one of Ireland’s few female whiskey blenders.

• Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, co-founders of the award-winning bar The Dead Rabbit, teamed up with Master Dis-tiller Darryl McNally of The Dublin Liberties Distillery to create a namesake five-year-old blended Irish whiskey, seasoned in bourbon casks. Launching now in NY and NJ, The Dead Rabbit rolls out nationally in April.

• The Quiet Man, created by Derry, Ireland-based Ciaran Mulgrew, combines hand-selected whiskies, finished in first-fill bourbon barrels for sweet and spicy notes; offered in two varieties, a traditional Irish whiskey and an 8-year single malt, The Quiet Man is the first Irish whiskey bottled in Derry in nearly 100 years.

• And how about a celebrity Irish whiskey? Boston-based M.S. Walker has reintroduced John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey, named after the legendary boxer and Boston native. “Boston has deep Irish roots, and John L. embodied a lot of the things that make our city so great: toughness, class, and appre-ciation for a good drink,” notes Brett Allen, Director of National Business Development. ■

The beverage alcohol market analysts at IWSR expect Irish whiskey consumed in the U.S.

to rise from 4.1 MILLION CASES in 2017

to 4.5 MILLION in 2018 and top

5 MILLION in 2019.

FROMGRAIN TO

GLASS

FROMGRAIN TO

GLASS

THIS ST. PATRICK’S DAY DISCOVER THE TRUE IRISH SPIRIT

THIS ST. PATRICK’S DAY DISCOVER THE TRUE IRISH SPIRIT

Produced, Distilled and Bottled in Ireland by West Cork Distillers, LLC. Imported by M.S. Walker, Inc. Boston, MA. 40% Alc/Vol. WESTCORKDISTILLERS.COM

W hile a spate of supplier brand acquisitions and distributor mergers have grabbed headlines in

recent years, Opici Wines—still inde-pendent and family-owned, led by fourth-generation Don Opici—has quietly but emphatically expanded its Market Street Spirits division, guided by executives Mike Wolff, Vice President-Marketing; and Larry Neuringer, Spirits Director.

Interestingly, two of the most recent additions to the growing portfolio, while both imported whiskey, are in ways polar opposites. One dates back centuries but is little known here; the other is new to market but has name recognition built-in at American pubs coast to coast. In each case, a compelling brand story is supported with distinctive product—and solid field support.

Tullibardine Single Malt Scotch Tullibardine (pronounced “tuhl-ih-BARD-in”) is a small, family-owned distillery in the Southern Highlands, dating back to 1488. Its prime distinction: water from the Danny Burn spring, which takes 15 years to trickle to the distillery from its source.

Comprising various ages and styles, Tullibardine selections are naturally limited in volume—sometimes extremely so, as in the 1962 “Custodian,” with only 12 bottles available at $3,000 SRP. The

flagship “Sovereign” Single Malt is more plentiful, as well as affordable at $40 SRP. Twice-distilled, aged in first-fill bourbon barrels and non-chill filtered, the 86 proof Sovereign is aromatically complex and rich and creamy on the palate.

Other notable offerings include “The Murray,” a series of cask-strength whiskies ($80 SRP) released every nine months, the next one finished in Chateauneuf-Du Pape barrels; and the complex yet smooth Tullibardine 20 Year Old, a remarkable bargain at $150 SRP given its age state-ment. Also available: alternative finishes (Sauternes, Burgundy, Sherry; $45) and a 25 Year Old ($300).

The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey At close to 180 years young, The Temple Bar is practically an Irish institution. Its name power is thoroughly current (just ask their 88,000 Facebook fans), conjuring warm, fuzzy thoughts among Americans who have visited to Dublin.

The Temple Bar Whiskey Company, launched in 2015, taps the Irish tradi-tion of bonding, in which pub owners bought whiskey in cask, before blending and bottling it for customers. The Temple Bar owner Tom Cleary started with his original Signature Blend Irish Whiskey (SRP $40), triple-distilled for a smooth, distinctive Irish style. Rounding out the portfolio are The Temple Bar 10 Year Old Single Malt ($65) and 12 Year Old Single Malt ($105). All three are finished in first- and second-fill bourbon casks.

‘Liquor to Lips’In overseeing the introduction these whiskies to market, Wolff and Neuringer both can call on experience working with

national brands. Their hands-on approach to Tullibardine and The Temple Bar are reflected in personal visits to distributor partners to share their ‘Liquor To Lips go-to-market strategy.

And they are finding keen interest in both new lines, albeit in different ways. With Tullibardine, it’s the remarkable consumer acquisition price versus the uniqueness of the whisky—how many 25 Year Old Single Malts do you see costing $275-$300 per bottle? For The Temple Bar, Neuringer notes, “The initial reflex from distributor partners is ‘Whoa—too expensive. But when they take the liquid out to the market retailers embrace it warmly given the growth in the premium and super-premium end of the Irish whiskey market these days.”

And they are finding keen interest. Both categories, Single Malt Scotch and Irish Whiskey are thriving in America. “Retailers understand that new SKUs are only going to help the categories keep growing,” says Wolff. “Quality product and strong branding are always welcome.” n

BRAND PROFILE

The Temple Bar, a veritable Dublin landmark.

DYNAMIC DUO FROM MARKET STREET SPIRITSOPICI WINES’ SPIRITS DIVISION INTRODUCESPAIR OF IN-DEMAND WHISKIES

BY W. R. TISH

W ith widely recognized names like Goslings Rum and Jefferson’s Bourbon, Castle Brands

(one of the few publicly traded spirits sup-pliers on the New York Stock Exchange) has some firm footing in the U.S. market. The sleeper gem in the portfolio, though, is arguably Knappogue Castle—a distinctive entry in a red-hot category, with authen-ticity, momentum and room for growth.

Pronounced “Nah’ Pogue,” this Irish whiskey essentially put the castle in Castle Brands. In 1966, Mark Edwin Andrews purchased Knappogue Castle, a 15th century castle in Ireland, then in ruins. He and his wife, an architect, restored the structure to grandeur, and they began bonding whiskey—that is, buying casks of fine pot still whiskey from top distilleries, which they aged and bottled under what is now the Knappogue Castle label.

The import company was founded in 1998 by the next generation, Mark Andrews III, under the name Great

Spirits, and later became Castle Brands Inc. in 2003. Embraced as their “founding brand” within the company, Knappogue Castle continues Mark Edwin Andrews’ bonding approach. “Distilling is a sci-ence; maturing is an art,” notes Jonathan Dubin, Brand Manager.

