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Wine Scholar Guild Revolutionizes Wine Tasting Education
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Preston Mohr, Managing Director, Wine Scholar Guild
Like many who move to Paris, Preston Mohr found himself besieged by people asking him for advice on where to eat.
At the time, says Mohr, it felt like you had to be part of a secret club to crack the code.
Officially in France to study art history, he began to work in tourism and hospitality—and answering plenty of questions—prompting him to learn more about wine. Eventually, he took all four levels of the noted Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) program.
Today, Mohr is the Managing Director of the Wine Scholar Guild, the world’s fastest-growing wine education program for non-professionals.
And what they’re doing may launch a whole new way of thinking about wine.
Julien Camus, a graduate of the Strasbourg Management School, became the trade attaché for wines and spirits at the French Embassy in Washington at just 23. After organizing a successful series of events in different cities, he created the French Wine Society, with the support of 25 importers of French wine. In 2008, he launched the French Wine Scholar certificate, followed by the Italian Wine Scholar certification, and then the Spanish.
The organization became the Wine Scholar Guild in 2015, and now consists of 130 schools spanning 30 countries on five continents, offering three levels of instruction in the wines of France, Italy, and Spain and some specialist areas, like Sherry.
The timing couldn’t have been better, as the rise of the company coincided with the growth of “gastronomy tourism,” where people travel specifically to experience the food.
And as people come into contact with the great food and wine of the world, they want to learn more about it.
“Wine encapsulates so many things in one topic,” says Mohr.
Camus wasn’t the only person to spot the need for wine education. Along with the professional certifications offered by bodies such as the WSET and The Institute of Masters of Wine, there are countless courses now produced by regional bodies, who often create them as a form of marketing. Mohr says what the Wine Scholar Guild offers is “extremely deep and in-depth certification and education on regions.” So far, France is the most popular country by a long way, with Italy in second place.
The curriculum is devised by the internal education team, consisting of seven or eight members, before an e-learning team adapts the content for the interactive platform. It takes about two years to create each program. Currently, they’re working on a German program set to launch in 2025.
The courses are published in print books, complete with maps and graphics, and are updated approximately every 18 months.
“We are essentially getting alerts from the regional bodies and they’re saying, ‘you can’t do 75% Syrah any more — it’s 70%’ and we just keep a running list,” says Mohr.
Classes can be completed in person or online, and once students have finished one program, they gain access to the alumni space, or community platform, along with updated materials.
What people don’t get is long lists of arcane grapes to memorize, as Mohr says too much detail can be a stumbling block. “We have to be really specific with students to make they’re they don’t think they need to memorize the name of 300 indigenous grape varieties. That type of knowledge doesn’t serve anybody—even a Master of Wine.”
Preston Mohr, Managing Director of the Wine Scholar Guild, in the vineyard.
What the Guild doesn’t insist on is a tasting test, though students who take the classroom courses do taste wines from the region being studied. Online students are given a list of wines they can buy and taste on their own, if they’re so motivated.
Increasingly, the way wine tasting is taught is being questioned. One major issue is that students are often tested on classic wine styles, at a time when it’s getting harder to find wines that fit the mold, as climate change and new viticulture and winemaking techniques have changed those taste profiles.
“We can’t put things in appellation boxes any more,” says Mohr.
Just as significantly, it’s become apparent that the formal descriptors applied to wine —blackcurrant, white flowers, gooseberry—may be meaningless to people from outside Europe. Mohr says it’s something the Wine Scholar Guild has considered deeply.
“We are in the process of creating a revolutionary tasting diploma that will challenge the systematic approach to tasting,” he says. It’s due to be released in 2025.
It’s being developed by wine writer Simon Woolf, and Dr. Gabriel Lepousez, a neuroscientist at the Perception and Memory Laboratory at the Institut Pasteur.
“He’s looking at the empirical scientific evidence of how brains process wine,” says Mohr. “What we’re trying to do with this program is actually show how terroir and origin and winemaking influence a wine much more than where it comes from. The system we’re trying to create is very personal, but also essentially giving the student the keys to understand why the wine tastes this way.”
If the new course lives up to the claims, it could revolutionize the way that wine is taught.
And there are plenty of people who will want it. The Guild’s students are a diverse group, with men and women signing up in roughly equal proportions—and their number is growing. Mohr says some people are just after the wine information and sign up, “because our study manuals and the material provided are some of the best books out there on regions.”
Then there are people who will immerse themselves in the study and even re-sit exams if they don’t pass them the first time. This group wants the certificates and lapel pins, and will do whatever it takes to get them.
