Market Watch December 2017

A New Generation Rises At the age of 35, Joe Wagner already has a remarkable resume. Growing up in Napa Valley as part of Wagner Family of Wine, he worked with his father, Chuck, to develop Belle Glos, a single vineyard Pinot Noir that rapidly became one of California’s elite Pinot Noirs. He then created Meiomi, a quality Pinot Noir at a more accessible price point, and built it into an 800,000-case powerhouse. Joe left the family fold in 2014 to found his own company, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, and then sold Meiomi to Constellation Brands the following year for a remarkable $315 million. Even with all that, it looks like Joe Wagner is only just getting started. The Meiomi sale has given Copper Cane the opportunity to build…

RNDC And Breakthru Join Forces….Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC) and Breakthru Beverage Group (BBG), the market’s second and third largest wholesalers, respec-tively, have announced plans to merge. Pending regulatory approvals, the deal is sched-uled to close in the second quarter of 2018 and comes just a year after the creation of $17.5 billion giant Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. RNDC has projected 2017 sales of $7.5 billion and a market share of 13.6 percent, with operations in 23 U.S. markets. Breakthru, formed last year through the merger of Wirtz Beverage Group and Charmer Sunbelt Group, operates in 16 markets and has projected 2017 sales of $6.35 billion and a market share of 11.5 percent. The combined RNDC-Breakthru will have sales approaching $14 billion, with operations in 30 markets and a…

San Francisco Bar Offers Upscale Rooftop Experience Located above the Mid-Market neighborhood in the new Proper Hotel, the rooftop bar and lounge Charmaine’s boasts sweeping views of San Francisco. Operated by Proper Hospitality with cocktail partners BV Hospitality, Charmaine’s opened in October and has an extensive drinks program that includes vibrant cocktails in categories ranging from “Big & Beautiful” large-format drinks ($75) to “Tall & Fun” refreshers and “Spiri-tous & Stirred” sippers (cocktails are $15). Standouts include the Christmas & The Beads of Sweat, made with Lot 40 rye, Unión Uno mezcal, Angostura Aromatic and Orange bitters, and apple mole, and the Proper Cup, comprising Hendrick’s gin, Pimm’s Original No. 1 Cup liqueur, lemon and lime juices, blackberry and black pepper syrup, and ginger ale, garnished with a cucumber slice.…

Seafood-Focused Operator Expands To Denver Point Restaurants, which operates the popular Laurel Point seafood restaurant in Los Angeles, debuted Wewatta Point in Denver’s Lower Downtown neighborhood in Octo-ber. The eatery offers a seafood-centric menu that highlights sustainable ingredients and regional flavors. Wewatta Point boasts oysters, steamed clams, octopus, ceviche and poke on its appetizer menu, along with specialty entrées. Standout dishes include Cajun-seasoned Idaho Snake River trout and Thai snapper ($25 to $49), along with non-seafood options like braised short ribs and filet medallions ($18 to $38). Wewatta Point’s bever-age program ranges from local craft beers to wines from California and the Pacific North-west to handcrafted cocktails. The venue’s beer list includes Black Shirt Brewing Co.’s Colorado Red IPA on draft and Ska Brewing’s Steel Toe Stout in a can…

AS PICTURED: 1. Chef Tom Colicchio and journalist Allen Salkin enjoyed the launch of Dewar’s 25-year-old blended Scotch whisky while commemorating the 25th anniversary of New York City’s Blue Ribbon Brasserie on November 15th. 2. The Ear Inn owner Martin Sheridan (right) and bartender Eric Eyerman (left) served Guinness draft pours during the bar’s 200th anniversary celebration, held outside the New York City establishment on November 11th. The event benefited the charity God’s Love We Deliver. 3. Widow Jane Distillery head distiller Vince Oleson and art director Michele Clark supplied sips of the Brooklyn-based whiskey at Whisky Advocate’s 20th annual WhiskyFest New York at the Marriott Mar-quis in Manhattan on November 16th. 4. Bartender Robert Rugg-Hinds prepared cocktails at a dinner sponsored by the Pineau des Charentes Committee at Wallflower…

Jameson The Blender’s Dog Pernod Ricard USA has released a new Irish whiskey from its Jameson brand. The second release in the Whiskey Makers Series, Jameson The Blender’s Dog ($69.99 a 750-ml.) is named for the tool that master blender Billy Leighton uses to draw whiskey samples from casks. The whiskey has tropical fruits and citrus on the nose; spice, fruit and butterscotch on the palate; and a long finish. The 43-percent abv non-chill-filtered whiskey is available nationwide. For more infor-mation, visit Jamesonwhiskey.com. Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2017 and Dair Ghaelach Bluebell Forest Pernod Ricard USA also unveiled two new expressions from its Midleton brand. The 40-percent abv Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2017 ($239 a 750-ml.) is non-chill-filtered and features a blend of whiskies aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, ranging in…