Singular DistinctionKey to the brand is its single malt identity—rare among Irish whiskies but well established as a benchmark of quality among consumers. The core Knappogue expression, a 12 Year Old, representing about 80% of the brand volume, displays its age proudly. The pedigree of being a single malt, à la Scotch, is complemented by its accessible, smooth, well-balanced character, having been triple distilled then aged in bourbon casks for 12 years. “It’s sweeter and a bit lighter on the palate,” explains Dubin, making it noticeably easy to drink.

Dubin is quick to give credit to the category leader: “Jameson has clear-

ly created an opportunity; people are realizing that Irish whiskey is a vibrant, quality category. You need a global brand to bring

consumers in.” While about three-quarters of cur-

rent sales are off-premise, Castle Brands sees tremendous opportunity on-prem-ise, particularly for the 12 Year Old. “It has a lot of flavor that comes through in cocktails, especially peppery spice and fruit notes,” says Dubin. Castle Brands’ efforts to target bars with a concerted education effort at the distributor level has already paid off in multiple cocktail menu placements.

Targeting On-PremiseThe authenticity of the brand story, help-ing revive the Irish tradition of bonding, has resonated with bartenders; and edu-cator Phillip Duff has been on the road leading seminars covering not only the brand’s history but also its distinctive position relative to other whiskies, Irish and beyond.

To build on momentum approaching St. Patrick’s Day, Castle Brands is releasing a 21 Year Old—just 1,200 bottles for the entire country. The limited edition should add to the halo effect created by the other Knappogue Castle bottlings. (In 2016, Knappogue Castle 14 Year Old Twin Wood was named the Irish Whiskey of the Year at the 2016 Irish Whiskey Awards as well as the overall winner in the Irish Single Malts Whiskey 13 Years and Older category.)

Meanwhile, Dubin notes the quiet success the brand has experienced via in-store tastings. Castle Brands recently completed a sweep that included tastings in their top five markets—reinforcing the brand team’s confidence that Knappogue Castle is among Irish whiskey’s elite. n

BRAND PROFILE

CASTLE POWERWITH KNAPPOGUE, CASTLE BRANDS HAS AN IRISH WHISKEY TIGER BY THE TAIL

BY W. R. TISH

The flagship

single malt was in Wine

Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirits of

2017.

Knappogue (pronounced Nah’ Pogue) translates to hill of the kiss in Gaelic.

It’s their own fault. The question that Chianti has never settled on is whether it’s a brand, or a region. Many large producers push for the easy brand recognition to move cheaper, often rustic wine; more premium producers, particularly in Chianti Classico, argue for a terroir-based wine, as shown by the recent push to officially recognize the DOCG’s subzones. It’s a hard slog—getting lazy Americans to simply remember to say “Classico” is challenge enough—but many top producers are forging ahead.

In any case, Chianti continues to work on the shelf, and at the table. Out-lets with stretched service staff can rely on the Chianti name to sell itself with many of their customers, and venues with a more hands-on approach can recommend a well-aged boutique example with con-fidence. Whether you treat it as a work-horse or a thoroughbred, Chianti, as a whole, adapts with equanimity.

WHERE IT’S MADETuscany; the bulk of the Chianti region stretches from Florence down past Siena.

However, it’s important to distinguish be-tween the Chianti DOCG and the Chi-anti Classico DOCG; the latter, home to higher quality wines and a longer pedi-gree, is smaller, confined to a set of hills between those two cities.

The larger Chianti zone is sub-divided into seven other zones, which are begin-ning to distinguish themselves.

GRAPES: Sangiovese reigns supreme; Chianti, alongside Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, is the grape’s most famous home. Chianti DOCG wines must contain a minimum of 70% Sangiovese; international variet-ies (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, etc.) are permitted, as are local varieties like Canaiolo Nero, Colorino, and nota-

BY JIM CLARKE

CHIANTI 101T

homas Jefferson, World War II soldiers, Hannibal Lecter: all appreciated a good Chianti. While Chianti has long been popular in the U.S.—Americans drink more than a quarter of Chianti’s annual production—it sometimes faces a Rodney Dangerfield-like lack of respect.

t Chianti Classico is effectively the center of the Chianti region, which in fact is now also further demarcated into subzones. The most important subzones are Rùfina, Colli Senesi and Colli Fiorentini; others, seen less frequently in the U.S., include Colline Pisane, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and MontespertoliABOVE: Like many Tuscan estates today, Tenuta di Nozzole makes IGT Toscana wine as well as DOCG Chianti Classico, Riserva and Gran Selezione wines.

TUSCANY

CHIANTIDOCG

CHIANTICLASSICODOCG

FLORENCE

SIENA

bly, the whites Malvasia del Chianti and Trebbiano Toscano.

Chianti Classico calls for a minimum 80% of Sangiovese and also allows other local and international varieties, but no white varieties.

While the addition of international varieties, first permitted in 1996, meant Chianti could make darker colored, riper, rounder wines in the so-called “interna-tional style,” many producers feel even small additions of varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot overwhelm the character of Sangiovese, and are turning toward 100% Sangiovese wines or blends with only small amounts of the traditional varieties Colorino and Canaiolo.

HISTORY:Early mentions of Chianti, both as a re-gion and as a wine, go back to at least the 13th century. In 1716 Cosimo III de

Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, legislated that four villages de-fine the official pro-duction zone (all four lie within the Classico region today). Late in the following century, Barone Ricasoli would articulate a preferred blend for the wines, placing Sangiovese firmly at the core of Chianti wines.

In the mid 20th century, the Italian government in effect allowed Chianti to be defined as a style, not a region; the Chianti Classico consortium came together as a direct reaction against the new law. Regulations tightened in 1984, when Chianti and Chianti Classico became DOCGs, and again in 1996, when, among other changes, yield requirements were tightened and white grapes were no longer required in the blend.

SELLING POINTS

By-the-Glass: Most wines from centuries-old, classic regions come in at high price points, but many highly-regarded Chi-antis, and even Chi-anti Classicos, are available at by-the-glass prices.

Pairings: Typically lighter bodied, with firm acidity and tannins, Chiantis are quite flexible at the table. While the tannins can be too much for sea-food, Chianti is a red that stands up to even red meat without being too full-bodied or heavy, lending itself to sum-mer grilling, for example. They work well with many vegetables (mush-rooms, eggplants, etc.) and of course, the acidity makes it great with tomato sauces and pizza.

