in the Mix Spring 2016 issuu

in the Mix

Vol. 47 Spring 2016

I N N OVAT E

I N D U L G E

E X P L O R E

Vol. 47 Spring 2016 w w w.intheM ixMagazine.com

Jean-Pierre (JP) Etcheberrigaray Vice President Food & Beverage, Americas InterContinental Hotels Group

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Raising The Bar

One of the great changes to the on-premise in the coming few years will be how the restaurant and hotel industry responds to the new minimum wage initiatives. It is inevitable that wage increases are going to impact the bottom line. The challenge is how severe the impact will be on the marketplace. The coming changes will affect all aspects of business – restaurants, servers, guests and, of course, taxing authorities.

Tipping polices will, and have already begun to, change.

Surcharges will take on a new role and menu prices will rise. So, who benefits? Let’s look at potential scenarios for each segment.

Guests: They will surely not benefit. Costs to eat out will only increase.

Servers: They probably will not benefit. If restaurants fix pay, then withholding taxes will greatly reduce servers’ weekly cash flow.

Restaurants: They could get a break because they can control expenses, but will lose on the FICA credit and finance fee add-back. Guests may be alienated due to higher prices. If the restaurant’s policy is non-tip verses tipping, then wait staff may move. It’s a mixed bag.

Taxing authority: They definitely win with more tax revenue.

According to Gary Levy, CPA, Partner in CohnReznick and hospitality industry practice leader, the bottom line is, “Restaurants will need to find a more efficient, effective business model that works for them - one that makes them maintain revenue and profit margins in spite of paying higher minimum wages to their service employees.”

The jury is still out on how this will all evolve over the next five years. There are economists on both sides of the minimum wage debate and the tradition of tipping service staff. The Department of Labor has recently come out with a 15-point mythbusters document supporting raising minimum wage.

http://www.dol.gov/minwage/mythbuster.htm Minimum Wage Increase: Its Far-Reaching Impact on Restaurants, Workers, and Consumers – Why the Tax Authorities May Be the Only Winners - See more at http://m.cohnreznick.com/insights/newsletters/ minimum-wage-increase-far-reaching-impact#sthash. eseToQvH.dpuf Restaurant Industry Alert: Wage Board Proposal – Fast Food Workers’ Minimum Wage May Rise to $15 in New York City by 2018 http://fordharrison.com – Legal Alerts, July 24, 2015 http://www.thefederalist.com – Sorry, Paul Krugman: The Minimum Wage Won’t Miraculously Cure Poverty, July 17, 2015 http://www.aei.org – Ten Reasons Economists Object

I have listed the links to several into the Minimum Wage, December 8, 2015 depth articles on the subject, and the links are also on our website, www.itmmag.com “ When we talk about the minimum wage, we have to

ask ourselves what it is that we owe both our workers and employers. I think clearly we owe them fairness.”

– Dalton McGuinty

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EDITOR’S LETTER

J.P. was right. Don’t we deserve wines at the right temperature?

In my cover story interview with Jean-Pierre (J.P.) Etcheberrigaray, it was clear that one thing that creates an abhorrent wine experience for him is having wine served at the wrong temperature.

Days after doing the interview, my wife Paula and I were having lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. I ordered a craft beer, which is their specialty, and she ordered a glass of Argentinian Malbec. (Now, keep in mind she had not read the interview nor did I tell her what J.P. had said on the subject). She turned to me and said, “This wine is awful.” I asked her if it was bad. She said it wasn’t – the wine was good, but it was way too warm. I tasted it and agreed − way too warm. It was so uncanny this happened to us just days after what J.P. had said in the interview.

Mike Raven, Managing Editor, in the Mix Media

We talked with the owner and she was very sympathetic, apologized and offered Paula another selection. I had noticed a red wine cooler below the bar and asked the owner about it. She commented, “That is for full bottles only, but when we take a new bottle out for a by-the-glass bottle, we leave it out on the bar.”

Therein lies the problem. Depending how and where the bottle is stored, the temperature in the room and the time spent out of the cooler all play into the temperature of the wine. The owner had mentioned she had looked into a wine dispensing system but they were too expensive for the amount of wine the restaurant sells.

So what is the answer?

I’m asking for your help. The entire readership of in the Mix is in the food and beverage business in one way or another; I invite you to comment on how an operator can keep their red wines by-the-glass at the correct temperature economically, without access to a dispensing system or fancy wine cooler.

Send your thoughts to me at mike@itmmag.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mike Raven Managing Editor, in the Mix Media

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44

INNOVATE

52

26. Interview with Lawrence J. “Laddie” Weiss, VIBE Conference Co-Founder and Event Director 30. IMI Salutes 2016 VIBE Vista Award winners 44.

Recap of the 2016 VIBE conference

52. Cover Story Interview – Jean-Pierre (J.P.) Etcheberrigaray, Vice President Food & Beverage, Americas InterContinental Hotels Group 70. Technology – Hotel Innovation: Building a Brand

by Adam Billings

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83. Lowering the Legal BAC Limit and Its Impact on the Hospitality Industry by the American Beverage Institute 94. Legal Journal – Tattoos, Haircuts, and Head Coverings – The Challenges of Appearance and Grooming Policies

by Andria Ryan, Fisher & Phillips LLP 96. Wine Quiz

by The Society of Wine Educators 98. Crossword Puzzle

by Barry Wiss, CWE CSS, of Trinchero Family Estates

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INDULGE 22. Gazing Into the 2016 Crystal Ball for Spirits

by F. Paul Pacult 32. Spirit Amari and Cocktail Bitters

by Ed Korry, CHE CSS CWE 38. Warren Winiarski – Forty Years after the Judgment of Paris

by Paul Wagner 72. The Latest Research on Beer, Wine, Spirits and Cocktails

by Mike Kostyo 92.

Ultimate Wine Challenge reviews Prosecco

97. The Julep

by Gary Gruver

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A Q u i e t N i g h t, A C e l e b r a t i o n N i g h t.

A n y N i g h t.

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Spring 2016 • itmmag.com

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16 78

EXPLORE 16. The Adventures of George: The Aperol Spritz

by Tony Abou-Ganim 64. Making the Rounds With Helen Benefield Billings – Holiday Thrills with IMI & ITM at the Porsche Experience Center

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78. Antonio Carpenè, the Father of Prosecco

by Paul Wagner 84. It’s Time For Tea

by Katie Ayoub

84

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tony Abou-Ganim, known as “The Modern Mixologist,” is an accomplished bar chef,speaker and consultant who has created several original cocktail recipes, including the Cable Car, Sunsplash and Starlight.

He has recently authored his second book, Vodka Distilled (Agate Surrey, publisher).

Edward Korry is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Beverage & Dining Service Department in the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I. Edward carries many certifications as well as being President of the Society of Wine Educators and an executive board member of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild Master Accreditation program.

F. Paul Pacult is widely recognized as one of the premier authors, speakers and judges of spirits in the world. His works include Spirit Journal, Kindred Spirits, Kindred Spirits 2, American Still Life, A Double Scotch, Beer Essentials and more.

Adam Billings is the Director of Creative, Technology and Innovation at iMi Agency, a full-service marketing agency in the hospitality industry. He manages adult beverage programs for chain restaurant, hotel and concession clients.

PUBLISHER Don Billings EDITORIAL AND DESIGN Editor – Michael Raven Designed by – Connie Guess, ThinkWorks Creative Copy Editor & Proofreader – Christine Neal Associate Editor – Celeste Dinos Associate Editor – Helen Benefield Billings ADVERTISING SALES mike@itmmag.com EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICE 1196 Buckhead Crossing, Woodstock, GA 30189 PHONE 770-928-1980 | FAX 770-517- 8849 EMAIL mike@itmmag.com WEB ITMmag.com

in the Mix magazine is published quarterly by IMI Agency. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

in the Mix is exclusively operated and owned

by Incentive Marketing Inc. SUBMISSIONS Incentive Marketing Inc. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.Visit our website, intheMixMagazine.com, for guidelines on how to submit inquiries or contact our editors.

Paul Wagner is an international wine judge, educator, and founding member of the Academy of Wine Communications. He is also an inductee of the Spadarini della Castellania di Soave and in 2009, was honored with a Life Dedicated to Wine Award at the Feria Nacional del Vino (FENAVIN) in Spain.

Travel and hospitality industry writer Helen Benefield Billings has been with in the Mix since its inception in 2004. Helen lives in her native childhood home of Sea Island, Ga. when not traveling or attending industry functions with her husband, Don.

Katie Ayoub is the managing editor of Flavor & The Menu. She also owns Katie Ayoub & Associates, and can be contacted at katie.ayoub@gmail.com

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Larry McGinn, Partner Celeste Dinos, Partner Don Billings, Founding Partner

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The Ultimate Spirits Challenge named Russian Standard Vodka their

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Russian Standard Gold is inspired from an ancient Siberian Vodka recipe made popular by Peter the Great and has extracts of Siberian golden root.

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Distilled from Rye, with a distinctive flavor, Zu has become a favorite with mixologists everywhere because it adds a refreshing twist to any cocktail.

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A DV E RTO R I A L

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DE LUZE COGNAC

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Carlo Gancia, the creator of the first Italian sparkling wine, founded Gancia in 1850. Based in Canelli, in the heart of Italy’s Asti region, Gancia is an international leader in the production of sparkling wines. Their portfolio includes Prosecco, Asti, Moscato, Moscato Rose and more.

Spring 2016 • itmmag.com

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The Adventures of George

by Tony Abou-Ganim

The

Aperol Spritz

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Midway through what had been a long and brutal winter, George was in desperate need of some dry desert heat and he knew just the cure. He grabbed an early flight to Las Vegas, rented a car and checked into the Venetian Hotel. After making a spa appointment at Canyon Ranch, he headed out to Red Rock for a much needed bicycle ride. It was a beautiful, sunny day with blue skies and a temperature in the high 70s, which was perfect for the 40-mile bike ride he had planned through the picturesque Red Rock Canyon.

Some four hours later, George was back in the car, returning to the hotel feeling invigorated, exhausted and very much looking forward to the soothing waters of the soaking tub and the healing hands of his masseuse. After his treatments, George felt extremely relaxed, revived and in serious need of fortification. One of his favorite restaurants, CARNEVINO by Mario Batali, was located inside the Venetian and served one of the best steaks he had ever had.

“Sounds perfect. I’ll start with one of those,” George thankfully replied. “And I’ll take a look at a dinner menu also.” George found the drink to be wonderfully bright, slightly bittersweet, easy to drink and extremely refreshing.

“The Aperol Spritz is a wonderful drink. It is all the rage in Italy, especially in Venice,” the gentleman sitting next to him said, introducing himself as Francesco Lafranconi.

“So, George, what do you think?” David asked.

“Fantastic! I’ll have another and let me also get one for my friend, Francesco,” George answered.

“Thank you,” replied Francesco. “I worked as a barman in Venice years ago and we would sell thousands of Aperol Spritzes, especially in the summer.”

“Ready to order?” David inquired.

George walked into the busy bar and saw that both Adam and David were behind the stick. He secured an empty stool.

“George, good to see you my friend. Welcome back,” David greeted him. “Negroni?”

“You know me too well! A Negroni sounds wonderful but I might need something a little more refreshing to start with, because I’m a little parched,” George replied.

“Have you ever had an Aperol Spritz?” David asked. “Aperol is Campari’s little sister, and in a spritz, it is light and invigorating.”

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“Yes – I’ll start with the grilled octopus, followed by a half portion of Bucatini all’Amatrician. Then I’ll have the dry-aged, bone-in rib eye medium rare and a side of Cesare’s Tuscan Fries,” George ordered. “And one more of these wonderful Aperol Spritzes; and get Francesco another one also.”

“Thank you, but I have a dinner engagement to get to,” Francesco responded. “But if you really want to experience the wonders of the Aperol Spritz, you must experience Venice; and to truly experience Venice, you

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must visit the Hotel Cipriani. You need to go see my dear friend and bar manager, Walter Bolzonella, at the famous Gabbiano Bar inside the Cipriani Hotel. Tell him Francesco sent you.”

George finished his steak and had one last Spritz.

He thanked David for his hospitality, paid the check and was ready for what was sure to be a very good night’s sleep. But once in bed, he could not stop thinking about this newly discovered libation and knew he would need to book a trip to Venice in the morning.

After a wonderful night’s sleep, George awoke with intoxicating thoughts of Venice. He packed up his things and headed to check out. George called his travel agent and was able to book a flight to Venice that evening!

Flying all night, George arrived in Venice the following morning, where he checked into the Baglioni Hotel Luna.

He took a short walk to Harry’s Bar to see Claudio and have a Bellini. After a quick visit and a delicious Bellini, George boarded Hotel Cipriani’s private water taxi for the speedy trip across the canal to the tip of Giudecca, where the hotel is located.

George arrived at the Hotel Cipriani, walked into the Gabbiano Bar and asked for Walter Bolzonella.

“I’m Walter,” acknowledged the gentleman behind the bar. “What can I do for you?”

“Ciao, Walter. Francesco from Las Vegas raved about your Aperol Spritz and I came here to try one,” George explained.

“I love Francesco! It will be my pleasure to make you one! We serve thousands of Aperol Spritzes in

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Venice every day. Aperol is a beautiful apéritif, which was invented in 1919 by the Barbieri Brothers in Padua.

The light proof of the Aperol quenches your thirst on a beautiful sunny day like today and adds a bit of sweetness, with less alcohol than Campari.”

Walter served George the Aperol Spritz and he took a sip. “Delicious! I have never had one with a green olive as a garnish before,” George commented.

“Well, the olive is a classic garnish here in Venice and the Aperol Spritz is the perfect aperitivo to complement the saltiness from the olive, but watch out for the pit,” Walter warned.

“Fantastic,” George responded.