The biggest challenge that education teams now face is how to cater to different age groups. “We’re now starting to see this next generation of people coming in, and younger people of 35 or below don’t just want all this content. They want it delivered in shorter formats.”
For those who want the certificates, there will soon be more options. There will be the German course, not to mention the new tasting course, and no doubt there will be many more after that. After all, wine is now produced in dozens of countries, including the major producing countries of the US, Australia, New Zealand and Portugal. Just keeping up with it all could see the Guild expanding for years to come.
And for those who can unlock the tasting side, there is a feast of wine waiting to be tried.
As for Mohr himself, he says he still goes to art galleries and that art is a personal passion in his private life. But right now there’s a wine education revolution to attend to—which is more than a full-time occupation.
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Two Men Charged with Stealing 10 Bottles of Tito’s Vodka from Ralphs in Orange County
Two men were detained for taking 10 bottles of Tito’s vodka from a Ralphs grocery store in Seal Beach, according to police reports.
Aspen Vodka Takes the Lead as the World’s Largest Carbon-Negative Distillery
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The first distillery in the world to be awarded the LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification
Aspen Vodka was founded in 2021 and has been a hit with craft-loving locals in its eponymous hometown ever since. But now it’s ready to bring its award-winning product to a larger market across the United States. And it’s doing so with an unprecedented degree of sustainability. Today, the distillery announces that it’s the first in the world to be awarded a LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification—the highest standard for building energy efficiency by the U.S. Green Building Council.
It’s been a banner year for the brand. This latest announcement comes on the heels of the brand picking up a prestigious Double Gold Medal at the 2024 World Spirits Competition. Soon you’ll see the 80-proof spirit on shelves across Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Texas, retailing for around $30 per bottle. It’s distilled entirely from locally sourced, non-GMO Rocky Mountain wheat, lending the liquid a creamy mouthfeel. Subtle hints of citrus and anise characterize the rounded palate.
In order to affect all that in wholly environmentally-friendly fashion, the 18,000-square-foot operation relies on offsite renewable solar and battery storage to create more energy than it consumes. Specifically, 105% of necessary electricity is supplied by this combination of infrastructure. Furthermore, over half of the campus’s eight acre footprint is reserved for regenerative agriculture, providing local sourcing for both culinary partners in Aspen and guests at the tasting room.
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Aspen Vodka also partners with a cutting-edge industrial wastewater company called Aquacycl to implement its “BioClectrochemical Treatment Technology.” It allows run-off from distillation to be treated onsite without carbon emissions, before being returned to the neighboring Roaring Fork River.
Founder Matt Patel
“We are incredibly proud to lead the industry with our ambitious and innovative environmental practices,” said Aspen Vodka founder Matthew Patel of the new certification. “Producing a luxury vodka with unrivaled quality, at the world’s cleanest distillery sets a new benchmark for sustainability.”
His commitment to the cause has attracted the attention of serious investors. Earlier this year, the distillery teamed up with spirits incubator WES Brands to help accelerate growth of the luxury product. Its impressive portfolio already includes Flecha Azul Tequila, Fraser & Thompson Whiskey, and BSB Flavored Whiskey.
Patel, for his part, hopes that his success can serve as an example for other startups in the space. “Our LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification is a testament to our commitment to excellence in both quality and environmental stewardship,” he adds. “We hope to inspire our industry peers to elevate their sustainability efforts.”
Indeed, the rapid growth of Aspen Vodka makes it clear that economical and ecological demands can be served in the same bottle.
Distilled from 100% non-GMO Colorado Wheat
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Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.
The Dark Legacy of The Beer That Terrorized Medieval Europe
We’re lucky to live in an age when government regulations mean we don’t have to worry (at least not continuously) that our food and drink are going to randomly contain poison. In 2023, the FDA issued guidelines for arsenic in apple juice, and that same year, the organization took significant steps to reduce lead exposure in baby food. But there was a point in time — for a long time — in which all sorts of things were added to foods and beverages that were far from ideal.
One of the best examples is black henbane, which occurred in beer during the Medieval Era in Europe. If black henbane sounds familiar to you, it’s because it’s a relatively common invasive weed also known as hogbane, stinking nightshade, fetid nightshade, and poison tobacco. As you might guess from all these less-than-pleasant names, black henbane is a member of the nightshade family and, in large enough quantities, extremely toxic. Despite this, prohibiting its use in alcoholic beverages was a long road, culminating in the toxic herb finally being given the boot only after centuries of work.
Read more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink
You might be wondering why in the world brewers would frequently put a substance into their product that could kill their customers. The answer is that until you tip over into the “kill” zone with black henbane, it has very different effects. Smaller-than-lethal doses of black henbane cause hallucinations, increase intoxication and serve as an aphrodisiac. Under controlled circumstances, pharmaceutical companies still use it in small doses in applications such as sedatives, diuretics, and pain relievers.
