Eve's Wine 101

Nature Nights: Outdoor Holiday Light and Art Exhibit in San Luis Obispo

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(San Luis Obispo, CA) – The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, (SLOBG), presents Nature Nights, an immersive outdoor holiday light and art exhibit. Nature Nights, produced by SLOBG Director of Communication & Events, Tracy Strann, renowned for producing Bruce Munro: Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles, CA., assures another memorable immersive event for the entire family.

The event will feature large format light projections by Bryn Forbes, illuminated sculptures by Michael Reddell, and artistic lighting of garden areas by Kody Cava throughout the eight-acre portion of the 150-acre Garden. Additionally, there will be a variety of culinary delights, regional wine, and beer available for enjoyment. Nature Nights will open to the public from November 11, 2022 through January 8, 2023, at the SLO Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. For more information, the public may visit www.slobg.org or call (805) 541-1400. Tickets are available at My805Tix.com.

The exhibition will feature enthralling moving digital imagery captured by artist Bryn Forbes, projected upon the garden’s hillsides and the surrounding buildings and artifacts, creating an experience like no other. Michael Reddell’s illuminated wire sculptures will add to the festivities by capturing the essence of humanity. Artistic lighting of the garden areas will be strategically crafted by celebrated artist Kody Cava.

SLO Botanical Garden Executive Director, Chenda Lor, explains, “Nature Nights was inspired by Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden event, Luminaria. Nature Nights fills a need in San Luis Obispo County for off-season family attractions. Through a connection to nature, visitors will enjoy the mental and physical health benefits inherent to the garden experience.”

Bryn Forbes has been shooting photographs and experimenting with digital art since middle school. Forbes has been exploring the essence of motion in his still photographs, and is now moving towards explicit motion that captures the essence of a moment with his digital video work. His digital art, projected around the garden, will surely captivate viewers’ minds, encouraging them to find beauty within the abstract.

California’s Central Coast artist, Michael Reddell, has been a pivotal contributor to the region’s art community since 2002. Michael was the driving force behind the Phantom Project, a loose coalition of artists who came together to launch pop-up gallery shows in vacant retail spaces around San Luis Obispo County. He has also participated in a selection of public art in the county, was the president of the Central Coast Sculptors’ Group at the SLO Museum of Art, has juried for the Paso Robles Art Association, and has dedicated his time to exposing the community to art whenever possible. Eight of his large-format wire sculptures, depicting species in nature, will be illuminated around the garden for viewing.

Celebrated lighting designer, Kody Cava, is well recognized for his work with the Cambria Christmas Market. In 2019, Cava was honored with a national award from the Kennedy Center for Outstanding Lighting Design for his work on Cuesta College’s production of Ghost Ship.

The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Direct flights to the region, railway, and Hwys 101 & 1, coupled with ample accommodations make access to Nature Nights easy and an exceptional reason for a holiday getaway to the Central Coast.

The SLO Botanical Garden emphasizes education, horticulture, research, art, resource conservation, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. Nature Nights is the event that exemplifies all that they stand for. The highly creative and experienced team assure a not to be missed experience.

For further details, please visit www.slobg.org or call (805) 541-1400.

DATES:

Friday, November 11, 2022 – Sunday, January 8, 2023 Thursday – Sunday Evenings (4 nights per week / 9 weeks) 5:00PM – 8:00PM

TICKETS:

(3) timed ticket options: 5PM, 6PM & 7PM
ADULTS: $19.75 + fees , CHILDREN (12 & under): $14.75 + fees, TODDLERS (2 & under): FREE *Members receive $2.00 discount per ticket

About San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden

The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is a non-profit organization that showcases plants from Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Through its programs and facilities, the Garden fosters an appreciation and understanding of the relationship between people and nature and encourages a sense of stewardship for the natural environment. The Garden is located at 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., within El Chorro Regional Park off Highway 1 between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. Admission is $10 per person and free for both children 12 and under and Garden Members. To learn more visit slobg.org.

L’Ecole No 41 is Awarded Top 100 Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine

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WALLA WALLA, WA – L’Ecole N° 41, one of the Walla Walla Valley’s founding wineries, has announced that Wine & Spirits Magazine has recognized it as a Top 100 Winery of the Year for 2022. This is the sixteenth time the winery has received this recognition.