“After your wonderful drink, I am ready for a hearty lunch. Do you have any suggestions?”

“I certainly do,” answered Walter.

“Let me make you a reservation at Cip’s Club, which happens to have a beautiful view of Piazza San Marco, and you must try the carpaccio.”

George thanked Walter for everything and paid the check.

“Grazie,” George said to all and headed out of the bar.

“Ciao! Please give Francesco my best!” replied Walter.

George headed over to Cip’s Club and ordered Carpaccio Classico Cipriani, followed by Strozzapreti Porcini Rosmarino e Tartufo nero, an amazing fresh pasta with wild mushrooms, rosemary and black truffles. He then had the Filetto di Branzino al forno, Limone e Finocchio, which tasted like it was just caught

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that morning. The food was delicious, especially when washed down with a couple more Aperol Spritzes.

George paid the check and took the water taxi back to the hotel.

His thoughts on the ride back to the hotel consisted of excitement on sharing his newfound love of this amazing aperitivo with his friends and family, and the thought of future gatherings that would be celebrated with a beautiful Aperol Spritz.

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GAZING INTO THE

2016

Crystal Ball for Spirits

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By F. Paul Pacult, Editor of F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal and Judging Director of Ultimate Beverage Challenge

Hubris, be damned. As a professional beverage alcohol observer, author, journalist, educator and judge for more than a quarter century, I’d like to claim that I could foresee everything in terms of spirits and mixology trends. The truth is, I can’t – nor can anyone.

The best that anyone could do is to, one, watch the often-subtle direction of reliable statistics; and, two, be vigilant of the pulse of consumers and bartenders.

Then, with a huge dollop of fortune and a dash of foresight, one bravely projects from that promontory.

That established, based upon 2014 and 2015 marketplace activity, I do see substantial ripples of directional change for some spirits categories. As savvy Millennials, GenXers and Boomers alike sink into the cozy comfort of F. Paul Pacult trends that scream “local, organic and authentic,” spirits producers would do well to be aware of those preferences. One fact that can be taken to the bank is that the buying public is hunting down spirits and experiences of “spirits of provenance” (purity of source, terroir), of genuine “credentials” (track record), of “uniqueness” (niche), and of “big flavor” (cask strength/barrel proof). Let’s take a look at these items, one at a time.

some desensitized people might claim. So, the spirits that provide echoes of their place of origin will continue to grow in 2016 as imbibers strive to identify a place of origin.

2016 predicted growth: VERY BULLISH.

CREDENTIALS AS THEY APPLY TO CRAFT

SPIRITS WITH PROVENANCE

Consumers are attracted to proven track records. That’s how brands get established: through sustained quality. Icons like Tanqueray, Chivas Regal, Jim Beam and Bacardi have flourished because they have supplied reliable products for decades. But the spirits category in 2016 isn’t just about familiar brands. Statistics prove that the artisanal distilling movement has shifted into passing gear in the U.S., as it approaches the 800-distillery mark in this country.

The so-called “craft movement” is vibrant and much more than a blink of the eye. Their products are improving as newer small distillers rise on the production learning curve.

When a distillate reflects its place of origin via aroma or taste, consumers have a tale of intrigue thrown their way. A sensory reference to place – meaning where the base material was cultivated and produced and/or where the distillery and aging warehouses are located – affords consumers the opportunity to experience a direct connection on a sensory level. The concept of terroir is just as alive in the DNA of upper-echelon Cognac (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies) and Armagnac (Bas-Armagnac, Tenareze), single malt Scotch (inland or maritime), Tequila (highlands or valley), and Rum (rhum agricole), as it is in estategrown white Burgundies or single vineyard Sonoma County Cabernets. Distilled spirits absolutely have the ability to mirror their source, no matter what

While pesky growth pains – such as occasional lack of fulfillment, inconsistent quality and a penchant for rushing products to market before they are ready – have dogged them, many artisanal distillers are countering their lack of credentials by producing some amazingly sophisticated spirits.

Third Millennium consumers are intrepid and willing to try many spirits, but they are also keenly aware of pedigree and the consistency that brings. Consistency has to be a priority of craft distillers. There will be more craft spirits supernovas in 2016, to be sure, from the stellar likes of Charbay, St. George Spirits, Ransom, Westland, Germain-Robin, Death’s Door, New York Distilling, Koval, Leopold Bros., Copper Fox, Clear Creek, Breckenridge, and more whose pedigree is already assured. It’s the newer small

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distillers of less than 10 years in operation who need to keep their emphasis on steady quality if they expect to survive the inevitable, attritional fallout that I see looming between 2018-2022.

being more natural and of providing a deeper level of enjoyment. This fits neatly into the consumer trend of wanting greater authenticity – a product that is closer to its origins.

This wave of activity, liked by bartenders as well, is showing one of the strongest impulses of all the various trends. I remain confident that this inclination will be at the forefront of spirits categories by the end of the year, as increasing numbers of highproof spirits make their way into the mainstream.

2016 predicted growth: CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH.

UNIQUENESS

Niche spirits categories, to wit: Cachaça, Pisco, Amaro, Bitters and Mezcal, can make sizeable inroads this year into the U.S. marketplace simply by being uncommon and unfamiliar. American consumers of all generations are in an adventurous mood. Young consumers especially yearn for singular experiences they can quickly share via social media. It is this variety of groundswell for anything idiosyncratic that can translate into an attraction to unique, off-thebeaten-track spirits. Producers of niche categories should do everything in their power to tap into this trend before it fizzles and dies on the vine.

2016 predicted growth: CAUTIOUSLY BULLISH.

BIG FLAVOR

The reason that in just about every spirits category the alcohol-by-volume levels are rising, is because the magical terms “barrel proof” and “cask strength” suggest BIG FLAVOR. They likewise imply greater purity of product through less human intervention. When you allow a spirit to remain at barrel strength, you eliminate one step that takes it further away from its natural state. By releasing a Whiskey, Vodka, Tequila or Cognac straight from the barrel, or of a higher than normal proof, the impression is of a distillate that has not been diluted or overly manipulated. Its aura is one of

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2016 predicted growth: VERY BULLISH.

ONE FINAL WISH

Last, as a moment of editorializing, I’m personally hoping for less self-conscious bartenders in 2016, who think first of their patron’s desires rather than their own stardom. I fully acknowledge that bartending has an element of theatre. As for me, however, I’d rather get a well-made, four-ingredient drink from a person in jeans and a clean shirt than an over-produced, 12-ingredient cocktail from someone who adores their own waxed moustache, jazzy suspenders, arm garters and Brooks Brothers waistcoat. I just want a Whiskey Sour, ladies and gentlemen, not Broadway.

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2016

VIBE

CONFERENCE

Interview with Lawrence J. “Laddie” Weiss, VIBE Conference Co-Founder and Event Director

By Mike Raven

MR: My first question is probably an obvious one: Why the move from Las Vegas to San Diego?

LW: The move to San Diego was really dictated by the people who attend the conference. They attend for various reasons, but there are two main reasons in my mind. One is the educational value. We spend a lot of time on this. All of the subjects are decided upon by the VIBE advisory council (VAC). Sometimes we get speaker suggestions but most of the time that falls on my shoulders.

The other key component is networking. In Las Vegas, our networking started to erode about three years ago. It really accelerated when we moved to the Palm.

There was no foyer outside the meeting room, just a casino and a bar; it was not conducive at all. Because of the physical layout of the available rooms, the cocktail parties ended up in venues intended for entertainment, which restricted the set-up options for enhancing the networking opportunities.

Here, we start with the four walls and we’re able to place the bars where we want, creating a positive effect on the traffic flow. We can’t produce this conference without sponsor support and the sponsors’ major concern is ROI – in other words, the quality of networking.

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Places like Encore, Wynn that have the right facilities require 2-3 times as much as we were spending on food and beverage at this conference. So we are going to be in San Diego, it appears, for at least three years. We are in the final stages of negotiating with the Sheraton Marina. The actual dates of the 2017 VIBE conference are February 28th and March 1st, Tuesday and Wednesday, but we want the attendees to come the day before, to attend several pre-conference activities such as the ABI meeting and the CORE event.

MR: While passing in the hallway, I asked how things were going. You said, “I’m not worried about the big things – I’m just worried about the little things, because the big things we practice so many times.” How long does it take to set up a huge conference like this?

MR: What have you heard about having it so early in the year? Why are you moving to the end of February?

LW: The first thing is the extra stress on the VIBE team. Crunch time for registration, finalizing numbers with the hotel and speakers finalizing their AV needs all coincide with the two weeks during Christmas holidays, and it’s difficult to complete details. Also keep in mind there are two staff people dealing with 102 sponsors, most of which are beer, wine and liquor suppliers. All of their products for the event have to be confirmed and reconfirmed; the distributors have to organize and deliver them with specific delivery times. The storage/workroom is a well-oiled machine with shelving everywhere, organized by event and by each bar location at that event. The staff organizing the cocktail parties is given

LW: I start on the next one before this one even begins. I have a folder with potential program ideas and enhanced networking opportunities, which I will review with our VAC in mid-March. From an official standpoint, we get into high gear in April and complete the entire program structure by July 1. The program agenda and most of the speakers are confirmed by then. In September, we get into high gear to solidify the sponsors and attend to all conference details such as registration, room blocks, sponsor support, AV needs and speaker session development.

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the task of showcasing each sponsor’s products. After months of planning for maximum product placement, it normally takes 10-12 hours to set up and take down these big events. This year, with rooms being shared for general sessions as well as for the big cocktail party, the staff only had 4-5 hours, which resulted in extra expense for more staff and equipment. It isn’t effective to have this type of room usage.

The general sessions included two awards ceremonies and a presentation by Technomic, giving “insights” into what the operators should really be looking at to improve their beverage business. We’ve begun to have David Commer do an annual “thumbs-up/thumbs-down” at the end of the conference. It’s business, but it’s entertaining and it offers audience participation through the VIBE app, where they can ask questions.

MR: You can tell, by just sitting here in this foyer area, that it is a much more business-like atmosphere here than the casino.

It was so loud you could hardly hear yourself talk with all the slot machines and what have you.

The overall organization of the conference is tweaked on a yearly basis, using feedback we hear during the conference, comments from the post-conference survey and input from the VAC. It’s very much a team effort: Donna Bruns handles the operations and we are copied on many of each other’s communications throughout the year to keep all issues covered. The critical issue is to keep the information provided current and pertinent to these multi-unit beverage executives, while insuring all sponsors showcase their products and have the ability to network.

LW: There are several issues that make the casino setting poor for this conference. The smoking issue is always addressed when we receive feedback from the attendees. Certainly, networking space in a foyer setting where it is quieter, professional and allows our sponsors to showcase their products, is much preferred.

MR: One last question: What were you trying to achieve this year versus last year? What were your goals, what areas did you want to improve upon?

LW: It was several things. Number one was the hotel. The physical layout of the hotel is a critical element of structuring the networking. Number two was the networking breaks themselves. We used to have 15 minutes between workshops; we’re now at a half-hour.

We’re starting our cocktail party earlier so that people can go out to dinner. That was always a problem in Las Vegas.

We didn’t finish the cocktail party until 8:30 and by then, half the people had left to go to dinner.

This year there were the modifications to the programs: I would say the major change was going back to our 16 workshops, instead of 12. The workshops are really the take-aways, the actionable information. The keynoter is more motivational and sets the tone for the meeting. I think he (former CEO of Southwest Airlines Howard Putnam) did a wonderful job, especially customizing his presentation with all the beverage references that he put into it – that holds this group’s attention.

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ACCOUNT AWARDS

IMI Agency is proud to congratulate our Clients for their outstanding achievements at this year’s VIBE Vista awards. The 2016 VIBE Vista awards represent both innovation and achievement in beverage programs.

Ed Korry, President of the Society of Wine Educators and Beverage Department Chairman at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, developed the judging criteria and selected two panels of judges from the beverage faculty.

The 2016 Winner for Best Overall Beverage Program was

HILTON WORLDWIDE.

Accepting the award for HILTON WORLDWIDE was Shirley Whelan, Senior Director of Restaurants & Bars for the Americas.

Presenting the award was E. & J. GALLO.

The team of judges was impressed by the beautiful execution of HILTON WORLDWIDE’s all-encompassing objective to give its guests a better bar experience. To accomplish this, they developed and published The Better Bar Experience Guide on the Flavors Of Hilton intranet site, to be viewed as an e-zine or downloaded as a fully interactive PDF with interactive links and catalogs. HILTON covered all the bases: team member training and engagement supported by newsletters, pre-shift rundowns, uniforms, glassware, bar tools and ice – even standards on atmosphere, music and lighting. Congratulations on Best Overall!”

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The Best Spirits Program was awarded to

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL.

Accepting the award for MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL was James Addison, Vice President of Food & Beverage.

Presenting the award was BEAM SUNTORY.

MARRIOTT strategically expanded its Bourbon program by increasing its premium and super-premium selection to eight, and by training its bartenders – onproperty, off-property and online – to flawlessly create specialty Bourbon cocktails, offer Bourbon flights accompanied by bite-size food pairings, and to regale guests with stories about Bourbon. New glassware, upscale barware and specialty ice presses act to fully engage the audience. It’s a premium spirits program that has raised the bar at MARRIOTT. Congratulations!”

The Best Beer Program was awarded to

INTERSTATE HOTELS AND RESORTS. Accepting the award for INTERSTATE HOTELS AND RESORTS was Bradley Moore, Vice President of Food and Beverage Operations.

Presenting the award was THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY.

Photos by Ernie Sapiro Photography.

INTERSTATE’s goal was to provide its hotels with a powerful beer selection and upscale menus to engage its guests, with a minimum of five tap handles at every property.