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It makes sense then that brewers in Germany would include it in their product. It was particularly associated with bock beers, which generally have higher alcohol content — higher alcohol means more inebriation, black henbane or not. Additionally, black henbane has the side effect of dry mouth, which means you immediately want to drink another beer. Much like how Coke used to contain cocaine (and Coca-Cola still has a legal cocaine factory in New Jersey), black henbane was used because it made people drinking feel good and allowed you to sell them more beer. That is, unless they were poisoned by it — and in many cases, people were.
Poisoning customers was particularly an issue since drinking beer was extremely common in the Middle Ages. In the Medieval Era, people often drank beer instead of water, as it was considered more nutritious. The idea they drank it because water was unsafe is a persistent myth, but it certainly was a source of calories and carbohydrates. That makes it a problem when a major source of nutrients repeatedly poisons people.
Nevertheless, eventually enough was enough. In 1516, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria issued the Reinheitsgebot, or German Purity Laws, which limited the legal ingredients in beer to hops, malt, water, and barley (wheat was banned from brewing by the same decree, but that was so more bread could be produced). However, getting rid of it in other European nations took longer.
Today, you might see all sorts of ingredients in beer, from fruits to herbs to chocolate. What you won’t see is black henbane — something for which Medieval Europeans would likely be grateful.
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Read the original article on The Daily Meal.
Whiskey Wednesday: Exploring the Tradition of Bottled-in-Bond Whiskeys
Twice a year, I look forward to the latest release of Chattanooga Whiskey’s limited bottled-in-bond offering, and it’s that time of year again! Why do I anticipate this particular event so much? Unlike many other great distilleries that come out with a BIB every year (that’s basically some really good barrels selected that happen to be at least 4 years old, come from the same distilling season at a particular distillery and bottled at 100 proof), Chattanooga Whiskey always strives to do something different with each release.
Their production team selects at least three of their favorite experimental projects from past years and blends them together to create something unique — and usually wonderful. For their seventh bottled-in-bond release, which represents their spring 2020 distilling season, Chattanooga Whiskey has decided to showcase some of their wheated mash bills along with their core SB091 Tennessee High Malt standard recipe and SB005 base wheat whiskey variant.
This may seem a little confusing at first. It’s a bourbon? Yes. But it’s a Tennessee High Malt? Also yes, as each component contains at least 25 percent specialty malted grains, the differentiating factor that sets the malty maestros at Chattanooga Whiskey apart from many other bourbon makers. And it’s a wheated whiskey? Yes, the three experimental whiskey components of the blend each feature both malted wheat and malted barley, including Tennessee-grown malted wheat, honey malted barley, and a small amount of cherrywood smoked malted barley.
Are you still with me? More importantly — how does it taste? In a word, fascinating.
People who love “wheaters” like Maker’s Mark, Weller, Old Fitzgerald and Pappy van Winkle generally appreciate the softer and sweeter notes that wheat contributes to the whiskey when it is substituted instead of rye as a flavoring grain. Think about the difference between wheat bread and rye bread for an idea of how the smaller components of these two grains might change the whiskey.
But the wheat used by most distilleries is a raw wheat, whereas Chattanooga Whiskey first malts their wheat, allowing the grains to germinate and release additional enzymes and flavors that would normally be trapped inside the grain. Consider this like smacking leaves of mint or basil between your palms before adding them to a cocktail. It really does make a difference!
The final result is actually made up of five different mash bills blended together, each contributing something special to the party. There’s honey and vanilla on the nose that invites the first sip which explodes with sweet, malty custard and a hint of mint. The long finish is complex with a base note of oak, plus some wildflower notes.
I wouldn’t even try to come up with a cocktail to pair with all of these components, so I’m content to just enjoy it straight from a snifter with maybe a drop or two of water or a single rock to open it up a little bit more. For $52.99 as a suggested retail price, I think you might enjoy it too — but they only made 40 barrels of this elixir, so don’t dawdle.
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Bad Animal: Exploring Santa Cruz’s Avant-Garde Bookshop and Natural-Wine Bar
There are people who like bookshops. Then there is Andrew Sivak, who once used a bookshop — Santa Cruz’s now-shuttered Logos Books & Records — to run an underground and only one-year college he claims had a 100 percent success rate in placing people into graduate schools.
