Should you trust your eyes or the statistics when it comes to gin these days? The numbers say it is a declining spirit, with only eight million cases sold in the U.S. in 2025 (compared with around 10 million a decade ago). And yet, you go to any bar in America — not even the hip bars necessarily — and people of all ages are absolutely pounding Martinis. Gin Martinis!
“Single-estate.” It’s a fancy descriptor for what is in truth a radically simple idea: making tequila from Blue Weber agave harvested from a single, select field, in order to showcase its distinct terroir. It’s a concept that Tequila Ocho, founded in 2008 by a fifth-generation agave farmer, first pioneered in the industry and continues to champion today, proving that tequila — as much as wine — can show distinct terroir.
The hits just keep coming in the ongoing trade war, with President Trump announcing a new 50 percent tariff on Canadian whisky, beer, wine, and other products on July 20. That import tax, scheduled to start August 19, was described as a “necessary and appropriate” response to the removal of U.S. spirits from the shelves of most Canadian provinces — itself a reaction to the tariffs and threats from the
Chardonnay is a much-maligned grape. With a reputation tarnished by descriptors like “butter-bomb” and “oaky” many drinkers write Chardonnay off as a variety that only produces rich, overbearing wines. But the grape itself is not to blame for those qualities. Chardonnay is known as a blank canvas among winemakers, meaning their decisions in the vineyard and cellar impact the final wine more than the grape’s inherent qualities. With many Napa
While Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot are three of the most popular red wine grapes, there’s a whole world of lesser-known fruit to explore. Some offer unique flavors while others mimic more-beloved styles while adding just a touch of something intangible. And though sommeliers always appreciate a well-made Malbec, they also love to champion these underrepresented varieties. That’s why we polled a dozen of them to find out which
With Joanna back from Scotland, she rejoins Adam and Zach to discuss her takeaways from visiting Panda & Sons, Edinburgh’s iconic, world-class bar. No matter where they’re located around the world, do cocktail bars of a certain caliber all blend into a sort of homogeneity? How do these spots balance being a place for locals and being a tourist destination? Zach is drinking: E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie “Brune & Blonde de
Starting in Chicago, running through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and ending in Santa Monica, Calif., Route 66 was established in 1926. Although Route 66 was officially removed from the United States Highway System in 1985, it remains in the national consciousness with cities along the route using it to promote tourism to this day. With 2026 marking Route 66’s centennial, many towns are promoting nostalgia in
In the grand scope of whisky, Scotch is a universe unto itself. Across malt, grain, and blended whisky producers, Scotland is home to some of the most iconic brands in the world, along with an incredibly high density of distilleries. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) — the trade body representing the vast majority of Scotch whisky production — counts 154 malt and grain distilleries as of 2026. That list boasts
When the warm weather hits right, a chilled glass of rosé is hard to beat. But we’re not talking about just “any” rosé. We’re uncorking one from Provence. Provence isn’t just famous for rosé. It’s the only major wine region on Earth entirely dedicated to it. Across three protected appellations d’origine contrôlée (AOPs) stretching 200 kilometers from the foothills of the Alps to the Mediterranean coast, 5,000 growers have spent
This is VinePair’s Booze News Weekly Roundup, where we gather the hottest headlines and product releases every Friday for a snapshot of what’s happening in the beverage alcohol industry. This week, we have news on Sazerac’s request from Brown-Forman to reconsider its previous offer, a co-signed letter lobbying for alcohol health warning labels on bottles, the latest product releases, and more. News to know: Sazerac tried to court Brown-Forman yet