The program offers 16- and 23-ounce pours from a balance of domestics, imports, craft beers, seasonals and ciders. LTOs (limited time offers) and promotions engaged both guests and associates, resulting in beer sales rising year-over-year, with a 2015 increase of 3.67 percent overall. Congratulations to INTERSTATE HOTELS AND RESORTS!”

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Spirit Amari Cocktail Bitters

By Edward M. Korry, CHE, CSS, CWE, Associate Professor, Department Chairman at Johnson & Wales University and President of SWE

In the last quarter’s issue, I provided a primer on wine-based amari, while in this issue I will focus on spirit-based amari and cocktail bitters, which are key components of so many of today’s more interesting cocktails. The category of amaro is confusing because one may find them categorized as liqueurs due to their sweetness levels, but not all amari have sweetness. This article focuses on those potions dominated by botanicals – flowers, herbs, roots and spices – with varying levels of bitterness that are perceived as providing palliative effects on the body. Thus, they are known as “digestivos,” Italian for “aids to digestion,” and have long been a European tradition, especially in Italy.

The historical evidence of the origin and evolution of these potions is cloudy, but the tradition of using botanicals for medicinal purposes reaches back millennia. The appearance of industrial amari begins in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The botanicals that form the flavor basis to this category of spirits have carminative properties. While the list of botanicals with carminative properties is long and comes from four different continents, the primary ones include: angelica, aniseed, basil, bergamot, cardamom, caraway, cinnamon, coriander, garlic, ginger, juniper, lavender, lemon, licorice, marjoram, nutmeg, onion, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, saffron and tarragon.

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Author’s note: There is hardly a village in Italy that doesn’t have a local producer of amari, but my focus is strictly on commercial brands found in the U.S.

AMARO AVERNA Amaro Siciliano Averna was first created by monks of the Convent of St. Spirito, which gifted Salvatore Averna the recipe for his good deeds. He began producing this amaro in 1868. It is easier for neophytes to appreciate because its bitterness is offset by a full, smooth and sweet component. Because of its sweetness, some categorize it as a liqueur. It has a more cola and sassafras flavor and is more enjoyable neat, but certainly has a place in the mixologist’s repertoire.

AMARO LUCANO

AMARO NONINO

Amaro Lucano was created in 1894 by Pasquale Vena, a pastry chef in the Luciano region of Basilicata.

This amaro liqueur’s widespread popularity in Italy was due to its being an official amaro of the Royal House of Savoy. The botanicals, harvested from the surrounding region, include absinthe, wormwood, sage, musk yarrow, gentian, angelica and ruta. The botanicals are

This grappa-based amaro, marketed as Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, hails from Friuli in Northeast Italy. It is an infusion of a blend of botanicals including gentian, licorice, rhubarb, tamarind, cinchona and galangal. It has a reddish brown hue, with bright citrusy notes from the inclusion of sweet and bitter orange peels.

It is aged for a minimum of five years in oak barrels, giving it more complexity.

It is less sweet, less bitter and has a lighter body than most other amari, making it particularly friendly for mixologists.

macerated in alcohol to extract their delicate aromas and flavors before being decanted and added to a pure spirit/water and caramel liqueur.

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the Americano.

That drink was then followed by the classic Negroni, a mix of Gin, Campari and Sweet Vermouth, which defines a bartender’s ability when made correctly.

Why? Because when the ingredients are balanced, there’s a synergy that melds all three seamlessly on the palate.

APEROL

While this amaro was first invented in the 20th century by Silvio and Luigi Barbieri in Padua, Italy, it has become the basis of Italy’s most popular cocktail, the Aperol Spritz.

Its low alcohol (11% ABV), attractive orange color, and bright, citrusy notes have been conducive to the pace of modern life. The primary flavors are derived from herbs, sweet and bitter oranges, tangerines, flowers, spices, quina, rhubarb, gentian and vanilla. The classic Aperol Spritz is a combination of Prosecco, splash of soda and Aperol, served on the rocks with an orange slice. This popular Italian cocktail has driven an explosion of interest in the last 10 years in the U.S.

CAMPARI

There is no more famous amaro than Campari. It was invented in 1860

by Gaspare Campari in Milan, Italy, using herbs, cascarilla and chinotto (a small bitter orange that grows on a tree similar to myrtle), among many ingredients in this still-secret recipe. It has been recognized for its distinctive red color derived from the use of carmine dye, which was discontinued in 2006. It is Italy’s most popular and widespread amaro, in part for its use in the first Italian cocktail, known as

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CYNAR

Only recently created in the mid-20th century, Cynar is named for the ingredient cynarine, which is found in in artichokes. It is an essential botanical in this 13-ingredient secret recipe. This amaro is often consumed neat or on the rocks, but mixologists find it useful because it adds a vegetal/herbal element to some spirits with more pronounced flavors.

FERNET

RAMAZZOTTI

(Pronounced ferˈnɛt)

Named for its creator, Ausano Ramazzotti, it is Italy’s first amaro liqueur, invented in 1815 in Milan. While it, too, is a secret recipe of 33 botanicals, there are notes of sweet oranges, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon, almost giving one a sense of cocoa. It is dark brown and opaque and is intense at 60 proof, so needs a deft touch when mixed in cocktails.

It surprises many to discover that fernet is a category of amari and that there are many producers of this herb-based libation including Cinzano, Luxardo, Stock, and Martini & Rossi, among others. It is Fernet-Branca that is most widespread and has gained an international following, especially among bartenders.

Long regarded as a restorative with intriguing aromas, FernetBranca was first produced by Bernardino Franca in Milan in 1845 as a digestive palliative.

This complex amaro is produced from a still-secretly kept recipe of 27 flowers, herbs, roots and spices, of which myrrh, rhubarb, saffron, chamomile and gentian are primary components. Its popularity in South America led to a second distillery in Argentina, though the U.S. source is from the original distillery in Milan. The emergence of our cocktail renaissance has resulted in its use in variations of vintage cocktails including the Rye-based Toronto, the Bourbon-based riff on a Manhattan called the Fanciulli, and the sweet Gin-based Hanky Panky.

RABARBARO ZUCCA AMARO

Zucca was created in Milan in 1845 by Ettore Zucca.

It has long been used in the more sophisticated cafes and bars in Milan, and gained notoriety when it was designated a supplier to the Royal House of Vittorio Emmanuel. It is a rhubarb-based amaro with herbs and spices. It can be served as an aperitivo because of its lighter alcohol and more intense bitterness, but blends well with Tequila and Gin-based cocktails.

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FRENCH BITTERS (OR AMER) The most notable French amer that is no longer available is Amer Picon. The Amer Picon lends its name to the Picon Punch and the Brooklyn Cocktail.

Invented by a Frenchman in 1837 named Gaétan Picon, it was originally a high proof (78%) amer that saw its proof being dropped over the years to 36 proof. Its flavors were derived from infusion of botanicals, primarily dried orange peels, gentian root, quinquina, sugar and caramel.

There are a couple of facsimiles including famed bartender Jamie Boudreau’s easy-to-make recipe, or Torani Amer.

SUZE

Arguably and based on my logic, one could include in the amaro category such well-known liqueurs as Bénédictine, Chartreuse and the obscure Suze, which is now available in the U.S. I will briefly conclude with the latter due to space limitations, as Bénédictine and Chartreuse demand a section unto themselves, given their long history. Suze was born of Fernand Moreau’s recipe in 1885 but was perfected in 1889 at a time when wine-based bitters were more ascendant. It is made primarily from gentian, with the addition of other Alpine herbs and flowers, and has a 15% ABV. It is floral, citrusy and earthy at the same time, with a bitter backbone offset by very mild sweetness. It can be served as an apéritif, a digestif or as an intriguing component in a cocktail.

So, do you want your bar to provide consumers with interesting “new” experiences by enhancing your cocktail programs and bars? There is a treasure trove of ingredients making their way to our shores and you need only select one or two to differentiate your bar from the competition, stimulate your bartender’s imagination and create a buzz at your bar by incorporating them into your programs. Salute!

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– FEATURED AMARI COCKTAIL –

The Negronino

By Mixologist Maxence Traverse, Hong Kong INGREDIENTS

¾ oz Amaro Nonino Quintessentia® ⅓ oz Campari 1 oz Berry Bros. & Rudd No. 3

Dry London Gin 1 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth Pink grapefruit twist PREPARATION

Fill an old-fashion glass with ice cubes.

Pour in Amaro Nonino Quintessentia®, Campari, Berry Bros. & Rudd No. 3 Dry London Gin, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth and then mix them all with a small stirrer.

Serve the cocktail decorated.

Courtesy of grappanonino.it

Elevate the cocktail with Nonino Amaro.

Amaro Nonino Quintessentia for the happiness of palate and spirit! grappanonino.it/en/

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Warren Winiarski Forty Years after the

Judgment of Paris

It is called “The Shot Heard Round the World,” but none of the three key individuals who helped create it had any idea that it would change the world’s landscape of wine forever.

Steven Spurrier was an Englishman who had opened a retail wine shop in Paris, and started giving classes and holding tastings as a way of generating traffic and attention for the shop. He’d been impressed with some of the wines coming out of California, and later thought it would be fun to see how they compared to top wines from France.

George Taber was an American journalist based in Paris. When Spurrier invited him to attend the tasting, Taber was sure that his schedule wouldn’t allow it. But in the end, he was able to observe the distinguished group of French wine experts that Spurrier had assembled to blind taste the wines.

Warren Winiarski was a University of Chicago graduate student when he spent a year of study in Naples, Italy. That experience convinced him to pursue life as a winemaker. He landed a job as an apprentice at Souverain Winery in 1964, before Robert Mondavi asked him to be his winemaker in 1966 at his new winery. In 1970, Winiarski bought a carefully selected 50-acre prune orchard in the Napa Valley, which he turned into a vineyard. He planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines and later began making wine at his newly founded Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.

Photos courtesy of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

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The Fay Vineyard at Stag’s Leap

And so in May of 1976, writer Taber watched and listened as some of the top wine experts in France tasted through some of the best red wines of Bordeaux and California, at the InterContinental Hotel in Paris.

And when Warren Winiarski’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon came out on top, Taber wrote an article that was published in Time magazine, first to national and then to international attention.

“At the time, I don’t think we fully understood all the implications of the tasting,” remembers Winiarski.

“When Steven Spurrier called us, my wife Barbara took

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A view of the Arcade of Stag’s Leap.

the call. She turned to me and said, ‘Do you remember the wine we sent to Steven Spurrier for the tasting in Paris? Well, we won!’”

Winiarski recalls being unimpressed. “I think I said something like, ‘Well, that’s nice,’ to her,” Winiarski continues. “It was only after George Taber’s story appeared that the result of the tasting really had an impact, and that’s when it really hit us. We learned of the experience and competence of the tasters, and more importantly, we learned the stature of the French wines in the tasting.”

A bottle of that award-winning 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon wine is now on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. In its November 2013 issue, Smithsonian magazine included this bottle as one of the “101 Objects That Made America.” Other items chosen for this historic list included Neil Armstrong’s space suit, Abraham Lincoln’s top hat, Charles Lindberg’s Spirit of St. Louis, and Lewis and Clark’s compass. History making, indeed.

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The Judgment of Paris, as it came to be known, forever established the Napa Valley on the world stage and inspired the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of California winemakers. That victory was not a coincidence but was the result of Winiarski’s rare combination of a clear, artistic vision with a painstaking attention to detail, which made such vision not only possible but inevitable.

“It was my dream to make beautiful wine in the

Napa Valley,” says Winiarski. “With my very first taste of Fay Vineyard 1968, I realized that it could be done – it had been done. I wanted to create wines that captured a sense of balance and proportion, wines that combined concentration with elegance – an iron fist in

“ It was my dream to make beautiful wine in the Napa Valley.”

a velvet glove. That’s why I chose to plant my vines and my dreams in the Stag’s Leap District. And when my Cabernet Sauvignon won the 1976 Paris tasting, I could say that I had done it, too.”

Winiarski was a key member of a great generation of California winemakers who transformed not only the wines of California but also, consequently, the world.

They not only made great wines but they also led the world to a new understanding of the importance of viticulture and appellation of the Napa Valley. Winiarski was part of the effort to create the first agricultural preserve in the nation – the Napa Valley.

“In the 1960s, we won the fight to have the historic 1968 Ag Preserve Act passed in Napa County,” remembers Winiarski. “And then we had to work through the issues of labeling.” Winiarski was actively involved in the creation of the Stag’s Leap American Viticultural Area, and chaired the committee for the Napa Valley Vintners to develop and regulate the use of conjunctive labeling for the sub-appellations of the Napa Valley. The resulting legislation at the state level has served to guide other regions as they search for balance between the importance of name recognition and the identities of smaller regions with a distinct viticultural significance.

such wineries as Frog’s Leap and Kongsgaard, or to lead the winemaking programs at Opus One or Araujo.

“Great wine requires an unwavering commitment to aesthetic proportion,” says Winiarski. “And the only way to achieve that is with vision and attention to detail. I think that was something I was able to pass on to some of them.”

His remarkable partnership with Barcelona architect Javier Barba broke new ground in the wine world when they collaborated on the design and construction of the new Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Visitor’s Center and Tasting Room – a design that serves not to aggrandize the

Looking from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars historic greeter onto the new FAY Outlook & Visitor Center.

But Winiarski’s true impact on winemaking in California is far larger.

His employment and encouragement of young winemakers mentored an entire generation of top winemakers in California including John Kongsgaard, Francoise Peschon, Nikki Pruss, Michael Silacci, John Williams and more than twenty other young enologists, who worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars under Winiarski’s tutelage and then went on to found Stag’s Leap Winery

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Stag’s Leap Winery

ego of the owner, but to blend seamlessly and uniformly into the environment that produces the grapes. The soil and landscape of the vineyard itself inspired the design of the building, and those buildings live in harmony and balance with the natural world of the vines on that site.

