At the turn of the 21st century, there were just a few dozen active whiskey distilleries in the U.S. (For reference, there were around 75 distilleries total in 2006.) Today, there are thousands. In bourbon-soaked Kentucky alone, whiskey production climbed 566 percent between 2000 and 2023; relative growth in many other states was even greater, in large part due to the proliferation of craft producers. Despite a recent downturn in sales and consumption, compared to the 1990s, today’s America...| VinePair
At its core, gin is a simple neutral grain spirit. The liquid’s complexity and unique character come from the addition of botanicals, which impart various flavors into the spirit during production. While juniper berries are the most famous — and only mandatory — botanical used, distillers implement a melange of other berries, seeds, fruits, herbs, spices, and roots to round out a gin’s flavors. The supporting ingredients and their influence vary from gin to gin, leading to a broad spe...| VinePair
Americans drink a lot of soda. A lot. According to data analytics firm IBISWorld, soda consumption in the U.S. is expected to reach 42.2 gallons per capita in 2025. That’s approximately 450 12-ounce cans of soda consumed per year, per person. Despite soda sales falling for about a decade, the category is experiencing a revival with new additions like Poppi and Olipop revitalizing the space with their marketed “health benefits.” It’s not just the soda aisle that’s expanding, though. ...| VinePair
VinePair’s list of 2025 Next Wave Awards winners is finally here. Released every fall, the Next Wave Awards recognize spirits, wine, and beer professionals who have distinguished themselves in the past year for propelling the industry forward. The awards celebrate the people and organizations creating community in their spaces, innovating in their fields, and revolutionizing drinks culture as we know it. It’s a project that we are immensely proud of, and we’re thrilled to share it with ...| VinePair
There’s a story behind every great cocktail — and Luxardo’s has been unfolding for more than 200 years. Whether you’re shaking up a classic or pouring something new on a crisp fall night, these liqueurs bring flavors that can help make gatherings linger in memory well after the fire burns low. A Family Legacy Becomes Part of an Autumnal Table Founded in 1821 by Girolamo Luxardo in Zara (now Zadar, Croatia), the distillery first found fame with its maraschino cherry liqueur, using a re...| VinePair
JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery was established in Paso Robles in 1981 with the aim of producing Bordeaux-style wines within California’s terroir. The winery’s current winemaker, Scott Shirley, actually started his career as a lab tech chemist in a winery during harvest, where, he explains, he “caught the bug.” From there, Shirley relocated to the Napa Valley to try his hand at winemaking, and remained there for 13 years. But when he got a call from Justin Baldwin, he fell in love with Paso...| VinePair
While reaching for another bite of the addictive salt and pepper tofu at Chinatown’s Tolo, a bottle perched on a shelf in the back caught the corner of my eye. The familiar light blue label was that of Domaine des Miroirs, a wine from France’s Jura region that’s notoriously difficult to find. I had seen this wine on display before. I remembered a singular light blue label peeking out from behind the curtain in the window of the now closed Gem Wine Bar. The article 2 Years, 10 Cities, an...| VinePair
Despite the fact that the overall beer market has had a tough go in recent years, the stout category has continued to grow in popularity — likely thanks to the virality and cultural cachet of one specific Irish product. But Guinness isn’t the only beloved stout on the market. Across the country, there are thousands of craft brewers experimenting within the category, resulting in almost a dozen distinct substyles. Given all the stouts out there, we were curious to know which ones rank high...| VinePair
Magnums, double magnums, jeroboams, imperials, nebuchadnezzars — large-format wine bottles are a great deal of fun. They not only provide ample opportunity to keep the party going, but they ensure the wine continues flowing with anywhere from twice as much to 20 times as much wine as a standard bottle. For certain styles of wine —Champagne, for example — large-format bottles like magnums are the ultimate size for enjoying the bubbly, as the oxygen-to-wine ratio is larger, thus preservin...| VinePair