Each year, Wine & Spirits designates its Top 100 Wineries of the World. The magazine’s editors taste many thousand wines from around the world to develop a list of the year’s best wineries based on overall performance. Only 18 wineries including L’Ecole, have been named to this prestigious list 16 times.

L’Ecole will participate in the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tastings in San Francisco and New York City. These events recognize the year’s Top 100 recipients pouring their wines alongside food offered by each city’s top restaurants. L’Ecole will show their Bordeaux- style blends from their two estate vineyards: 2019 Ferguson, Estate Ferguson Vineyard and 2019 Perigee, Estate Seven Hills Vineyard, both of which received 94 points from Wine & Spirits. Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits Senior Correspondent, has referred to Perigee as “a winery statement through the lens of a single vineyard” and referred to it as “iconic, a definitive expression of Walla Walla’s terroir …”

“This is an extraordinary honor for L’Ecole especially given it comes on the cusp of our 40th harvest as a winery,” says Marty Clubb, Owner and Managing Winemaker. “We strive for high-quality, expressive wines, vintage after vintage. Honors like this Top 100 award affirm our efforts and speak to the excellence of Walla Walla Valley, and to the commitment of our family, winery team, vineyard crew, and growers.”

About L’Ecole No 41

Housed in the historic Frenchtown schoolhouse depicted on its label, L’Ecole has earned international acclaim for producing expressive, distinctive wines that reflect the unmistakable typicity of Washington State and the unique terroir of their Walla Walla Valley estate vineyards. Founded in 1983, L’Ecole celebrates its 40th harvest this fall. In addition to Clubb, his wife Megan Clubb and their children Riley Clubb and Rebecca Olson are also co-owners and serve on L’Ecole’s Board of Directors.

About Wine & Spirits Magazine

Founded in 1982, Wine & Spirits is published four times a year in print, with 24 online Regional Tasting Reports, and read by over 200,000 members of America’s wine community. Consumers and wine professionals read the magazine for information on established and up-and-coming regions and producers, the art and science of viticulture, industry happenings, and food and wine pairing. Wine & Spirits, the only wine publication to win the James Beard award five times for excellence in wine writing, evaluates more than 15,000 bottlings every year.

Behind the Wine By Dawn Abasta

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In the grand scheme of things, I am relatively new to the wine lover’s community. It was about fifteen years ago when I started to understand and develop a love for wine. At that time, I had a few friends who were in the trade, so I was regularly given different wines to try and I found out I truly loved wine – the whole experience, the wine paired with food and friends. Thus began my journey. 

It really took off when some girlfriends and I created a very intimate group that meets six times a year. The focus is on finding the perfect wine and food pairing. We pair up and each pair hosts an afternoon of wine and food paired courses. It has been challenging and so fulfilling! Think Top Chef-type challenges matched with different wines. That was nearly fifteen years ago.  Today we still meet and we have all expanded not only our wine horizons but our culinary ones. We look forward to this and schedule our lives around it.

Not too long after that, another group of us started taking trips together. We mostly travel to the California regions close by within a two-to-four-hour drive. These trips have become my best vacations. Quality time with good friends and filled with amazing one-of-a-kind experiences with wine and the winemakers. These experiences are what I want to make my column about.  “Behind the Wine” will be a peek behind the curtains of the industry and deep dives with the winemakers. Each time I will pick a winery and its winemaker and go step by step with them through their beginnings, inspirations and most important the wine. My hope is to inspire you the reader to explore beyond the varietal you prefer and try all the many amazing wines out there. Please join me on this journey!

Middle West’s Pumpernickel Rye + Upcoming Drammers Event with Brand Ambassadors for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg

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Earlier this year, at the Restaurant and Bar Show, I was given a bottle of Middle West Pumpernickel Rye for review as I liked it so much and I wanted to share at an upcoming Drammers Las Vegas meeting. Fast-forward past my trip to Italy and that meeting just took place this past August. Below are my notes on the whiskey and tasting notes from my friends in Drammers.

