Pécharmant – The Best Alternative to Bordeaux Wine
With a rich history spanning centuries, the Pécharmant region is renowned for producing some of the most distinctive wines in France. Nestled in the Dordogne Valley, Pécharmant’s unique terroir gives birth to robust red wines that are as enigmatic as the region itself. But amidst this wine-rich land, one name stands out – Château Beauportail. […]
Maine Company Turns Discarded Lobster Shells Into Lobster-Flavored Vodka
A Maine distillery is preparing a limited release of vodka made with reclaimed lobster shells.
Bold Coast Spirits says its 80-proof Lobster Vodka uses shells supplied by Portland seafood company Luke’s Lobster. The savory spirit, with buttery notes, is intended for cocktails and cooking—including Bloody Marys, chowders and sauces.
The company says the shells retain flavor after the meat is removed, giving them a second use rather than sending them to waste. The release follows Bold Coast’s Oyster Shell Vodka, made with reclaimed shells from Maine oyster farms.
Only 600 bottles are planned for the initial release. The 355-milliliter bottles cost $29.99 and are available for preorder through Bold Coast Spirits. Maine residents may face restrictions on direct-to-consumer alcohol shipments, but the vodka is expected to arrive in stores in November.
A Little Rum, a Lot of Imagination: Inside the Barbados Food and Rum Festival’s Cocktail Creations
Jamaal Bowen, lead mixologist for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, is bringing local ingredients and unexpected flavour combinations to this year’s cocktail programme. Festival guests can sample the creations at Rise and Rum on 7 November and Liquid Gold Feast on 8 November.
The festival’s mystery-basket challenge assigned each participating mixologist two ingredients at random—one for each event. Moringa, tamarind, grapefruit, rosemary, cucumber, soursop and mauby bark were among the possibilities. The goal, Bowen says, was to push mixologists beyond their usual choices and show how creatively Barbados’ produce and products can be used.
Linseed proved a surprise for newcomers Rohan Broomes and Orwin Findlay. Broomes, who will mix at Rise and Rum, is pairing it with fruit, warming spice and vanilla. Findlay, appearing at Liquid Gold Feast, is taking a more savoury direction with notes of sweet spice.
Bowen says the process begins by finding flavours that complement the assigned ingredient, then deciding what character the finished cocktail should have. The result needs to be original, he says, but still inviting enough to make guests want another taste.
One cocktail to look out for at Liquid Gold Feast is Natasha Jules’s A Lil Thing. It combines Mount Gay Silver Rum with locally made Kaiso Carambola Liqueur, green mango, cinnamon, Claytons Kola Tonic and lime. Carambola—known locally as five finger—brings sweetness, while green mango adds tartness and cinnamon gives the drink warmth.
Bowen describes a fragrant aroma, with kola tonic and lime evoking Bajan ackee. He says the rum’s fruit and cane notes carry through to a creamy finish without overpowering the other ingredients.
The festival’s wider cocktail lineup draws on ingredients including hog plum, pumpkin, bell peppers and jamoon. These will appear in forms such as juices, purées, infused syrups and garnishes. Bowen sees potential to make greater use of familiar local produce, and points to opportunities for farmers and processors to develop juices and concentrates that bars can use beyond harvest time.
Rise and Rum, a breakfast beach party themed around Bridgetown early on a Saturday morning, begins at 4 a.m. on 7 November at Copacabana on Bay Street. Liquid Gold Feast takes place on 8 November at CARIFESTA House in Waterford, with the theme “These Fields and Hills” highlighting local ingredients and the people who bring them to the table.
Tickets are priced at BBD $250 for Rise and Rum and BBD $350 for Liquid Gold Feast, and are available through Ticketnation and official box offices.
Beer Lovers Are Swapping Heavy Stouts for This Crisp German Import
As fall arrives, beer drinkers may not be ready to switch to heavy stouts, porters, or pumpkin ales—especially when warm weather lingers. A crisp German Kölsch offers a refreshing in-between option, and Gaffel Kölsch is one standout.
Kölsch originated in Cologne and is brewed with ale yeast, then cold-conditioned for a clean, lager-like finish. Gaffel’s version is lightly bodied and briskly carbonated, with flavors of fresh bread and a touch of lemon zest. It’s refreshing, aromatic, gently bitter, and easy to enjoy over a few rounds.
The family-owned brewery sells most of its beer within about 100 kilometers of Cologne. At 4.5% ABV, Gaffel Kölsch pairs especially well with fish and salads. It was also included in Men’s Journal’s list of 50 favorite beers of the year.
The Last Drop Releases an Ultra-Limited Barbados Rum
The Last Drop has unveiled Release No. 43, a limited-edition 22-year-old Barbados rum made with Richard Seale of Foursquare Distillery. It is the oldest rum Foursquare has released and the label’s first rum Signature Creation.