The concept of terroir has been essential to the history of Burgundy since (at least) the Middle Ages when the Cistercian monks started documenting vineyard sites across the region. Each plot was meticulously mapped out and categorized based on where the vines were most successful and what the resulting wines tasted like. Many of the areas that were selected as the cream of the crop back then are still highly regarded to this day. The article 7 Burgundy Villages Somms Are Into Right Now appea...| VinePair
An article came out in The New York Times this week asking what can be done to save the “ailing” wine industry. In the column, there’s quite a distinction made between people who drink wine from a supermarket (i.e., the majority of wine drinkers) and more “geeky” wine drinkers. It’s not only tone deaf, but it starts a conversation about how to improve the wine industry with thoughts that some may find insulting. The article The VinePair Podcast: Wine Should Be Building, Not Burnin...| VinePair
Shortly before a federal judge placed Uncle Nearest, Inc. into receivership last month, he offered a frank assessment of the business acumen of the liquor firm’s husband-and-wife co-founders Fawn and Keith Weaver. “It looks like you’re out over your skis,” said the Hon. Charles E. Atchley. As far as euphemisms go, it was a pretty generous way to describe over $100 million in defaulted loans. But the point is salient, and widely applicable within the world of beverage alcohol. The arti...| VinePair
When the highly anticipated cocktail bar schmuck finally landed in New York City’s East Village in early 2025, it was immediately evident from the eclectic design and menu that it was a special space. (Make that two spaces, as the ambitious team split the room into two entirely separate concepts, each with its own menu.) Drawing inspiration from the mid-century modern, space age, and brutalist design movements, the bar’s aesthetic is difficult to put a label on. The article Next Wave Awar...| VinePair
Stepping into Gus’ Sip & Dip from the bustle of Hubbard Street in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, one could be forgiven for thinking the place has been here for years. Maybe it’s the hug of the wraparound, Brunswick-style wood bar and white oak-paneled walls, or the soft clink of shakers by bartenders in crisp white jackets while trays of pert burgers and $12 — yes, $12 — Martinis circulate as if on an infinite loop. Or maybe this transient neighborhood, whose overarching bar id...| VinePair
Descending the stairs into the dimly lit, gray-walled room of Smithereens, diners might have an idea of the food they’ll be met with: The acclaimed menu is touted for its New England fare, featuring hearty anadama bread, delicately plated raw seafood, and surprising, veggie-centric desserts like a celery ice cream float and candied seaweed mille-feuille. But when it comes to the drinks menu, partner and beverage director Nikita Malhotra keeps guests (and staff members) on their toes. The ar...| VinePair
When guests step into Herbs & Rye, located some two miles east of the Las Vegas Strip, they encounter a version of Vegas that hasn’t existed on the famed thoroughfare for decades. Instead of flashy, overpriced excess, the setting delivers a throwback vibe complete with crushed red velvet wallpaper, affordable cocktails under $20, and damn good steaks for cheap. Its business model is deliberately out of step with the Strip’s perpetual and increasingly exclusive quest to squeeze maximum pro...| VinePair
There are exceptions to the rule, but we’ve reached a point in American craft beer culture when most taprooms can’t pull in crowds with good beer alone. Some have tried to navigate the rising tides by offering experiences customers can’t replicate at home, like Lukr-poured pilsners, turning bocks into beer brûlée with piping hot iron spikes, and, well, doubling down on weekly trivia nights. But none of these tactics fully confront what are arguably the two things holding taprooms back...| VinePair
Typically, when a craft distiller attempts to make every spirit, none of them turn out especially well. It’s the classic jack of all trades, master of none. And the logic is simple: Try to appease every demographic — bourbon taters, vodka fans, tequila connoisseurs, rum nerds — and no one ends up truly satisfied. Then there’s Matchbook Distilling, with its dazzling array of spirits and more — all created by Leslie Merinoff Kwasnieski. The article Next Wave Awards Distiller of the Ye...| VinePair
