VinePair

🥃 America’s Regional Whiskey Styles, Mapped In American #whiskey, bourbon reigns supreme, a position supported by measures both quantitative (sales) and qualitative (fame). But it’s far from the country’s only whiskey style. The U.S. boasts a range of other categories, including some that predate bourbon itself. Many are codified by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the federal authority on the matter. But the TTB is generally more concerned about details like proof points and cask types than exactly where a spirit is produced. Bourbon, rye, wheat whiskey, and American single malt can meet requirements so long as they’re produced on U.S. soil. Today, for example, #bourbon is made in all 50 states. That hasn’t precluded the growth of regional styles. Some — like Tennessee whiskey and Indiana rye — have state-level recognition; they exist in an official capacity, albeit a rung below federal definitions. Others are far more informal, emerging from broadly shared practices and bound by industry terminology. Even more are truly nascent, with trends a touch too vague to make our final list.

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Wine Loves to Talk Tradition. Should It? Wine has long relied on tradition to sell itself: traditions surrounding wine producers and regions, traditions surrounding drinking occasions and traditions surrounding how all of that is used to market wine. Yet do those stories still matter to consumers? Do they get people excited about wine, or do they serve as barriers that keep some people out of the category? 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/g6TncvbR 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gQ8AFFvC 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/giJNEj4y Watch a preview 👇

Today on VinePair's The Buildout Podcast: Claud Chase Sinzer knew from an early age that he wanted to own a restaurant, pursuing that dream through high school and college before making his way to New York City to work for some of the best restaurateurs in the business. His first project, Claud, has been a breakout success, earning three stars from The New York Times, becoming one of the city’s hardest reservations to land, and establishing itself as one of the best places in New York to drink wine. But the thing that may have put Claud on the map in the first place wasn’t the service, the wine, or the entrées. It was a slice of chocolate cake. On this episode of The Buildout, Chase joins Adam Teeter to talk about building Claud, how to move from one success to the next, and why he offers finance classes to any member of his restaurant staff who wants to learn. 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/dCCBnxnx 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dUfFnN4r 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dpWg5N3F Watch a preview 👇

🍷 When thinking of California’s #wine regions, Napa and Sonoma instantly come to mind. It’s understandable, as these well-regarded areas have longstanding prestige. But these big names often eclipse the Golden State’s smaller, lesser-known regions that are making elegant, compelling wines — and usually for a more approachable price. Here are six California AVAs that deserve more attention.

🍺🇺🇸📈 The Number of Breweries Per Capita in Every State Has Changed Dramatically Since 2010 — Here’s What the Shift Looks Like It can be easy to look at the current rate of #brewery openings in the United States with panic. In 2025, the number of craft brewery closures outpaced openings. The same year, the number of total breweries in the country dropped for the first time since 2005. But the 21st century has still seen incredible growth for the industry. According to data from the Brewers Association, 9,696 breweries were in operation in the U.S. last year, a 445 percent jump from the 1,779 total in 2010. For a state-by-state comparison of that expansion, we calculated each state’s number of breweries per capita and the percent change from 2010 to 2025: https://lnkd.in/gQm8F_2g

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Studies Show Gen-Z Drinks, and Value is Paramount Adam and Zach discuss two recent studies, the first of which shows that, surprise, Gen Z is drinking at historically normal rates, despite all the misplaced doom and gloom around the generation. Why were so many invested in the myth that Gen Z doesn't drink, and how should producers and marketers be rethinking their strategy. Plus, another study explores what drinkers really value, and how being consistent in terms of messaging and price can be more effective than chasing trends. 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gM5E_EwB 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gT_RQbQC 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gR5yR7ds Watch a preview 👇

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Do Drinks Dupes Make Sense? Adam Teeter and Joanna Sciarrino discuss whether companies that are making obvious dupes or copies of popular drinks are being smart or just trying to cash in on a trend. Can you copy and become more premium? Does it matter if the packaging is nearly identical? Does it matter what part of the drinks space you're in? 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/g72WB-cP 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gCZpZ45J 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gzUKziMV Watch a preview 👇

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Are RTDs Actually a Fad? Adam Teeter and Joanna Sciarrino respond to a listener question: are RTDs actually a fad? Despite emerging in the late 2010s and becoming a significant part of the beverage alcohol industry in the 2020s, is it possible that they don't have staying power, or have they shown that there's a significant audience for convenience, flavor, and accessibility? 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/g-aqJWm7 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gcnz2kjv 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gBz-WmmD Watch a preview 👇

🍾 For much of the wine industry, each vintage presents a new opportunity to express the conditions of that harvest. But in Champagne, the majority of producers craft non-vintage blends so the wine is consistent each year. The major Champagne houses each have their own "house style" that they uphold with each release, and each brand prides itself on its own distinct flavor expression. Some lean into Champagne's bready, yeasty characteristics, while others embrace the region's fresh acidity and minerality. ⁠ ⁠ Here are some of the most popular Champagnes on the market and where they land.⁠

Today on VinePair's The Buildout Podcast: Echo Lake What happens when a celebrated cocktail journalist and one of the country’s foremost rum authorities join forces? The result is Echo Lake. But opening the bar proved more challenging than either expected. Chloe Frechette had spent her career covering bars, not opening them, while Paul McGee had built his reputation in Chicago, not New York. On this episode of The Buildout, Chloe and Paul join Adam Teeter to talk about the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and how they created one of the most exciting new additions to the cocktail and rum scenes. 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gxX_t4gU 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gCq5K5bp 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g8Q3y6_B Watch a preview 👇