Ageability: For novice drinkers who want to take their first steps toward un-derstanding aged wine, Chianti Classico or Chianti Rufina can make a great, af-fordable starting point.

TERMS TO KNOW

RISERVA: indicates a minimum of two years aging before release.

GRAN SELEZIONE: Introduced in 2014, this new category requires longer aging—30 months—and must be made with estate fruit. Unofficially these wines represent single-vineyard “crus,”expressly because of the extra attention given to the wines.

SUPERIORE: Only used for the Chianti DOCG; indicates a minimum alcohol of 12.5% (rarely relevant today, since few Chiantis come in below this).

GOVERNO: indicates wine went through an additional fermentation on dried grapes, similar to Valpolicella Ripasso. Done to strengthen the wine and kick off malolactic fermentation.

Sangiovese is a workhorse grape all over Tuscany; clones of the variety also drive the character of Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

CHIANTI

70% 80%CLASSICO

MINIMUM PERCENTAGE OFSANGIOVESE GRAPES REQUIRED

FUN FACTS

Once upon a time, the fiasco, a straw-wrapped flask, faci-lited transport of Chianti to market by wagon, as there were no navigable water-ways until one reached Florence. Only in 1969 did Bordeaux-style bottles sur-passed the fiasco in use

Unlike many classic wine regions, Chianti Classico is not densely planted with vines; the region 177,500 acres, but less of a tenth of that is actually vineyards.

The Black Rooster on Chi-anti Classico bottles was originally the symbol of the Lega del Chianti, comprised of the towns Castellina, Radda, and Gaiole. The Chianti Clas-sico Consortium began using it as their trademark in 1924.

Three soil types dominate Chianti:•Galestro (friable clay schist) •Albarese (marl) •Macigno (sandstone)

Burdened by its reputation as a polarized region—one produc-ing nothing but unaffordable Classified Growths or cheap,

generic blends—Bordeaux has seen bet-ter centuries. But the tides are undeniably shifting. Thanks to a wave of younger, globally conscious winemakers, the rise of smaller appellations, and expanding con-sumer tastes, Bordeaux has more to offer Americans today than ever before.

In an era of truly global competition, Bordeaux holds its own, especially when reframed. The stately chateaus of the 20th century are not what sells Bordeaux today, which is fine—the wine doesn’t need or deserve that image. With its already-popular varieties and long tradition of attentive viticulture, Bordeaux epitomizes the simple, enduring French equation for fine wine: the right grapes planted in the right places.

“The day of the Bordeaux grower has arrived,” declares Mary Gorman-McAd-ams, Master of Wine and North American

Market Adviser for the CIVB (Bordeaux Wine Council). Whereas more modest appellations previously remained firmly in the shadows of the Classified estates, they now show confidence in “producing wines of authenticity, from their own little piece of Bordeaux terroir,” she says.

COME FOR THE GRAPES, STAY FOR THE STYLE & VALUEAs Gorman-McAdams notes, most American consumers still rely on grape variety—rather than regional origin—to navigate their purchases. And two grapes commonly name-checked by Americans include Bordeaux’s stars: Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

For the same price as (or less than) a large-volume, branded New World wine, consumers can get a delicious Sauvignon Blanc from a family-owned property in Bordeaux. The fact that the grape is blended with Sémillon is easily framed as a regional specialty. “In many ways, dry white Bordeaux offers

appeal to all wine drinkers,” Gorman-McAdams notes, as the Sémillon in the blend tempers the raw, bold power and acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc.

Entre-Deux-Mers is an incredible region for white wine because of its clay and limestone soil, providing plenty of freshness and acidity, she adds. Alexandre Thevenet, Sales Manager for importer/distributor Baron Francois in New York City, points to Graves whites, in particular, as great replacements for Loire Sauvignons like Sancerre, while offering especially high margins to restaurants. Likewise, fans of richer, oaked wines will enjoy the wines of Pessac-Léognan—more expensive than EDM, but still at a fraction of the price of Napa Chardonnay or Burgundy.

SELLING ‘BDX’ NOWMODERN BORDEAUX IS READY FOR ITS CLOSE-UP

BY ETHAN FIXELL

MARGIN MAGIC

Embrace wines from lesser-known Bordeaux sub-regions: they will usually sound familiar but not be recognized, making it easier to get healthy margins. This gives off-premise retailers an edge on chain and big-box stores, and restaurants profitable glass pours. Baron Francois sells about half of its inventory to restaurants. “Ouside of the holidays, we see more rotation on-premise for the mid- to high price points,” explains Alexandre Thevenet.

In terms of reds, the classic dichotomy of Left Bank favoring Cabernet Sauvignon and Right Bank favoring Merlot is built for today’s grape-centric consumers. And in both cases, the wine’s propensity to be less overtly ripe than its New World counterparts is an advantage; Bordeaux is typically a degree or so lighter in alcohol, making it naturally more balanced.

Meanwhile, Bordeaux’s longstanding identity as a blend positions it perfectly in the wheelhouse of current American drinking. Here again, Bordeaux has a solid, structural selling point: its bit of tannin makes the wine more food-friendly than “smooth,” jammy-styled “red blends.”

With overall regional quality on the rise, Gorman-McAdams emphasizes that this has set the stage for value in “less sought-after appellations.” On the Right Bank, she points to Côtes de Bordeaux, Fronsac and Lalande-de-Pomerol as great buys selling for $20 to $30 retail. “Being Merlot dominant, they have an early appealing fleshiness and texture—but most can also stand the test of time and can be cellared for at least five or six years,” she explains. And Listrac-Médoc is an opportunity to offer “classic” Left Bank Bordeaux at a fraction of the prices commanded by top Chateaux, but with wines that “absolutely sing of terroir and classic Cabernet Sauvignon structure and elegance,” says Gorman-McAdams.

Thevenet adds that Petit Bordeaux—under $96 per case wholesale, i.e. $11.99 retail—are “no-brainers” for “grab and go” at store entrances. “Those wines are, for

the most part, family owned products made with great care,” he asserts. “Nowadays, it’s rare to find a bad $12 Bordeaux.”