Over the past few decades, the brewing industry has been defined by rampant innovation. The number of new substyles and pseudo-styles that have emerged from the dense thicket of breweries across the nation is head-spinning. In some respects, this evolution has been beautiful, but just like people, its growth hasn’t come without a few awkward stages. Smoothie sour ales brewed with marshmallows and five different tropical fruits? Quadruple IPAs? Many breweries are now even distilling spirits,...| VinePair
St. Agrestis isn’t a non-alcoholic drinks brand in its entirety, but judging by the success of its cheekily named Phony Negroni, one might be inclined to believe it is. That’s likely due to the fact that, unlike most other brands producing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic products, the Phony Negroni is St. Agrestis’s top-selling SKU. And it’s taking the country by storm. First established in 2014, St. Agrestis was originally founded by two New York City-based sommeliers — Nicholas F...| VinePair
Opportunity doesn’t always knock. Sometimes, opportunity comes from barriers knocked down. The New Orleans-based nonprofit Turning Tables stands tall as a remarkable battering ram on this front. Launched in 2019 by New York City native Touré Folkes, the organization’s mix of drinks education and bar training creates clear pathways for Black and brown individuals to develop acumen and attain opportunity at different stages of their hospitality careers. The program’s design also provides...| VinePair
Sebastian Tollius, beverage director at NYC’s Eleven Madison Park and the recently opened Clemente Bar, grew up around the hospitality industry. But being at the helm of one of the most acclaimed bar programs in the country wasn’t initially the dream. “My father was the director of operations for a hotel group, and we moved around Latin America when I was young,” he says. “And then I went to college for hospitality marketing in Switzerland.” Overseas, he moonlighted as a bartender...| VinePair
It’s hard to fathom someone being critical of Meaghan Dorman, given the wealth of success she’s achieved as a bar owner, bartender, educator, speaker, and mentor. It becomes even tougher to comprehend when Dorman shares the cause of the criticism. “I’ve been told several times I’m too nice to be successful,” she says. “I don’t buy that.” She shouldn’t. Dorman started proving the naysayers wrong in 2009, when she helped open the critically acclaimed Raines Law Room in New Y...| VinePair
Amy Racine fell in love with restaurants at a very young age. In North Canton, Ohio, where Racine is from, the hospitality industry she was exposed to in her youth was a simple one, but one she remembers fondly. Going out was always a special occasion, and wine was an integral part of it. “Growing up, it didn’t feel like wine was just a drink,” she says. “It was at the table with the food, it was a part of the conversation. The article Next Wave Awards Wine Professional of the Year: A...| VinePair
After years of working with wine in New York City restaurants, Chris Leon set out to open his own wine bar. Instead, he serendipitously stumbled upon a small space on Brooklyn’s Fulton Street — just across the way from his apartment — with the bones of a retail store and pivoted to a wine shop instead. Now, a decade after it first opened, Leon & Son is a pillar of Brooklyn’s wine community, and has expanded into so much more than just a neighborhood wine store. The article Next Wave A...| VinePair
When staring at a wall of labels in a wine shop, it’s not always immediately clear who exactly is behind the wine. But if you’re looking for a bottle of Sonoma Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, chances are pretty high that winemaker Katy Wilson had something to do with it. With over 20 years of experience in viticulture and winemaking, Wilson is the muscle behind popular brands including Reeve, BloodRoot, Smith Story Wine Cellars, Anaba Wines, and her own personal label, LaRue Wines. The article ...| VinePair
It all started with a salmon and a boot. Well, not quite, but sort of. Established in 2015, California’s Las Jaras was founded by winemaker Joel Burt and actor-comedian slash food enthusiast Eric Wareheim, who bonded over their shared love for food and wine when they met at a Malibu beach party a few years prior. “It’s a very L.A. story. Joel was cooking a salmon and just doing everything I wanted to be doing. He was a grown up, a cook,” Wareheim recounts of their first meeting. “He...| VinePair