“We wanted this winery and visitor’s center to allow people to understand the relationship there,” says Winiarski, “particularly with the specific place that produces the wine. Javier, my son Stephen and I worked hard on that and I think we achieved our goal.”

With a bottle of his wine in the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History, and his name and face among the legendary leaders in the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame, Winiarski has every right to be proud of his accomplishments. But that idea brings a smile to him.

“You know, I don’t think any of us in that Hall of Fame were ever motivated by the thought that we were going to win some kind of honor or recognition. We were just passionate about wine on its own terms. We were trying to make beautiful and great wine, and being in love with that idea, we gave it our lives.”

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Red Wines Of The 1976 Tasting Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973, Napa Valley (127.5) Château Mouton-Rothschild 1970 (126) Château Haut-Brion 1970 (125.5) Château Montrose 1970 (122) idge Cabernet Sauvignon ’Mountain Range’ R (Montebello) 1971, Santa Cruz Mts. (105.5) Château Leoville-Las-Cases 1971 (97) Mayacamas 1971, Napa Valley/Mayacamas Mts. (89.5) Clos Du Val 1972, Napa Valley (87.5) Heitz Cellars ’Martha’s Vineyard’ 1970, Napa Valley/ St. Helena (84.5) Freemark Abbey 1969, Napa Valley/Rutherford (78)

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SAN DIEGO

This year, over 200 operators from the top 150 chain restaurants, hotels and cruise lines traveled to San Diego, along with suppliers across the industry, to attend the 2016 VIBE Conference on January 19 – 20. Over the two days, attendees learned about the latest beverage trends through education workshops, beverage tastings, research sessions and lively networking opportunities.

Before the start of the conference, the official charity of VIBE, Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE), invited operators to its annual “Giving Back to Our Own” party on Monday, January 18. During the party, guests bid on a variety of prizes available at the nonprofit’s silent auction. Through the event and its partnership with VIBE, CORE raised $203,000 for families in the food and beverage industry facing terminal illnesses or sudden losses.

On opening day, President and CEO of Questex LLC Kerry Gumas and The Modern Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim kicked off the two-day event by welcoming operators to the VIBE Conference inside the Hilton Keynote speaker Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines.

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San Diego Bayfront. Following the opening remarks, attendees were treated to a motivating keynote session with former CEO of Southwest Airlines Howard Putnam.

During his session, Putnam spoke about innovation and why organizations must embrace originality and risk-taking, in order to be successful in today’s industry.

Operators then had access to four workshop series featuring a variety of tastings, research sessions and discussion panels. Top sessions included Palate Trips and Craft Beer Pairing, with Brewers Association’s Julia Herz and Adam Duyle; Annual VIBE Beverage Consumer Trend Monitor, with Next Level Marketing Founder Mike Ginley; The Luxury Malt Class, with author Heather CORE had numerous silent auction lots available, which raised over $203,000.

Greene; Crafting a Winning Beer List,

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with Stephen Beaumont of Beaumont Drinks; and Satisfying our Thirst for Beverages, with NPD Executive Director Warren Solochek.

After the sessions, attendees networked at the welcoming cocktail party, while sipping on over 30 delicious craft cocktail recipes prepared by celebrity mixologists.

The following day (Wednesday, January 20), Edward Korry, Associate Professor and Department Chairman at Johnson & Wales University, and Tony Abou-Ganim presented the VIBE Vista Awards to 16 companies for their positive, result-driven corporate beverage programs. Later on, Technomic, Inc. Vice President David Henkes and Associate Principal Donna Hood Crecca spoke to operators about factors hampering Event host Tony Abou-Ganim mixes a Margarita onstage.

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The “Thumbs Up & Thumbs Down” session.

adult beverage growth, and discussed strategies for sparking sales and profits. Crecca was then joined by Abou-Ganim to present the VIBE Supplier Awards to 11 companies for their concrete, business-building support as well as service and support performance.

The final workshop series concluded with a panel of the VIBE Vista Award winners discussing their winning programs, with moderator Stan Novack of Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grill. Closing out the conference, operators attended the Thumbs Up & Thumbs Down session.

Presented by David Commer and a panel of beverage executives, speakers weighed in on trends regarding liquor, beer, wine and alcohol-free spirits, while attendees were able to vote using the VIBE app that allowed audience participation.

AWARD S

VIBE 2016 Vista Awards recognized the top beverage programs for hotels, cruise lines, casinos and multi-unit chain restaurants during the conference.

Vista Award nominations were submitted by sponsors, consultants, agencies, distributors, suppliers and operators, and were judged on creating positive initiatives that spark beverage sales, innovations that contribute to operational efficiencies, and training and service programs that lead to the highest quality standards and operational practices. All submissions were reviewed by a panel of Johnson & Wales University beverage faculty, staff and alumni.

Awards were presented by Edward Korry of Johnson & Wales University and celebrity mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim.

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THIS YEAR’S VIBE VISTA AWARD WINNERS INCLUDE: Hotels, Cruise Lines and Casinos Award Winners BEST OVERALL

BEST WINE PROGRAM

sponsored by E. & J. Gallo

sponsored by Jackson Family Wines

: : Hilton Worldwide

: : Columbia Sussex Corporation

“Submitting for and winning the VIBE Vista award in the Best Overall Beverage Program category was a great opportunity to showcase the Hilton Better Bar Experience Program with its unique and interactive beverage guide. It was very exciting to win.”

BEST MENU PROGRAM

– SHIRLEY WHELAN, HILTON WORLDWIDE

BEST BEER PROGRAM sponsored by The Boston Beer Company : : Interstate Hotels & Resorts

sponsored by Campari America : : Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

BEST SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAM sponsored by Brown-Forman Corporation : : Omni Hotels & Resorts

BEST RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL SERVICE PROGRAM sponsored by National Restaurant Association

BEST SPIRITS PROGRAM sponsored by Beam Suntory : : Marriott International

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: : Royal Caribbean International

Multi-Unit Chain Restaurant Award Winners BEST BEER PROGRAM

BEST SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAM

sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Company

sponsored by Edrington

: : Taco Mac

: : The Melting Pot

BEST SPIRITS PROGRAM sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka

BEST RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL SERVICE PROGRAM

: : BRAVO BRIO Restaurant Group

sponsored by National Restaurant Association : : Hooters of America

BEST WINE PROGRAM sponsored by Palm Bay International

BEST OVERALL

: : Ruth’s Chris Steak House

sponsored by Anheuser-Busch : : Hard Rock Cafe

BEST ADULT ALCOHOL FREE PROGRAM

BEST OVERALL

sponsored by Monin Gourmet Flavorings

sponsored by Infinium Spirits

: : California Pizza Kitchen

: : AMC Theaters

BEST MENU PROGRAM sponsored by Bacardi USA : : iPic Entertainment

Donna Hood Crecca and Tony Abou-Ganim present the VIBE Supplier Awards.

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VIBE Conference recognized the top adult beverage suppliers at the 2016 Supplier Awards.

For the past six years, the VIBE Supplier Awards has invited beverage operators to rate their respective supplier companies on key attributes including business-building support as well as service and support performance, through an online survey. To ensure efficient, fair and unbiased balloting and analysis, survey results were analyzed by research and consulting food industry firm Technomic Inc. Based on company size, winners were then selected in four categories including beer, wine, spirits and non-alcohol beverages.

This year’s VIBE Supplier Awards category winners include: BEER : : Large company: Anheuser-Busch : : Medium company: The Boston Beer Company : : Small company: Craft Brew Alliance

WINE : : Large company: E. & J. Gallo Winery : : Medium company: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates : : Small company: Terlato Wines International

SPIRITS : : Large company: Bacardi USA : : Medium company: William Grant & Sons : : Small company: RĂŠmy Cointreau USA

ALCOHOL FREE : : Large company: Red Bull : : Medium company: Monin Gourmet Flavorings

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Networking break.

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The of the Good Food & Beverage Tradition An interview with Jean-Pierre (J.P.) Etcheberrigaray, Vice President, Food & Beverage, The Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

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By Mike Raven and Mark Greenhalgh Photos and cover photo by Jason Page, Creative Director, IMI.

Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray, better known as J.P., oversees the food and beverage operations and strategic planning for InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG’s) Americas region. With his vast international experience spanning four continents, J.P. has created numerous food and beverage trend-setting legacies and awardwinning concepts, including signature bars, designs and programs.

J.P. has over 33 years of hospitality and food and beverage experience, including 28 years with IHG.

Mark Greenhalgh, IMI’s Account Manager for IHG, and I met with J.P. at his office in Atlanta, Georgia for the main interview. I then followed up the interview with a visit to his and his wife Gabriela’s beautiful home in Roswell, a suburb of Atlanta. In this visit, I saw a relaxed and proud man at home with his wife and his beloved dog of 15 years, Ricky. With pride, he showed me his collection of historical antiquities, and the awards he has received over the years associated with his profession. He is truly a shepherd of good food and beverage traditions. Using his Old World knowledge and charm, along with his cutting edge ideas, he passes this on to the new generation of food and beverage managers so they can start their own traditions and understand those of the past.

MIKE: I would like to talk about the IHG World Class Beverage Program, and have a discussion about the partnership between IHG and IMI. IHG and IMI have had a long relationship – over twelve years. How did that relationship originally come about?

J.P.: Well, when I came onboard at IHG in the U.S., I heard about IMI through a conference. It was a conference where Ned Barker of Grill Ventures International introduced me to some F&B colleagues from other companies. As the “newbie” back in the States after my international travelling with IHG, I was frustrated with the three-tiered system here. In Europe and Asia and all the countries where I’ve worked, over 20 countries, this doesn’t exist. Only in the U.S. and Canada.

MIKE: That’s right.

J.P.: So, some of my colleagues were looking at solutions.

When I started to analyze this and do some research, I found out there were three or four companies that were able to help me, and one of them was in my backyard, IMI.

First, we got Procurement involved. We interviewed several companies – and it was like an interview for hiring a member of your team. Don Billings and Larry McGinn came to the official interview with a number of IMI staff, and they were great. They were like salt and pepper; they were like yin and yang. And I said, “Well, this is perfect.

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Don was a great lighthouse for the direction of the beverage program, and Larry was a great executor and a great mentor.

This fits.” Plus, on top of that, I thought using a local company was better for me; I didn’t want to deal with someone in California or in Vegas, or Texas or New York. So we did all that we needed to do and we started the relationship. IMI was already started, but we grew together. We made some mistakes.

We improved. But I must admit that Don was a great lighthouse for the direction of the beverage program, and Larry was a great executor and a great mentor.

The beauty of the program, which is amazing, is that the original partners went blind into the partnership and that’s why I appreciate many, many partners. And that’s how you build relationships.

A lot of people didn’t know IHG, didn’t know our volume, and didn’t know about the kind of shared vision IMI and I had been developing. And they partnered, on faith or with a little bit of blindness.

And those partners have stuck with us, through the good and the more challenging times, and I appreciate that.

MARK: So how has the program evolved over the 12 years? What kinds of things have come up?

J.P.: The key for us is consistency. I didn’t like having a different house wine in New York, Texas and California. That’s really what drove me to make a consistent program. If it was consistent for me, it would be consistent for the customer. You can go into an InterContinental or Crowne Plaza or Holiday Inn hotel and you know that you can have these four Merlots or these ten Cabernets.

MIKE: Not only to have consistency, but also to have the quality like you just mentioned, instead of their buying wines by price only.

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J.P.: Yes, consistent quality across the board at all locations. Also, as a shepherd of good food and beverage traditions, I embrace the tradition about the origins of the house wine. It is a tradition that reflected the pride of the owner of the restaurant who went to the winery and picked a big barrel, and you knew that when he put it in the carafe, that wine was good. By the way, that was the only wine available in those restaurants in the day, in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. So my work was kind of continuing the culture in the tradition of the house wine. Unfortunately, over the years, the house wine tradition has been influenced by cost.

that professionalism to the bartenders. So the World Class Beverage Program helped me build a Bartender Academy, which developed the culture of teaching and training at a high level. Over the years we have built one of the most comprehensive Bartender Academy training programs that exists in any hospitality company. It is very, very solid. We are now rolling this out after many years of putting it together and I think it’s going to make a big difference. That means all our bartenders at IHG will be Bartender Academy-certified through a new system of delivery – certification with frontline training.

MIKE: Right. Terribly so.

J.P.: Terribly. So we changed that. That was part of the objective. The other thing we observed was the trend that was elevating bartending, mixology and cocktails, and this is very American. That is the tradition of America, so how do we respond to this in our venues?

And then we noticed over the years, that bartending was not considered a profession. I wanted to bring back

The World Class Beverage Program helped me build a Bartender Academy, which developed the culture of teaching and training at a high level.

Looking over the many awards and commendations J.P. has received in his career.

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MIKE: All of them?

J.P.: That’s a goal; that’s a vision. So we are starting that. There will be three levels: There will be a 101 level, there will be a 102 level mixologist, and there will be the superior sommelier or extra mixologist level.

MIKE: Let’s talk a little bit about your passion for wine temperature, why it’s so important, and why more people need to pay attention to it. Can you touch on your new wine temperature adventure?

Jean-Pierre’s father traced their family history back to the year 1377.

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J.P.: Yes. I think it’s a big movement, and as a connoisseur of good wines of different levels, I know the wine has to be at the right temperature. I grew up where the wine was in the wine cellar. I went to wine stores where they had the wine cellar – there were barrels and it was always at the right temperature. With no vibration.

So you have to be careful where you put your wine, right? Because there can be little vibrations you don’t feel, from the air conditioning unit or from the furnace.

It is terrible to have a good quality, humble wine in the price category from $5 to $50 that is not treated properly. It doesn’t matter – the category, the cost level – there are good wines at all levels, right? Good food is not caviar. You can have a great burger, you can have a great hot dog, and so on.