Bad Animal’s name is an oblique reference to “The Bacchae” by Euripides. The swollen collection veers toward wild, radical, design-minded and avant-garde books, with a heavy emphasis on poetry, art, Californiana, continental philosophy, the occult and the classics. Pair these with the bar’s excellent “raw wines” — natural, low-intervention wines — and Thai food, and you’ve got everything you need (in the owners’ words) to “travel the Dionysian path.”
One more bit of exciting news: This year, Bad Animal plans to expand into the space next door to sell art and vintage material, with a focus on print history and art such as broadsides, photographs and posters.
INTRODUCTION: Bad Animal opened in 2019 as a natural outgrowth of Sivak and LoPrete’s interests. She had cheffed in San Francisco and had expertise in wine. He had a Ph.D from UC Santa Cruz in the history of consciousness and worked as a rare-book scout.
When Logos Books shut down, they grabbed up its massive collection and started winnowing it down in a process they took “way too seriously.” “For every one book we put on the shelf,” Sivak says, “we’ve probably said no to a thousand.”
Their website’s FAQ clarifies how devoted they are to books. Question: “Why should I read a book?” Answer: “Anyone who doesn’t read books is doomed.” Question: “Is it okay to sleep with someone who doesn’t read books?” Answer: “No.”
Despite the serious mission, Bad Animal is a fun place – instead of a self-help section, for instance, it has a disco ball.
“If you were to go to the great used bookshops in the middle of the century, they were very stuffy places where you were going to be feeling at least a little uncomfortable to handle the rare volumes on the shelf,” says Sivak. “They were sort of suffocating environments to be in, as beautiful as they were.”
Bad Animal is going for the opposite kind of atmosphere, one pleasantly lubricated with good conversations and intoxicating wine.
“We’re trying to operate in the same way that these antiquarian shops did in the middle of the 20th century, but in a radically different environment,” he says. “We want to encourage people to see books not just as a form of self-improvement or intellectual bodybuilding, but as actual pleasure experiences. It is pleasurable to walk around a used bookshop with a glass of wine in your hand, in the same way it is pleasurable to read a novel and enjoy a bottle of wine.”
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Unlike the special tomes that age well in Bad Animal’s rare-book room – a signed copy of Camus’ “The Stranger,” a beautiful spread of lithographs by painter June Wayne – the raw wine is generally not aged and is meant to drink soon after bottling.
A selection of wines is on display at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Peter Wright browses the selection of books at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Customers enjoy wine and Thai cuisine at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
A selection of books, new and old, at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Peter Wright browses for books at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Peter Wright reads “Complete Poetry and Selected Prose and Letter” by Walt Whitman at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
A copy of “On the Nature of Things” by Lucretius sits open on display at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 18, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Diners drink wine and eat Thai cuisine at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Jimmy Hsieh browses through a book by art historian Dr. Joachim K. Bautze at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Hayden Myrick, bartender, stands next to a selection of books at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Brianna Goodman enjoys dinner with Nathan Goodman of Felton at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
The rare book cellar and dining room at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Cydney Romano browses through a selection of books at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Diners drink wine and eat Thai cuisine at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
A selection of books, new and old, at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Andrew Singleterry of San Jose browses the shelves for books at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 18, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Jess LoPrete and Andrew Sivak are opening Bad Animal on Cedar Street in downtown Santa Cruz. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Andrew Sivak and Jess LoPrete are reflected in a light fixture at Bad Animal, their new full-service restaurant and independent bookstore on Cedar Street in downtown Santa Cruz that opens on Wednesday. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A selection of books, new and old, at Bad Animal in Santa Cruz, Calif., on May 17, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
The lovingly curated wine selection hails heavily from California and Europe and on any given day, might include an orange Wavy Wines “Sunshine” Skin Contact from Sonoma, a sparkling Rodica “Col Fondo Malvasia” from Slovenia or a Farm Cottage Pinot Noir from right here in the Santa Cruz mountains.
The beer and cider list has both tap and bottle options and leans toward interesting local suds like a Pelayo apple cider from Watsonville or a “Socks and Sandals” from Humble Sea Brewing. Zero-proof options might include apple-cucumber kombucha, phony Negronis and Coke and Fanta from Mexico.
After the pandemic, Bad Animal’s kitchen shifted to a residency program for up-and-coming restaurants. Right now it’s Hanloh, which cooks Thai cuisine inspired by the seasons and California’s local abundance. Recent appetizers have included Tomales Bay Hatsu oysters with bird’s-eye chili and lime and mieng kham (wrapped-leaf snacks) with apples, shallots, toasted coconut and tamarind-caramel dressing, served over nasturtium leaves. On the heartier side: white-coconut curry with shrimp and oyster mushrooms and chili jam, and charcoal-grilled Boxing Chicken with Crying Tiger Sauce and cucumbers.