Seale selected a blend distilled in 2004 and aged it in a series of casks, including ex-bourbon barrels, before finishing it for three years in very old Port pipes. Bottled by hand at Foursquare in April 2026 at 106 proof, the release consists of 566 individually numbered bottles, each signed by Seale. Every bottle comes in a handcrafted wooden case with a bottling certificate, tasting book, and 50-milliliter miniature.
Foursquare, located on the site of a former sugar factory in Barbados, has been distilling since 1996. The Seale family has worked in the island’s rum trade for generations. Richard Seale is also known for advocating rum made without added sugar or coloring and with clear age statements.
The rum’s age is especially notable because tropical conditions cause more evaporation from casks than cooler climates do. As a result, 22 years of aging in Barbados leaves less spirit than the same period in a Scottish warehouse.
Release No. 43 is expected to reach U.S. retailers, bars, and restaurants through Sazerac distributors this month. Its suggested retail price is $1,700.
Wine, Whiskey, and Chili Festivals Are Coming to the Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities has several food and drink events coming up this fall, from a community chili cook-off to whiskey and wine tastings.
Griggs Cookin’ on the Columbia Chili Cook-Off
801 W. Columbia St., Pasco
Local vendors and chili cooks will gather Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m. at this free, family-friendly event. Attendees can sign up at the welcome tent to judge the chili. Vendors include Aub’s Bananza Bread and Porky’s Tri-Cities BBQ.
Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m., with prizes for the top three recipes. Event details.
Tri-Cities Whiskey Festival
1500 S. Oak St., Kennewick
The 21-and-over festival runs Saturday, Oct. 24, from 5 to 9 p.m. Guests can sample more than 70 spirits and enjoy music and food trucks. A souvenir shot glass is included. Last call is at 8:15 p.m., and organizers ask attendees to avoid wearing cologne or perfume so they can better smell the spirits.
Tickets cost $125 for VIP admission, $60.54 for general admission, or $28.52 for the safe-driver package, which includes access to a nonalcoholic bar. Get tickets.
Harvest Bazaar
2901 Southridge Blvd., Kennewick
The 35th annual Harvest Bazaar takes place Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14. Browse handmade goods and other vendors; food trucks, including Nana’s Kitchen, will be outside the Carousel of Dreams. Children get in free, while adult admission is $5. Event details.
Tri-Cities Wine Festival
7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick
The 45th annual festival is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 7 to 10 p.m. It will feature wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment. Participating wineries include Elk Haven, J. Bookwalter, Heron Bluff and Goose Ridge.
Tickets cost $60 in advance or $65 at the door. Festival information.
Former Winemaker Turns Wine Grapes Into Raisins—See The Bee’s Taste Test
As wine sales become less profitable, a former Napa winemaker has found a new use for wine grapes: turning them into raisins.
The product, sold under the label The Wine RayZyn Co., is made from wine grapes rather than the varieties traditionally used for raisins. On Sept. 29, 2026, The Sacramento Bee’s food team tried the raisins in a taste test.
Skip Vodka: Try the World’s Bestselling Spirit in Your Next Cocktail
Vodka is a familiar, versatile choice for cocktails, but it isn’t the world’s top-selling spirit. That title belongs to baijiu, a traditional Chinese spirit whose popularity in China drives its enormous global sales.
Baijiu is made from grains such as sorghum, rice, wheat, corn, and millet. Its ingredients and production methods vary by region, creating a range of styles commonly described as strong aroma, light aroma, and sauce aroma—the last named for savory notes reminiscent of soy sauce. An estimated 10 billion liters are consumed each year, and baijiu production exceeds that of vodka and whiskey combined.
Traditionally, baijiu is served at room temperature and drunk neat, often in small shots shared after a toast. But bartenders are increasingly mixing it into cocktails. Milder versions can stand in for vodka, while more aromatic varieties bring a distinctive flavor to drinks such as an orange crush, lemon drop, Michelada, or Long Island iced tea.
Baijiu is made using solid-state fermentation: steamed grains ferment in a relatively dry mixture with a yeast-and-mold starter, then are steam-distilled. This differs from vodka production, which generally ferments ingredients in a liquid mash. Baijiu is matured and blended before bottling.
The spirit is becoming easier to find in the United States, with some national liquor retailers, Chinese grocery stores, and Asian specialty shops carrying it. Well-known producers include Moutai, Wuliangye, and Yanghe. If vodka cocktails are starting to feel repetitive, baijiu offers a distinctly different option—and an authentic taste of a spirit that leads the world in sales.
Meet the Chronicle’s New Wine Reporter
After nearly five years working alone on the San Francisco Chronicle’s busy wine beat, the paper’s wine reporter is welcoming a new colleague: Lucy Hodgman.
