VinePair Podcast

Joanna and Zach bemoan the fact that pumpkin spice season starts earlier and earlier each year, both because it burns everyone out on pumpkin spice before the weather even gets cold, and because it tramples other interesting drink options that better fit the very end of summer and beginning of fall. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever...

Joanna and Zach digest and discuss the recently-released Silicon Valley Bank Direct-to-Consumer Wine Surve y report, including what it says about how wineries are using social media, how they are evolving their tasting room programs (and raising prices), and the shift away from wholesale distribution in favor of direct sales. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podc...

Joanna and Zach ponder the existence of "generation gaps" in the drinks industry, and question whether differing preferences and consumption habits are tied more to the specific drinks in question or the format and relative abundance of choice within a category. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any qu...

With Joanna and Adam both out, Zach speaks with two creatives in the beer and cider space. First, cartoonist Em Sauter of Pints and Panels discusses her career as a beer-centric cartoonist and illustrator, her recent article about Citra and Mosaic hops, and her love of the Cold IPA . Then author Beth Demmon joins to preview her upcoming book, The Beer Lover’s Guide to Cider , and why American craf...

Joanna and Zach debate the relative merits of chilled red wines, and speculate on why they've become a bigger part of the marketing and conversation surrounding red wines, then each try a favorite example: the Ryme Cellars "Chilly Rouge" for Joanna and the Leah Jorgenson Cellars "Tour Rain" for Zach. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever...

Joanna and Zach react to the recent news that San Michelle Wine Estates is planning to reduce grape purchases by 40% over the next five years, then discuss what this might mean for Washington's wine industry as well as the broader landscape of inexpensive wine that makes up a sizeable percentage of the SMWE portfolio. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Sp...

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor and Taplines host Dave Infante to discuss Tilray's shocking purchase of eight beverage brands from AB InBev. What is the Canadian cannabis company hoping to accomplish by expanding their craft beer portfolio, and how can it succeed where ABI failed so dramatically? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcast...

Zach is joined by Arnaud Bourgeois, managing director of Famille Bourgeois and co-president of the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre-Loire as well as Yannick Benjamin, owner of Beaupierre Wines and Contento restaurant, as well as the co-founder of Wine on Wheels , to discuss the dynamic, lively, and captivating wines of France’s Centre-Loire region. Please remember to subscribe to, rate...

Joanna and Zach get a bit spicy while debating the recent "Ask Joanna" column about whether posting negative reviews of bars or restaurants on social media is ever a good idea, as well as if such negative reviews actually have an impact. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiq...

Joanna and Zach discuss how the Aperol Spritz has remained so dominant in its category, and ponder whether any other liqueurs can find purchase, then each drink one of their favorite non-Aperol spritzes. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vin...

Joanna and Zach debate a recent New York Times article about how a set of unscrupulous social media influencers are shaking down and exploiting restaurants and bars: is this really happening, or is it more about a changing landscape for advertising and marketing that makes older models look obsolete? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever...

Joanna and Zach discuss the surging hard tea category while tasting the offerings from two of the newer entrants into the space, Lipton Hard Tea and AriZona Hard Tea , including whether these drinks are competing with hard seltzer and whether anyone can muscle in on Twisted Tea's turf. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your e...

Joanna and Zach discuss the badly-outdated, problematic, yet still alarmingly widespread practice of gendered marketing for beverage alcohol products. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Zach is...

Joanna and Zach delve into the curious trend of cocktail and wine bars choosing to abandon menus, instead relying on gimmicks or a vibes-based ordering system: why does this appeal to the venue and does it work for guests? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggest...

Zach is joined by Will Summers, retired Green Beret and brand ambassador for Horse Soldier Bourbon , to discuss his remarkable service in Afghanistan as one of the fabled "Horse Soldiers," the launch of Horse Soldier Bourbon, it's astonishing and meteoric rise, and how he and the brand continue to "Live Legendary." Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spoti...

Joanna and Zach discuss a recent VinePair piece about the collision between rising cocktail prices and the increased use of prebatching cocktails in top bars, and why despite perhaps ensuring faster service and more consistent drinks, the practice might well be turning off bar patrons. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your e...

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor and Taplines host Dave Infante to sort through the wreckage of the sudden and dramatic demise of San Francisco's Anchor Brewing, including why perhaps Sapporo USA's purchase of the iconic craft brewery was ill-conceived from the jump, and what this might mean for the larger industry. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePa...

In light of the revelations in the ongoing legal battle between Sean Combs and Diageo, Joanna and Zach ponder whether there might be more downside risk for spirits companies in partnering this closely with celebrities to create and promote their brands. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions,...

Responding to a listener question, Joanna and Zach discuss wine in grocery stores: is it possible to find good bottles there, and if so, how? Plus, what are some of the reasons why grocery store selection differs so much from those at wine-specific retail shops. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any qu...

Joanna and Zach discuss whether drinks brands can use patriotic imagery and messaging without wading into the political arena, and what doing so might mean for those brands as well as their potential consumers. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podc...

Joanna and Zach chat about pet-nat wines: why they achieved a degree of popularity largely in concert with the natural wine movement, but might now be struggling to step outside of that specific segment of the wine industry. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or sugge...

As Adam bids farewell until September, he, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether a current fixation on new and trendy restaurants and bars have made it harder and harder for older establishments to thrive, and for bars of any vintage to turn guests into regulars. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your episodes, and send...

Prompted by a listener email, Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about why many recently introduced technologies at bars and restaurants, like QR code menus, handheld payment devices, and others, might appeal to an owner's bottom line in the short term but repulse or upset many diners and drinkers. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or whereve...

After observing the continued dominance of the Espresso Martini at Bar Convent Brooklyn , Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether the current interested in coffee-based cocktails can be expanded to other types of drinks, or if brands and categories will try to position themselves within the existing Espresso Martini template. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcas...

In light of the news that San Francisco's iconic Anchor Brewing will be ceasing national distribution of their beers, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss what this might mean for other national craft beer brands, and how the rise of taproom culture has cut out a lot of these types of beers. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you...