EPILOGUE: Sivak just finished Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy and found “Blood Meridian” to be, you know, kind of bloody. “I don’t know how much of this is mythmaking, but (Yale literary critic) Harold Bloom famously said that he tried to read it and stopped two times, like he couldn’t get past page 80,” Sivak says. ”But then he considered it if not the great American novel, certainly in the top three and a definitive part of the Western canon, and you’d be hard-pressed to argue against him.”
DETAILS: The bookshop is open from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; the bar and kitchen are open from 5 to 9 p.m. at 1011 Cedar St., Santa Cruz; badanimalbooks.com.
Top Whiskey and Wine Accessories Deals to Snag on Amazon Prime Day 2024
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Amazon Prime Day this year actually spans two days: July 16-17, 2024.
Amazon Prime Day 2024, the annual shopping event celebrated by millions of consumers worldwide, has arrived with a host of impressive deals. Among the standout offers this year are those on whiskey (or whisky, depending on the bottle’s origin), attracting connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike.
Featuring significant discounts on a wide range of whiskey brands and varieties, from rare single malts to popular blends, shoppers can find something to suit their tastes and budgets.
Here’s a quick guide to accessing Prime Day as well as a sampling of some of the top-rated bar accessories for wine and whiskey with special sales on Amazon Prime Day 2024.
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Amazon Prime Day is an annual shopping event exclusively for Amazon Prime members. Think of it as Black Friday in July. The exact dates can vary each year, but it usually features a wide range of discounts and deals on various products across the site. Customers can look forward to substantial savings on electronics, clothing, home goods and more during this highly anticipated event.
The two-day event this year spans from Tuesday, July 16 to Wednesday, July 17.
To sign up for Amazon Prime, visit the Amazon website and click on the “Prime” link, usually located at the top of the homepage. From there, you can start the sign-up process by clicking on the “Start your 30-day free trial” button. You will need to either sign in with your existing Amazon account or create a new one. Follow the prompts to enter your payment information and confirm your subscription. After the trial period, the membership fee will be charged automatically unless you cancel before the trial ends. Membership includes benefits like free two-day shipping as well as access to digital services like Prime Video and Prime Music.
American Atelier Fifth Avenue Dalmore whiskey decanter and glass set ($14.99; Normally: $29.99)
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Kanars Old Fashioned whiskey glasses, set of four ($22.39; Normally: $31.99)
Whiskey stainless steel stones gift set of eight golden ice cubes ($9.99; Normally: $19.99)
2.2-inch large diamond sphere whiskey ice cube mold ($4.49; Normally: $8.99)
Kollea whiskey decanter set with two glasses and whiskey stones ($18.37; Normally: $36.75)
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NutriChef 750-milliliter barrel whiskey carafe and decanter with stopper and base ($22.89; Normally: $52.99)
NeatFinal Touch titanium reinforced whiskey glasses, set of two ($14.99; Normally: $29.99)
Viski Beau stacking set with lowball crystal art deco cocktail glasses and whiskey decanter set ($40.70; Normally: $49.99)
Ivation 28-bottle compressor wine cooler refrigerator with lock ($280.49; Normally: $329.99)
Ivation 12-bottle compressor wine cooler refrigerator with lock ($169.9; Normally: $199.99)
J.K. Adams ash wood modular stackable wine rack ($98.50; Normally: $189.00)
3-bottle, insulated and padded waxed canvas wine tote bag/carrier ($13.29; Normally: $18.99)
Open the Wine aerator gift set with pourer, stopper and corkscrew accessories ($6.63; Normally: $13.26)
3-tier freestanding counter wine holder ($14.99; Normally: $29.99)
12-ounce stainless steel insulated wine cup tumbler ($7.64; Normally: $15.28)
Favia 12-ounce stainless steel wine tumbler with vacuum insulated lid ($4.99; Normally: $9.99)
Wine skins/bottle protectors for airline travel ($4.99; Normally: $9.99)
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Electric wine aerator and decanter ($13.49; Normally: $26.98)
Ovente electric wine bottle opener with foil cutter ($11.90; Normally: $13.99)
White wine glasses set of four ($16.35; Normally: $32.70)
Kitessensu cocktail smoke infuser kit with torch and flavored chips ($29.99; Normally: $49.99)
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OGGI professional 3-bottle revolving liquor dispenser in stainless steel ($39.99; Normally: $59.99)
NutriChef mixology bartender cocktail shaker set ($12.50; Normally: $24.99)
Snowfox premium vacuum insulated stainless steel ice bucket $46.70 Normally: $55.00
Vevor LED lighted liquor bottle display $233.99 Normally: $259.99
Viski Canterbury double measure for cocktails $23.30 Normally: $32.99
Ironck bar cart with wine rack ($107.99; Normally: $119.99)
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.