About Dark Pumpernickel Straight Rye Whiskey From Ohio’s Middle West Spirits, this is some of what appears of the front label of this unique whiskey, “Handcrafted in the heart of the Ohio River Valley…Aged over three years, small batch craft…smooth…soft spice…”

Drammers Las Vegas Tasting Notes

We have a great group, usually less than a dozen of us, and we meet in a suite in one of the many hotels Vegas is known for. This particular night we probably had at least a dozen rare and unique bottles to taste through, and mine was selected pretty early on, before any palate fatigue set in. These were our collective thoughts:

Lots of citrus notes, especially orange right up front, followed by vanilla bean, toffee, molasses, seeded rye bread with butter. Ashley Norris, of @SipWithMe_LV on Instagram said it made her “nostalgic for (her) grandma”; Bob Brown, the organizer for our Las Vegas chapter of Drammers and @VegasDrams on Instagram, said that it had a “chewy body”; Shannon Lee, aka @LasVegasWhiskyEy said in her social media “if you see it buy it”; while Charlie Prince, the president of @DrammersClub simply stated, “I like this.”

There was about two-thirds of the bottle left so I offered it to Charlie to keep, and he said he would like to share it at his next meeting, which would be Drammers Austin, Texas. (I checked in with Charlie after his Austin meeting and he said the whiskey was “a big hit” there.)

From Middle West

We were founded in 2008, and opened our distillery for commercial production in 2010. Building on four generations of distilling traditions, we added our own deep experience in marketing and manufacturing, and focused on elevating the distinctive flavors of the Ohio River Valley. Our artisan spirits honor our roots; and reflect our originality as makers, our integrity as producers, and our passion for the craft of producing spirits from grain to glass. 

Middle West Straight Dark Pumpernickel Rye Whiskey celebrates significant firsts. Handcrafted from scratch, this signature spirit is made in small batches and barrel aged for over three years in new white American oak casks. It’s America’s first Dark Rye Pumpernickel Whiskey. When you raise a glass with friends, let them know it’s proudly from the Middle West.

Check out their full line-up of spirits here:

https://middlewestspirits.com/spirits/

https://middlewestspirits.com/

Charlie Prince Teaser for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Event

Fellow Drammers!

…We have got a BIG event coming up on Wednesday October 26th, where we’ll welcome as our guest speakers the National Brand Ambassador for Ardbeg, Cameron George AND the National Brand Ambassador for Glenmorangie Dan Crowell at the same time, whoa!  This is going to be our biggest event yet!

REGISTER HERE.

https://www.drammers.com/

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Meet the White Portuguese Grapes from Alentejo

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A few weeks ago I was sent six white wines from Portugal for review. Below is some of the information regarding the density of the grapes grown in the area and warmth of the climate – in Alentejo – as well as useful varietal descriptions. Below that are my reviews of the wines I tasted. Being that I received these in the middle of a very hot summer, I welcomed reviewing so many white wines, most of which I was unfamiliar.

From Alentejo

While many regions are still planning for climate change, Alentejo is already there, growing wines in a warmer world. Surprisingly to many, one-fifth of their production comprises exciting, aromatic whites.

Portugal has the highest density of native grapes per square mile of any country in the world. Alentejo growers and winemakers appreciate the native grape varieties, many of which are versatile, drought-resistant, have acidity to spare, and/or ripen early, making them well-suited to Alentejo’s hot climate.

Variety Information From Alentejo

(Note: I read the tasting notes on these grapes after I sampled the wines.)

Antão Vaz: Versatile, perfumed and shows great solo or blended, Antão Vaz is Alentejo’s white star. This hot-climate variety is highly resistant to drought and disease, producing consistently reliable yields, which ripen evenly.

Arinto: Alentejo’s best white blending variety, thanks to its exuberant acidity. Discreet aroma. Green apple, lemon and lime freshness and mineral notes favored by many wine lovers. Arinto has large leaves for shading and super-high acidity, making it well suited to the hot Alentejo climate.

Fernão Pires: Extremely aromatic (faintly reminiscent of Muscat), with distinctive peppery notes on nose and palate, Fernao Pires matures early and softens with oak aging. Suited to hot climates, the vine is susceptible to frost, so is not a match in cooler areas.

Roupeiro – aka Malvasia and Siria: Rouperio used to be the most widely planted white in Alentejo.  Often paired with Antao Vaz and Arinto, this grape is best enjoyed young, with its seductive citrus notes of orange and lemon, hints of peach, melon, laurel and forest flowers. Rouperio vines are resistant to regular grape diseases such as powdery mildew, which are severe in hot and dry climates like Alentejo.

