TALK DRINKS

Earn your place at the pit with Jägermeister

Our good pals over at Jägermeister are hosting a very special national contest encouraging fine bbq with Jägermeister. A perfect marinade ingredient, Jägermeister encourages fans to find “Earn Your Place at the Pit” this summer. The contest is divided into three categories: Cow in the month of June, Fowl in the month of July and Hog in the month of August. Contestants can enter on Facebook through Jägermeister’s page at www.facebook.com/JagerUSA.

Contestants will be judged on four points – use of Jägermeister, taste, creativity and pairing ability with a special drink called “Beer and a Deer” (a combination of an ice cold shot of Jägermeister and a cold beer, enjoyed together responsibly). Judges include celebrity chef Chris Santos, bbq expert Daniel Delaney, a special musical artist and a Jägermeister representative.

The special grand prize is a BBQ-Scorched Weekend in NYC, including a city-wide BBQ tour, accommodations and plenty of Jägermeister. In addition, each category winner will receive a whole hog, half cow or flock of fowl’s expertly butchered from a free-range/organic ranch. The meat will be pre-cut for all the winner’s grilling needs.

Contestants can enter one recipe for each category. There is no minimum on how much Jägermeister should be used, but it must be well-incorporated into the recipe.

Good luck to all who enter!

Spring Fever

With nothing but warm weather in our future, Spring is in the air in this lovely season. What better way to celebrate a beautiful day than with a delicious cocktail? Our friends over at Bombay Sapphire have a new seasonal cocktail called the Bombay Sapphire Spring Fever, which is available at Whiskey Blue in the W Hotel. Created by Bombay Sapphire’s Global Brand Ambassador Gary Hayward, the sweet addition of Elderflower Liqueur and fresh citrus juices make for a perfectly balanced cocktail.

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE SPRING FEVER
In a shaker with ice:
1 oz Bombay Sapphire
½ oz Aperol
¼ oz Elderflower Liquor
¼ oz Fresh Lime Juice
Splash of Grapefruit Juice
Shake well and strain in Rocks glass over ice. Top with Champagne. Garnish with Lemon Peel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Bombay Sapphire

Tequila Institute Determines Partida Won't Ruin Your Face

Tequila Partida was recently asked to participate in a study organized by the Tequila Institute. The Institute hoped to understand the specific effects that drinking tequila has on the face; namely why so many tequilas leave the drinker with horrible, twisted facial expressions.

This condition, while temporary, causes severe "face-uglification," and is very concerning to the researchers at the Institute. According to the Tequila Institute, the scientific term for this condition is "shitty tequila face" (we are pretty sure that's Latin).

The Institute, however, was unable to detect any occurrence of this condition when their test subjects consumed Partida. Unsure of this conclusion, they invested more time and resources to better understand the phenomenon. These are their findings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2wu1tBFfdc.

Ultimate Spirits Challenge

Overwhelmed by the sheer number of spirits at your local liquor store? Need some advice on your next purchase? Take a cue from the judges at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge! Every year, the cream of the crop in spirits reviewers from around the globe gather in New York for the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, held at the Astor Center. The four-day tasting session which began on Tuesday (with set up over last weekend into Monday) includes 15 esteemed judges tasting spirits from around the world. Entries were open to all spirits at a cost of $425 each, and were submitted earlier this year.

Judges include F. Paul Pacult, Sean Ludford, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tad Carducci, James Conley, Dale Degroff, Jim Meehan, Dan Nicolaescu, Steven Olson, Julie Reiner, Jack Robertiello, Andy Seymour, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, Katie Stipe and David Wondrich.  Every day, each judge tastes about 60-70 different spirits, scoring on categories like aroma, taste, finish and more. Palate cleansers are everywhere, from cucumber to celery to cheese to crackers. The judges all remain in one room while set up happens in another to ensure that each spirit is tasted blindly. The spirits are poured in clear glasses, and each judge scores on his or her own. The results are then averaged judged again. “We want this to be as fair as possible,” says Co-Chairman of Judging Sean Ludford. Sean also notes that rotating the spirits is key. “Judges have to adjust their olfactory senses and mind. We need to be cognizant of the order spirits are tasted in. Once you go to certain places with your palate (for example with absinthe), you can’t go back.”

