With the holiday season upon us, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why this time of year is so critical for many different brands and categories, and speculate on which ones will have a happy holidays and which will end up with a (proverbial, probably) lump of coal in their stockings. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple…

With a recreational marijuana ballot initiative going down to defeat in Florida and uncertainty about the incoming administration's interest in federal legalization, cannabis companies and their investors are getting cold feet. Since cannabis has been coopting some classic drinking occasions, does this setback give alcohol some breathing room? Adam…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach dive into the provocative notion that the much ballyhooed sober-curious/alcohol-free movement among Millennials is just a new (and overtly public) manifestation of the same panic that grips any generation entering middle age, and the focus on healthy living (likely overstated to begin with) will subside as they adjust to life…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach unpack VinePair's Top 50 Wines of 2024 list, including a discussion of the remarkable range of styles and varieties on display from America, their excitement around Syrah, and a few other favorites. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and se…

Zach is joined by Sake ONO CEO Lana Buchanan to discuss the tremendous growth potential for sake in American drinking culture. While widely known and appreciated, sake has rarely been able to escape the confines of the most traditional drinking occasions. Buchanan outlines her team's efforts to change the conversation around sake, how branding and …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss a curious trend of cocktail menus at bars around the country focusing more and more on sweeter drinks. After over a decade of bars focusing on bitter, boozy, stirred concoctions, what's driving this shift in flavor profile and approach? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spot…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the surprising emergence of shots on cocktail menus at a range of restaurants and bars that you might not expect, including ultra-trendy dining spots and fairly elevated cocktail bars. Why do so many beverage programs see value and opportunity in this format, and why are drinkers responding to them? Please remember to…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach take the occasion of the release of the The World's 50 Best Bars list to discuss the sameness of so many of the establishments, how the mostly seem to exist to the jetset crowd, and why America is once more paving the way for a new kind of cocktail bar experience, even if the rest of the world doesn't quite recognize that yet…

To celebrate Halloween, Adam, Joanna, and Zach draft the best drinking holidays of the year: what are the criteria that make a day particularly good for drinking, and does it matter if everyone else agrees with you or not? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and s…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach explore whether the slumping wine industry can be revitalized by clever, collective marketing efforts, or if it will require a few key brands to change the conversation and get consumers enthusiastic about drinking wine. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair Next Wave Award Winemaker of the Year Dan Petroski of Massican to discuss his journey in wine and why white wine is ascendant at a time when wine in general is struggling: how it better meets wine drinkers where they are, why in many cases it fits better with current food trends, and doesn't come with a…

Zach is joined by Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas to discuss his entry into the world of whiskey, why American Single Malt is such a dynamic and exciting category, the challenges and opportunities that come from using local ingredients, and why the climate in Texas is well-suited to produce world-class whiskies …

With the announcement of VinePair's fourth annual Next Wave Award winners, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the selection process and highlight some of the deserving recipients among the 17 different categories. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any quest…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether cocktail menus have gotten too clogged with unique, unpredictable, and frequently improperly-executed drinks, especially in the kinds of establishments that might be better served just focusing on nailing the classics and maybe offering a small selection of originals. Who is pushing for this kind of program in…

Zach speaks with winemaker Nate Walsh of Walsh Family Wine about the past and present of the Virginia wine industry: the distinctive geographic, meteorologic, and topographic elements that shape the state, as well as the tremendous capacity for wine tourism and other kinds of cultural experiences that can be had when visiting the state's many wine …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach break down the recent news that a private equity firm has purchased The Duckhorn Portfolio and is taking it private. Why has Wall Street been so cool towards wine-only companies of late, and is it something that's inherent to the wine industry, or just a bad moment for these particular entities. Please remember to subscribe t…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach spend some time discussing the plight of Pisco, then chat about the new wave of highball cocktails that aim to reinvent the form: do they make high-end cocktail bars more approachable, or are they just a way to fancy up what is at heart a simple drink? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcas…

Zach speaks with Chicago sommelier Derrick Westbrook and Molly Matelski, director of buyer relations, programming, and partnerships for VinItaly USA about the first-ever American version of the iconic Italian wine festival, including what's behind the move to bring it to America, why Chicago, and how it will differ from the version held in Verona. …

With yet another viral social media trend centered around Guinness, it's time for Adam, Joanna, and Zach to discuss how this perfect beer effortlessly finds new fans and ways to remain at the center of drinking culture around the world, moving between higher-end and low-cost establishments and drinking occasions in a way that no other beer can. Ple…

Another day, another NA brand acquisition. Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about LVMH's recent minority investment in the shockingly-expensive French Bloom line of non-alcoholic French sparkling wines: who the market for $100+ non-alcoholic sparkling wine even is, why LVMH doesn't want to enter this category with their own brands, and more. Please reme…

Zach is joined by Andrew Delos, Vice President of Winemaking for Far Niente Wine Estates, and Michael Accurso, winemaker for En Route and Post & Beam, to discuss their careers in the wine industry, how Far Niente is planning for the future of grape growing and hospitality in Napa Valley and Northern California more generally, and the newly-launched…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach speculate about Diageo's recent acquisition of Ritual Zero Proof: with Seedlip already in the portfolio, why add another brand? Does the growing popularity of "zebrastriping" in the UK portend a similar trend here in the US? What is the target market, and why is it likely to be largely on-premise? Plus, an extended discussion…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about trying to have top quality ice at home: are there ways to do it, and is it even a worthwhile pursuit. Plus, a conversation about craft vodka, and why Adam hates passed apps. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your epis…

Adam speaks with acclaimed author Karen MacNeil about the newly-launched "Come Over October" initiative, which aims to draw attention to wine's nature as a shared, communal beverage, and highlight the benefits of getting together to enjoy it. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get …

With spirits brands turning towards modern classic cocktails to build marketing and ad campaigns around, what (if anything) do they owe to the creators of those drinks in terms of compensation, credit, or outreach? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the struggles of Scotch whisky over the past two years and ponder whether attempting to chase after new markets and audiences has hurt the category's reputation with their core drinking audience. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, a…

For this special edition of the VinePair podcast, Adam sits down with 7th and 8th generation master distillers Fred and Freddie Noe to talk about Beam, bourbon, and their family’s influence on America’s most popular spirit. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and …

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss how despite some consternation about super-cheap bulk wine undercutting the market for fine wine, there's really no reason to think that those two markets overlap in any meaningful way. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send an…

With VinePair's Negroni Knockout in full swing, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the evolution of the cocktail in the American consciousness, and the American cocktail scene over the last couple of decades, and try to figure out if the drink is tied to the classic recipe and ratio or whether it now exists more as a general mood or category of drinks.…

Despite many years of hope and possibility, rum has never really caught on with Millennials. Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether Gen Z is a more receptive audience for rum's charms, or if the same challenges that have held the category back with older drinkers will remain a problem with younger ones. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and re…

In honor of the start of football season, and because they want to, Adam, Joanna, and Zach draft "teams" of five classic cocktails each, from a list of 15 of the most popular. Weigh in and tell us who you think won the draft on social media or by emailing podcast@vinepair.com. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podc…

Adam, Joanna, and Zach react to a recent article about New York wine pros not carrying Veuve Clicquot: it's certainly OK to decide that you're not going to serve or stock a very popular and recognizable wine, but making guests or customers who seek it out feel bad or basic for wanting is appallingly bad hospitality. Please remember to subscribe to,…

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

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

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

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

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the biggest way that cannabis products are threatening alcohol: by being the substance of choice for relaxation at the end of a long day. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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