Verdelho: An undervalued grape that over-delivers, Verdelho styles range from fresh and fruity when young, to rich and unctuous (an “oily” palate-coating trait like Riesling or Chenin) when older. Verdelho is early ripening and drought-tolerant variety, making it ideal for growing in the hot climates such as Alentejo. It ripens early avoiding spring frosts and mildew diseases. Verdelho originates from the Azores and is not linked to Spanish Verdejo.

The Tasting 

1. 2021 Torre de Palma

Grapes: Arinto and Alvarinho (SRP $40)

With a color of pale straw, aromas included fresh cut cantaloupe, honeydew melon, lemon-lime, white peach, a perfume with talcum powder, a tiny trace of smoke and recently rain-washed concrete. Very pleasant and inviting. Lots of bruised Yellow Delicious apple on the mouth, followed by a mild acidity, and more bruised fruit – Rainier cherry and plum – as well as lively lemon-lime and bracing minerality. (Also interesting to see the lemon-lime made their tasting notes for the Arinto grape as well.)

2. 2020 Adega de Redondo Porta da Ravessa Special Edition White (SRP $15)

Grapes: Roupeiro, Fernão Pires, Arinto.

A very pale gold color, with a nose full of yellow peach, white flowers, honey, and a cooling minerality. The mouth was a collection of that same peach and honey as well as Meyer lemon and sliced Naval oranges. A mild to medium acidity allowed the fruit to linger gracefully on the palate. I was unfamiliar with these grapes and I enjoyed tasting them in this wine. (I read the tasting notes on the Roupeiro after I tasted this wine, found it interesting to find the lemon, orange and peach in their notes as well.)

3. 2018 Conventual Reserva Branca

Grapes: Fernao Pires, Antao Vaz

This was the oldest wine offered in this group, made with Portuguese grapes I’m familiar with and the only Reserva, so I was looking forward to this one. I noted a pale yellow gold color to the wine, with white flower, cling peaches, a dusting of lemon and sea air on the nose. Going in for a taste this time I found those same cling peaches, a nut fruit like apricot, lemonade, and a medium acidity and crispness that allowed for a nice length. (Definitely aromatic as the Fernao Pires grape is described above.)

4. 2021 Herdade do Esporão Colheita Branco (SRP $18)

Grapes: Antao Vaz, Viosinho.

I was interested in trying this wine because I had reviewed the 2020 vintage of the same wine this past February. (My review of the Esporao Branco 2020:

http://evewine101.com/2022/02/11/tasting-sustainable-wines-with-herdade-do-esporao/) This time I noted a pale gold color with even paler pink brush strokes. The nose reminded me of crisp apple slices, pears, sweet butter and fine mineral water; while the flavors included that same apple and pear as well as juicy peach, lime soda and a nice acidity that made me want to go back for another taste.

5. 2020 Rocim Mariana White (SRP $16)

Grapes: Antão Vaz, Arinto, Alvarinho.

Wine number five had a color of pale hay, with aromas of fresh pineapple slices, lemon candy, buttery wafers and crushed dry leaves. For the taste I got fruit cocktail, bruised apple, a savory quality, acidity and a mild to medium salinity. The lemon, minerality and acidity I now know are common to the Arinto grape – see the grape descriptions above.

6. 2021 Marques de Borba Colheita White

Grapes: Arinto, Antão Vaz and Viognier.

My last Portuguese wine of the week to study, as I’d been savoring these one night at a time, so here goes: Colors of pale yellow with a hint of both green and rose. Bruised apple, toffee, lemon zest, peach and wet pebbles greeted me on the nose while I felt a mouth coating viscosity was filled with lemon, lime, acidity, minerals and a slight reminiscence of sea salt. Very refreshing. 

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

OperaWine 2022: Over 1,500 Guests at VinItaly’s Premier Event

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VERONA, ITALY (PRWEB) – The eleventh edition of OperaWine, Finest Italian Wines: Great Producers selected by Wine Spectator, was held on April 9th at the headquarters of the former Gallerie Mercatali in Verona. After 12 months of uncertain and challenging times, OperaWine returned as the grand opening of Vinitaly, the International Wine and Spirits Exhibition. Welcomed to Verona were 130 top producers, selected by the American magazine Wine Spectator. The event, organized by Veronafiere and Vinitaly, invited international journalists, sommeliers, wine experts, wine lovers and educators gathering international guests from inside and outside Europe for the first time in two years.