Hodgman has already covered a broad range of wine stories since joining the Chronicle several weeks ago. Her reporting has explored barriers to vineyard events under a new California law, vineyard robots designed to combat grape disease, and Caymus Vineyards’ opposition to a contested water-conservation plan. She has also reported on new San Francisco wine bars, a Silicon Valley-area winery’s new tasting room and the growing interest in Croatian wine around the Bay Area.
A Brooklyn native, Hodgman studied English at Yale, where she led the Yale Daily News as editor-in-chief. She began her journalism career through Hearst’s fellowship program, reporting on state government at the Times Union in Albany. She joined the Chronicle in 2025 and covered climate, homelessness and breaking news, including stories about housing policy, mountain lions, severe storms and a large pipe organ in need of a new home.
That range of experience will serve her well on the wine beat, which covers more than tasting rooms. The team also reports on land-use disputes, politics, climate change and farmworker rights, while following an industry experimenting with new ways to attract younger drinkers.
Hodgman and her colleague will share coverage of breaking news, new openings and features. Based in San Francisco’s Mission District, where she lives with her cat, Juno, Hodgman is expected to focus especially on stories from the city, the East Bay and the South Bay, while continuing to make trips to Wine Country.
She will also take over the Chronicle’s wine newsletter for a week. You can read more about her work in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Appleton Estate’s 26-Year-Old Hearts Collection Is the Best Rum of the Year So Far
Appleton Estate’s latest Hearts Collection release is a 26-year-old Jamaican rum distilled in 1999—and a standout for both rum enthusiasts and whiskey drinkers exploring aged spirits.
The Hearts Collection debuted in 2020, with vintages selected by master blender Joy Spence and rum expert Luca Gargano. This release revisits the 1999 vintage, extending its aging by five years. It spent 26 years in ten ex-bourbon casks, was distilled on a Forsyth pot still, and bottled at 63% ABV.
A long tropical aging period intensifies the interaction between rum and oak. The result is a complex profile featuring caramel, banana, grilled pineapple, licorice, cinnamon, apple pie, brown sugar, and molasses. Despite its high proof, the rum’s warmth is described as controlled rather than overpowering. Its Jamaican “hogo”—the distinctive funky, savory character often associated with pot-still rum—may particularly appeal to longtime Jamaican rum fans.
Only 1,406 bottles are available worldwide, with a suggested price of $500. The limited release can be found at specialty retailers, though its price may rise on the secondary market.
7 Tea Cocktails to Try in Charleston Right Now
Tea is finding its way into more cocktails, adding everything from subtle floral notes to warm spice and a pleasant tannic finish. In Charleston, the trend draws on the city’s deep tea heritage and offers options ranging from spirit-forward drinks to alcohol-free sips.
Here are seven tea cocktails to try around town:
Chai No Lait at Coterie
A menu staple since Coterie opened in 2020, the dairy-free Chai No Lait combines chai-steeped gin with Angostura bitters and egg-white foam. Its creator, co-owner Jeremy Buck, designed it to bring the creamy, fragrant feel of a chai latte into a refreshing cocktail.
Coterie also serves the Laotong, made with chamomile-infused pisco.
The Mitchell at Camellias
Inspired by Southern peach tea, The Mitchell pairs English breakfast tea with bourbon. The result is a smooth, fruit-forward drink designed to be approachable. It fits naturally at Camellias, a bar inside Hotel Bennett known for its afternoon tea service.
Pluff and Proper at The Palmetto Hotel
Created with local tea company Oliver Pluff, this cocktail combines The Botanist gin with orange clove tea, lemon and bergamot notes. The tea adds warm tannins and complexity.
The hotel is also developing a Tea Tini Trio, with options that can be made using nonalcoholic spirits.
Nashpati No. 5 at Rivayat
This fall cocktail brings together reposado tequila, Earl Grey tea, black peppercorn, spiced pear liqueur, lemon, garam masala and jaggery. Beverage director Juleon Schneider drew inspiration from tea-poached pears, and says bergamot’s citrusy character pairs especially well with tequila.
Garden Fog at Sweatman’s Garden
Sweatman’s Garden offers several tea-based drinks, including the habanero fresca, which can be served as a mocktail or made with alcohol. A seasonal favorite, the Garden Fog, combines nonalcoholic fernet, pear and Earl Grey soda, topped with marshmallow fluff.
Divine Intervention at Ma’am Saab
This chai-spiced bourbon cocktail, finished with West Indies orange bitters, is Ma’am Saab’s take on an Old Fashioned. It has evolved through several versions over the years, with its current form introduced in fall 2025.
Karachi Wala at Ma’am Saab
Also built around chai, the Karachi Wala mixes vodka, warm spices and amaretto. Owner and executive chef Raheel Gauba created it as a nostalgic tribute to evenings with friends in Karachi, where cups of chai helped gatherings last a little longer. Sweeter and softer than the Divine Intervention, it’s intended as an after-dinner drink.