THRIVING OF THE FITTESTOf course, none of the above matters unless retailers can communicate the value to consumers. Gorman claims that a properly educated staff can speak more comfortably about the wines and thus, increase sales. To this end, she recommends the new, free Bordeaux Wine School app, Oenobordeaux, which offers facts and tips in a fun, modular format.

Most importantly, Gorman urges re-tailers to interact with customers directly. “When someone is looking for a Merlot or a Cab,” she says, “a salesperson can sug-gest Bordeaux, reminding the customer that these are wines made from familiar varieties, and point out that the expensive Bordeaux wines represent less than 5% of what the region produces.” A retailer can also promote in-store tastings via the web,

email or social media to bring in traffic and familiarize customers with Bordeaux.

Bear Dalton, Head Wine Buyer for Spec’s Liquor Stores in Texas, travels to Bordeaux annually to taste and select wines to sell back in America. At the same time, however, he knows those wines aren’t necessarily going to sell themselves. Dalton believes that in-person tastings are the best ways to sell Bordeaux on the retail level. “Give the customer a proper pour, in a proper glass, in a relaxed environment,” he says. “Tell them what they’re tasting and why it tastes like it does. Let them engage their brain as well as their senses.” Through such a demonstration, a salesper-son can prove exactly where the value lies.

“Simply put, Bordeaux offers the best experience at the table at the best price,” he continues. “Chateau-bottled Bordeaux is real wine from a real place, made by real, identifiable people from grapes grown with increasingly environmentally-friendly practices, in styles that work well with a variety of foods.” ■

COMPLICATED? NOT REALLY

At its simplest, Bordeaux presents classic expressions of already well-known grapes—primarily Cabernet and Merlot among reds, Sauvignon Blanc among whites. Want to get serious? Wines from subzones such as Graves (above) will bear a character similar to but distinct from wines from other subzones; that is terroir in action. An evergreen selling point: because grapes in Bordeaux tend not to reach the ripeness levels of their New World peers, they are typically as degree or so lower in alcohol, making the wines naturally more balanced—and logically more food-friendly.

IT WAS AVERY GOOD YEAR (WASN’T IT?)TIPS FOR SELLING WINE WITH VINTAGES IN MIND

BY KIT PEPPER

France Faces Worst Wine Grape Harvest Since 1945 shouts one headline about the 2017 vintage. France’s most recent

vintage was indeed terrible, because it was the smallest harvest in recent history—an issue of quantity, not quality.

This is just one example of a tendency to over-simplify vintage, make it a single yes or no question. Customers may not ask about vintage: but they count on buyers to know its complexities and offer wines that show its most desirable facets. So here is a different kind of vintage report: six strategies buyers can use to select wines in any vintage and help customers understand what’s really important.

1 Know your audience. Vintage means different things to dif-ferent people. A collector of Barolo is looking for a wine that will age well and hold its resale

value. A commuter buying a $20 Viognier to drink with dinner is a different matter, and someone taking wine to the beach or a Pinot Grigio to Book Club may not give a thought to vintage at all.

Ryan Sciara, owner of Underdog Wine Co in Kansas City, sees this play out at retail. His shop is dedicated primarily to wines for the everyday customer. It’s “pretty rare” that these customers ask about vintage, whereas with his handful of collectors “95% of the conversation is about vintage and producer,” focusing on Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Barolo. If he mentions vintage to his general customers, he may use a great one like 2015 in the Rhone Valley to help him introduce a new style of wine to someone who can access it right away.

2 Use charts and scores wisely. Vintage charts score vintages by region and may offer advice on what to drink now or hold, but they are unable to drill down to

subregion, vineyard, grape variety, or producer. For the everyday consumer, the fine points of a bottle lie in these details.

When asked what defines a great vin-tage, Eva Fricke, owner of an eponymous winery in Germany’s Rheingau, speaks of complex vineyard and weather details and how those translate into balance in the wine. She believes charts and scores can be very helpful to the consumer, but warns that the charts present only “bet-ter and worse.” She wishes they spoke in terms of “more fruit, more acidity, more liveliness or more richness, more texture.”

3 Look for hidden treasures. In an off year when a winery decides not to make the top wine, ask yourself, “Where is that fruit going?” Often it will be used in

a lower-appellation wine.Amy Ezrin, senior vice president at

New York-based importer Massanois, points out that “Rosso di Montalcino is a great bottle to buy on an off vintage because that’s a declassified [Brunello].” She notes that most people wouldn’t know to seek out these wines because they’re thinking regionally. But what is

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bad for Brunello may be good news for Rosso, and this goes for many appellations with upper and lower tiers—think Barolo and Langhe Nebbiolo.

4 Embrace special editions. When nature forces a compromise and winemakers respond creatively, the results can be well worth seeking out. Julien Sunier, who

makes organically farmed wine under his own name in Beaujolais, suffered 70% crop loss in 2016 due to hail. “One week before harvest I decided to create a little negociant label because [of the short crop],” he says. “I found very nice grapes, old vines, but not organic, not certified.” He wanted “to give people something aged in tank, very fresh.” This became his Wild Soul Vin de France, and he’ll make it every year now. Starting in 2018, the fruit will be organic.

5 Trust yourself—and your sources. Both Ryan Sciara and Sarah Pierre, managing partner of 3 Parks Wine Shop in Atlanta, emphasize that they buy based

on tasting. If you’re tasting, “vintage doesn’t always matter per se,” points out Pierre.

The buyer is the final gatekeeper before a wine is offered to the public, but there are other sources buyers can rely on.

One step up the chain is the importer. Sciara says, “We buy from importers we trust and know, and they’re making the decision about vintage for us.”

Beyond the importer is the wine maker, and the notion that a good wine maker can be relied on to make a good wine. Massimo Alois, of Fattoria Alois in Campania, says that when he’s selecting wine to drink, “The first thing I do, I look at the winery—number one for us is the winery, the mentality of the winemaker. Number two is appellation, the area, the cru; season is number three.”

A wine maker’s own preference can also be a selling point. Julien Sunier points out that among his own wines, “The press loves big vintages like 2015. I don’t drink those vintages. In the end I always go for the lighter vintages [like 2014, 2016].”

6 Know when vintage doesn’t matter. Tasting wines from one year to the next for her grab-and-go section, Sarah Pierre says, “The wines are manipu-

lated, they taste exactly the same—vintage doesn’t even cross my mind.” On the other hand, points out Amy Ezrin, with whites and rosés on the value end, “you typically want the latest vintage.” Entry-level whites and rosés fade more quickly than finer wines and even entry- level reds.