The objective of the event has always been to demonstrate the great diversity of Italian wine and to introduce experts and professionals to the excellence of Italian wine and its ambassadors. The eleventh edition of OperaWine continued that mission. In the words of Alison Napjus, Senior Editor of Wine Spectator: «We feel that this expanded tasting is just one example of the perseverance of the Italian wine industry. Even as we continue to recover from a global pandemic, Italy’s wine producers have remained strong, working creatively to maintain — if not increase — their presence and significance in the larger world of wine.»

The day began with opening speeches, given by the president of Veronafiere Maurizio Danese, Alison Napjus and Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator, Massimo Pasquali Head of Company Coordination at BPM, and the General Manager of Veronafiere Giovanni Mantovani. Jeffery Lindenmuth also participated in the inauguration, in his new role as Executive Director of Wine Spectator, taking over from longtime leader, Tom Matthews. At the end of the morning, all the producers gathered for the historic annual group photo.

Before the official start of the Grand Tasting, the producers had the opportunity to taste the products on offer from the partners and sponsors of the event. Many thanks go to Chef Renato Bosco and the Saporè team, Grissin Bon, San Felice – Acqua di Toscana, Moretti Forni, Latteria Sorrentina and Terra e Cuore. Cattolica, the official partner of OperaWine and Gori, sponsor of the event, also played an important role in the development of the event, as well as technical partners We Are Olo, AGSM AIM, Carrera Jeans, and Rastal, who kindly provided guests with the new RastalGlass wineglass for the tasting.

At 14:00 Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, Maurizio Danese, Councilor Francesca Toffali, Senator Gian Marco Centinaio, Giovanni Mantovani and Jeffery Lindenmuth cut the ribbon, officially opening the Grand Tasting.

During the Grand Tasting about 1500 invited guests were able to taste the wines selected by Wine Spectator from among the stands inside the Gallerie Mercatali.
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Among the wines on offer there were 97 red wines, 22 whites, 9 sparkling wines and 2 sweet wines, representing all 20 Italian regions. Once again, OperaWine was an important opportunity for networking between producers from all over Italy, as well as for guests to discover the best selected wines. Valentina Adami, Export Manager of the Graziano Prà winery, commented on this edition of OperaWine: «It is a source of great pride to see that Verona remains an important meeting point for the world of Italian wine, especially on an international scale. As Veronesi, we are pleased and proud to be part of this prestigious event».

For further information on this edition of OperaWine, please contact operawine@justdothework.it.

About Vinitaly:
The grand Vinitaly 2022 was held from April 10th to the 13th. Vinitaly 2022 counted 88,000 visitors of which 25,000 were top international buyers from 139 different countries. The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine “Finest Italian Wines: Great Producers selected by Wine Spectator” which was held on the 9th of April, one day prior to Vinitaly, united international wine professionals in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 130 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly travels to several countries thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA this year launched the 21st edition of its Certification Course. To date, there are 290 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 15 are also Italian Wine Experts.

About Wine Spectator:
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 15,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.

Party Seltzer Becky Personality Juice Takes Home Silver Medal From Largest World Spirits Competition After Only 15 Months on the Market

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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. (PRWEB) – Becky Personality Juice, one of the newest hard seltzer brands on the market, announced that it was awarded the prestigious silver medal for each of its four flavors from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) 22nd annual judging of spirits.

This competition, hosted by parent company Tasting Alliance, is the oldest, biggest and most influential competition in North America. This year, approximately 5,000 spirits were evaluated over two weeks in April 2022 by a panel of 70 judges from around the world. This represented the largest number of entrants that the competition has ever received.

Becky Personality Juice comes in four flashy flavors: pink lemonade, passion fruit, mango and tropical cherry. It was founded in January 2021 when Eric Burdick and Sheldon Wiley, both veterans in the nightlife and hospitality space, recognized a gap in the market for a seltzer that had a bold flavor and an equally bold marketing spin. Becky was conceived specifically to appeal to Gen Z, and the brand’s plan for national distribution is to follow the bachelorette party crowd.

SWFSC medal winners represent some of the most renowned international distillers to small-batch producers, both established beverages and brand new products alike. An award from the SWFSC is a universally recognized indicator of exceptional quality and craftsmanship. The silver medal specifically recognizes outstanding spirits that show refinement, finesse and complexity.