How do you launch a new tequila brand today and actually get any attention? There seem to be only a few options: Partner with a celebrity, put your liquid in a flashy bottle that pops on the backbar, or charge an arm and a leg. LALO Tequila chose a different path, earning acclaim the old-fashioned way by making tequila the old-fashioned way. “It was important to me to showcase a really good product that actually tasted like tequila,” says Eduardo “Lalo” González. The article Next Wav...| VinePair
We’ve been doing a lot of talking about Napa here on “Wine 101” as of late. And they’re important conversations to have — Napa Valley is America’s prestige wine region, after all. But today’s story differs from that of Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. Rather than being established by an American winemaker, Beaulieu Vineyards was founded by a man from Bordeaux who had the explicit goal of making wine in Napa — not France. Today on the “Wine 101” podcast, Keith continues h...| VinePair
Fans of interesting drinks at 35,000 feet got good news last year when German airline Lufthansa announced the arrival of Avionic, a custom in-flight aperitif. Developed with help from award-winning bartender Sven Riebel of Frankfurt’s Seven Swans & the Tiny Cup in partnership with the historic Ziegler distillery, the new 18 percent ABV spirit was described in press releases as “your new favorite drink on board” — at least for those with tickets in business class. According to Ziegler ...| VinePair
At the Vinitaly.USA conference in Chicago, Adam and Joanna received a question from someone working for a very well-known (and very successful) wine region. Despite this success, the person mentioned that wines from their region aren’t as well respected among sommeliers as they would like. In short, sommeliers don’t consider the region cool when compared to another. But does it really matter? If your wine brand or your wine region is popular among the public and continues to sell, do you ...| VinePair
Cheap bourbons are the category’s unsung heroes. These cost-effective labels consistently deliver on flavor and are often some of the most versatile bourbons on the market — enjoyable on their own or mixed into cocktails for a casual, unfussy evening. The same can’t really be said for the luxury bottles liquor stores and bottle shops keep locked behind glass. Bartenders love these affordable bourbons, which makes sense. After all, they tend to eschew the fancy stuff when they order a po...| VinePair
Whiskey is a product of several crucial decisions that impact both style and flavor. Choices like the base grain, barrel selection, and how long the liquid ages are all relatively self-explanatory. But the difference between using a sweet mash or a sour mash might not be as easy to grasp. The terms aren’t totally unfamiliar — Jack Daniel’s famously stamps “sour mash” front and center on its iconic flagship bottle — but what they are and how they influence the whiskey is a bit esot...| VinePair
One of the great wines of Italy — and sometimes referred to as “the king of wines” — Barolo can be a bit intimidating. Unlike similarly famous regions like Chianti, there aren’t a lot of great entry-level bottlings to explore. And though the region can seem pretty straightforward — the wine goes by one name and is made with only one grape — there’s a lot of nuance to Barolo. That’s why taking the plunge into the world of Barolo can feel like a serious commitment, in both tim...| VinePair
Employees Only. Please Don’t Tell. Death & Co. These lower Manhattan establishments don’t require an introduction or description for most cocktail enthusiasts. They’re bona fide legacy bars that cropped up during the first decade of the craft cocktail movement and helped shape the scene. These industry bulwarks need no press, advertising, fanfare to garner attention. Their longevity and industry impact allows them to live in drinkers’ collective consciousness. They don’t generate th...| VinePair
Though California is home to several historic, beloved sparkling wine estates like Schramsberg and Domaine Carneros, U.S.-based brands never achieved the cult-level following of France’s top Champagne producers like Selosse or Salon. But in 2014 a distinct sparkling wine project emerged from California that immediately grabbed the attention of the wine industry. The dazzling bottle, called Ultramarine, sparked a fervor among somms and collectors only typically seen for the hottest grower Ch...| VinePair
It’s tempting to overlook chain restaurants as simple places to stop for a quick meal on a roadtrip, but the chain restaurant is so much more. In many ways, these dependable outposts are pillars of American dining culture, offering reliable meals at affordable prices in comfortable, family-friendly atmospheres. Today, these restaurants serve as nostalgic reminders of the ‘90s and early ‘00s, a factor that is certainly driving some chains’ stunning post-Covid resurgence. Before many of...| VinePair
