VinePair Podcast

Dive into the rising trend of sweeter cocktails as the hosts explore why our taste buds are shifting. After years of bitter and strong drinks, bars are now embracing playful and refreshing mixes. Personal stories about memorable drinks, like the Plum Boulevardier, highlight this flavorful change. They discuss how modern mixology is reinventing classic beverages to cater to evolving palates. The conversation is lively, inviting listeners to share their sweet cocktail favorites and engage in this delicious trend.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the surprising emergence of shots on cocktail menus at a range of restaurants and bars that you might not expect, including ultra-trendy dining spots and fairly elevated cocktail bars. Why do so many beverage programs see value and opportunity in this format, and why are drinkers responding to them? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Joanna is reading: Holiday Wine ShopZach is reading: How to Use Fall and Winter Produce in Cocktails, According to BartendersAdam is reading: What Does the Future Hold for Downtown LA as a Cocktail Destination?Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hosts dive into the recent World's 50 Best Bars list, revealing a trend of sameness in cocktail culture. They critique the heavy presence of speakeasy-style bars and discuss how American establishments are leading a new wave, largely unnoticed by the globe. Unique cocktail scenes are emerging in cities like Mexico City and Athens, challenging conventional norms. They also tackle the importance of inclusivity in bar awards and encourage listeners to support diverse venues.

To celebrate Halloween, Adam, Joanna, and Zach draft the best drinking holidays of the year: what are the criteria that make a day particularly good for drinking, and does it matter if everyone else agrees with you or not? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Adam is (hate)reading: The 11 Best Pumpkin Beers to Drink This Year (2024)Joanna is reading: What It Takes to Run a World-Class Non-Alcoholic Beverage ProgramZach is reading: Long Live the Cross-Border Booze RunInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach explore whether the slumping wine industry can be revitalized by clever, collective marketing efforts, or if it will require a few key brands to change the conversation and get consumers enthusiastic about drinking wine. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Zach is drinking: Single Hill Brewing "Energy Cone" Fresh Hop IPAAdam is drinking: Jeppson's MalörtJoanna is drinking: Paradise Lost at Nine BarInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair Next Wave Award Winemaker of the Year Dan Petroski of Massican to discuss his journey in wine and why white wine is ascendant at a time when wine in general is struggling: how it better meets wine drinkers where they are, why in many cases it fits better with current food trends, and doesn't come with all the baggage that certain red wines do. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Zach is listening to: Taplines: The Oral History of the ‘F*CK AB-INBEV’ ShirtJoanna is reading: Tequila Matchmaker Removes All Tequila Brands From Its Additive-Free ListAdam is reading: How the Connaught Pour Conquered the Bar WorldInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zach is joined by Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas to discuss his entry into the world of whiskey, why American Single Malt is such a dynamic and exciting category, the challenges and opportunities that come from using local ingredients, and why the climate in Texas is well-suited to produce world-class whiskies of various sorts. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepairPLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.DISTILLED & BOTTLED AT BALCONES DISTILLING, WACO, TX. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the announcement of VinePair's fourth annual Next Wave Award winners, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the selection process and highlight some of the deserving recipients among the 17 different categories. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Joanna is drinking: Tablas Creek "Côtes de Tablas"Adam is drinking: Harlan Estate RedZach is drinking: High West "Midwinter's Night Dram"Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hosts tackle the cluttered cocktail menus dominating bars today, debating whether classics should reclaim the spotlight. They share frustrations over poorly executed creative drinks and explore the tension between innovation and tradition. Through anecdotes, they reminisce about pregaming rituals and the juggling act of parenting. The conversation highlights the pressures on bartenders to deliver quality amidst culinary trends, questioning how much creativity should intrude on established favorites.

Zach speaks with winemaker Nate Walsh of Walsh Family Wine about the past and present of the Virginia wine industry: the distinctive geographic, meteorologic, and topographic elements that shape the state, as well as the tremendous capacity for wine tourism and other kinds of cultural experiences that can be had when visiting the state's many wine regions. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well.Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.