“Understanding vintage is really knowing wine,” says Pierre. As we see more extreme weather affecting harvests around the world, knowing how to unravel the strands of vintage will help buyers offer wines that keep customers coming back. n

“WHEN NATURE FORCES A COMPROMISE AND WINEMAKERS RESPOND CREATIVELY, THE RESULTS CAN BE WELL WORTH SEEKING OUT.”

RETAIL MANAGEMENT

WINE20XX

Look for hidden treasures. In an off year when a winery decides not to make the top wine, ask yourself, “Where is that fruit going?” Often it will be used in a lower-appellation wine.

In-store tastings can be the best indicator of a wine’s ability—regardless of vintage.

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PINOT GRIGIODELLE VENEZIE

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LIMITED ALLOCATIONS AVAILABLECALL YOUR DISTRIBUTOR FOR MORE INFO!

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2. LUCAS BOLS 100% MALT SPIRIT

For the first time, Lucas Bols 100% Malt Spirit is available in select U.S. markets. Based on the original recipe bottled over 350 years ago as a medicinal product rather than a recreational one, Bols 100% Malt Spirit is distilled from long-fermented corn, rye, and wheat with juniper berries. This combination delivers a balance of malty smoothness and complexity on the palate with grainy, grassy notes and sweet honey as well as undertones of apple and citrus. 94 proof.

6. BIG FIVE RUM

In the 1950s, Havana society raised their rum drinks at grand social clubs; none were bigger than the “Big Five”—the Vedado, the Miramar, the Biltmore, the Havana Yacht Club and Casino Español. Big Five Rum celebrates the cosmopolitan leisure of those clubs and the Cuban spirit that flowed through them. Made from molasses, the rum is gluten-free and is available in three SKUs: Silver, Gold and Coconut (all natural caramel and coconut used). Florida-made, Cuban-inspired.

4. FOUR PILLARS BLOODY SHIRAZ GIN

Australian distillery Four Pillars, founded in 2013, is adding to their flagship Rare Dry Gin and Navy Strength (117.6 proof) gins. The newest export is Bloody Shiraz Gin, a sweet, lush, purple elixir. Shiraz grapes are steeped in their Rare Dry Gin for eight weeks and then pressed; when that liquid is returned back into the vat, the result has notes of fresh pine needles, citrus, spice and dense raspberry. 75.6 proof.

SRP: $39.99 fourpillarsgin.com.au

SRP: $69.99 lucasbols.com

1. LAMBAY IRISH WHISKEY

Lambay Irish Whiskey combines the Cognac blending acumen of Camus, and the distilling expertise of the Baring Family’s Revelstoke Trust. Lambay Small Batch Blend is malted, un-malted barley and grain whiskies, blended, triple distilled and matured in bourbon barrels with a Cognac cask finish. Lambay Single Malt is unpeated whiskey, triple distilled and finished in Cognac casks that have been exposed to the sea air and maritime winds on Lambay Island. 80 proof.

SRP: Small Batch $35; Single Malt $70 cilusinc.com

SRP: $19.99 big5rum.com

1 2 3 4 5 6

5. FETZER 50TH ANNIVERSARY CABERNET

Mendocino-based Fetzer Vineyards, a leader in sustainability, is celebrating 50 years. To mark the golden anniversary, Fetzer is releasing a limited-edition 50th anniversary commemorative Cabernet Sauvignon. Blended with select other reds including Petit Verdot, Merlot and Syrah, the wine has bright fruit flavors framed by undertones of mocha, vanilla and toffee. In addition, a 50th

Anniversary sticker is being added to the entire Fetzer line.

SRP: $12.99 fetzer.com

3. HESS SELECT PINOT GRIS

The Hess Select portfolio, sourced from sustainably-committed grower partners throughout California, is debuting updated packaging as well as a brand new 2017 Pinot Gris, which joins the label’s five other varietal wines and the “Treo” red blend. Packaging will continue to feature the lion symbol, plus a “Family Owned c. 1978” tagline. The Hess Family Wine Estates portfolio comprisess The Hess Collection, Hess Select, Artezin, MacPhail Family Wines, Colomé and Amalaya.

SRP: $13 hesscollection.com

new productsP

11. REBELLION BOURBON & RYE

New from Market Street Spirits, a division of Opici Wines, Rebellion Rye and Bourbon honor the feisty farmers who in 1794 stood up to fight Federal taxes. Each features hand-numbered birch paper labels and beveled metallic gold logo. Rebellion Rye is a two- to three-year old blend of 65% rye, 23% corn and 12% malted barley; 86 proof. Rebellion Bourbon is a four-year-old blend of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley; 90 proof.

SRP: $33 marketstspirits.com

9. STRONGBOW ROSÉ APPLE

Strongbow is introducing Rosé Apple, a semi-dry hard cider with a touch of red-fleshed apples. With a light, fruity taste and 5% ABV, the new cider is reminiscent of a rosé wine but with 50% less sugar than leading U.S. hard ciders. As with all Strongbow products, the new Rosé Apple contains no artificial flavors or colors. Available in six-pack of 11.2oz bottles; the Strongbow variety 12-pack (replacing Orange Blossom); and, for a limited time, 5.1oz mini-cans.

8. GEMMA DI LUNA PINOT GRIGIO

Enovation Brands is adding a Pinot Grigio DOC delle Venezie to its popular Gemma di Luna line. Fresh and crisp with notes of stone fruits and balanced acidity, it exemplifies the delle Venezie DOC terroir. The Pinot Grigio joins a Sparkling Moscato under the label and is packaged in a gracefully curved bottle whose pearl white capsule and elliptical label are both enhanced with a laser foil effect reminiscent of pave diamonds.

12. RIGA BLACK BALSAM

Amber Beverage Group is aiming to shake up the herbal bitters category with the U.S. release of Riga Black Balsam. Sold in ceramic flagons,this specialty spirit comprises 24 different plants, flowers, juices, roots, oils and berries, prepared in oak barrels and bottled at 90 proof. Riga Black Balsam can be enjoyed as is, or in shots and mixed drinks. Launched in collaboration with New York-based Aligned Beverage Solutions. Also available in Black Currant (60 proof).

