VinePair Podcast

Wine has long relied on tradition to sell itself: traditions surrounding wine producers and regions, traditions surrounding drinking occasions and traditions surrounding how all of that is used to market wine. Yet do those stories still matter to consumers? Do they get people excited about wine, or do they serve as barriers that keep some people out of the category? Adam and Zach discuss all that and more in this week's episode. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: We Asked 12 Bartenders: What’s the Most Exciting International City to Drink in Right Now?Adam is reading: How the Upper East Side Became New York City’s Last Bastion for Craft BeerInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

Adam and Zach discuss two recent studies, the first of which shows that, surprise, Gen Z is drinking at historically normal rates, despite all the misplaced doom and gloom around the generation. Why were so many invested in the myth that Gen Z doesn't drink, and how should producers and marketers be rethinking their strategy. Plus, another study explores what drinkers really value, and how being consistent in terms of messaging and price can be more effective than chasing trends. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is drinking: Treveri Cellars DornfelderAdam is drinking: Sad NegroniInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

Adam and Zach discuss some of Adam's takeaways from hosting The Buildout, in particular about the tremendous importance of hospitality, and on making the guest experience welcoming and accommodating, as well as the need to be willing to change your concept, why you have to know your marketplace very well, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: Monarch Tractors Promised to Save American Wine With AI. Then, It Closed. What Happened?Adam is reading: More Than Functional Fungi: How Mushrooms Are Flavoring Wine and SpiritsInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair spirits editor Aaron Goldfarb to discuss his recent list of the best vodkas, as well as how drinkers are relating to the spirit these days. Has the rise of the Martini, and particularly the Dirty Martini, given it a new relevance? Can cocktail bars find a role for vodka beyond either the classics or the "fruity/sweet" paradigm? Are producers doing anything interesting or innovative? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is drinking: Jean-Louis Chave St. JosephJoanna is drinking: Evening Land Vineyards "Seven Springs" ChardonnayAdam is drinking: Japonaise at The Rockwell PlaceAaron is drinking: Rothaus PilsnerInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

In the wake of the recently-announced "Sauvy B" from Trinchero Family Wine and Spirits and famed winemaker Joel Gott, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether wine-based RTDs, particularly those that proclaim their wine affiliations proudly, can serve as a bridge, particularly for younger drinkers, from RTDs to wine, especially bottled wine. Will loving a Sauvignon Blanc-based canned spritz eventually convince someone to order a glass of wine at a restaurant, or pick up a bottle to have at home? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: Half of All Napa Vineyards Lost Money Last Year. How Are the Other Wineries Surviving?Joanna is reading: Exclusive: Trinchero Releases ‘Sauvy B,’ a Wine Spritzer With Added ElectrolytesAdam is reading: California and Burgundy Gave Chardonnay a Reputation. Can Oregon Break Through?Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

Adam and Joanna discuss whether companies that are making obvious dupes or copies of popular drinks are being smart or just trying to cash in on a trend. Can you copy and become more premium? Does it matter if the packaging is nearly identical? Does it matter what part of the drinks space you're in? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Joanna is drinking: Foradori TeroldegoAdam is drinking: Martini at Horse InnInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

Adam and Joanna respond to a listener question: are RTDs actually a fad? Despite emerging in the late 2010s and becoming a significant part of the beverage alcohol industry in the 2020s, is it possible that they don't have staying power, or have they shown that there's a significant audience for convenience, flavor, and accessibility? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Joanna is reading: The Karaoke Bar Is Finally Taking Cocktails SeriouslyAdam is reading: How Cocktail Kingdom Grew From a Small Bar Supply Shop Into a Global Cocktail PowerhouseInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the renewed speculation that Jack Daniels manufacturer Brown-Forman might be for sale: while the family-owned company rejected two reported offers in April, rumors continue to swirl that they're on the market. Will Pernod-Ricard or Sazerac remain interested? Which drinks company makes the most sense as an acquirer, and how can they attempt to rebuild and grow the brand, especially outside the United States? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is drinking: Upsidedown Wine RoussanneJoanna is drinking: Dogwood & Thistle Monticello RoséAdam is drinking: Thierry Richoux ‘"Les Cailles"’ Irancy 2017 Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair