The “cult wine” of yore still prevails. Priced in quadruple digits (or higher), released in scarce quantities, and scooped up by collectors who identify as Sotheby’s regulars, these bottles are often elusive and unattainable to all but a select few. Think: crates of Screaming Eagle, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, or Château Lafite — estates with centuries of pedigree bolstering their prestige (and…

There are two ways to view the bourbon market in 2026. The first way is through the current lens of doom and gloom, lamenting the slowdown in bourbon sales and complaining about how Gen Z doesn’t drink as much as previous generations, even though data suggests this hot take looks increasingly like a load of fertilizer. The other (more positive) way is to take a longer view of the way the category…

Kentucky bourbon is steeped in American history, and many producers tend to stick to tradition by mimicking classic mash bills and tried-and-true aging methods. At Rabbit Hole Distillery, however, founder Kaveh Zamanian isn’t afraid to go against the grain. Rabbit Hole is a rebel with a cause: producing spirits that are undeniably American whiskey but distinctive in their own right. After fleeing…

You might have heard that, apparently, smoking cigarettes is cool again. Today on the “VinePair Podcast,” Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss what might be influencing this trend, why the health consequences of smoking might not resonate right now, and how that could impact the alcohol industry.

The article The VinePair Podcast: Wait, Smoking Is Cool Again? appeared first on VinePair.

June is Pride Month, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the social media feeds or press releases of the country’s biggest beverage-alcohol companies. Less than two years into the second Trump administration, they’ve mostly abandoned their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, cut back on their donations to queer organizations, and re-embraced a homogenous vision of the American drinking…

Baseball is “America’s Pastime,” and (American) football is the only thing people in the U.S. watch on television these days, but soccer is the world’s most popular sport and a truly global game, so it’s a huge deal that the FIFA World Cup is being played in North America this year. The last time the men’s tournament was played in the U.S. was 1994, and a lot has changed since then. The 1994…

Just as spirits nerds yearn for hard-to-find bottles to add to their collections, oenophiles will always pine over a suite of coveted bottles. Whether due to astronomical prices or low allocations, some wine pros catch onto these bottles simply because they are so unattainable. As a result, these wines develop a “cult” following, but the quality of the product isn’t necessarily what merits that…

The human element of wine might just be its most important constituency. Watch on YouTube  Listen Online Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Follow Keith on Instagram @VinePairKeith. Rate and review this podcast wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps get the word out there. “Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters…

Before the mezcal bars, jungle tasting menus, and all-night beach parties, Tulum’s drinking culture revolved around simple things: ice-cold beers, fresh lime, Coca-Cola, and whatever else could survive the Caribbean heat. Even now, caguamas — oversized bottles of Mexican lagers meant for sharing — still appear on tables long before sunset, sweating through buckets of ice while the humidity…

Although rosé’s popularity peaks in the summertime, the pink wine’s roots prove it is more than a trendy seasonal beverage. The style dates back centuries, when the Greeks brought vines to Marseilles and rosé was created. It caught the attention of the Romans, who exported it through their trade routes. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the expansion of rail travel within France…

While California Pinot Noir isn’t new, Meiomi Pinot Noir proves that it can still be exciting. The Meiomi winemaking process artfully combines skill and intuition, drawing from the unique terroir of their vineyards throughout California wine country. The result is a remarkable wine that is “blue fruit”-forward (think blueberry and blackberry) with well-balanced notes of baking spices. As Jason…

Residents of the United States drank 7.8 billion gallons of booze in 2023, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). That same year — the latest of NIAAA’s available data — considerable slides in wine and beer consumption predicated a nearly 15 million-gallon dip in total alcohol consumption in the United States. Spirits was the only category to record growth,…

When ordering a classic cocktail, drinkers can anticipate how the beverage will likely taste. But as more craft cocktail bars open and drink programs lean into bespoke recipes, predicting the flavor of an unfamiliar menu item becomes a bit more difficult. Rather than relying on previous experiences with well-established concoctions like the Negroni or Old Fashioned, drinkers must consider the…

Tequila has been enjoying somewhat of a heyday in the U.S. of late. In addition to the long-established legacy brands, the tequila category is rife with young companies leveraging celebrities and influencers to get noticed. While LALO Tequila is a relatively new producer, its founders have made a concerted effort to do the opposite and set out to make quality juice without any of the bells and…

Generations are more or less made up. They’re a social construct, much like “time” and “the rule of law.” That doesn’t mean cultural norms aren’t shifting, and it certainly hasn’t stopped the beverage-alcohol industry from collectively freaking the hell out about it. But from Zoomer to Boomer and beyond, this generation stuff is kinda squishy. Seasons, on the other hand, are pretty real. In the…