MIKE: Great food comes in all categories.

J.P.: That’s right. It’s the same thing with the wines.

There are different wines for different times, but if they are not at the right temperature, it is a terrible experience.

So, why are so many restaurants or bars where you pay a lot of money, serving it at room temperature?

Room temperature today, with the heat or air conditioning in the building, is between 72 and 76 degrees! I am now walking around with a little thermometer for wine temperature; and let me tell you, it’s 74, 76 degrees, most of the places.

There are different wines for different times, but if they are not at the right temperature, it is a terrible experience.

So, someone has to teach people that the maximum temperature for any wine is 65 degrees, if you want to have a good experience. And the teaching should start with the supplier, the distributor and the executor.

Rarely do you get a 65-degree glass of wine or a bottle anywhere, other than from the professional people who do it well, right? And congratulations to all those that do it well! As a matter of fact, they have my business. I go back to that restaurant or to that bar because they have the right equipment at the right temperature. And we are talking between 38 degrees and 65 degrees. Simply put, there are different needs for reds, pinots and lighter red wines, white wines and bubbly. But at anything above 65 degrees, everybody should complain. You get charged $17, $22 or more for a glass of wine that is 4 ½ to 5 ounces, and it is 20 points above the right temperature.

What’s wrong with that picture?

MIKE: It ruins the experience.

J.P.: I can get excessive on certain things when I am excited, right? I am starting a campaign to solve this problem with Mark Greenhalgh and IMI, with the World Class Beverage Program. I want us to be the leader along with all my colleagues in food and beverage.

I want everybody to go on these campaigns. There’s no reason why anyone should pay so much money for a glass of wine or a bottle of wine at the wrong temperature.

We have to educate.

But now, say, I’m the executor, I’m the bartender, I’m the server or I’m the maître ď in the restaurant or the bar. There’s no reason that I cannot go to my boss or to my owner and say, “I need to have this wine at the right temperature,” because it’s like the difference between night and day on the palate experience. We all need to fight for this. I don’t mind the price if you serve me the right wine at the right temperature.

MIKE: I wish you great luck on this because it’s really important.

J.P.: I’m going to tell you, I’m on the campaign. I want to impact and influence this business along with all my colleagues and all the people in the industry because we deserve it, and our guests deserve it. And I’m serious about it. In Miami, I go to a small place on the Calle Ocho, a little Spanish restaurant. You know why I go back there all the time? The food is simple, humble food. Good food, good value. But the wine is at the right temperature. They have four big wine refrigerators and their wine is impeccably kept at the right temperature.

You can have a bottle of wine for $28 or $288, but it’s always at the right temperature.

MIKE: That brings you back there, right?

J.P.: All the time.

MIKE: You were one of the early innovators of spirit-themed bars. RumBa in Boston and The Bourbon Bar here in Atlanta are just two of your creations. When did you first come up with the idea of theming a bar centered on a particular spirit?

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A Basque shepherd stick J.P. uses for his “Shepherd of the Good Food and Beverage Tradition� awards and a bottle of Vintage 1900 Port on display in his wine and spirits room.

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J.P.: We started in Atlanta in Buckhead, at the InterContinental Hotel. In my research and in my concept study – the way we do 7-step concept research for a food and beverage concept – I noticed the community around Buckhead had a lot of types of music. I kept hearing the word “yak” come up.

MIKE: The word what?

J.P.: The word “yak.” And I was wondering about that word. They told me that it’s slang for Cognac.

MIKE: Oh, okay. I see.

J.P.: So we researched, studied and analyzed the community. Cognac was being sung about in music.

So, it meant that the community drank Cognac. So it just connected, and I thought, my gosh, we’re going to explode the Cognac world. Cognac is a classy, deluxe, beautiful thing; it’s from only one region in France. And this is how we started the first signature bar for the InterContinental brand in the Americas, the XO Cognac Bar. And it lasted seven years, very successfully.

MIKE: Then what?

J.P.: We went from a French brasserie to a Southern style restaurant because the demographic changed.

For the Southern restaurant, again we went through the same steps, the same study. And we switched from the XO Cognac Bar to the Bourbon Bar, which fit perfectly with the Southern style restaurant, Southern Art.

So from there, we did an analysis and a study in Boston. We hired a gentleman from Harvard, an assistant historian, who did a study for me, and to my surprise Rum came up.

MIKE: Because New England was part of the trade triangle, with Rum being a big part of it?

J.P.: Right. So I presented a Rum concept for Boston.

Rum was in the history of Boston. Once approved, we hired the designer and architect and we built the RumBa bar. It is, by the way, the number one bar for the InterContinental brand in volume, and from day one, has always been full.

MIKE: That’s amazing.

J.P.: Yes, it’s huge! Huge! And then from there, the next signature bar was Grappa. Again, we did the study and I did my concept steps for San Francisco. I asked what the demographic was there – there are lots of Italians in San Francisco. And I almost made a mistake because in San Francisco, more Galliano is served than Grappa. People are still very shy about Grappa. But Galliano was a bottle that all the Italians, when they emigrated from Italy to U.S., always brought because it reminded them of their country. I almost did a Galliano bar, but the bottle is very complicated to do a back bar with. So I did a little more study and Grappa came through.

MIKE: Interesting. Grappa?

J.P.: Yes. And I think it is one of the best Grappa bars you will ever go to.

MIKE: How many types of Grappa do you think you have there?

J.P.: Two hundred. Today, superb Grappa is being made, and the mixologists have embraced it. It breaks the ice with the customer. We are specialists in that product, and of course, we have everything else available. But Grappa gives a soul to the bar; it gives a personality to the bar.

Grappa gives a soul to the bar; it gives a personality to the bar.

MIKE: That’s what I and many others are looking for, that soul.

J.P.: Then, from there, we did a Tequila bar and a Vodka bar; we also have a couple of new ones coming.

The InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel is going to have the best Gin bar in the Americas, if not the world.

But I want to stay humble right now – we’ll go for the Americas.

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MIKE: We were going to ask you about that, but that’s new, right?

J.P.: It’s still not launched, so I don’t want to preempt it. Give me another interview next year to talk about that (laughing).

MIKE: Do you mind if we print that?

J.P.: No, you can do it. But give me a chance to talk about it more next year; right now it’s a vision. And also, I will talk about what we are doing with IMI and the expert mixologists like Brittany Chardin and Francesco Lafranconi and many others, who are into this research. We will have the best Gins and the best tonics, and the best mix of the two.

MIKE: What is the current philosophy within IHG around F&B?

In J.P.’s collection of antiques are two Napoleonic-era swords: a cavalry sword used to sabre Champagne before battle, and a naval sabre used in the naval battles.

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J.P.: There’s something I must say, because we stuck with Larry, and Larry was, I think, a big influence of this. At one time, the hotel bar was not the place to meet. Over the years, the trends have changed. Today the bar IS a restaurant, but 20 years ago, 15 years ago, you could not sell that. Today, the bar is central, which has totally changed our industry.

And we were pioneers in that. Other companies were involved too, but we were the pioneers there.

MARK: J.P., for the Crowne Plaza brand, the brand itself has been doing a lot of soul searching over the last couple of years. What do we see on the F&B front for the Crowne Plaza brand?

J.P.: The Crowne Plaza brand is all about making business travel work for the modern day business traveler. We know that our guests are ambitious, and we like to provide them with all of the resources they need to succeed while on the road. The brand offers flexible food and beverage options including dining in one of our restaurants, having great wine, craft beer or cocktails at the bar, or relaxing in the comfort of their guestroom. This creates an environment where guests can get food and beverages anytime they’d like, to satisfy their needs.

MARK: The Hotel Indigo brand is very boutique and focused around the local and regional elements. How do you see that manifesting itself within that brand, particularly with regard to food and beverage?

J.P.: Hotel Indigo is a perfect craft mixology laboratory delivery. With some specialty spirits and specialty wine.

There’s a local flavor, local story for the food and sometimes for the beverages. I think that’s where you can enjoy a cocktail with a very speedy delivery.

Mixology is great; great mixology is fantastic – it just takes a long time. And that’s what I hear a lot. That’s why there’s a movement going toward pre-batch. But the minute you go pre-batch, you lose that “à la minute.”

MIKE: What was that word?

Mike and J.P. look at his family crest plaque.

J.P.: “À la minute.” It’s a culinary term that means “within one minute” I can prepare something fresh for you. So what is popular today in cooking is having something prepared in front of you; I can do a pancake, I can do an omelet.

In the old days, when you had Eggs Benedict, the chef used to make “à la minute” hollandaise sauce. That fresh hollandaise sauce has a different taste than if you pre-batch it and just warm it up. So we have to be careful with the pre-batching.

Now, I like the way the experts – the mixologists, Tony (Abou-Ganim), Francesco (Lafranconi), Brittany (Chardin) and others – do the core or base, and they freshen it up and bring it to life. Speed – speed is what people want. I don’t want to wait 10 minutes for my drink; I want it now.

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MIKE: It’s definitely a situation. In fact, Paul Pacult just wrote in his article for this issue of our magazine about being subject to too much mixology, which goes along with what you’re saying.

He doesn’t want a cocktail that has 15 things in it and takes 15 minutes to make.

J.P.: That’s right. In my day, mixology was making a Long Island Tea. That was the biggest drink to make, right? That, along with the Bloody Mary. With the Long Island, you charged more for it because you had all those ingredients and it took time. That was the most complicated drink I had to do as a bartender. The rest had only two or three ingredients, right? Dry martini – olives, onion or a twist? [Laughs] MIKE: Like the classic 7 and Seven.

J.P.’s collection of Château Mouton Rothschild labels, given to him by the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild.

J.P.: [Laughs] 7 and Seven – so, two ingredients, three ingredients, okay? The minute you move up to more complicated cocktails – and if you have a busy bar, you’ve got to be careful – you’ve got to have competent bartenders. That’s when the Bartender Academy comes in. You’ve got to be trained; you’ve got to be an expert.

An expert is someone who moves fast. But Hotel Indigo has a more elegant way to do that. Some of our Hotel Indigo bars are very busy and they may have to use some pre-batch just to shorten the wait time, especially within that culture of happy hours where you get that rush.

So, you’ve got to be prepared. “Mise en place.”

The minute you move up to more complicated cocktails ... you’ve got to have competent bartenders. That’s when the Bartender Academy comes in.

J.P. with his beloved dog of 15 years, Ricky.

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MARK: What do you have happening for the Holiday Inn brand?

J.P.: It’s about consistency, it’s about ambience, and it’s about service. It’s about a culinary development of a consistent menu that uses the right ingredients, with the right preparation of those ingredients, and served at the right temperature: hot items will be hot, and cold will be cold. It’s having a Bartender Academy 101 bartender behind the bar with a frontline service delivery. And it’s also a “start fresh” for the breakfast program.

So, it’s breakfast, it’s a Bartender Academy bartender, it’s frontline service and the culinary execution. My team and I are going to train over 700 properties, which means about 15,000 people, in the next six months.

MIKE: “Mise en place”?

MIKE: Any last words of wisdom?

J.P.: Yes, “Mise en place.” This is another phrase that is often misinterpreted in the industry. “Mise en place” means you get prepared for the rush. Many people don’t get prepared for the rush and that’s part of what the Bartender Academy teaches. If you know that at 5 p.m. every day, you’re going to have 50 people coming in, get ready. Don’t run around at 4:30 looking for the maraschino cherries or for the bottles, but have the bottles open, because you know how many people are coming.

But some people don’t understand that. It’s like everything else: Get ready before the rush! “Mise en place.”

J.P.: Yes, I want to recognize Larry McGinn. To me, he has been an inspiration. At the beginning, he was a great professional who took me to another level in the U.S. I went from having great admiration for him, to now, today, considering him an inspiration – because he’s incredible.

MARK: One of the newest flags for IHG, EVEN Hotels, has had a lot of great press around health and fitness and wellness. How does that manifest itself for IHG with food and beverage?

J.P.: Wellness is a trend that is here to stay. But wellness doesn’t mean that you should only drink water. So, when it comes to drinking well, all the studies say that a good glass of red wine at the right temperature should be good for you, and maybe a good glass of white wine should be good for you. A good beer or well-made cocktail with fresh herbs and fresh fruits or fresh vegetables, should be

I will quote Winston Churchill in closing: “I am a very simple man, only satisfied with the best.”

MIKE: I read a good one the other day from Ernest Hemingway.

He said, “Do what you say you’re going to do when you’re drunk, because it will help you keep your mouth shut.”

ALL: [Laughing] J.P.: I have a few – I like the Frank Sinatra one: “The Bible says ‘Love your enemy.’ Alcohol is the enemy.

I love it.”

MIKE: Gotta love Frank. Thanks, J.P.

good for you. It’s a question of balance and it’s a question of moderation. Brittany Chardin did some healthy concoctions with fruits, vegetables and juices that fit very well in the wellness cocktails.

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MAKING THE ROUNDS With Helen Benefield Billings

HOLIDAY THRILLS WITH IMI & ITM

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IMI Agency and in the Mix magazine team members gathered at the new Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia for a holiday celebration last December that was most certainly fast and furiously fun. This sleek and impressive 27-acre complex is home to Porsche Car North America corporate offices and is their largest such facility outside of Germany.

Don Billings and Adam Billings getting a kick out of a Porsche covered in LEGOS®.

After touring the aweinspiring car museum and learning about Porsche’s storied history, everyone made their way down to the test track for the thrill of riding one-on-one with a professional driver at hair-whipping speeds, on a slightly slick surface due to the rainy conditions. It was an unforgettable experience, for sure, that left each of us wishing for the opportunity to own such a beauty as the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS.

Celeste Dinos of IMI Agency and Jamie Conahan of Folio Fine Wine Partners admire one of the Porsche Formula cars on display.