This year, the judges will be reviewing roughly 650 bottles. Results will be announced on March 21^st. All scores above 80 will be shown, with tasting notes available for all scores above 85. Additionally, all bottles that are sold at Astor Wines and Spirits will show an icon next to the score for easy purchase. A Chairman’s Trophy will be awarded to one brand per category, with a special award and presentation at Keen's Steakhouse on October 7^th.

Will your favorite spirit be scored well? Keep a look out at the website for the results! Cheers!

* Thank you to Manuela Savona for the invite and tour of the competition!

** This article was originally posted by Sara Gorelick on Examiner.com at
http://www.examiner.com/article/ultimate-spirits-challenge

National Margarita Day is Tomorrow!

While it’s not an official holiday, Barman “Willie” deserves a drink in his honor after creating the first official Margarita around 1934 in Mexico City. We don’t know about you, but we will use any reason to enjoy a cocktail, especially one using the world’s top-rated tequila, Tequila Partida!

Tequila Partida, made from 100% blue agave in the heart of Mexico’s historic Tequila region, adds a healthy twist to America’s favorite cocktail. All-natural and created with fewer calories than traditional margaritas, this refreshing take on a cocktail classic works great with Partida Blanco or Reposado Tequilas.



The Partida Margarita
1 ½ ounces Partida Tequila (Blanco or Reposado)
1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice (the juice of one whole lime)
¾ ounces Partida Agave Nectar (to taste)
¾ ounces pure water
Shake all ingredients with ice in standard bar shaker.
Taste. Add additional lime juice if you prefer more tartness; add more agave nectar for more sweetness.
Serve in glass on rocks. No garnish, no salt.

Portuguese Wine Exports Up 15% in USA for the First 10 Months of 2012

ViniPortugal, the trade association responsible for the promotion of Portuguese wines around the world, announced that Portugal’s exports of table wine to the USA increased 15% in the first ten months of 2012 over the same period in 2011. Sales of Portuguese wines (excluding port wine) reached €22.78 million ($29.55 million at 10/31/12) in the US in the first ten months of 2012, up from €19.84 million ($25.74 million at 10/31/12) in the first ten months of the year prior.

In March of 2012, ViniPortugal launched a $3 million campaign to promote the Wines of Portugal (www.winesofportugal.info) in the USA. The campaign’s efforts, led by ViniPortugal Marketing Director Nuno Vale and his team, and agency partners Colangelo & Partners PR and Full Circle Wine Solutions, seem to have paid off. “We are extremely pleased with these results and excited to continue to showcase the range and diversity of Portugal’s wines in 2013,” said Nuno Vale. Most recently, Portuguese wines were celebrated at a VIP lunch and tasting in New York featuring the Top 50 Wines of Portugal as chosen by Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, Doug Frost.

While exports were up by 15%  in value, export volume was up 8% for the first ten months of the year, a positive indicator that US consumers have recognized the appeal of Portuguese table wines as more high quality examples made their way into the country in 2012. Volume sales increased from 8.36 million liters in the first ten months of 2011 to 8.99 million liters in the same period of 2012.

The United States, which was the 6th largest export market for Portugal in 2011, represents a key market for Portugal. As Jorge Monteiro, the President of ViniPortugal, explains, “The United States is our main priority. We believe that anything good we do in the US will have an impact on other markets.”

 

ABOUT VINI PORTUGAL

Created in 1997, ViniPortugal is a trade association whose aim is to promote Portuguese wines, brandies and vinegars in the domestic and target international markets. ViniPortugal provides strategic support to the Portuguese wine sector, bringing together organizations representing trade (ANCEVE and ACIBEV), production (FENAVI and FEVIPOR), cooperative wineries (FENADEGAS), distillers (AND), farmers (CAP), demarcated regions (ANDOVI) and government bodies (IVV). ViniPortugal’s promotional activity is financed by a variable sum made from payments by producers to the Institute of Vine and Wine (IVV) for certifying their wines, brandies and vinegar

Sake and the City

Want to learn more about Sake? The Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO) and The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) are putting on a special day of tasting with Sake and the City in New York on February 12^th. Held at the Astor Center, the day will feature Sake from 16 select Japanese producers, food by David Bouley’s award-winning Brushstroke and cocktails by Shingo Gokan of SakaMai and Angel’s Share. Sake Samurais Timothy Sullivan of UrbanSake.com and Chizu Niikawa pf SakeDiscoveries.com will be available for any Sake-related questions as well. To purchase tickets, Gilt.com is having a special sale for all interested guests. Check out the video below to see Timothy Sullivan on NBC's New York Nonstop! See you at the event – Kampai!