Aspen Vodka Achieves Milestone: World’s Largest Carbon-Negative Distillery
The first distillery in the world to be awarded the LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification
Aspen Vodka was founded in 2021 and has been a hit with craft-loving locals in its eponymous hometown ever since. But now it’s ready to bring its award-winning product to a larger market across the United States. And it’s doing so with an unprecedented degree of sustainability. Today, the distillery announces that it’s the first in the world to be awarded a LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification—the highest standard for building energy efficiency by the U.S. Green Building Council.
It’s been a banner year for the brand. This latest announcement comes on the heels of the brand picking up a prestigious Double Gold Medal at the 2024 World Spirits Competition. Soon you’ll see the 80-proof spirit on shelves across Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Texas, retailing for around $30 per bottle. It’s distilled entirely from locally sourced, non-GMO Rocky Mountain wheat, lending the liquid a creamy mouthfeel. Subtle hints of citrus and anise characterize the rounded palate.
In order to affect all that in wholly environmentally-friendly fashion, the 18,000-square-foot operation relies on offsite renewable solar and battery storage to create more energy than it consumes. Specifically, 105% of necessary electricity is supplied by this combination of infrastructure. Furthermore, over half of the campus’s eight acre footprint is reserved for regenerative agriculture, providing local sourcing for both culinary partners in Aspen and guests at the tasting room.
Aspen Vodka also partners with a cutting edge industrial wastewater company called Aquacycl to implement its “BioClectrochemical Treatment Technology.” It allows run-off from distillation to be treated onsite without carbon emissions, before being returned to the neighboring Roaring Fork River.
Founder Matt Patel
“We are incredibly proud to lead the industry with our ambitious and innovative environmental practices,” said Aspen Vodka founder Matthew Patel of the new certification. “Producing a luxury vodka with unrivaled quality, at the world’s cleanest distillery sets a new benchmark for sustainability.”
His commitment to the cause has attracted the attention of serious investors. Earlier this year, the distillery teamed up with spirits incubator WES Brands to help accelerate growth of the luxury product. Its impressive portfolio already includes Flecha Azul Tequila, Fraser & Thompson Whiskey, and BSB Flavored Whiskey.
Patel, for his part, hopes that his success can serve as an example for other startups in the space. “Our LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification is a testament to our commitment to excellence in both quality and environmental stewardship,” he adds. “We hope to inspire our industry peers to elevate their sustainability efforts.”
Indeed, the rapid growth of Aspen Vodka makes it clear that economical and ecological demands can be served in the same bottle.
Distilled from 100% non-GMO Colorado Wheat
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A Wine Lover’s Journey: Interview and Tasting at Dufouleur Freres in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France
This is the first in a series of three articles about wineries in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France visited by the author earlier this year.
NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES, FRANCE – Two green street signs stand near a busy intersection on a two-lane road running through this small village.
One sign says “BEAUNE” and points south.
The other sign says “DIJON” and points in the opposite direction.
In a sense, those two street signs reflect Nuits-Saint-Georges’ position as an important crossroads within the Cote D’Or, the name of the legendary, 50-mile-long wine region in Burgundy.
North of Nuits-Saint-Georges to Dijon contains the Cote D’Or subregion known as the Cote De Nuits, which is famous for its out-of-this world pinot noir red wines.
South of Nuits-Saint-Georges you’ll find the other Cote D’Or subregion known as the Cote De Beaune, which has world-class chardonnay white wines and many outstanding reds.
Even so, many motorists quickly drive through this busy intersection in Nuits-Saint-Georges on their way to better-known places in Burgundy.
They also probably don’t even notice the winery tucked behind the nearly one-story-high, white stone wall located there.
Although if you’re a cycling fan, you may have recently caught of glimpse of Dufouleur Freres’ beautiful, two-story stone building just to the left of the starting line of Stage Seven of the Tour De France.
But this winery and the village it’s located in definitely deserve more attention.
That’s because many of the wines produced by Dufouleur Freres and other wineries in Nuits-Saint-Georges consistently taste great year in and year out. And while the prices have gradually started to increase like many other wines throughout Burgundy, you can still find outstanding bargains from Nuits-Saint-Georges and especially from Dufouleur Freres.
This week, you can learn all about this winery as well as about Nuits-Saint-Georges in general in this first story in a series of three articles about this charming, hard-working French winemaking village in the heart of Burgundy. You can also find tasting notes for 12 wines tasted at the winery this past January with Jean Dufouleur.