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Amanda Miles of IMI Atlanta is WOWED by her over 100 miles-per-hour run around the track in the Porsche Experience.

An elegant luncheon followed at Porsche’s on-site fine dining room, Restaurant 356. Overlooking the test track and a busy runway at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport made for an awesome view. www.porschedriving.com/ centers/Atlanta

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All the IMI team had a hair-raising run around the test track with professional drivers.

Above: Adam Billings was all smiles after his run.

Left: Sherry Nadeau gives it a thumbs-up!

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Prosecco and other wines were provided by Jamie Conahan of Folio Fine Wine Partners. Starting off any good party with bubbles is always a fine idea, and the Villa Sandi Italian Prosecco fit that bill perfectly.

Also offered during the course of our leisurely meal was Danzante 2012 Pinot Grigio and Spellbound 2013 California Merlot – always a crowd pleaser. www.foliowine.com

Danzante Pinot Grigio resonates a rich bouquet of tropical fruit such as papaya and pineapple, followed by delicate floral notes and a crisp finish.

Spellbound Merlot has deep flavors of ripe berry and balanced American oak, which are displayed with rich aromatics of mixed berry pie, cocoa, cigar box and decadent leather.

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Villa Sandi Prosecco D.O.C. presents aromas of ripe golden apples, acacia and honeysuckle on the nose. On the palate, the wine is dry, fresh and fruit-driven with citrus and stone-fruit flavors.

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HOTEL INNOVATION BUILDING A BRAND

By Adam Billings

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Launching a new hotel brand used to be done using a well thought-out and meticulously executed plan, based on research that was five or more years in the making. By launch date, every detail from design to operations was curated, tested and approved for the target guest. The roadmap was clear and the goals were heavily defined.

The identity of the brand has always been a product of past experience.

That was until the lodging industry started building brands specifically for Millennials. Now, it’s a common occurrence for a new brand to launch every quarter. The shortened timeline is part of the race to be relevant for this aging demographic that demands products to be made specifically for them. New brands have become incubators of technology and innovation, instead of finished products. Luckily for investors, Millennials will trade polish for effort, as long as they believe in the authenticity of the story.

This new platform is ripe for the speed at which technology drives consumer spend. At the same time IoT (Internet of Things) is starting to infiltrate our homes and making them smarter, these hotel brands are adopting similar innovations. Having an iPod clock radio (even with the new iPhone plug) just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Millennials want access to their Netflix accounts on the flat screen, dimmable lights from their mobile phone and most importantly, mobile check-in with keyless entry.

Much like the transportation industry has evolved, the lodging industry must follow.

Mobile check-in combined with keyless entry are the killer features that are needed to gain hotel mobile app usage. When this is established, the opportunities to communicate with the guest are essentially wide open. Unlike airline apps that see a large spike just prior to boarding, hotel apps have potential throughout the stay. For the guest, mobile checkin with keyless entry means selecting

their own room and not stopping at the front desk for the obligatory greeting and credit card swipe. It’s more about the freedom of choice and abolishing key cards than it is about saving time.

For the hotel, mobile check-in and keyless entry have enormous benefits, providing timely communication with guest habits like entering and exiting their guest room. It also encourages the guest to interact with the app at a high frequency. By building essential features into the app, the hotel facilitates the guest’s ability to explore other opportunities that the hotel has to offer. This opens the digital communication channels that Millennials are most comfortable using, like text messaging and social sharing. In other words, it’s a marketer’s dream! Properly timed mobile messages and personalized offers can help keep guests in the hotel bar and restaurant.

According to a recent study by Tata Consulting Services, the lodging industry topped the list with regard to current IoT spending per company, with an average of $128 million. That’s good news for tech savvy Millennials who are looking for a smarter hotel room.

However, finding the right balance between technology and hospitality may be the biggest challenge facing these new hotel brands.

Opens the digital communication channels that Millennials are most comfortable using ... a marketer’s dream!

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The Latest Research on Beer, Wine, Spirits & Cocktails What’s trending, what bars and restaurants are menuing, what consumers are drinking – and what they want to drink.

By Mike Kostyo, Publications Manager at Datassential

The drink menu has been anything but stagnant in the past decade. Craft beer has sent shockwaves through the market, and beer types, flavors, and brands have risen and fallen in importance and popularity, from IPAs to session beers. The consumer has become more wine-savvy, changing the fortunes of particular brands, countries or varietals. Craft cocktails have skyrocketed,

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spawning mini trends like tiki bars and artisan bitters, while driving prices sky-high. The distilled spirit category has seen the phenomenal growth of Whiskeys, Bourbons and Scotches, while global spirits like Mezcal have gone from low consumer awareness to the entire focus of some new cocktail bars.

These changes have kept the category interesting – and sales growing – but it also makes it hard to truly understand the state of the alcohol market. What are your competitors menuing? What should you be menuing?

To truly understand the state of the drink menu, Datassential devoted its latest MenuTrends Keynote Report to alcoholic beverages. We surveyed over 1,000 consumers and 300 operators to understand purchasing motivations and barriers, the flavors and varieties that consumers love, brand importance, and so much more.

We combined that data with insights from MenuTrends, our trend-tracking menu database, to show you what’s already on menus and what’s trending. This is the hard data – the real numbers behind the trends.

restaurants. Beer, however, is more common at casual restaurants: 85 percent serve beer, compared to 70 percent of fine dining restaurants. Of those restaurants that offer beer, three-quarters have a light beer on the menu, while ales, lagers and IPAs are also commonly menued. It makes sense to devote a healthy percentage of the drink menu to beer; operators said beer accounted for nearly half of their alcohol sales.

Wine, on the other hand, is more prevalent at fine dining restaurants: 96 percent feature wine, versus 78 percent of casual restaurants. In particular, white varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are among the most commonly menued wines.

What’s Already on Menus?

Understanding what is already on menus tells you what your competitors are offering and what consumers are seeing when they dine at restaurants. Over half – 60 percent – of all restaurants in the U.S. have alcoholic beverages on the menu, a figure that jumps to 98 percent for fine dining restaurants and 91 percent of casual

Understanding what is already on menus tells you what your competitors are offering and what consumers are seeing when they dine at restaurants.

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Whiskey and its regional variations are among the top menued distilled spirits on bottled alcohol menus.

Irish Whiskey has grown particularly fast, up 34 percent in the past year. In mixed cocktails, Vodka is still the most prevalent base spirit but white Whiskey is growing fast, due in no small part to the huge number of new varieties hitting the market (often from young distillers without an aged product to sell). White Whiskey has grown 63 percent on cocktail menus in the past year.

The number of movie-inspired cocktails has also been growing on menus in recent years. “Retro cocktails, like the Blood and Sand from Rudolph Valentino’s 1992 movie, and the Vesper, James Bond’s drink in ‘Casino Royale,’ have grown by over 40 percent over in the past year,” says Datassential Project Director and report author Jennifer Aranas.

Much has been made of the rising cost of cocktails over the past decade and, while prices have indeed risen in every restaurant segment, they have risen far higher in some categories compared to others. While the average price of a cocktail at a fine dining restaurant in the U.S. is $11.23, a 16 percent increase since 2005, the average price of a cocktail at a casual restaurant is now $8.32, a 32 percent increase.

What are Consumers Drinking?

While non-alcoholic beverages are certainly the most-consumed beverages in the U.S., 16 percent of consumers drink a beer on any given day, while 13 percent drink wine and 9 percent choose a cocktail. In fact, daily beer consumption surpasses a number of popular coffee drinks, including specialty coffee and iced coffee.

Overall, 76 percent of adult consumers drink some type of alcohol and onefifth have had an alcoholic beverage in the past day.

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When choosing an away-from-home alcoholic beverage, food plays a big role. Consumers overwhelmingly say their last alcoholic beverage was paired with a meal, compared to occasions like parties, happy hours, or “girls’/guys’ night out.” While consumers generally consume an alcoholic beverage in the evening, afternoon consumption isn’t uncommon, particularly for lighter alcoholic beverages like beer and cider – a potential opportunity for a wide variety operators, from fast casuals to fine dining.

As the (MAC) trend cycle moves faster, focusing on innovative trends becomes more important in order to keep up with consumer tastes.

What’s Trending?

Unique beer varieties have certainly grown in the past year. Session beers have grown 38 percent in the past year alone, meaning consumers are seeing this lowalcohol style on more menus. Sours and saisons have also seen rapid growth, followed by milk stouts. Fruit flavors are also growing on beer menus. The descriptor “banana bread” has grown 65 percent on beer menus in the past year, followed by grapefruit, peach, apple and pumpkin.

At Datassential, we organize trends on a Menu Adoption Cycle (MAC) that spans from Inception (very new and trendy, on few menus) to Ubiquity, and

Inception-stage spirit and liqueur trends are moving along the MAC quickly. While Sloe Gin is still in Inception, it’s also the fastest-growing liqueur variety on bottled alcohol menus, up 45 percent in the past year; innovative varieties like Aperol (up 17 percent) and Ouzo (up 11 percent) are also growing. As the trend cycle moves faster, focusing on innovative trends becomes more important in order to keep up with consumer tastes.

What do Consumers want to Drink?

If the tiki trend feels like it’s waning, maybe it shouldn’t: It was the top MegaTrend we tested with consumers. Thirty-four percent of consumers said they were interested in tiki cocktails and the trend particularly resonates with women, Millennials and Gen Xers.

Tiki drinks – think Scorpions, Mai Tais, Singapore Slings and Zombie Punches – most commonly feature Rum, which is generally mixed with a sweet, fruity flavor and sometimes served in a unique or unusual drinking vessel. Twentyeight percent of consumers said they love Daiquiris, second only to Margaritas, and 23 percent say they love Rum.

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As seasonality continues to impact drink menus, these tropical cocktails should be a top consideration for summer specials.

Surprisingly, while sweet dessert cocktail beverage shots also scored high in consumer interest – 30 percent of consumers are interested – so did skinny cocktails, which tied with the shots. Including both on the menu can create a well-rounded selection that resonates with consumers.

Skinny cocktails can attract health-conscious consumers (the same consumers fueling the rise of healthy fast casuals and functional foods) while dessert cocktail shots can act as a check-boosting final indulgence.

Taste far outweighs all other attributes, even cost, for consumers choosing a wine. In fact, 84 percent of consumers say that wine taste is important to them, and flavor attributes like style, sweetness and aroma are important to half of wine drinkers. Yet some consumers are still intimidated by wine. A quarter of consumers said they “don’t know much about wine,” and one-fifth say limited knowledge kept them from ordering wine.

Clearly, wine education is important to increasing sales; flavor descriptors, samples and suggested pairings may help mitigate consumer uncertainty.

What else does the report mention?

This is only a sneak peek at this nearly 200-page report. It truly covers it all – brand importance, barriers, when and where alcohol is purchased, consumer perceptions, unique beer varieties and beer cocktails, pricing for every category, flavor and trend interest, challenges, and innovations within the segment. If having

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the foundational data to inform and back up your drink menu decisions matters to you, contact Datassential for the full MenuTrends Keynote Report on alcoholic beverages. “It’s fascinating to how see how consumer preferences align with what we see in restaurant alcohol trends,” says Aranas.

This article has been provided by Mike Kostyo, Publications Manager at Datassential, a leading consulting firm and supplier of trends analysis and concept testing for the food industry.

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ANTONIO CARPENÈ The Father of Prosecco

By Paul Wagner

Antonio Carpenè fought to unify Italy under Garibaldi at the Battle of Bezzecca, and then went on to study chemistry at the University of Pavia. It was his love of chemistry and his homeland that brought him to wine. No product more completely expresses the character and quality of a place than wine. Antonio Carpenè dedicated himself to spreading this message throughout his native land.

Carpenè was a remarkable man. Despite having a position as a professor at the legendary University of Bologna, he preferred giving his chemistry lectures while standing on a chair in the local “piazze” (“public town squares”) across the Veneto region, so that everyone could have the benefit of his knowledge. He first founded Photos courtesy of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

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Carpenè Malvolti winery; then his love of the land, culture and wine led him to establish the Oenology School of Conegliano. Until the Gentile Reform of 1923 (a reform of the Italian educational system), this school was a sort of wine academy and it is still one of the most prestigious institutes in Italy today.

Over the succeeding generations, the Carpenè family led the way for the wines of Italy in so many ways.

Antonio Carpenè – 1st generation – introduced the Champenoise method in Italy and founded the first Italian School of Oenology in Conegliano in 1876. In 2016, that school celebrates 140 years of training the winemakers of tomorrow. With nearly 2,000 students, it might be the largest technical wine school in the world.

The 2nd generation – Etile Carpenè (Antonio’s son) created the first label reporting the denomination “Prosecco Amabile dei Colli di Conegliano” in 1924, and did the first advertising campaign at a time when the concept of marketing was a distant fantasy.

The 3rd generation – Antonio Carpenè (Etile’s son,

grandson of Antonio), who took over the reins in 1934, founded the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene in 1969 and created “thermical inactivation,” which used cold temperatures effectively in winemaking.

The 4th generation – Etile Carpenè (Antonio the second’s son, great-grandson of Antonio) led the company to its internationalization and played a key role in establishing Federvini, the Italian national wine association.

The 5th generation to run the business – Rosanna Carpenè (Etile’s daughter, great-great-granddaughter of the original Antonio), has been working for years in the company and represents a future that has its roots firmly planted in the territory of the Veneto.

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She continues the family tradition of leadership as well, serving as the president of the ITS, the foundation of the Technical Institute for New Technologies Made in Italy, overseeing the food and beverage sector. Prosecco, born as a dream in the mind of her grandfather, has now become one of symbols of the Italian lifestyle throughout the world. It has also come to mean so much more than a single fine wine.

