Much of the wine press might be up in arms about the lack of wine in Hulu's hit show The Bear, but Adam, Joanna, and Zach don't really see the issue. For one, wine just doesn't tend to work well on screen, and for two, it's not as if there haven't been plenty of other shows that have heavily featured wine, for better or worse. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques,...

As Gen Z moves more into the forefront of drinks culture, brands throughout the industry are trying to craft products and pitches that they think will resonate. Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether or not that kind of generational pandering actually works, and whether it makes sense to target the youngest section of legal-age drinkers potentially at the expense of more stable, established demographics. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or...

Adam has returned from his European vacation, and discusses with Joanna and Zach some of what he experienced and learned along the way, including whether the world's best bars are worth a visit, why wine lists are usually hyper-local, and the unexpected places where dining with a young child can work out. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to...

Zach speaks with vintner Chris Benziger about his family's move from New York City to Sonoma, their early adoption of biodynamic farming practices, how sheep and cows can bring life back into a vineyard, and their newly-released "Running Wild" Chardonnay. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be...

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributor Dave Foss to discuss the current state of wine pricing in restaurants: why many restaurants, particularly in trendier cities and neighborhoods, are marking up their wine to previously-unseen levels, particularly in places without a dedicated wine or beverage professional. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or...

Joanna and Zach discuss Lambrusco - once America's most popular imported wine, can it reemerge as an unlikely favorite as both chilled red wines and sparkling wines are on the rise, and as the nation's love affair with cured meats, cheeses, and all things Italian shows no signs of waning? Or can something that was once so popular, then unpopular, never be cool again? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and...

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair assistant editor Hannah Staab to explore the modern revival of soufflé cocktails like the Ramos Gin Fizz, how certain bars are trying to turn a 15 minute cocktail into something that can be done quickly, and what the future of the trend looks like. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]....

Joanna and Zach discuss the state of the spritz in 2024: why it remains a very popular drink, whether there's room for other versions besides the Aperol Spritz, and why it may or may not be a good template for brands and bartenders to riff on. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be well. Zach is...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about a frustrating issue with wine sales and service, where professionals attempt to talk customers out of buying the wines they're interested in, and whether that comes from a lack of experience, poor training, or just snobbery. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the balancing act between bars serving good drinks quickly in a more frenetic environment, versus a slower pace of service with a more chill atmosphere, as well as what some of the causes of slower service might be. Plus, they discuss their personal IPA Mount Rushmores and answer a listener question about the drinks they turn to for celebrations and special occasions. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder the future of wine collecting: will Millennials and beyond continue to seek out and value the same kinds of wines as older collectors? Will there be as many people interested in wine collecting as in the past? Will wine knowledge and aptitude continue to have the same kind of cultural cachet as it does now? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments,...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach bemoan the fact that last year's right wing boycott of Bud Light has scared drinks brands off from outwardly supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. Is it enough that some of them are supporting causes but not being particularly public, or is this even a somewhat welcome end to craven rainbow-washing? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments,...

Zach speaks with Jesus Susunaga, Maestro Tequilero for Mayenda Tequila, about his novel approach to tequila production, the distinct qualities of this ultra-premium blanco, his background in distilling, and the release of Mayenda's Reposado Tequila. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the metrics, sales data, and portfolio shape that tends to get smaller drinks brands purchased by some of the biggest beverage companies, and why $20 million in revenue is a magic number. Plus, speculation on a few brands that just might be the next ones to sell. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to...

Fresh off Bar Convent Brooklyn, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the merits and downsides of such trade shows: they undoubtedly provide a great time for members of the bartending community, but do they actually move products for the brands involved, or provide a platform to newer and smaller producers? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether craft beer has gotten boring: has a proliferation of breweries around the country created too much homogeneity, and is the old allure of the taproom no longer enough to bring drinkers in droves? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be well. Joanna is drinking:...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach examine the burgeoning trend of "flat drinks," alcoholic beverages that are very purposefully not carbonated. Do enough drinkers dislike carbonated beverages to make this an area for real growth, or are these drinks just not interesting enough to capture the public's full attention? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach use a listener question as a jumping-off point to discuss whether most wine drinkers really care where a wine is from: do regular wine drinkers below a certain price point care about appellations and vintages, or is it mostly about flavor profile and price point? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]....

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether growth in craft light lagers portends a shakeup in the American beer landscape, and why these local and regional beers might be able to resonate with beer drinkers in a way that macro lagers are struggling to. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be well. Joanna...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether American wineries are in general making too many different wines and styles in a given vintage, and if a tighter focus with fewer offerings would help them in the marketplace, particularly in distribution or even with media coverage. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach speculate on the future of the Paloma - can it be another standard bearer for tequila, or does the divergence between the drink's original formulation with grapefruit soda and more upscale versions with fresh grapefruit juice make it harder to take worldwide? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks...

Adam is joined by GALLO executive vice president and general manger spirits Britt West to discuss his history in the alcohol industry, and where in particular he sees the tequila market going, from the conversation around additives to bottle shape to interest in cristalino expressions. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]....

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss rosé's sales slump - are people sick of it or do they just have more choices for easy-drinking summertime fun? Can certain brands, regions, or multinationals find a new way to make rosé surge? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to [email protected]. Thanks for listening, and be well. Zach is drinking: Piña Colada...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach break down GALLO's acquisition of Montucky Cold Snacks, then are joined by restaurateur, consultant, and VinePair contributor Dave Foss to discuss his recent piece about how unbeknownst to most diners, elevated menu prices in bars and restaurants are being driven by a surge in labor costs that have created new challenges for operators. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any...