SRP: $14.99 gemmadiluna.com | enovationbrands.com

SRP: $27.99 rigablack.com | alignedbeverage.com

7. ‘ROOT OUT’ ROOT BEER FLAVORED WHISKY

Suppliers continue to test the limits of flavored whiskey. Root Out Root Beer Flavored Whisky is a blend of root beer flavoring with a smooth Canadian blended whisky that is aged for four years in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels, generating a rich, root beer character with a hint of vanilla. Can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, as a shot and or customized in a cocktail. Available nationally. 70 proof.

SRP: $25.99 rootoutwhisky.com strongbow.com | heinekenusa.com

7 8 9 10 11 12

10. BEAR FLAG ZINFANDEL

Bear Flag 2015 Zinfandel, with its inaugural vintage 2015, honors both the state’s most famous wine grape and the historic Bear Flag Revolt of 1846, when rebels proclaimed state independence and raised the Bear Flag in Sonoma County. Fittingly, Bear Flag turned to Sonoma for their grapes: 78% Zinfandel supported by Petite Sirah and other red grapes, yielding a ripe, full-bodied wine with true Zin character, notes of dark jam and toasted oak.

SRP: $30 bearflagwine.com

barbizB

For all the talk about how cutting-edge today’s cock-tail scene has become, a peek behind the bar will

often tell you otherwise. “Some 90 percent or so of the patents on bar equipment go back to the 1950s and 1960s,” says Tobin Ellis, and he’s not being complimentary.

Ellis, a former bartender turned bar designer who collaborated with the engineering team at Perlick to create his own line of commercial bar equipment, isn’t alone among bartenders bemoaning the state of bar design. A few, including Joaquín Simó of NYC’s Pouring Ribbons, have created one-offs suited specifically to their needs.

Francesco Lafranconi, Executive Director of Mixology & Spirits Edu-

cation for Southern Glazer’s in Las Vegas, has developed “the Race Track,” a single-unit oval cockpit design that aims to minimize bartender movement and reduce strain.

But in the big picture of Amer-ica’s bar scene, the vast majority of operations, especially chain restau-rants, have neglected production needs in bar design.

Ellis, whose equipment has been installed in high-end cocktail bars in-cluding the Columbia Room in Wash-ington, DC, and Manifesto in Kansas City, as well as St. Regis hotels and Hard Rock Cafés, says lack of atten-tion to the bar while budget-busting sums go to dazzling décor is the most significant problem. “Designing bars is begging for scraps to get the job

SPEED + STYLEFORM IS FINALLY CATCHING UP TO FUNCTION BEHIND THE BAR

BY JACK ROBERTIELLO

Pouring Ribbons maximizes space with a tall back bar featuring built-in steps; and refrigeration set above workstations makes for easy access, trimming prep time.

Francesco Lafranconi’s

patent-pending oval design called the Race Track is set to debut

commercially this year.

PRESENTS

ULTIMATE WINECHALLENGE 2018

E N T R Y D E A D L I N E : M AY 4 , 2 0 1 8

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Since 2010, Ultimate Wine Challenge has set the platinum standard for wine evaluation. Each year in May, the world’s foremost wine authors, educators, journalists and buyers, led by F. Paul Pacult, convene at the state of-the-art

Ultimate Beverage Challenge evaluation center in Hawthorne, NY to judge wine entries from all over the world. The coveted UWC Chairman’s Trophy is awarded to the top scoring wine in major categories; wines are also recognized with the accolades Finalist, Great Value and Tried & True Award. High-scoring results are featured to the trade in print and online in all major U.S. markets in Beverage Media publications.

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done,” says Ellis. “When the designer’s job is done, bartenders and servers who inherit their design are left with figuring out how to make it work. Designing hyper-efficient, ergonomic bars is not a designer’s forté.”

Some Attention… Please?Cocktail-centric bars are jammed with in-gredients today, so when Simó designed Pouring Ribbons, he maximized space with a tall back bar featuring built-in steps and refrigeration set above workstations to trim prep time, among other innovations.

Simó agrees with Ellis about timing: “Operators need to realize you have to

bring whoever is designing the bar from the very beginning. The second you run plumbing or pour concrete you are hand-cuffed to a given layout and there is only so much you can do with equipment once that’s done.”

But even his model, seen by some as worth copying, needs tweaks, he said. Insulating his double speed rails may have lessened hard impact but bartenders still must lean into them when working, causing po-tential long term strain; minimiz-ing the gap between the rail and the bar would help, he says.

Lately, Simó is seeing incre-mental changes at bars—more sinks with tin rinsers that meet sanitation codes; more pedal-activated sinks; and more back-supportive and easy-to-clean floor mat materials.

Ellis is optimistic that the new genera-tion of beverage pros rising in chain ranks will start considering roomier worksta-tions designed for high-volume and better

drawer refrigeration, but also bar place-ment. In the chain restaurant bar heyday, bars were central focal points that attract-ed steady customers and high profitability, and he thinks some of what the they now suffer is a result of emphasizing food over drink. “You don’t make money with food the way you make money with beverage,” Ellis asserts. “Nobody ever says, ‘Boy, that was a good ribeye, let’s get another.’”

But it may take time to unlearn com-mon practices. “This is a unique industry in that the people who make or break the profitability of beverage revenue are almost never consulted with designing their own workstations,” says Ellis. “You would never hire a Formula One racer to try to win the Grand Prix and have some-one else design the car without his input. In the bar world, that’s what happens.” ■

PIT STOPThe Race Track “cockpit” (ABOVE) aims to minimize bartender movement—and ergonomic stress.

Tobin Ellis (BELOW LEFT), who has a signature line of equipment with Perlick, notes that budget-busting sums funneled into decor without more attention paid to the bar is a significant problem.

barbizB

Joaquín Simó cautions: “The second you run plumbing or pour concrete you are handcuffed to a given layout….”

“THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OR BREAK THE

PROFITABILITY OF BEVERAGE REVENUE ARE ALMOST NEVER

CONSULTED WITH DESIGNING THEIR OWN

WORKSTATIONS.”—TOBIN ELLIS

42 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

By Teddy Durgin

There's really no other way to put it. In De-cember, the White House signed a his-

toric tax bill into law that was absolutely loaded with "goodies" for the beer, wine, and spirits business. A number of the Mary-land-D.C. area's top bever-age industry professionals weighed in on the changes, and their enthusiasm was obvious.