Hope you enjoy.
History of winemaking in Nuits-Saint-Georges
Like many winemaking villages in Burgundy, Nuits-Saint-Georges has been making wine for hundreds of years. Exactly when people started growing grapes here to make wine remains unknown.
References to wine from here date back to the late 1600s, but people were making wine in Nuits-Saint-Georges long before then. And it wasn’t until 1892 that winemakers in Nuits-Saint-Georges were finally able to put the name of the village on the labels of wines from here.
This was also the same year (1892) when the village changed its name from Nuits to Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like many other villages in Burgundy, the name was changed to add the name of one of the best-known wine vineyards in the village, which in this case is Les Saint Georges.
Wine classification in Nuits-Saint-Georges
In 1930, winemakers and officials who regulate wine in Burgundy began classifying certain vineyards in Nuits-Saint-Georges and other villages. There are three classifications based on the quality of the wine from particular vineyards:
History of Dufouleur Freres
The Dufouleur family can trace its roots back in Nuits-Saint-Georges to the 1500s and began making wine at its current location in 1596. The family name, Dufouleur, means “grape crusher” in French and that’s what family members reportedly did more than four centuries ago.
The winery’s beautiful two-story house dates back to the 1800s, when the Dufouleur family formally entered the wine-making business in 1848. Soon after, the family began buying parts of various vineyards in Nuits-Saint-Georges and throughout Burgundy.
Dufouleur Freres remains a relatively small wine producer in Burgundy. They own 14 acres of vineyards throughout Burgundy. The winery also purchases a small number of grapes from other vineyards to produce many outstanding, mostly red wines.
Wine Tasting Notes
(Writer’s tasting notes for three white wines and nine red wines, all tasted at the winery this past January with Jean Dufouleur.)
White Wines
2021 Dufouleur Freres Le Fouleur Vin De Bourgogne Chardonnay
Winemaker’s comments: “Humble wine, easy to open, easy to understand, straightforward chardonnay, pure, unoaked.”
Tasting notes: Made with chardonnay grapes, this bright, lively wine has a light, mineral-like finish with hints of peach, lemon and citrus-like flavors. Very refreshing, easy drinking, delightful chardonnay.
2021 Dufouleur Freres Bourgogne Aligote
Winemaker’s comments: “Has a little bit of oak, just 5 to 10 percent, just to make it a little more noble.”
Tasting notes: Made with 100 percent aligote grapes, this wine has a slightly tart finish with hints of green apple and just a touch of oak. Great food wine that beautifully brings to life this lesser-known white wine grape.
2020 Dufouleur Freres Nuits-Saint-Georges Recolte Cuvee Du Chateau
Winemaker’s comments: “Definitely more oak. The biggest surprise is it’s a blend of different grape varieties, which is really almost never the case in Burgundy. It’s really nice.”
Tasting notes: Made with a blend of 70 percent chardonnay and 30 percent pinot blanc, this outstanding white wine has subtle finish with hints of butter, sea salt, popcorn, lemon and fresh cream. Floral, fragrant aromas and flavors abound in this blended white wine that’s a real treat.
Red Wines
All made with pinot noir grapes
2022 Dufouleur Freres Le Fouleur Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Winemaker’s comments: “Regional wine. The purpose is to create a simple, humble, interesting pinot noir.”
Tasting notes: Give this wine a few minutes to open up in the glass. Initially, it’s intense and a bit tight. But give this red wine a few minutes and those flavors become more open and fruit like with hints of cherry and blackberry.
2018 Dufouleur Freres Les Fourches Cotes De Nuits Villages
Winemaker’s comments: “Humble, complex, with fresh berries, a little tannin, maybe a hint of cherry pits.”
Tasting notes: Well-rounded, dense red wine with hints of roasted cherries, tobacco, dark chocolate and almonds. Not a sharp edge at all to this wine filled with compact flavors that last several seconds after each sip.
2020 Dufouleur Freres Le Vaucrain Cotes De Nuits Villages
Winemaker’s comments: “The tannins are a bit more abundant, tobacco, well rounded, a bit of power.”
Tasting notes: Big, beautiful, well-rounded wine with hints of dense blackberry flavors and other graceful, well-rounded fruit flavors. Really opens up nicely in the glass without sacrificing the initial power and intensity straight out of the bottle.
2018 Dufouleur Freres Fixin Les Foussotes
Winemaker’s comments: “This is very classic, very traditional, old style, just right.”
Tasting notes: Fixin is the name of the outstanding, often-overlooked winemaking village located north of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Powerful, precise flavors, including big ripe fruit flavors (especially blackberry) mixed with hints of leather and fresh-roasted coffee.