“We’ve always been confident that Becky Personality Juice is an award-winning seltzer, but the fact that it was honored with the prestigious recognition of silver medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition less than two years after we launched the product just blows our minds,” said Eric Burdick, cofounder & CMO of Becky Personality Juice. “This is a huge deal in our industry and will undoubtedly help us bring Becky to more markets across the U.S. quickly.”

Currently, Becky Personality Juice is available in all BevMo and Total Wine stores in Arizona and the Nashville and greater Tennessee area through its distribution partner, Lipman Brothers.

The brand is also working with Southern Wine & Spirits, the world’s pre-eminent alcohol distributor, to take the product nationwide. The brand is specifically eyeing an immediate expansion into California, Florida, Texas, Illinois and South Carolina.

Since the launch, the product has exceeded initial projections.

“It has been amazing to watch the demand continue to accelerate for Becky,” said Sheldon Wiley, co-founder and COO of Becky Personality Juice. “We are working hard on identifying additional distribution partners to continue to expand our reach. We’re fully loaded with inventory and ready to keep bringing our award-winning seltzer to the masses.”

Sales of hard seltzers skyrocketed in 2020 by 130%, pushing the ready-to-drink sector ahead of total spirits. According to a recent report by IMARC Group, the hard seltzer market is expected to grow at around 11% per year through 2026.

For more information about Becky Personality Juice, please visit http://www.tastebecky.com.

Old Elk Distillery Releases Limited Series Blends: Four Grain and Double Wheat

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FORT COLLINS, COLO. (PRWEB) – Old Elk Distillery is proud to announce the release of two additional expressions of Master Distiller Greg Metze’s Master’s Blend Series: Old Elk Four Grain and Old Elk Double Wheat.

Old Elk’s Master’s Blend Series is the creation of new tasting experiences for whiskey aficionados nationwide. “By marrying traditional favorites, award-winning bourbons and whiskeys, and a bold sense of adventure, we have created two exquisite, unique whiskies that I am personally very excited to share with the world,” says Greg Metze. Creating some of the most celebrated spirits in the world for over four decades, Greg’s experience is apparent in every sip.

“We are so proud of what Greg has accomplished with these two new releases,” adds Old Elk’s CEO, Luis Gonzalez. “At Old Elk, we value innovation, quality, craftsmanship and integrity beyond anything else, and Greg has really poured those values into these liquids.”

Old Elk Double Wheat Straight Whiskey is a combination of two of Old Elk’s most beloved and awarded wheater whiskeys: Old Elk Straight Wheat Whiskey and Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey, creating a unique pour. The liquid yields a higher proof (107.1), and a brighter profile whiskey with fresh and crisp tasting notes and an undeniable presence of fruit. Old Elk’s Double Wheat is doubling down on all the classic notes that make their traditional wheaters beloved. Aged 6-8 years. Mashbill: 71.5% Wheat, 25% Corn, and 3.5% Barley; ABV: 53.55%

Old Elk Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a blend of all four cereal grains including corn, wheat, barley, and rye, leading to a complete profile. The result honors tradition while leading the palate on a rare journey of flavor. Fans will recognize the smooth base with hints of almond, vanilla, maple, and spices creating a balanced sweet and spicy profile at a higher proof (105.9). Aged 6-7 years. Mashbill: 51% Corn, 22.5% Wheat, 19% Barley, 7.5% Rye; ABV: 52.95%

“My goal was to always create whiskeys that bring generations together over one bottle. It’s humbling to see my four decades of experience in the industry merging in the Master’s Blend Series,” adds Metze. “With the Master’s Blend Series, I am taking my expertise and creating new and innovative whiskeys for the true aficionado – the one seeking something to discover.”

Old Elk’s Master’s Blend Series will be distributed by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and will be a national limited release, available at select retailers in the U.S. with a suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750 ml bottle. For more information, please visit http://www.oldelk.com.