Jaime Windon, owner and co-founder of St. Michaels-based

Lyon Distilling Co., declared during a recent interview with the Beverage Journal, "The tiered changes create a more competi-tive and equitable tax system, which significantly benefits smaller distilleries and every distillery in Maryland. His-torically, the high federal excise tax rate on distilled spirits has been a huge bar-rier to growth. The largest

tax savings apply to distilleries producing less than 100,000

gallons of spirits each year, indeed reducing the rate from $13.50 per proof gallon to $2.70 per proof gal-lon. To put that in perspective, in

MARYLAND BEVERAGE PROS REACT TO THE NEW TAX LAW

"Historically,

the high

federal excise tax

rate on distilled spirits

has been a huge

barrier to

growth."

(continued on page 44)

44 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

our first year [2012], Lyon made less than 1,000 gallons. In 2018, we plan to make 10,000 gallons. That represents a po-tential savings of $108,000 in federal excise tax under the new law."

She continued, "Obviously, we and all of our fellow distillers in Maryland and beyond are thrilled with the tax cuts, and I believe it will certainly spur growth and benefit the craft sector significantly. In fact, all Maryland distillers will benefit from the massive [80 percent] deduction for the first 100,000 gallons, as to my knowledge no distillery in the state is currently producing over that amount annually."

Tucked away in the new legislation is the so-called "Craft Beverage Modernization" provision, which has cut federal excise taxes on alcohol producers, particularly small brewers. Heavy Seas Beer founder and owner Hugh Sisson com-ments, "The primary positives of the new tax law is it saves us some overall cash. There's about a 50 percent reduction in the amount of federal excise taxes that we pay. We're in a capital-intensive business, and this gives us the ability to either hire more people or in-

vest in more equipment. In our case, it'll probably be a little of both."

Windon agrees. She expects her business will fol-low Sisson's lead, stating, "As

a genuine start-up operation, relying on steady and organic

growth, we will reinvest every dol-lar saved in growing our company, ex-

panding production, and continuing to create the best possible spirits, while invest-ing in our employees and community. For many of our fellow distilleries, this savings will enable them to hire their first employee -- a crucial step for owner-operators of any

business."Boordy Vineyards President

and co-owner Rob Deford has similar plans. "What it's going to do is free up money for investment," he said. "This business is constantly hungry for capital. It involves a lot of risk on the agricultural side, and it involves a lot of support for the mar-keting side. Any free change that's rattling around as a result of this bill WILL be de-ployed! It won't go into my pock-et or any of the other family members who own Boordy. It's going right into the busi-ness."

The new law also reduc-es the beer tax from $7 to $3.50 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels and $18 to $16 per barrel on the first six million barrels. In addition, it extends wine tax credits to all domestic wineries whereas the credits currently are limited to small producers. The tax credit ranges between $0.54 to $1.00 per gallon. Wines that are made with a higher percentage of alcohol by volume, 14 percent to 16 per-cent, will now be taxed as others at $1.07 a gallon -- down from $1.57. And such low-alcohol

wines as mead that are made with higher car-bonation will not be taxed at a higher rate than still wines.

Among those most pleased is Deford. He commented, "There is an immediate

benefit in that there is some tax relief at the lower end. It will save our company $3,000 right out of the gate, which is great. I like the bill because it is fair. I've never liked carve-outs specifically for small wineries. Although I feel at the lower end of production, tax relief is necessary because we don't have the economies

of scale. But I've never felt that the reduced tax should be lim-

ited to some arbitrary number of small producers. I like the fact that this bill is extended to all win-eries. And that once you get up to a certain size, it's like a graduated tax. I can't imagine in my lifetime or my son's that we'll ever break the limit of this tax. It's quite high."

"The primary

positives of the

new tax law is it

saves us some

overall cash.

There's about a

50 percent

reduction in

the amount

of federal

excise taxes

that we pay."

"There is an

immediate benefit

in that there is some

tax relief at the

lower end."

(continued on page 46)

46 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

Kevin Atticks, Executive Director of the Maryland Wineries As-sociation, is similarly enthused. "The law extends credits for a certain level of production for all producers," he pointed out. "This becomes a stimulus to the industry, allowing for early reinvestment back into producers’ businesses. We are already hearing of plans by our in-state producers to hire more staff or purchase more equipment or build production capacity."

Atticks is also founder and CEO of Grow & Fortify. The Balti-more-based management firm supports businesses and organizations in the fields of agriculture, tourism, and food policy. So was he or any of the other beverage pros interviewed for this article surprised that beer, wine, and spirits got so much care and attention at the federal level? After all, Congress rarely debates alcohol excise taxes. They are one of the oldest levies the federal government imposes, with the first dating back to 1791 after Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton had pushed for them. The last time Capitol Hill lawmakers touched alco-hol taxes was in 1991, when they increased them.

Atticks replied, "The collective industry had been advocating for small producer tax reductions for the last decade. The various bills had been widely sponsored by prominent members of Congress, so I wasn’t surprised to see it in the tax bill."

Windon wasn't surprised either. "[I'm] rather relieved actually that the alcohol industry received so much attention in the new tax law. Small, craft distillers like myself have worked tirelessly to achieve tax parity with craft brewers and small winemakers for years, and we are thrilled about the changes."

She added, "This is the first time I’ve experienced any federal change that truly and immediately provides relief to help small busi-nesses grow and thrive. We are incredibly proud to be part of a vi-brant, American spirits revolution."

Deford was just a touch more cynical than the rest. "I don't actual-ly credit attention for the passage," he half-joked. "I credit distraction. It is a tax relief of sorts. But it's been rattling around for quite some time, and I think that this was a vehicle to get it through that was so big that it was able to bury itself into it."

The only potential negatives to the new tax law were voiced by Sisson and Windon. "The excise tax reduction is currently scheduled for only two years [to 2019 when it will be up for renewal]," Sisson cautioned. "I hope that most of us realize that!"

Windon echoed Sisson's warning, adding, "The only thing that worries me is that this is only a short-term reduction in alcohol excise taxes, and notably the first time alcohol excise taxes have been lowered in centuries. To ensure that the craft industry truly thrives, this tiered system must become permanent, which will continue to generate local economic growth. With every new distillery comes increased tourism, renewed relationships with agricultural producers, and increased de-mand for other locally-produced goods. The industry in Maryland was all but extinct until just a few years ago. Now, we boast 19 operating distilleries, with many more in the works located in every corner of the state." n

NEWS AND HAPPENINGS FROM MARYLAND'S WINERIES, BREWERIES, & DISTILLERIES

(continued from page 44)

made in MD M

The past month has seen some exciting events for Maryland’s local craft beverage industries...

