Wine 101: In Defense of Cabernet Sauvignon 50 Years After the Judgement of Paris
Fifty years after the 1976 Judgement of Paris, Cabernet Sauvignon remains a flagship U.S. grape, but its dominant style is evolving. The iconic, heavily oaked, high‑alcohol, jammy Cab that once defined American winemaking is giving way to lighter, fresher expressions. Keith Beavers’ "Wine 101" podcast, based on tasting hundreds of bottles for the 2026 "30 Best Cabernet Sauvignons" list, highlights winemakers experimenting with diverse flavor, texture, and lower alcohol. This shift signals a broader palate change among U.S. consumers toward more nuanced, food‑friendly Cabernets.
Bourbon’s Global Soft Power Is Fading as Trump Tariffs Reshape the Industry
Bourbon’s global sales are collapsing, with 2025 exports down 19% and steep drops in Canada (‑57%), the EU (‑35%) and Japan (‑28%). The decline traces back to Trump‑era tariffs that sparked boycotts and eroded the spirit’s soft‑power appeal abroad. Domestic...
7 Things You Should Know About St. Agrestis, the Brand Behind the Rapidly Growing Phony Negroni
St. Agrestis, founded in Brooklyn in 2014, pivoted from a 30% ABV amaro to a non‑alcoholic cocktail line, most notably the Phony Negroni, after a 2019 trade‑show insight. The brand’s volume surged 165% between 2023 and 2025, reaching 59,000 cases...
The U.S. Is One Step Closer to Legalizing Home Distilling. Here’s Everything You Need to Know.
In April, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared the 158‑year‑old federal ban on home distilling unconstitutional, a win for the Hobby Distillers Association. The ruling applies only to Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, leaving the ban intact elsewhere and...
AI Won’t Replace Sommeliers, But It Could Help Save Wine
Artificial intelligence is entering the wine service space, offering instant label identification, flavor notes and price data through tools like CellarChat, ChatGPT and Claude. While AI cannot replace the tactile expertise of a sommelier, it speeds up information delivery and...
The VinePair Podcast: Where Is the Market for Domestic Sparkling Wine?
The VinePair podcast explores whether Oregon’s burgeoning sparkling‑wine sector can carve out a sustainable domestic market. Winemakers in the Willamette Valley are uniting under stricter production standards to create a recognizable state identity. The discussion pits the prestige‑driven pricing of...
![The States That Drink the Most Alcohol in America [MAP] (2025)](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/a63242d2eeae7a034b94c892351ea287.webp)
The States That Drink the Most Alcohol in America [MAP] (2025)
A Gallup survey shows U.S. alcohol consumption has been falling steadily from 2022 to 2025, with total volume dropping to 7.7 billion gallons in 2023. Beer and wine volumes contracted, while spirits rose modestly to 734 million gallons. Per‑capita ethanol use peaked...
How a Small Virginia Distillery Became Sazerac’s Secret Weapon
A. Smith Bowman Distillery, now part of Sazerac, bypasses traditional grain processing by redistilling partner‑sourced new‑make whiskey in a 2,000‑gallon pot still before aging it in varied casks. The triple‑distillation creates a softer, more floral profile that has earned back‑to‑back World’s...
The VinePair Podcast: Will Attaboy’s Newly Formed Union Spark a Movement?
Employees at Attaboy, a celebrated New York City cocktail bar, voted 13-8 to form Attaboy Local 134, marking the first successful independent union at a major NYC bar. The vote follows previous failed attempts at venues like Death & Co....
Does Uni Belong in a Cocktail? The Corima Team Doubles Down on Sea Urchin at Bar Chucho
New York’s Bar Chucho has revived Corima’s Uni Gin Sour, serving it on draft to address raw‑seafood safety and texture issues. The updated recipe infuses Isolation Proof Gin with freeze‑dried strawberries, adds yuzu juice, and uses a vegan foaming syrup,...
The VinePair Podcast: Do People Really Care About the Color of Their Red Wine?
Large wineries use Mega Purple, a grape‑derived concentrate, to give red wines an inky, deep‑red look that has become a status cue thanks to Robert Parker’s influence. However, the rise of lighter‑style, thin‑skinned reds and chillable wines is shifting consumer...
The Buildout Podcast: Kees
Renowned bartender Jeff Bell launched his second bar, Kees, in Manhattan’s West Village this February, handling the build‑out himself after his acclaimed tenure at Please Don’t Tell. The new venue blends minimalist design with a cocktail program that mixes classics...
Your Ultimate Napa Valley Itinerary
Napa Valley, the United States' first American Viticultural Area, gained worldwide fame after its wineries triumphed at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. The region now offers a diverse portfolio of wines—including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Zinfandel—paired with tasting rooms,...
NYC Health Department Launches Anti-Alcohol ‘Buzzkill’ Campaign
The New York City Department of Health launched the "Buzzkill" campaign, a city‑wide effort to warn residents that alcohol consumption raises the risk of cancers in the breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat and voice box. The initiative uses ads...
Memo: RNDC to Shed Five More Markets as Firesale Continues
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is preparing to offload five additional markets as part of a broader 2026 firesale. A letter of intent from BreakThru Beverage Group covers RNDC’s Kentucky and Indiana joint‑venture operations, while Quality Brands Distribution is negotiating...