The original vineyards first used by Antonio Carpenè are now recognized with the highest DOCG quality distinction. Today, the two DOCG zones for Prosecco production, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG and the more obscure Asolo Prosecco DOCG,

are dedicated to establishing quality and image. The very steep, hilly zone between the communes of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene represents the historical heartland of Prosecco production, where producers aim for quality by limiting yields, hand-harvesting grapes and working toward the development of “crus” (“superior vineyards”) in the region. It is from these regions that the highest quality, and most expensive, Prosecco continues to be produced.

In contrast to the DOCG level, Prosecco DOC wines are produced in a more commercial manner and, as a result, are offered at a more reasonable price.

With higher maximum yields and less strict production requirements, Prosecco DOC wines have become prevalent on wine lists at bars and restaurants, and as popular additions to cocktails. They represent one of the great consumer values in wine. The combination of bright fruit, bubbles and an affordable price has made Prosecco an international phenomenon in the world wine market.

In 2009, the demand for Prosecco had reached such heights that the region took additional steps to protect the character and integrity of its wines. Tighter regulations concerning the areas allowed to produce Prosecco, the yields in the vineyards and even the terminology used to describe it were introduced. What was once known as the Prosecco grape is now called Glera and all Prosecco must be made from Glera.

Fifth generation family member, Rosanna Carpenè.

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Not surprisingly, the production regulations are stricter in the Prosecco Superior DOCG regions than they are in the DOC area, but both are now more firmly defined and protected by the new EU policies for all DOP products.

What should you expect from a bottle of Prosecco?

The grapes are harvested and immediately pressed with low pressure, extracting very few phenolic compounds and producing very delicate, aromatic juice. This juice is then allowed to settle for two weeks, leaving nothing but the clean juice to ferment. At this point, the juice goes through a first fermentation at about 60 degrees F; then once again, it is allowed to clarify in the stainless steel tanks. Once clear, the wine is then placed in pressurized

stainless tanks where it goes through the secondary fermentation that produces the bubbles. It is then bottled and shipped throughout the world.

Pour a glass and Prosecco immediately charms you.

The color is pale gold, delicate and clean. The bubbles energetically and persistently rise through the glass. The nose is full of bright citrus, honey and delicate floral notes. And in the mouth, those fresh citrus elements carry through, with a touch of grape-apple occasionally making an appearance as well. And the finish? Bright, lively and refreshing, just inviting you to have another sip and pour another glass. It’s a wine that is obviously and immediately fun to drink, and it has managed to win over millions of young wine consumers all around the planet.

Controlled temperature tanks first used by the 3rd generation Antonio Carpenè.

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The School of Oenology in Conegliano.

What would Antonio Carpenè think of all of this?

He would probably love it. His own company, in close collaboration with more than 100 historical vine-growers, now operates in more than 60 international markets with a selected production of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G., brandy, grappa, and Rosé brut and classic method. The challenge goes on – in fact, it is already moving forward with new initiatives

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in marketing and communication strategies, trying to anticipate the new trends and consumption patterns. It is safe to say that Prosecco will continue to enjoy a strong following among a new generation of consumers who have come to see it as a delicious expression of joy, as well as the “la dolce vita” (“the sweet life”) of Italy.

LOWERING THE LEGAL BAC LIMIT and Its Impact on the Hospitality Industry

In the years since the entire country moved to .08, penalties for drinking and driving, even first time offenses barely over the legal limit, have increased. In more than half of states, a first time DUI offender with a .08 BAC level is forced to install an ignition interlock in his or her car. For most law-abiding diners, the risk of having to blow into an interlock to start their cars won’t be worth it.

.05 BAC Limit Won’t Stop Drunk Driving

Having a drink with dinner before driving a car is legal for most adults in the United States. It’s also relatively safe – research shows drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of .08 (the current legal BAC limit) are less impaired than drivers talking on a hands-free cellphone. Still, one federal agency is actively pushing to make any drinking before driving a thing of the past.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a federal agency that advises Congress and the states on transportation safety policy, kicked off 2016 by recommending states lower their legal BAC limit for driving to .05 percent or even lower. The NTSB isn’t alone – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization and American Medical Association all endorse a .05 legal limit, and most European countries have legal limits of .05 or lower.

Impact on On-Premise Sales

A woman can reach .05 with as little as one drink.

The average man can reach .05 BAC with just 2-3 drinks. Lowering the legal limit means few couples will opt to split a bottle of wine and many drivers will say no to a second (or perhaps even first) cocktail or beer.

For restaurants that rely on consumers to drive to their locations, such as those operating in non-urban markets, a .05 legal limit will be a major blow to alcohol sales.

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A study of South Australia after the state lowered its BAC limit from .08 to .05 found that the lower limit did not significantly affect the number of alcohol-related fatalities. Similarly, a study of Denmark’s .05 law did not find a decrease in alcohol-related crashes in the first year after the law was adopted, but did find an increase in the number of drivers who said they would not consume any alcohol, to avoid violating the law.

It’s not hard to see why .05 doesn’t work. Moving from .1 to .08 in the United States did nothing to lower the proportion of traffic deaths attributed to intoxicated drivers. That’s because drivers at relatively low BAC levels don’t pose the greatest threat to traffic safety. More than two-thirds of drunk driving fatalities are caused by drivers with BAC levels of .15 percent or higher, and the average BAC of a drunk driver involved in a fatal crash is .16 percent – twice the current legal limit. Instead of targeting these dangerous drivers, a .05 limit penalizes responsible social drinkers.

Criminalizing .05 Is a Poor Use of Resources

With police budgets shrinking by the minute, it makes very little sense to divert valuable resources from catching dangerous drivers to pulling over individuals who may have had a beer or two while at dinner. The American Beverage Institute supports using state resources to ensure high-BAC and repeat offenders comply with orders to use ignition interlocks and keeping those interlocks on cars for longer periods of time. Hardcore drunk drivers continue to kill thousands of individuals every year; it’s time to unite our attention and refocus public policy on stopping those offenders from ever getting behind the wheel while drunk.

It’s Time for Tea This ancient beverage gets a new, modern image, from hipster to high-end to healthful.

By Katie Ayoub Courtesy of

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“ Theatrical tea service can boost

sales, and I look to Malaysia’s

pulled tea as an example. It’s easy

to train people in the technique, does not require special equipment and it creates that signature froth

consumers love. Think tea-ccino!”

– ROBERT DANHI

Diners today like to be a part of something – the craft beer craze, coffee culture, the health and wellness movement. They’re also looking for vital signs, proof that what they’re consuming was once tended and nurtured rather than concocted and packaged. And they want to steer their own ship, mixing and matching to achieve a customized flavor experience. Tea meets the confluence of these drivers, swelling with opportunity as the breakout beverage of the year.

The United States is definitely late to the tea party. Many parts of the world have appreciated both its ritual and its benefits for centuries. Steeped in the melting pot that makes this country’s food and beverage scene special, the modern tea trend here is rich with opportunity and variety.

Iced teas now include flavors like Panera’s Açaí Berry Iced Tea. Matcha has made the jump from Asian menus onto mainstream ones. As evidence, look to Chalait in New York, which runs both a matcha latte and a matcha hot chocolate. Urban influence has seen both the hipster bubble (or boba) and kombucha teas move into restaurants and cafés, like the PandaStyle at Boba 7 “labobatory” in Los Angeles, made with honey green

From Asian street food comes playful boba tea. Here, a base of Darjeeling black tea blends lusciously with creamy vanilla sauce, honey and cinnamon. Photo courtesy Rich’s Foodservice.

tea, honey boba and lychee boba. Sparkling teas have hitched onto the craft soda trend, delighting diners with refreshing fizz in their favorite tea blends, like True Food Kitchen’s Autumn Spiced Sparkling Tea with cranberry, lime and cane sugar.

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Tea is also sidling up to the bar, infusing into craft cocktails, adding depth, clarity and, depending on the tea, bitterness and smokiness. At Joule in Seattle, Lapsang souchong brings smoky depth to a blend of tequila, agave, Thai chile and lime in the Jalisco Campfire.

Tea’s healthful cues have pushed it into the spotlight, inviting innovation while using the health and wellness attributes as an anchor for menu development. Looking to bring in Millennials and Gen Z? Mintel reports that three-fourths of consumers aged 18 to 24 believe tea is better for you than coffee, forecasting longevity in tea’s stay on today’s menus. “For thousands of years, tea has been revered for its medicinal properties, and as today’s society seems hyper-aware of contemporary health trends, tea has become the perfect conduit for non-subtractive health: green tea for antioxidants, chamomile for calming effects, peppermint for digestion, and kombucha, for, well, everything else,” says Maude Ballinger, account coordinator at The Culinary Edge.

And no matter what the tea drink, the foundation of this trend is the culture surrounding tea: the ritual, the origin, the narrative. Descriptions help brands deepen their story around community, artisanship and sustainability, with terms like “responsibly sourced,” “stone-ground” and “whole-leaf.” And the flavor descriptions offer rich and compelling menu language: crisp, soothing, buttery, floral, malty, toasty, tart, peppery, smoky, fragrant and vegetal.

“ Tea sodas could be a perfect no-sugar approach to satisfy the need for a fizzy drink. Tea sodas use tea’s natural flavors to deliver something that the average soda beverage doesn’t have.”

– PETER CSUKOR, KOR FOOD INNOVATION

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“Tea is a beverage that is completely linked to its terroir,” says Christopher Koetke of Kendall College School of Culinary Arts/Laureate International Universities. “Great teas, like great wines, come from specific places – individual estates and individual gardens. Like with wine, human hands coax the leaf into different styles of tea and select specific leaves on the tea plant for processing. Tea can follow the examples of wine, craft beer, coffee and now, cider.”

Iced Tea Made Premium

Iced tea is a great platform for innovation as it’s an American classic, familiar and well loved in its basic form. Premium touches like fruit purées, garnishes and handcrafted combinations mark the trend, elevating iced tea to signature status. “Operators need to consider having at least two brewed iced teas, and to expand upon that with creative line extensions,” says Kathy Casey of Kathy Casey Food Studios and Liquid Kitchen. “Creating a signature iced tea menu can be easy to execute and a great profit center. It will also help displace ‘bottomless’ iced tea with the opportunity for multiple drink sales.”

At her Dish D’Lish concept at Sea-Tac airport in Seattle, one of the tea offerings is a Signature Northwest Berry Iced Tea, handcrafted with fresh-brewed black tea, Northwest berry mixture, then hand-shaken in front of the guest. Panda Express has its Tea Bar, touting handcrafted Asian-inspired drinks, which include three “fruit-infused” teas (raspberry, passion fruit and peach). Wendy’s offers a Fruitea Chiller, touting a hand-shaken combination of freshly brewed organic green tea, real blueberry purée and real pineapple and pomegranate juices.

At Chicago’s The Lunatic, The Lover & The Poet, the restaurant has partnered with local emporium Rare Tea Cellar for its cocktail and non-alcoholic menus. “Teas

are a great component for non-alcoholic drinks because of their versatility,” says Steve Carrow, chairman of the bar.

“Herbal teas can mimic characteristics of Gin and Vodka, while woodsy or aged teas can easily replace Whiskeys or Cognacs. In combination with the trending cold-pressed juice movement, the opportunities are endless.”

Teas That Sparkle

Artisan fizz adds a bit of pizzazz to cold tea drinks, whether alcoholic or not. Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee offers a rotating selection of cold-brewed sparkling teas, served on tap and pressurized on site. Starbucks offers a variety of flavored sparkling tea blends, like its Sparkling

Tapping into the theatrics of tea service, the “Large Format” offering, Standard Punch, at Yvonne’s in Boston adds oolong tea to Rye Whiskey, raspberry, lemon, sage and soda. Photo courtesy of Yvonne’s.

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Black Tea and Tangerine Juice. At Garland in Raleigh, N.C., ginger ale carbonates the Dalai Palmer Mocktail, made with black tea, ginger, honey, Blenheim spicy ginger ale and lemon. Back at True Food Kitchen, the Medicine Man sees a blend of sea buckthorn, pomegranate, cranberry, honey, black tea and soda. Some restaurants are offering the sparkle as a customizable option, much like flavored syrups, fruit purées and garnishes, or whether your drink is served hot or cold. PublicUs, a restaurant and coffeehouse in Las Vegas, serves a sparkling tea selection among its in-season tea offerings, but will sparkle any of its teas upon request.

At G&B Coffee in Los Angeles, the Fizzy Hoppy Tea is touted as “daytime beer,” infusing Citra hops into Yunnan red tea. Full-flavored and refreshing, this sparkling tea with hops marks one of the most inventive and exciting avenues of this trend.

Tipsy Tea

Pay attention to this hot trend of tea as a cocktail component, not to mention the growing variety of teainfused spirits. Over the last five years, tea cocktails have grown 68 percent on menus, according to Mintel Menu Insights. At Asha Tea House in Berkeley, Calif., diners can order the Green Tea Mojito, made with Japanese green tea, raspberry purée, soju and muddled mint. It also has a simple cocktail called an Oolong Highball, which is a blend of unsweetened oolong tea with soju. Alder in New York serves the NY Streamline Baby with Gin, rooibos, tangerine and tonic.

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“The influx of Asian cuisine, the focus on health and wellness, and the rise of bitter as a likeable flavor have helped pave the way for tea. Plus, tea is positioning itself more as a flavor profile – which is a key differentiation from coffee.”

– ROB CORLISS

Adding tea to cocktails requires a bit of finesse.

“Teas and tisanes offer depth, super trendy smoky impressions, fruity resonance (without the sugar or fruit juice), herbaceous notes and tannins – all important in balancing, lengthening and delivering flavor,” says chefconsultant Robin Schempp. “Hot or cold, infused syrup, infused spirit or strong steep – the addition of earthy black tea intermingles beautifully with Whiskey. Floral and herbal bring out the same notes in Gin. Astringent green tea and matcha pair well with the sweeter profiles in Rum or other sugar cane-based spirits.”

