Innehållsförteckning för June 1, 2016 från Market Watch

Industry Veterans Debut Upscale Drinks Den In San Francisco A year after opening the bar Forgery in San Francisco, longtime collaborators Ken Luciano and Jacques Bezuidenhout partnered again with PlumpJack Group to debut the cocktail lounge Wildhawk in the city’s Mission District in April. The inviting 1,000-square-foot space puts a European flair on the American tavern, boasting antique-style cocktail tables, contemporary seating, pewter ceiling tiles and bold wallpaper in a dimly lit setting. Its menu emphasizes vermouth-based cocktails, offering an array of classics prepared with modern techniques (specialty drinks are $8 to $13). Standouts include the Hip Hops, mixing Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato vermouth, grapefruit juice, pineapple gum syrup and a house-made hops tincture, and the Kind of Fancy, a blend of Hine Cognac, Wild Turkey 101 rye whiskey, Fonseca…

Bérénice Lurton, proprietor of Sauternes-based wine producer Château Climens, acknowledges the problem with Bordeaux’s image, but she also recognizes it as an opportunity. “Perhaps it’s true that younger consumers don’t see Bordeaux as the reference it once was, but that shift gives us a chance to forget all the clichés and open ourselves to the region’s diversity and strengths,” she says. “Bordeaux has a unique ability to mix power and elegance, and that combination will never go out of fashion.” Lurton doesn’t dispute the damage done from the price spikes on the 2009 and 2010 vintages, but says the deeper story needs to be told. “We’re not being judged fairly,” she says. “The vast majority of Bordeaux winemakers have sensible pricing strategies. Bordeaux offers an amazing array of wines at…

Gin’s trajectory in recent years has been one of steady decline, with the category shrinking 7.3 percent since 2011, according to Impact Databank. Despite the cocktail revival, legacy brands like Seagram’s, Bombay, Tanqueray, Gordon’s and Beefeater have all seen depletions slip. But retailers across the country say gin sales are booming and the growth is coming from premium, craft-oriented brands. “Craft gin sales are rising, and we see willingness from shoppers to spend more for a bottle,” says Nate Sandstrom, buyer and manager at Wells Liquor in Baltimore. “Our older customers still show brand loyalty, but younger people are always asking what’s new this week. They want to try it all.” Sandstrom notes that two years ago, Wells stocked 40 to 50 gin SKUs ranging in price from $10.99 to…

Charbay Distillery & Winery is among the oldest craft distilleries in the United States, but the company’s roots go far deeper than its origins in America. Master distiller Marko Karakasevic is a 13th-generation member of a Serbian family that has made wine and spirits since 1751. These days, the Karakasevics carry on this tradition in Northern California, producing a portfolio of whiskies, vodkas, brandies and rum that has won renown for blazing a trail far from conventional distilling. Marko’s father, Milorad “Miles” Karakasevic, left Serbia in the 1960s after the Yugoslav government nationalized the family’s distillery, restaurant and hotel. He worked as a winemaker in California and founded Charbay as a distillery and winery in Ukiah with his wife, Susan Karakasevic, in 1983. The winery relocated to Napa Valley’s Spring…

AS PICTURED: 1. Artist John Osgood (left) and former NFL player Jordan Babineaux (right) kicked off New Amsterdam vodka’s 2016 “It’s Your Town” street art series at Axis Pioneer Square in Seattle on April 6th. 2. Mixologist Matt Farkas was declared the 2016 Vermont Bartender of the Year at the K1 Base Lodge in Killington, Vermont, on April 12th. The competition was sponsored by the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing and featured Vermontmade spirits. 3. Balloonist Bertrand Piccard (right) and pilot André Borschberg (left) celebrated crossing the Pacific Ocean in the world’s first zero-fuel airplane, Solar Impulse 2, at Moffett Airfield in Mountain View, California, on April 23rd. The mission is sponsored by Moët Hennessy. 4. Singer-songwriter SZA performed at a Cinco de Mayo party hosted by Jose Cuervo…

Mainstay Atlanta Wine Shop Unveils Fifth Unit Atlanta-based wine retail chain Sherlock’s Wine Merchant opened its fifth location in April. Located in the city’s South Buckhead neighborhood, the store has a vintage and industrial look that features wood and glass elements and natural light. Sherlock’s sells only wine, with a focus on artisanal brands from around the world. Selections range from $16.99 a 750-ml. bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon to $500 for the 2012 Château Mouton Rothschild. Other popular labels include La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Four Vines Biker Zinfandel, Domaine Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge and Marchesi di Barolo Ruvei Barbera d’Alba. The store also sells glassware and wine accessories. Sherlock’s hosts complimentary tastings on Saturdays, as well as other events during the week, and the company…

Fifteen years ago, Greenville, South Carolina, embarked on a remarkable project: It removed a six-lane highway that ran through the heart of Downtown and replaced it with the 32-acre Falls Park and its centerpiece, a striking suspension bridge for pedestrians. Today, visitors to Falls Park cross the Reedy River Falls on Liberty Bridge, which connects trails on the east side of the park with Greenville’s charming Main Street, home to some of the most acclaimed restaurants in South Carolina’s Upstate region. Popular boutiques and bars line Main Street alongside high-end condominiums and mixed-use properties. Falls Park on the Reedy wasn’t the beginning of Greenville’s Downtown revitalization. That trend had been gaining momentum since the mid-1970s. But it was a bold and crucial step in the evolution of Greenville’s urban core…