It doesn’t get more laid back than a spritz. In its simplest form, it’s a combination of an apéritif (like St-Germain or the ever-popular Aperol) with sparkling wine and soda water. The cocktail comes together in an instant with no special tools required, making it a recipe that even the most inexperienced home bartender can master. But in this case, basic does not mean boring. Spritzes are…

When it comes to making spirits, it’s tough to say one part of the process is most important. Grind grain poorly, and you get bad whiskey. Mistreat molasses or cane juice, and the result is subpar rum. And if you’re maturing spirits, cask type, warehousing, and aging climate all become major factors. But there’s almost always a beating heart (and visual centerpiece) at the center of any spirits…

Japanese whisky doesn’t have as long a history as other spirits categories. It more than makes up for its shortened timeline with a reputation for producing outstanding liquid, and this penchant for excellence makes Japan home to some of the whiskey world’s most desired bottles. It’s also yielded quite a few labels that require consumers to dig a little deeper into their wallet and splurge. The…

This episode of Wine 101 is brought to you by Meiomi. Springtime moments deserve to be more than ordinary, from those first few patio dinners to picnics in the park. Paired with Meiomi’s signature velvety texture and layers of dark berry, mocha, and toasted oak — it’s the perfect finish to your spring table. Visit Meiomi.com to find a bottle near you today. In 18th-century Bordeaux, when members…

When Sip & Guzzle snagged the top spot on the annual North America’s 50 Best list in April, it somehow felt like Shingo Gokan was finally getting his flowers. This may look like an odd statement if you’re familiar with Gokan’s career. After all, his curriculum vitae contains more floral arrangements than the average bodega. He was Tales of the Cocktail’s International Bartender of the Year in…

Sancerre is one of the most popular names in white wine. Though it may have experienced a bump in interest thanks to a cameo in Taylor Swift’s most recent documentary, the Loire Valley appellation’s star has long been on the rise. As Sauvignon Blanc became a staple on tables stateside over the past several decades, Sancerre quickly emerged as one of the premier regions for the grape, gaining…

Before craft beer there was only Big Beer. At first it was factory-made regional lagers that were ubiquitous to a certain area. Old Style in the Midwest, “Natty Boh” in Baltimore, Olympia in the Pacific Northwest, Pearl in Texas — it was what pretty much everyone in these places drank. By the 1960s, these regional favorites had started to be replaced by national powerhouses and you already know…

When Champagne earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015 for its hillsides, houses, and history-filled cellars, it not only codified the importance of the region and its unique winemaking practices, but it also set off a tourism boom. In the past decade, Reims and Épernay, two of Champagne’s best-known cities, have become hubs for wine enthusiasts. Restaurants, luxury hotels, and new winery…

The bourbon cocktail canon runs deep with roots in one of the earliest known cocktails — the Old Fashioned — followed by classics like the Mint Julep and Boulevardier and modern entries including the Gold Rush and the Paper Plane. While these are all exemplary when made with a practiced hand, they are easy to overdo since their simplicity invites creative iteration and leads to countless riffs.…

In recent years, tequila sales have exploded in the U.S., but mezcal has lagged behind and the spirit still hasn’t yet caught its stride. Yes, mezcal continues to charm bartenders and aficionados, but the popularity of tequila raises the question of whether or not the “other” agave-based spirit will ever enjoy the same limelight. Scaling mezcal has its limitations. Producers rely on wild agave…

Since Covid-19 took over the world in 2020, workplace culture, and in-office expectations, haven’t been the same. The rise of remote work led many companies to cut back on their real estate holdings, and as the “one central office where all employees work” model became less the norm, other work-related traditions started to fall away. One such tradition? Heading to a nearby bar with colleagues to…

While Merlot originated in Bordeaux, the grape grows well all around the world. Its cultivation now stretches from its homeland in Europe to the Pacific Northwest of the United States and the Southern Hemisphere. Merlot is often compared to Cabernet Sauvignon: The two go hand in hand because they are the most common varieties in Bordeaux and known for headlining the region’s world-class,…

It seemed like it wasn’t a question of if, but when, Voodoo Ranger’s parent company finally caught up to Blue Moon’s on corporate craft volume. And according to one long-running brewing industry magazine, the answer is now. But that answer appears to be wrong. And a miscommunication around New Belgium Brewery’s “total beverage” ambitions may be to blame. Every year around Memorial Day — that…

Beer still reigns as the country’s most consumed alcoholic beverage by volume, according to data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). In 2023 — the most recent year of data available — Americans drank 6.2 billion gallons of beer, a 3 percent dip in total consumption from 2022. Still, the category topped wine (887 million gallons) and spirits (734 million gallons)…

We’re in the age when the line between bar and restaurant is increasingly blurred. Not only do bars now offer stellar food programs and table service — they’re requiring reservations. The reservation climate of the 2020s has been nothing but volatile. Hopefuls wake up early in the morning to refresh Resy, OpenTable, and the like for a chance at snagging a seat and regularly end up disappointed.…