Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i Market Watch

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.…

♦ 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…

Despite attempts in recent years from many mixologists to push vodka out of the spotlight in favor of other choices like whisk(e)y and gin, the neutral grain spirit continues to reign supreme with most consumers. “The rise of professional bar programs bred bartenders with a disdain for vodka for the very reason that it became popular in the first place: its lack of flavor,” says Dustin Newsome, bar manager at Bar Clacson in Los Angeles. “Vodka wasn’t seen as a noble spirit, and was widely regarded as a ‘less-than’ product made for the nightclub and college town palates.” But Newsome notes that the bar industry has gradually evolved out of this phase and become more open to vodka, specifically because it continues to be so popular among consumers. “I’m thankful…

With summer’s arrival, bar and restaurant operators are boosting sales by pairing two of the season’s favorites: beer and ice cream. “Our Left Hand Milk Stout-based Beer Float ($12) is a head-turner,” says Jacob Hadjigeorgis, owner of Jacob’s Pickles bar and restaurant in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Erin Wallace, owner of Old Eagle Tavern in Philadelphia, says offerings like the Lindeman’s Framboise and Manayunk Crunch chocolate-peanut butter beer floats ($8-$10) not only satisfy her customers’ penchant for sweet and boozy treats, but also resolve a space issue for the bar. “I was looking for something different and fun,” Wallace says. “We’re a small place, and sometimes people want something sweet. But it can be hard to keep desserts at the bar—beer floats have stuck.” The Ice Cream Bar in San…

GHOST CHILE INGREDIENTS: 2 ounces white cocoa fat-washed Linie aquavit1;1 ounce passionfruit purée;1 ounce coconut milk;5 dashes ghost chile tincture2;1 egg;Grated white chocolate;Spoonful Pointy Snout Osetra caviar (optional). RECIPE: Combine aquavit, passionfruit, coconut milk, tincture, and egg in a cocktail shaker and dry shake. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a flip glass, and garnish with grated white chocolate and optional spoonful of caviar. PINK PEPPERCORN INGREDIENTS: 1½ ounces bacon fat-washed Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon3;¾ ounce dark chocolate-infused Cynar amaro4;¾ ounce Thai chili-infused Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth5;Himalayan salt rock;Pink peppercorns. RECIPE: Combine Bourbon, amaro, and vermouth in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a rocks glass over a big ice cube. Grate Himalayan rock and sprinkle a few pink peppercorns on top as garnish.…

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…

Ketel One Botanical Diageo North America has launched a new lineup of lower-proof vodkas from its Ketel One brand. The Ketel One Botanical range (each $25 a 750-ml.) includes Peach & Orange Blossom, Cucumber & Mint, and Grapefruit & Rose expressions. The spirits, which feature no added sugars or artificial sweeteners, are made with a base of Ketel One vodka that is blended with a botanical recipe and re-distilled before being infused with a variety of fruit and botanical essences. Available nationwide, each 30% abv offering contains only 73 calories per serving. For more information, visit Ketelone.com. Rhetoric 24-Year-Old Diageo North America also introduced a new whiskey from its Orphan Barrel series this spring. Rhetoric 24-year-old Kentucky straight Bourbon ($130 a 750-ml.) is the fifth release of Rhetoric, and has…

Rosé is still on a roll with U.S. consumers, experiencing double-digit growth—the result of Provençal-style expressions capturing more drinkers’ imaginations, and producers refreshing the category with new formats and marketing concepts. Appealing to millennials, rosé is making its way to rooftops and beaches, as well as upscale wine lists, in cans, kegs, and slushies. “People are starting to understand that rosé is not a sweet white wine,” says Jennifer Masur, general manager and wine buyer at Brasserie by Niche in St. Louis. Similarly, Catherine Morel, wine director at 71 Above in Los Angeles, notes the appeal of rosé’s easy drinking style. “If you’re a red wine drinker, richer styles of rosé can offer some of the same fruit notes and complexities in a lighter style,” she says. Rosé has also…

50/50 MARTINI By Ardit Dizdari Ingredients: 1½ ounces Crystal Head vodka;1½ ounces Ransom Dry vermouth;Lemon twist. Recipe: Combine vodka and vermouth in a mixing glass and stir. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with lemon twist. FARMER #4 By Brandon Wise Ingredients: 1½ ounce Stateside Urbancraft vodka;¾ ounce St. Elder elderflower liqueur;¾ ounce grapefruit juice;¾ ounce lime juice;4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters. Recipe: Combine vodka, liqueur, and juices in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with Peychaud’s bitters. GARDEN VARIETY By Laurie Harvey Ingredients: 1½ ounces Thai chili-infused Deep Eddy Straight vodka1;1 ounce lemongrass-cucumber-ginger cordial2;¾ ounce fresh lemon juice;¾ ounce fresh lime juice;Splash club soda;Lemongrass stalk;Lime wheel;Thai chili. Recipe: Combine vodka, cordial, and juices in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and…