In the food industry, “eat this not that” is a common marketing strategy. In the wine world, though, it’s generally not great to bash mass-produced, supermarket wines when trying to market what might be a cleaner, lower-intervention wine from a smaller winery. But the parallels with food messaging are certainly there, so why doesn’t it work with wine? For one, it just isn’t good for the wine industry as a whole. Broadcasting that one wine is “good” and one wine is “bad” rein...| VinePair
The world of wellness is one of the most susceptible to flash-in-the-pan fads. Diets fall in and out of fashion frequently — remember the Atkins, Paleo, or Keto diet trends? This year, the topic dominating the narrative among wellness influencers, food brands, and trend-conscious consumers is undoubtedly protein. Today’s concept of fueling up on protein doesn’t mean buying more chicken breasts and eggs like protein-based diets of the past. In 2025, consumers are looking for shortcuts to...| VinePair
“You know when you meet somebody on the street, you ask them ‘How are you doing today?’” Dan Carey, the co-founder of Wisconsin’s beloved New Glarus Brewing Co., told me on a 2024 episode of VinePair’s award-winning “Taplines” podcast. “At a Craft Brewers Conference, it [used to be] ‘How much are you up this year?’ It was a game to say, ‘Oh, we’re up 10 percent,’ ‘Well, we’re up 80 percent!’” “Brewers don’t ask that anymore,” he added, chuckling wryly...| VinePair
In the early days of the 21st century’s American whiskey renaissance, as a slew of new rye brands arrived on the scene, seemingly out of nowhere, savvy drinkers learned a quick and easy way to determine who was actually distilling their “juice” and who had sourced it from somewhere else: Check to see if the mash bill was 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley. The article How the ‘95/5’ Rye Mash Bill Went From MGP Signature to Craft Staple appeared first on VinePair.| VinePair
In the world of cocktails, sometimes swapping just one ingredient in a recipe can lead to an entirely different drink. Though this facet of drink-making is part of what makes the practice so fascinating, the many similarities between cocktail specs can also be a bit confusing. One pair of drinks that demonstrates this phenomenon is the Gimlet and the Daiquiri. Both simple, three-ingredient cocktails feature lime and sugar, are shaken, and served up. But although they only differ in base spiri...| VinePair
Caymus Vineyards is one of the most contested names in American wine. Established in Rutherford, Calif., a sub-AVA of Napa Valley, in 1972, the winery was founded by the Wagner family, which had been growing and selling grapes to others in the region for decades. Practically immediately, the winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon rose in popularity. For that reason, Caymus made the decision to scale its wines to be available nationwide. The article Wine 101: Caymus appeared first on VinePair.| VinePair
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular and coveted wines. As a Burgundian native, Chardonnay quickly earned a reputation for its finesse, elegance, and ability to distinctly reflect the region’s terroir. Today, drinkers clamor to get their hands on bottles from the region, where they’re labeled white Burgundy or Bourgogne Blanc. While Chardonnay is now grown all over the globe — it’s the world’s most planted white wine variety — its prestige can often lead to some steep p...| VinePair
2024 wasn’t a great year for the craft brewing industry. In the U.S., craft beer production was down to just 23.1 million barrels, a 3.9 percent decrease year-over-year. Moreover, the number of brewery closures outpaced the number of new brewery openings for the first time since 2005. But while things certainly aren’t booming in craft beer right now, not everything is bad. Not only was craft beer’s dollar share up 3 percent year-over-year, but employment in the category was up, too, mea...| VinePair
A traditional spirit of Mexico, mezcal is known for its centuries of rich history and distinct set of artisanal techniques that have been passed down for generations. But recently, the once-local spirit has seen an astronomic boom in popularity in the U.S., going from a niche pursuit to a widely used cocktail ingredient. The spirit even found its way into beloved modern classics like the Naked and Famous, Division Bell, and Oaxaca Old Fashioned. Though mezcal’s newfound fame is great for fa...| VinePair
