Market Watch May 2018

Vintus, the wine importing and marketing company founded by industry veteran Michael Quinttus in 2004, isn’t particularly big. Nor is it a place that seeks a high profile at every turn. Vintus simply goes about its business—and its efforts have produced one of the market’s most prestigious wine portfolios. What it brings to the party is a unique talent for letting its wines do the talking, making them the stars of the show. Just look at some of the names in the lineup—Guigal, Bollinger, Margaux, Frescobaldi, Tommasi, Quinta do Noval, Masciarelli, Ponzi, and Chateau Montelena—and you’ll see what I mean. Simply put, Vintus has built a portfolio that’s both high-end and renowned. And Quinttus and his team have done it through a combination of brand nurturing and industry expertise. He’s…

Diageo Unveils Scotch Tourism Boost….Diageo has announced it will pour £150 million ($215 million) into visitor experiences at its Scottish distilleries over the next three years. The investment will include a new Johnnie Walker “immersive visitor experience” in Edinburgh, which is intended to “become a new hub for Diageo’s business in Scotland,” according to the company. Four Diageo distilleries that contribute to the Johnnie Walker blend—Glenkinchie (Lowland), Cardhu (Speyside), Caol Ila (Islay), and Clynelish (Highland)—will be linked with the Edin-burgh venue to encourage Scotch enthusiasts to visit all four regions. Meanwhile, Diageo will also make new investments at its Lagavulin, Talisker, Glen Ord, Oban, Dalwhinnie, Blair Athol, Cragganmore, and Royal Lochnagar distilleries, upgrading its existing 12 distillery visitor centers. Johnnie Walker had global sales of $5.4 billion last year on…

Meininger Verlag, a German media company specializing in publications for the wine and spirits trade, held its annual awards ceremony on March 17. Among the honorees, Marvin R. Shanken, chairman of M. Shanken Communications, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. “Very few people can be said to have helped transform an entire industry,” said Robert Joseph, editor at large of Meininger’s Wine Business International. “But that is what Marvin Shanken has done.” Shanken was recognized for building Wine Spectator into the world’s highest-circulation wine publication; organizing wine events that bring together professionals and consumers from around the world; and establishing the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, which has contributed tens of millions of dollars for wine education and research. An audience of 600 wine industry professionals gathered at Düsseldorf’s InterContinental…

All-Female Team Opens Gin Joint In Los Angeles Emphasizing gin and promoting a female-friendly atmosphere, Genever opened in March in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown. The relaxed cocktail lounge highlights fresh drinks made with natural ingredients, including house-made mixers and garnishes, and most of its specialty cocktails feature either gin or genever. Many cocktails also incorporate Filipino flavors like tapioca, panutsa, pandan, and calamansi in a nod to the bar’s locale and the heritage of the concept’s female ownership team. The venue carries 20 gins and four genevers behind the bar, defining each style on the menu—from its namesake genever to Old Tom, Navy Strength, and London Dry gins. Signature cocktails ($14) include the Butterfly In The Sky, made with butterfly pea flower-infused Aviation gin, Scrappy’s Lavender bitters, East Imperial yuzu…

• French Chef Dominique Crenn unveiled the wine-focused Bar Crenn in March in San Francisco, located adjacent to her Atelier Crenn restaurant. The salon-like space is designed to feel like a high-end living room, evoking 1930s Paris. It features a lengthy Old World wine menu, low-alcohol cocktails, and aperitifs, as well as French snacks and shareable plates. • Napa Valley welcomed the upscale sports bar NapaSport in March. The venue offers elevated bar fare and drinks, including a lengthy California wine list, draft craft beer, and specialty cocktails inspired by professional athletes. The bar boasts several large-screen TVs and a glass-walled private dining area. • Cherry Creek Beer Garden opened in March in Denver, adjacent to the Moxy Hotel. The space has six beers on tap and lists a rotating…

Bistro Celebrates New Orleans Cultural Influences Former “Top Chef” competitor Nina Compton unveiled her second New Orleans venue in March with the opening of Bywater American Bistro. The eatery in the Crescent City’s Bywater neighborhood showcases seasonal fare with roots in the many cultures that make up New Orleans cuisine. The varied menu includes appetizers like hog’s head boudin and pickled shrimp ($4-$14), as well as such larger dishes ($20-$26) as fried gulf oysters over jasmine rice, rabbit curry with pecans and rice, and steamed red snapper with broccoli rabe and Hollandaise sauce. The drinks program at Bywater America Bistro is a key part of the experience, with cocktails ($8-$13) designed to showcase simple flavors that complement the food. Signature drinks include the Bab Sour, mixing Rittenhouse rye with Angostura…