At Raleigh’s Garland, the Broad Street Radler features Rum, black tea, spicy ginger ale, ginger, lemon and honey. Crooked Stave Taproom in Denver blends a cranberry-lavender kombucha with saison beer, and Betony in New York offers a shandy with black tea kombucha. Back at Boba 7, customers can order boozy boba drinks, like the Green Tea Heineken, which combines green tea, Heineken and honey boba.

“As matcha continues to penetrate mainstream tea and beverage menus, expect to see the vibrant green tea powder show up on other parts of the menu as well, notably dessert.

Everything from matcha green teadusted cheesecake and sugar cookies to matcha-mint chip ice cream and refreshing matcha milkshakes swirled with dark chocolate will complement tea-centric menus.”

– GAIL CUNNINGHAM

Bar manager Bill Anderson tweaks the classic Last Word cocktail at Vie Restaurant in Western Springs, Ill., by adding a house-made chamomile tea syrup. “This recipe brings out the herbal qualities of the Gin, Chartreuse and the tea, while having enough brightness from the lime to balance everything into a refreshing harmony,” he says.

Get Crafty With Tea

by Kathy Casey To create handcrafted tea sodas: Add in sparkling water, purées, fresh herbs and high-quality, full-flavored syrups.

To create a unique iced-tea service: Combine honey simple syrup, lemon/lime/orange wedges, fresh mint and a custom stir stick.

For signature tea cocktails, look to unique iced tea flavors. With their zero-calorie profiles, teas can help cut mixer calories.

Try making a matcha tea simple syrup for inclusion in a signature cocktail or non-alcoholic beverage.

Added carbonation in teas, with or without alcohol, brings two trends together into one fizzy, refreshing beverage. Photo courtesy of Richard Rahmlow Photography.

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Asian Persuasion

Apart from bubble tea, the two trendiest tea imports from the East are matcha and kombucha. Matcha is powdered green tea, powered by three times as much caffeine as regular green tea but promising a Zen buzz rather than a frenetic one. It boasts tremendous health benefits, which is helping to propel matcha out of niche and into mainstream. New York’s MatchaBar offers a number of matcha drinks, including the vanilla almond matcha latte and iced watermelon matcha. Starbucks serves a Green Tea Latte, made with lightly sweetened matcha and steamed milk.

Entering through the functional food and beverage trend, kombucha is gaining momentum in this country. It’s an effervescent black or green tea that’s been fermented, boasting naturally occurring probiotics and antiinflammatory properties. Roam Artisan Burgers in San Francisco even has kombucha on tap.

Brewing for a while now, tea is poised to skyrocket.

“Choices and the ability to customize are key interests, and tea allows for this through its flexibility in flavor, caffeine range and effect,” says The Culinary Edge’s Ballinger. As proof that tea has moved from beverage to phenomenon, step into the expanding Montreal-based David’s Tea, which offers tea in a modern whirlwind of flavors, bestowing the tea experience with a candy-store charm – perfect for younger demographics. Consumers can choose from blends like Birthday Cake, a cake-scented rooibos blend; or Blueberry Jam, a combination of black tea, blueberries, elderberries, cornflower and stevia.

Or look to coffeehouses that are taking tea more seriously, like Intelligentsia in Chicago, which now boasts 35 loose-leaf teas. Its uniquely flavored cold-brewed teas are served on carbonated tap in a beer goblet, to great effect. “These more sophisticated ‘iced’ teas are to be sipped and savored, perfect for an afternoon break or as a meal pairing that is more evolved than simple iced tea with lemon,” says Kara Nielsen, culinary director of Sterling-Rice Group.

Inspired by Indian cuisine, Joe’s Spiked Chai Latte takes a house-made chai and froths it with cream. It’s poured over Caffè Moka and aged Rum at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab restaurants.

Photo courtesy of Joe’s.

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Tea on American menus is clearly beginning to evolve, finally getting the proper attention it deserves.

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Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) was founded in 2010 by award-winning author/critic/journalist/ educator F. Paul Pacult, publishing executive and editor Sue Woodley, and consultant David Talbot. In 2013, editor/journalist Sean Ludford became a partner. For the past five years, UBC has operated Ultimate Wine Challenge (UWC) and Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC), which are acknowledged as being two of the world’s foremost annual international wine evaluation and competition events.

PROSECCO – ITALY

This issue, we are featuring UBC’s 2015 top picks in the Prosecco category.

Score: 93 Zonin Veneto Finalist. Excellent, Highly Recommended

Score: 95 Tenuta Ca’Bolani Cervignano del Friuli Excellent, Highly Recommended A pale yellow-straw color in the glass, this Prosecco bursts with aromas of peaches and nectarines, as well as white flowers. In the mouth, it’s crisp and refreshing but with a creamy texture, thanks to a persistent mousse and a clean finish.

Pale straw-colored, this softly effervescent Prosecco is bursting with fresh aromas of summer fruits and flowers. Easy-drinking at a pleasant 11% ABV, it’s crisp and refreshing on the palate, with a hint of minerality and a nice, clean finish.

Score: 92 Avissi Veneto Finalist. Excellent, Highly Recommended This pale straw-colored Prosecco pours with a fine, persistent fizz. As the bubbles dissipate, subtly peachy and floral aromas emerge from the glass. In the mouth, it’s crisp and refreshing with a clean finish. Lovely as an apéritif.

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Score: 91 Corte Giona Extra Dry Prosecco

Score: 89 Cupcake

Excellent, Highly Recommended

Very Good, Strong Recommendation

Score: 91 Astoria Treviso Excellent, Highly Recommended

Score: 91 Zardetto 2013 Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene

Score: 86 Barefoot Bubbly Italy Very Good, Strong Recommendation

Score: 86 Tenute Salvaterra Extra Dry Prosecco Very Good, Strong Recommendation

Excellent, Highly Recommended

Score: 86 La Marca Veneto Score: 90 Menage a Trois Veneto Excellent, Highly Recommended, Great Value

Score: 90 Zardetto Brut Treviso Excellent, Highly Recommended

Very Good, Strong Recommendation

Score: 85 La Gioiosa Treviso Prosecco Very Good, Strong Recommendation

Score: 83 Caposaldo Veneto Good, Recommended

Score: 89 La Gioiosa Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze Spumante Veneto

Score: 83 La Gioiosa Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

Very Good, Strong Recommendation

Good, Recommended

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LEGAL

Tattoos, Haircuts, and Head Coverings The Challenges of Appearance and Grooming Policies

By Andria Ryan, Fisher & Phillips LLP

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There is no legal requirement that an employer adopt a dress or appearance policy, but many restaurant and hospitality employers are looking to create (or

help protect a company’s public image, promote a productive environment, comply with health and safety standards, and even prevent claims of discrimination

maintain) a certain image. Employers may dictate uniform requirements and expect a certain style, which goes beyond wearing uniforms.

and harassment.

Some employers are hesitant to impose strict guidelines for fear of encroaching on employees’ freedom of expression. But having no guidelines is often not an option either. Having a policy in place before a tattoo, haircut or head covering becomes an issue can

The policy should require that all employees present a professional and well-groomed appearance, and it should address good hygiene, uniforms and safety-related attire. Employers can set limits on tattoos, piercings, gauges and extremes in dress,

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Policies Should Cover Everything ...

jewelry, and hairstyles but many employers have found a zero-tolerance policy too strict. Many employers permit body piercings or tattoos with limits on the number, size, placement, content or visibility. In the final analysis, your policy should articulate what is permitted and prohibited. Then enforce it consistently.

A restaurant chain paid a server $150,000 after terminating him for having visible tattoos. The employee’s sect believed that tattoos symbolized its devotion to its creator. The restaurant’s objection that it wanted an all-American look did not trump the religious objection.

... But Allow Some Exceptions To Peek Through

Service-industry employers must address requests for accommodation to appearance policies, ensure consistent enforcement, and train supervisors to never make knee-jerk decisions about requests for accommodation. Remember, the need to maintain a certain look is generally not enough hardship to justify blanket refusals.

While an employer may require all workers to follow a uniform dress code, it must not treat some employees less favorably because of their national origin.

For example, a dress code that prohibits certain kinds of ethnic dress, such as traditional African attire, but otherwise permits casual dress, may face a legal challenge for discrimination.

If the appearance code conflicts with an employee’s religious practices and the employee requests an accommodation, you must modify or permit an exception to the policy, unless doing so would result in undue hardship. Similarly, if an employee requests an accommodation because of a disability, you must modify or permit an exception to the dress code, unless doing so would result in undue hardship. For example, an employer may have to grant an exception to an appearance policy that prohibits facial hair for an employee with certain skin conditions.

Buttoning It All Up

While employers still retain wide latitude, practical, social and legal factors require careful preparation of appearance policies, as well as consideration of such requests for accommodation that might have been readily (and safely) dismissed several years ago.

The courts are addressing these and other issues:

In a recent high-profile case, a retailer settled cases involving Muslim female employees who were either not hired for or were terminated from sales positions because they wore a headscarf. The retailer required its employees to comply with its “Look Policy” that prohibited “caps” to be worn, but did not mention other headgear.

A restaurant cashier claimed she was discharged because her religion, Christian Pentecostal, forbids her from wearing slacks. The restaurant was accused of refusing to allow her to wear a skirt instead of the uniform pants.

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Wine Quiz The Society of Wine Educators’ free app, SWE Wine and Spirits Quiz, is available on all platforms. Just look for it in your app store or go to winewitandwisdomswe.com. It offers a series of fun, educational quizzes covering the five major categories: red, yellow (white wines), spirits, sparkling and dessert wines. Here are this issue’s sample questions.

The answers can be found on our website, ITMmag.com.

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1. What is délestage? a) Rack-and-Return b) Whole-Berry Pressing c) Carbonic Maceration d) Cold Soak

6. What is the main flavor in the Spanish spirit Chinchón? a) Juniper b) Honey c) Saffron

d) Anise

2. Which mountain range is just west of Alsace? a) The Graian Alps b) The Pyrenees c) Massif Central d) The Vosges

7. W hich soil type makes up the “backbone” of much of New Zealand? a) Greywacke b) Kimmeridgian Clay c) Tuffeau d) Slate

3. W hat is the minimum percent of Sangiovese required in Chianti Classico? a) 90% b) 80% c) 75% d) 70%

8. A fter Malbec, what is the leading red grape of Argentina? a) Cabernet Sauvignon b) Bonarda c) Pinot Noir

d) Merlot

4. Where is the Fiefs Vendéens AOC located? a) Provence b) Burgundy c) Pays Nantais d) Anjoy

9.

Where is the Eagle Peak AVA located? a) Mendocino County b) Texas High Plains c) Santa Maria Valley d) Southern Oregon

5. Which is an ingredient in Batavia Arrack? a) Maize b) Red Rice c) Malted Barley d) Blue Agave

10. Where is the Van Duzer Corridor? a) Puget Sound b) Ontario c) Oregon d) Monterey County

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TheJulep

What was once a concoction of sugary syrup and bitter medicine, much like most cordials and elixirs from the early 1700s, the Julep has now earned its place as one of the Bourbon classics. Though it is said to have been made with spirits other than Whiskey in its inception, the Kentucky Derby has solidified the Mint Julep as a Kentucky Bourbon staple since the 1930s.

The Mint Julep typically consists of a measure of 2 ounces of Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 1/2 ounce of a rich (2:1) simple syrup (try using a demerara or turbinado sugar for their flavors of caramel and toffee notes that you typically find in Bourbon), 8 to10 mint leaves, and almost as important as the Bourbon, the crushed ice! Place the mint and the syrup in the bottom of your glass or metal Julep cup. Press the mint leaves gently with a spoon into the bottom and sides of the glass. Add Bourbon and then crushed ice to the very top of the glass. Place a bouquet of mint as a garnish alongside the straw.

In the springtime, muddle fresh berries to brighten up your Juleps and give them a unique color and additional layer of flavor. Blackberries tend to be my go-to for a hot Kentucky day!

Gary Gruver Director of Mixology & Spirits Education Southern Wine & Spirits of Kentucky

“The Julep has earned its place as one of the Bourbon classics.�

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Trinchero Family Estates Presents:

by Barry Wiss, CWE, CSS

Summertime Sippers 1

2

3

ACROSS

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5

3

Italian liqueur based on a witch’s brew

4

Italian region that Prosecco calls home

5 What makes Liquore Strega vibrant yellow

6 7

7 Tends to happen when you add ice cold water to anise-flavored spirits

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8 10

10 The “classic” Gin drink

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11 The bitter ingredient in a Gin and Tonic … cure for malaria?

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13 Bottle shaped like a monk 13

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14 The nut flavor in Nocino 15 Originally called the Gin Sling of Southeast Asia

15 16 17

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18 Traditionally made from the zest of Sorrento lemons 19 A method for adding flavor to a spirit 20 18th century dispenser for Old Tom Gin, and name of a firecracker

19 20 21

21 Juniper-flavored spirit drink, considered precursor to modern Gin 22 A Martini served with cocktail onions

22

DOWN 1 What famous Venetian bar invented the Bellini in the 1930s?

2

Gin, Campari and Sweet Vermouth

6

Dominant flavor in Gin

8 Traditionally served neat with three coffee beans 9 How does James Bond like his Martini?

(Except for Daniel Craig – in “Casino Royale” he doesn’t care.)

12 Primary grape used in the production of Prosecco 14 The juice of what fruit is used in the making of a Bellini?

16 1920s fermentation vessel, ________ Gin 17 Traditional wine used to make a Bellini

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©2016 TRINCHERO WINERY, ST. HELENA, CA

A FA M I L Y L E G A C Y S I N C E 19 4 8

¦ T R I N C H E R O N A PAVA L L E Y. C O M ¦ Spring 2016 • itmmag.com

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