First came mlíko, which gave us “milk tubes,” “mlíko bombs,” and other variations on the all-foam beer serve. With bars and taprooms looking for new ways to attract customers, will the two-beer mix known as řezané pivo be the next Czech pour to win over the craft beer world? It certainly feels like the time for it. Roughly translated as “cut beer,” řezané pivo includes both dark lager and pale lager, often (though not always) poured in two separate layers, giving each glass ...| VinePair
In the late aughts, I did my weekly beer shopping at a Whole Foods on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Craft beer was exploding so much at that time that when the supermarket opened in 2007 it had an entire separate store just for beer. For a few years, it was arguably the best beer store in the entire city. The Bowery Beer Room, as it was known, had cooler after cooler of the hottest IPAs of the moment, six fresh taps for growler fills, grain stations for homebrewers, and a large selection of ...| VinePair
Known as the original “Super Tuscan” and kick-starting the Bordeaux-variety revolution in Italy in the 1970s, Sassicaia continues to be one of the most highly sought-after wines in its category. Sassicaia comes from Bolgheri, a small area on Italy’s Etruscan Coast that was often overlooked when compared to nearby powerhouses like Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino. Unlike these other areas, which are known for crafting wines from the local Sangiovese grape, Bolgheri was planted...| VinePair
Hops provide a masterclass in the art of deception. The green, conical flowers of the female hops plant may all look the same to the untrained eye. Yet more than 250 varieties have been scientifically categorized, each strain carrying its own level of alpha acid, beta acid, and essential oil. During brewing, these deliver distinctive bitterness and balance. Skilled brewers yield these differences to their advantage, using certain strains to craft beers with distinctive structure and flavor. G...| VinePair
It’s no secret that 2024 was a tough year for the craft brewing industry. But even in the face of tremendous challenges, craft brewers carry on. The Brewers Association (BA) recently released its annual production report recounting the state of the craft brewing industry in the United States. Last year, the number of craft breweries that closed outpaced the total number of brewery openings nationwide for the first time since 2005. Over the course of 2024, 529 breweries closed their doors, w...| VinePair
Anyone who’s attended a college football or NFL game knows that the real party starts outside the stadium. Hours before kickoff, fans flood parking lots armed with coolers, portable grills, and bluetooth speakers to bask in the crisp autumnal weather, fill their bellies with burgers and beer, and mingle with fellow tailgaters. Some attendees might not even go to the game. They go for the food, drinks, and, above all, the camaraderie. But while the practice is inextricably tied to American f...| VinePair
Bud Light was the undisputed best-selling beer in the country. Twisted Tea was just hitting its long-simmering breakout run. Reyes Beverage Group was still called Reyes Beer Division. It was a different beer industry when I first took the helm here at Hop Take in September 2022. Which, duh: Time is linear, and change is constant, etc., etc. Still, my tenure here each week has coincided with some of the most tectonic shifts the American brewing business has known since… I mean… certainly t...| VinePair
It seems like every generation to come of drinking age has their high octane, pre-packaged beverage. You know the kind — the brands that these younger drinkers can’t seem to get enough of, often to the amazement of their older counterparts. For Gen X, it was Boone’s Farm and MD 20/20. For millennials, it was pre-reformulation Four Loko. And for Gen Z, it’s BuzzBallz. First launched in 2010 by Texas-based high school teacher Merrilee Kick, BuzzBallz was practically an instant hit.| VinePair
If you wander into your local watering hole and ask the barkeep for a pour of whiskey — without adding any specifics — you’re almost guaranteed to get something that was brought to bottle in either Scotland, the U.S., Ireland, or Canada. These are the top-producing nations of the spirit, in order. And for centuries, they have accounted for the overwhelming majority of whiskey consumed across the planet. But in recent years, that stronghold has shown signs of slippage. Beginning in earne...| VinePair