The Maryland Wineries Association celebrated their 6th Annual Winter Wine event at Balti-more’s B&O Railroad Museum in late January. The event consisted of a VIP sparkling wine pre-reception, followed by a grand tasting of award winning wines under the museums impressive roundhouse dome. Furthermore, online wine publication The Cork Re-port recently featured a piece on Catoctin Breeze Vineyard, highlighting their “honest, earnest wines” and calling it “not your typical winery.”

The Brewers Association of Maryland (BAM) kicked off FeBREWary, Maryland Craft Beer Lover’s month, with a toast from Governor Larry Hogan at the Federal House Bar & Grille in Annapolis on February 1st. Addi-tionaly, Beer Connoisseur Magazine named Heavy Seas Brewery ‘Brewery of the Year’ for 2017. Finally, BAM also recently welcomed Cindy Mul-likin of Mully’s Brewery as their new Board President.

The Maryland Distillers Guild was happy to announce McClintock Distill-ing Company of Frederick was certified as Maryland’s first and only organic distillery and Ocean City’s Seacrets Distilling Company received several awards for their Spiced Rum and Orange Vodka at Cigar & Spirits Best of 2017 World Spirits Competition. n

48 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

market shotsM

FIREBALL AT WISP SKI RESORT

FIREBALL AT GREENE TURTLE

DEEP EDDY VODKA AT TOTAL WINE & MORE

HANGAR 1 VODKA ON THE AVENUE

DOBEL TEQUILA AT STALKING HORSE

1800 TEQUILA AT ROPEWALK TAVERN

KRAKEN RUM AT RONNIE’S BEVERAGE WAREHOUSE

DEEP EDDY VODKA AT RIVER WATCH

50 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

market shotsM

OLD CAMP AT TOTAL WINE & MORE

DEEP EDDY VODKA AT MARYLAND MALLET

SVEDKA PEACH & PAUL MASSON PEACH AT LAKE SHORE TAVERN

TEMPLETON RYE AT LA CUCHARA

STELLA ROSA WINES AT FORT MEADE COMMISSARY

SOUTHERN COMFORT AT EL JEFE

JOSE CUERVO AT EL JEFE

TUACA AT CITY LIMITS

DISTRIBUTED BY INTERBALT: (855)SANTERO OR (301)793.1818

52 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

market shotsM

REYKA VODKA AT BREAKTHRU BEVERAGE

Reyka Vodka’s national brand team recently visited the market to present Reyka’s new marketing campaign to the Breakthru Beverage Maryland On and Off premise sales teams. Pictured below with the Breakthru Beverage team are John Walsh, William Orsburn and Trevor Schneider; all with William Grant & Sons.

FREIXENET CAVA AND AISLE STYLE Freixenet Cava was a highlight at the recent Baltimore Bride magazine’s Aisle Style wedding event. Guests enjoyed Freixenet bubbles and sparkling cocktails while mingling among local premier wedding professionals, vendors and enjoying a contemporary Bridal Fashion Show.

BREAKTHRU BEVERAGE GIVES BACK

The Breakthru Beverage United Division team has joined forces with the amazing group at Habitat for Humanity forming a partnership that will continue throughout the year. The group worked through a cold and rainy January day to help build two homes in the Havre De Grace community. (Habitat for Humanity is an organization that helps create affordable housing for those in need.) One of the families that will soon move into the house was on site to add to the effort. The United Division team is proud to give back and be a helping hand to the Maryland community.

54 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

market shotsMROYAL WINE’S 11TH ANNUAL KOSHER FOOD & WINE EXPERIENCE

Royal Wine’s 11th Annual Kosher Food & Wine Experience featured the finest kosher wines, spirits and gourmet fare at New York City’s Chelsea Piers.

Here are Chris Lombardi, SGWS; Marty Hymowitz, Doug Simon, both with Royal Wines; and Jason Zaiderman, Eddie’s Liquors of Charles Village at the event.

ANNUAL HONORARY ROBERT BURNS SUPPER

The Annual Honorary Robert Burns Supper is a celebration of joint operations between the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the US Navy. The event is held at Patuxent Naval Base in St. Mary’s County. Attendees include officers, ambassadors, fighter pilots, and crewmen. Attendees enjoyed a variety of wine and whiskeys from Bacardi USA, Frederick Wildman, MS Walker, Palm Bay, and Campari.

Here are Flight Lieutenant John Cox RAF, Brad Knopf, SGWS; and Wing Commander Neville Clayton.

Chris Franks, a Royal Navy Submarine Commander; is enjoying the evening.

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• Londontowne Liquors• Camelot Liquors• Kenilworth Liquors• Centreville Liquors• Harbor Spirits• John’s General Store• Clauss Liquors• Arundel Liquors• Market Place W&S• Ye Old Packaged Goods• Village Green• I.M. Wine• Chesapeake Liquors• Shop Rite Liquors

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We are a click away... email: atkins.steve@comcast.net • www.atkinsrealtygroup.com

56 BEVERAGE JOURNAL March 2018 www.BeverageJournalInc.com

market shotsMBODEGA LUIGI BOSCA SYMPOSIUM

The Bodega Luigi Bosca Symposium, led by Alberto Arizu Jr., was recently held at the Embassy of Argentina.

At the Bodega Luigi Bosca Symposium are Jose Molina, Head of Agricultural Section; Alberto Arizu Jr., Owner Bodega Luigi Bosca; Sergio Perez Gunella, Deputy Chief of Mission; Pablo Rodriguez Brizuela, Head of Economic and Commercial Section; and Nadia Socoloff, Economic and Commercial Section.

BACARDI AT WHITEY’S

BACARDI UGLY SWEATER DISPLAY CONTEST

BACARDI 8 AT FAIRGROUNDS DISCOUNT BEVERAGES

The famous “Dark & Stormy” cocktail, featuring Bacardi 8 dark rum, was recently spotted at Fairgrounds Discount Beverages.

Wendy Adams Kushel, SGWS; was recently announced the winner of the Bacardi Ugly Sweater display contest. Here are Wendy and Susan McGreevey, Total Discount Liquors.

Jason Valiquet, SGWS; conducts a tasting with Eric and Skyler at Whitey’s Liquors.