VinePair Podcast

Adam speaks with Veuve Clicquot VP Aygline Pechdo about the ways in which the venerable Champagne house is responding to the unique challenges that Covid-19 has presented for the winery and for the entire Champagne region, as well as how Veuve Clicquot maintains its status as one of the most iconic and venerated brands in the world of wine. Please send any requests or suggestions for future Conversations to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Erica, and Zach discuss gin's surge in popularity in 2020: is this the long-promised "Gin Boom?" If so, is it being driven by more interest in the gin and tonic, or other gin-based cocktails? Can craft distilleries grab a bigger share of the gin market? And will consumers ever find spots on their the shelves of their liquor cabinets or bar carts for a wide range of different gins? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam speaks with Bulleit Distilling blender Eboni Major about her path to working for the iconic whiskey producer, how the job has changed since the onset of Covid-19, and her newest release, Bulleit Blenders' Reserve. Please send any suggestions or requests for future Conversations to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zach speaks with long-time New York Sommelier Kim Cavoores (Maialino, Marta, Blue Hill at Stone Barns) about her new venture, One Kourt Studio in Greenport, New York, and what it was like to realize that she was going to be opening her wine shop in the midst of a pandemic. Please remember to send any requests or suggestions for future Conversations to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Adam, Erica, and Zach discuss the looming battle over direct-to-consumer alcohol sales: as the economy shifts more and more to an online, direct-shipping model, America's antiquated and inconsistent alcohol laws are a massive hindrance on growth, particularly for distilleries. Why exactly is it so difficult to ship spirits, and reasonably difficult to ship wine and beer? Why do we give distribution companies a huge cut of profits just to move alcohol around? Is this finally the time that producers and consumers can unite to effect change? Plus, Erica and Adam survive a hurricane and Zach worries about earthquakes. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever else you get your podcasts, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zach speaks with UPS Global Director of Innovation Robin Hooker about how the shipping company has experienced a massive spike in alcohol shipments since mid-March, what new approaches and technologies it's deploying to meet that heightened demand, and whether he expects this level of online commerce to continue even when Covid-19 recedes. Please send any requests or suggestions for future Conversations to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam speaks with Campbell Brown, President of Old Forester, about how the bourbon producer is continuing to see evolution and expansion in their customer base, as well as preparing for the return of whiskey season and the challenges of supporting bars and bartenders during this time. Please send any suggestions or requests for future Conversations to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zach speaks with Tequila Herradura Senior Brand and Integration Manager Jennifer Simmonds about how the company is experiencing tremendous growth across its line of expressions, as well as how they're celebrating their 150th anniversary and a few home cocktail ideas. Please send any requests or suggestions for future Conversations to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In summer 2019, the hard seltzer category was basically White Claw, Truly, and no one else. A year later, those two remain the biggest brands, but dozens of challengers and competitors have emerged from small producers and multinational behemoths alike. What does this evolution and fragmentation mean for consumers, and what additional innovations are still out there? That's what Adam, Erica, and Zach are discussing on this week's episode of the VinePair podcast. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Erica, and Zach dive into the controversy surrounding the newly-trendy "clean wine" term: why it means next to nothing and yet still resonates with some wine drinkers, especially with celebrities like Cameron Diaz creating brands specifically to capitalize on the trend, even when the actual details of said wine are shrouded in mystery. So how should wine consumers and wine media handle the 'clean wine' trend and term, and can it ever actually mean anything concrete? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.