2021 Dufouleur Freres Nuits-Saint-Georges
Winemaker’s comments: “Well-balanced, rich and satisfying.”
Tasting notes: Delightful, light fruit flavors with a delicate hint of raspberry, cherry, strawberry and blackberry. Very friendly, approachable wine that tastes great straight out of the bottle and remains consistently wonderful in the glass.
2020 Dufouleur Freres Nuits-Saint-Georges Cuvee Du Chateau
Winemaker’s comments: “Sophisticated, delicate, a bit of muscle, a bit of white pepper.”
Tasting notes: Round, subtle fruit flavors that have a bigger finish and impact compared to the previous red wine. There’s also not a sharp edge at all in this wonderful, well-rounded red wine with delicate berry fruit flavors.
2019 Dufouleur Freres Vosne-Romanee Les Jacquines
Winemaker’s comments: “Very velvety and licorice and soft. Definitely one of my favorites.”
Tasting notes: Big, bold, intense red wine from the neighboring village of Vosne-Romanee just to the north. Voluptuous, velvet-like fruit flavors with a dense, concentrated texture that lasts 10 to 15 seconds after each taste. Magnificent.
2020 Dufouleur Freres Chambolle-Musigny
Winemaker’s comments: “Ours is a kind of a strong, robust one. Firm and straightforward.”
Tasting notes: This wine from Chambolle-Musigny, another village north of town, has a flinty yet fleshy finish with intense, dense aromas and flavors. This wine needs 10 to 15 minutes to open up in the glass. That’s when the dense, complex fruit flavors with hints of leather emerge.
2020 Dufouleur Freres Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Les Saint Georges
Winemaker’s comments: “This is clearly the best plot of the village. We are blessed to have a slice of it.”
Tasting notes: There’s a reason why the town of Nuits added Saint-Georges to its name and this wine from that famous vineyard illustrates why. Soft, subtle, delicate fruit flavors (especially raspberry) somehow manage to also be big and powerful without being overpowering. This high-wire act teeters between intense and gentle and delivers an amazing wine-drinking experience you will never forget.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s Weekend section every Thursday.
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Craft Beer: The Catalyst Behind a $148 Billion Surge in the Global Beer Market
The global beer market is currently on a path of robust growth, with an estimated increase of $148.43 billion from 2024 to 2028, according to a new report by market research firm Technavio.
The market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.72% during this period. This expansion is largely driven by rising demand in emerging economies and a noticeable trend towards mergers and acquisitions within the industry.
The market’s growth is characterized by a diverse range of products—including lagers, ales and non-alcoholic options—catering to a global audience. Researchers highlighted the increasing popularity of craft beer and the emergence of more independent breweries, reflecting evolving consumer preferences, especially among younger consumers of legal drinking age in local markets. These breweries are often at the forefront of innovation, offering more flavors and styles that appeal particularly to millennials and Generation Z.
But the world’s top beer manufacturers—including AleSmith Brewing Co., Anheuser Busch InBev, Asahi Group, BrewDog, Carlsberg Breweries, Cloudwater Brew Co., Constellation Brands and others—are key players in this burgeoning scene. Strategic acquisitions are enabling these companies to broaden their market presence, access new technologies and meet the diverse preferences of consumers. A notable example is Carlsberg’s acquisition of Waterloo Brewing for $106 million, completed in 2023, which highlighted its aim to strengthen its foothold in North America.
Despite these positive trends, the beer market faces challenges from stringent regulations and high taxes on alcoholic beverages. Regulatory bodies worldwide have established comprehensive guidelines governing the production, sale, and distribution of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer. For instance, in the United States, the Food Safety Modernization Act mandates that breweries adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices to ensure hygiene and safety in production facilities. Non-compliance with these regulations can result in severe penalties and fines.
Environmental sustainability is another crucial aspect shaping the beer industry. Breweries are increasingly adopting eco-friendly practices, focusing on reducing their carbon footprint and promoting recycling programs, particularly for glass bottles. This shift not only addresses environmental concerns but also resonates with the growing number of environmentally conscious consumers.
And yet, traditional glass bottles continue to be favored for their ability to preserve the taste and aroma of beer.
Tourism also plays a pivotal role in the beer market, with many tourists seeking unique beer experiences. This has further boosted the demand for craft beers and specialty brews, contributing to the market’s overall growth.
In the long term, online retail might prove to be the biggest contributor. E-commerce has also significantly expanded the reach of beer companies, large and small, allowing consumers to access a wider variety of beer products from around the world. Personalized recommendations, targeted marketing strategies and better customer engagement are vital tools for breweries to maintain consumer loyalty and drive sales.
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