Change is the one constant among Impact’s “Hot Brands,” as a competitive marketplace and the evolving tastes of consumers have ensured a healthy dose of turnover. But the latest list of beer, cider and ready-to-drink (RTD) Hot Brands shows change of unprecedented scale. Some 16 of the 28 winners from 2014 dropped off the list after failing to meet the Hot Brands criteria. Winners must fall into one of the following four categories: established brands that showed double-digit growth in 2013, 2014 and 2015; established brands with at least 15-percent growth last year; brands in the top 10 of their respective categories with at least 5-percent growth in 2015 and at least 15-percent growth since 2012; or significant new products. Domestic beer brands from major brewers must deplete at least…

From the start, Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern has aimed to break the mold for casual neighborhood dining. The concept offers a high-end approach to the casual segment while maintaining a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. The venues emphasize fresh ingredients, craft beer, made-from-scratch food and mixed drinks, and top-notch hospitality in a space designed for people wearing either suits or flip-flops. The Rusty Bucket concept can adapt to fit various markets, and the company is drafting big expansion plans. “There aren’t many companies operating at our level in the casual arena,” says Rusty Bucket president and founder Gary Callicoat. “We’ve always been a go-to neighborhood spot, and we’ve immersed ourselves deeply into our communities at every location. Our food is 90-percent scratch-made in the kitchen, and our cocktail program is the…

The Impact Hot Brand Awards party, hosted by M. Shanken Communications, took place at this year’s 73rd annual Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention in Las Vegas. The event, held on April 19th, honored 23 spirits, 17 domestic wines and 20 imported wines. All the brands must meet the following qualifications to receive the award: three consecutive years of double-digit growth or a 2015 volume increase of at least 15 percent, with special consideration given to top 10 brands that advanced at least 5 percent in 2015 and at least 15 percent since 2012. Spirits brands must have depleted at least 200,000 nine-liter cases in 2015, while wines must have a minimum of 250,000 cases.…

Japanese Culture Collides With Vegas Opulence At Sake Rok Designed to transport guests to the streets of Tokyo, Sake Rok is an industrial oasis along the west side of The Strip in Las Vegas. The venue—part restaurant and part performance space—opened in April at The Park, Sin City’s new restaurant, bar and entertainment destination located between the New York–New York Hotel & Casino and the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Sake Rok is modeled after a Japanese warehouse and includes elements that reflect Japan’s vibrant pop culture and fashion scenes. Chef Bobby Silva manages the menu, which includes small plates like tuna tataki and yellowtail sashimi tacos alongside such larger entrées as pan-seared scallops and a 42-ounce Wagyu tomahawk steak topped with foie gras butter (small plates are $12 to…

The global wine trade descended upon Bordeaux in early spring to taste barrel samples of the 2015 vintage, and for yet another year, many key U.S. players were absent. It’s a reflection of how far Bordeaux has fallen in the United States, where the category’s image has been hammered by years of soaring prices, lackluster vintages and a generational shift in consumer interest. During the 1980s and ’90s, Bordeaux represented the crème de la crème at U.S. retail shops and restaurants. Today, retailers often find better value in Cabernets from California, Australia, Chile and elsewhere. French fine dining establishments with starched white tablecloths and bone china have little appeal to millennials, who dine out on sushi, tapas and other casual cuisines. Bordeaux shipments to the U.S. market by value peaked…

Forty-three years ago, Charlie Key set out on a new business venture—one that his wife, Linda Key, still jokingly calls his hobby. That hobby has paid off handsomely: Their company, Payless Liquors, has become one of the largest beverage alcohol chains in Indianapolis while still retaining the family-owned charm on which it was founded. With 25 stores in Indianapolis and surrounding towns, including Plainfield, Zionsville, Carmel, Greenwood, Fishers and Beech Grove, Indiana, Payless Liquors has thrived while adapting to the various challenges that Indiana’s package store industry has faced over the decades. “Our business has grown substantially every year,” Charlie says. “In 2015, our sales were up 15 percent.” Payless Liquors’ annual revenue totals more than $40 million. The stores range in size from 4,000 to 12,000 square feet. Spirits…

Jeff McElwee, owner of Fud at Salud deli and sandwich shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, doesn’t believe beer belongs only at the bar. He’s always looking to incorporate suds into dishes at his restaurant, which is adjacent to Salud Beer Shop. “I take the same approach to preparing food with beer as I did with bartending,” he says. “I see beer not just as a beverage, but as an ingredient too. You can do a lot with it.” While restaurant operators are increasingly using beer as an ingredient in many dishes, McElwee and others are finding new approaches to infusing beer into offerings from the kitchen and bar alike. Beer-infused garnishes and syrups are popping up on menus around the country. Seattle’s Stout pub, for example, features its Stout Coffee…

The Alsatian wine category is small but vibrant. The French region depleted 129,000 cases in 2015, according to Impact Databank, compared to 1.2 million for Burgundy and nearly 2 million for Bordeaux. Known for its dry white wines made from varietals like Riesling and Pinot Gris, Alsace has found a niche as a terroir-driven region that remains affordable and appeals to millennials. Recognition and consumer understanding are the region’s biggest challenges. Michael Quinlan, principal wine buyer at Table & Vine in West Springfield, Massachusetts, notes that many consumers mistakenly assume that Alsatian offerings are sweet. “There has to be some education,” he says. Table & Vine carries around 30 Alsatian wine SKUs, with Riesling and Pinot Gris getting the most traction and the sweet spot for pricing at about $17…