ABOUT OLD ELK DISTILLERY
Rooted in innovation, quality, craftsmanship, and integrity, Old Elk Distillery of Fort Collins, CO was founded in 2013. Founder Curt Richardson’s desire was to create a distinctive portfolio of whiskeys that embodied his passion for whiskey, and he succeeded. In 2016, Greg Metze joined the team as Master Distiller, bringing his 40 years of experience in the whiskey industry to Old Elk. While the signature Old Elk Slow Cut® proofing process takes significantly longer than most recipes, taking the time to proof slowly makes all the difference. The proof is in the liquid. Today, the Old Elk portfolio is available in all 50 states and contains Old Elk Whiskey, including the flagship Blended Straight Bourbon, Whiskeysmith Co.™ Flavored Whiskey, Dry Town® Gin, and Nooku® Bourbon Cream. For more information, please visit http://www.oldelk.com.

Discovering Knox and Dobson Ready To Drink Premium Cocktails

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A few weeks ago I attended the Masters of Taste preview in the locker room of the Pasadena Rose Bowl. The participants that evening were a sampling from the main event and it’s safe to say that that event, held April 3 and also written about in this blog, were all masters of their craft in dining, desserts and beverages. As this is a wine and spirits blog, it’s only apropos that I share the one boozy item that stood out. You’ll be surprised to learn that it was a classy bottled cocktail – newly minted from a company called Knox and Dobson – with the most amazing flavors and the same ABV as any cocktail you would order in a fine bar.

At the preview I just inhaled samples of two of the four the company had created. This was their recent social media post about the pre-event, “Our first event at the Masters of Taste Media Preview serving our Knox & Dobson Martini, Old Fashioned, Improved Whiskey Cocktail and Rye Manhattan cocktails CRAFT ON DRAFT!” (From Eve: the idea that you can get a cocktail on draft instead of batched sounded incredible, and they were.  Some busy bartenders make their more popular cocktails in advance, and keep them in glass or plastic in the well of the bar to serve as needed.)

I did speak with Creative Director Peter Lloyd Jones for a moment (they were slammed at this pre-event) and learned that they came up with the idea while working at the popular Raymond 1886 in Pasadena. Imagine a pre-made cocktail made by mixologists that you know know their trade well.

Being Eve…well that teaser tasting just wasn’t enough. My visible salivation required that they send me home with samples for full review. This is what happened next.

Each pretty black bottled cocktail serves two drinks. I had four different bottled cocktails, and being the good sport I am known to be, I shared all of them with my husband. Below are the cocktails and what we thought of each:

Per their recommendation, I kept them in the refrigerator (they also suggested that you can store in the freezer) before serving.

Martini

“Aromatic gin martini, hint of dry vermouth, citrus, slightly earthy, juniper forward and refreshing.”

EB: I’m a Gin Martini girl. With that said I usually add a little Lillet Blanc (White Bordeaux wine with quinine and other botanicals) and/or an orange peel when I make one at home. Not wanting to change a thing, I tried the K and D as it was made, and it was pretty perfect. Crisp, definitely earthy with savory Umami notes as well – and I could imagine it as a perfect pairing with sushi. Interesting.

Old Fashioned

“Straight aged bourbon, natural cane sugar, orange oil and Angostura Bitters. Enjoy the taste of aged bourbon with bright citrus flavors, bitters, raw cinnamon, clove and American oak.”

EB: Lively spices, toasted oak and dried citrus fruit on the nose and palate – so much more than in your average Old Fashioned! Had to wonder how they did that. Really tickled my taste buds on the first sip. Looks like I need to buy orange oil, it may have been what gave the cocktail a slight orange glow too. Maybe the orange oil brings out the spice. Very tasty stuff.

Improved Whiskey Cocktail

“Made with straight aged rye whiskey, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur and Angostura bitters. This cocktail has a spiced flavor profile and is combined with American oak, citrus, along with bright and deep cherry notes.”

EB: Sweet, smoky, spicy and citrusy on the nose. (My favorite combination in a brown spirit cocktail!) Lots of cinnamon and sweet charred oak on the palate, the drink is very much spice-driven. The citrus elements joined the spice, dancing across my tongue, and together they held on for a long finish, making all of the notes come together for a home run.

Rye Manhattan

“Rye Manhattan cocktail with straight aged rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. Combined with aged whiskey, the aromatic Italian-style Vermouth makes for a terrific flavor profile with spices, citrus and charred oak wood.”

EB: Lots of fresh orange on the nose, the bitters and warm oak that I just wanted to cozy up to! The spice comes out forward on the palate; the oak is strong as well, then the juicy orange rounds everything out nicely!

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$15 a bottle retail and $10 wholesale. Get yours here: https://shop.knoxanddobson.com/

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Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.