Market Watch June 2018

At its heart, Trinchero Family Estates is about a family whose love of viticulture and winemaking made their enterprise into a great American success story. The family moved from New York City to the Napa Valley way back in the 1940s, and ultimately became one of California’s top wine players. But while the Trincheros’ passion for winemaking lies at the center of it all, the company has also displayed some impressive marketing skills over the years—skills that have created some of the industry’s biggest trends. White Zinfandel, created in the 1970s, is perhaps the most memorable trendsetter in the Trinchero line. In more recent history, its Ménage à Trois brand, introduced in 2004, touched off the current craze for red blends that’s propelled much growth for California wine ever since.…

Diageo Acquires Pierde Almas Mezcal.…Diageo has acquired luxury mezcal brand Pierde Almas for an undisclosed sum. Founded by entrepreneur Jonathan Barbieri a decade ago, Pierde Almas is made in Oaxaca using artisanal production techniques. The brand, whose retail pricing starts at around $69, will join Diageo’s ultra-premium portfolio, with Barbieri staying on board as brand ambassador and master distiller. The purchase follows Diageo’s launch of Casamigos Mezcal—an offshoot of its Casamigos Tequila brand—this spring. Casamigos Mezcal also plays in the luxury price range, at $60 a 750-ml. Though the U.S. market’s total mezcal volumes remain modest at under 400,000 cases, the category is fast expanding, with shipments roughly quadrupling over the past half-decade. Bacardi Completes Patrón Acquisition.…Bacardi Ltd. has completed its deal to acquire 100% of Patrón Spirits International. Announced…

Vegas Mob Museum Opens Speakeasy With Distillery The Mob Museum, a gallery showcasing the nation’s history of organized crime and law enforcement, expanded in April with the opening of The Underground, a permanent 2,800-square-foot exhibition about Prohibition that includes a speak-easy bar and working distillery. The venue has an on-site master distiller who produces corn-mash moonshine in 60-gallon copper pot stills. That spirit is featured in several of the bar’s classic cocktails and such original concoctions as the Moonshine Mayhem, which also includes pineapple juice, Earl Grey tea, and cardamom syrup. In addition, the Underground’s drinks menu (cocktails are $10-$14) lists Prohibition-era mainstays like the Bee’s Knees, made with Tattersall gin, lemon juice, and jalapeño honey, and the Giggle Water, blending Tito’s Hand-made vodka infused in-house with blood oranges, Lillet…

♦ Famed New York City bar Employees Only moved west in April, debuting a location in Los Angeles’ West Hollywood neighborhood. The cocktail haven offers many of the popular drinks from its Big Apple counterpart, along with a few L.A.-themed creations and a menu of New Orleans-inspired concoctions, available in a secret room. ♦ The gin-centric Juniper Cocktail Lounge opened in April in Las Vegas’ Park MGM resort. The upscale lounge, which claims to have the largest gin collection in Sin City, offers several gin drinks and classic cocktails, as well as spirits bottle service. Inspired by a European garden pavilion, the space is on the casino floor. ♦ Phoenix-based Postino Wine Cafe made its first foray into Texas in April, opening a location in Houston’s Heights neighborhood. The wine…

Belgian-Style Bistro Debuts In Chicago Channeling traditional Belgian mussel and beer bars, Fisk & Co. opened in April in the Chicago Loop near the city’s Riverwalk. The restaurant offers an American adaptation of the concept, with a seafood-heavy menu that includes several versions of steamed mussels ($18-$22), from a classic preparation with white wine, garlic, and butter to beer-based and Thai curry executions. Fisk & Co. also offers a raw bar and seafood charcuterie like monkfish liver mousse and smoked whitefish rillette, as well as such larger dishes as octopus Bolognese, chicken schnitzel, and a raclette burger (starters are $6-$24; entrées range from $18-$32). The drinks component, led by beer, is a substantial part of the Fisk & Co. experience. The venue offers 12 draft pours and more than 20…

♦ London’s Chotto Matte, a Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei concept, made its U.S. debut in Miami in April. The open-air venue has a large bar area with Japanese whiskies, sakes, and specialty drinks, as well as a selection of small plates that includes sushi, robata, and tempura fare. ♦ Serving contemporary American seasonal fare, The Court-house 2021 opened in April in Redwood City, California’s Theater District. The restaurant offers a varied selection of meats and has a drinks program that includes house-bottled cocktails and sangria on tap, as well as traditional mixed drinks and myriad wines. ♦ Inspired by his grandparents, restaurateur Jacques Ouari opened the French and Algerian concept Maman & Mimi in April in New York City’s Nolita neighborhood. The menu lists a variety of fare, from tajines to flatbreads…