Bordeaux wines have rebounded in the U.S. in recent years, with shipments expanding 63% from 2010-2017 to surpass 2.2 million cases. Bordeaux remains the largest French AOC in the U.S., although Côtes de Provence is gaining quickly due to the skyrocketing rosé segment. While Bordeaux has made strides lately, Allan Sichel, president of the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux trade group, believes there’s ample room for further progress. MW: What are the key areas of focus for Bordeaux in the U.S. market currently? Sichel: We’re very encouraged with the numbers for 2017, with Bordeaux up 6% by volume and 12% by value. But we still should be doing better. Bordeaux accounts for about 2% of the world’s wine production, so we should have at least that share of the…

On-Premise News Ballast Point Opens Brewpub In Chicago Constellation Brands’ Ballast Point Brewing Co. opened a 12,000-squarefoot brewpub in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. The Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen features 40-50 beers at a time, including specialty brews offered exclusively at the taproom. The menu offers a mix of favorites from the craft brewer’s flagship San Diego brewpub, as well as items tailored to Chicago like the Habanero Sculpin IPA Bratwurst. The new facility can seat up to 250 guests and will be open for lunch and dinner daily. Del Frisco’s Agrees To Buy Barteca Restaurant Group Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group (DFRG) has announced an agreement to purchase Barteca Restaurant Group for $325 million. Both groups have been recognized by Wine Spectator for their wine excellence, boasting a combined…

♦ 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…

Jack Daniel’s While much of the American whiskey renaissance has centered on smaller, higher-end whiskies, the ongoing rise of Jack Daniel’s shows that major players are also winning new consumers. Jack Daniel’s has grown its U.S. volume for four straight years, crossing 5.2 million cases on a 1.1% advance last year, excluding flavor extensions. While the core Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 (around $22 a 750-ml.) has added about 425,000 cases over the past four years, growth is also coming from elsewhere in the portfolio. Gentleman Jack ($28) was up 7% to 387,000 cases last year, according to Impact Databank. A Tennessee Rye extension has also received a solid response since launching last fall. Flavored offshoots Tennessee Honey and Tennessee Fire are also growing, up 3.4% to 709,000 cases and…

In terms of total volume, the past year wasn’t very kind to gin: Overall consumption in the U.S. continued to decline, and total sales were down 2.5%. Of the ten top-selling brands, only one brand—Hendrick’s—posted a gain, according to Impact Databank. Brands that had been faring well over the last few years took sudden dips in 2017. Following years of growth, Tanqueray ($25 a 750-ml.) was down 0.2% to 1.49 million 9-liter cases. After surging 18% in 2016, the Bombay franchise slipped 4.9% to 1.12 million cases. Bombay’s super-premium offshoot, Sapphire ($27), was primed to cross the 1-million-case mark this year but instead was down 5.4% to 933,000 cases. But even with this year’s setbacks, Bombay has expanded steadily and Tanqueray has stayed mostly level over the last ten years,…

From chocolate bars and lollipops to cotton candy and Pop Rocks, candy is proving to be a versatile and fun bar ingredient. Bartenders use candy to infuse spirits and garnish over-the-top drinks, creating entertaining and eye-catching offerings with robust, surprising flavors and just the right amount of nostalgia to attract a wide array of guests. Restaurant and bar Sugar Factory, which has 11 U.S. outposts and four international locations, built its concept by mixing the worlds of mixology and confections. The company’s lengthy cocktail menu highlights myriad candies. “We incorporate candy into almost every cocktail,” says Sugar Factory founder Charissa Davidovici. “Candy makes cocktails more playful and brings guests back to their childhood. It’s a flavor enhancer that balances out alcohol and juice.” Sugar Factory’s drinks menu features 60-ounce specialty…

Diageo has made several changes to its North American leadership team, appointing Claudia Schubert—currently general manager of Continental Europe and Russia—to the role of president of U.S. Spirits & Canada. She replaces Tom Looney, who has announced plans to retire. Concurrently, Ed Pilkington has been named Diageo North America’s chief marketing and innovation officer. A 24-year Diageo veteran, Pilkington most recently served as CMO of Diageo Europe. He succeeds James Thompson, who is departing the company. Both appointments will go into effect over the summer, reporting directly to Diageo North America president Deirdre Mahlan. Bacardi Ltd. has named Brian Cox vice president of Dewar’s. In his new role, Cox will spearhead marketing efforts for Dewar’s Scotch across the North American region. Cox joins Bacardi from Stoli Group USA, where he…

Nico de Soto is a man of the world: Born and raised in Paris, he’s traveled to 85 different countries and worked in 31 of them. His bartending journey has taken him from city to city for most of his career. After training in Paris in 2005, he spent 2007 tending bar in Melbourne, Australia before returning to Paris, where he eventually joined the team at the renowned Experimental Cocktail Club. He came stateside in 2010, helping to open an Experimental Cocktail Club location in New York City and then another in London, serving as head mixologist at both. In 2015, he opened his first cocktail bar, Mace, in New York City’s East Village. The venue earned recognition as one of the best in the world at London’s The World’s…