 

Vinitaly 2013

Vinitaly 2013, the most comprehensive Italian wine fair in the United States, is upon us!

For the first time ever Slow Food Editore, the publisher of the Slow Wine Guide, an English guide to Italian wines, will collaborate with Vinitaly International. This joint showcase will aim to offer American wine trade 2013’s most comprehensive two days of Italian wine tasting and education in the US. One year after its English-language debut, Slow Wine, the guide to Italian wineries approved as good, clean and fair by Slow Food Italy is premiering a new and updated edition. The guide and a selection of its wineries will be the focus of events for trade and consumers during a tour of three US cities. A complimentary copy of the guide will be included in the ticket price for the consumer events.

In New York City, the events will be held at Three-Sixty° on Desbrosses Street on January 28th.
Registration for members of the wine trade and press: slowwinevinitalynyc.eventbrite.com,
Tickets to the evening tasting open to the public may be purchased at slowwinenyc2013.eventbrite.com.

In Miami, the events will be held at the Miami Beach Resort at 4833 Collins Avenue on January 30th.
Registration for members of the wine trade and press: slowwinevinitalymiami.eventbrite.com
Tickets to the evening tasting open to the public may be purchased at slowwinemiami2013.eventbrite.com.

In San Francisco, Slow Wine will hold a tasting at Terra Gallery on 511 Harrison St on February 4th.
Registration for members of the wine trade and press: slowwinesf2013.eventbrite.com
Tickets to the evening tasting open to the public may be purchased at slowwinesanfrancisco.eventbrite.com.

Look forward to seeing you at the events!

Holiday Food & Wine Pairings with Dwight Casimere

With the holidays having begun, Dwight Casimere, a sommelier and one of the nation’s premiere wine and food writers, suggests wine pairings with a couple holiday dishes for your family to enjoy.

With baked Mac N’ Cheese cups, Dwight suggests Saladini Pilastri Falerio dei Colli Ascolani Wine, a certified organic and value-priced wine from Le Marche region in Italy. Falerio dei Colli Ascolani is produced from an ancient mixture of grapes from Trebbiano, Passerina and Pecorino. Its typical straw-yellow hue and delicate bouquet are due to the excellent position of the vineyards. This elegant and full-bodied wine goes particularly well with green olives, fish and soups, as well as delicate sauces and white meats. Saladini Pilastri wines are available in Total Wine and More stores across the country, as well as on their website.

 

The next dish Dwight suggests for the holidays is Long Island Duck with a cranberry glaze, paired with a bottle Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni from the Tuscany region of Italy. This Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi ultra-premium wine is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Sangiovese. With notes of cherry, currant, strawberry, and blue California plum, this wine finishes with a pleasant quality of freshness and fruit. Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni is great with full-flavoured cheese and is ideal with game meats, roast of pork, and roasted or sautéed beef. Check Wine-Searcher to find where to buy a bottle of Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi wine in your state.

 

Bon Appétit and Happy Holidays to all!

Christmas Cocktails with Jacob's Creek Moscato

Looking for an easy holiday cocktail to make this Christmas? New York mixologist Andrew White has come up with two delicious drinks, perfect for entertaining friends and family. Featuring Jacob’s Creek Wine, the ingredients are easy to come by and will please all of your guests. Even better, you won’t be spending all day as bartender, and can concentrate on more important tasks at hand, like opening presents.

White Christmas Gin Fizz

2 oz Beefeater Gin

1 oz Simple Syrup

1 oz Lemon Juice

½ oz cream half and half

1 egg white

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker tin. Shake vigorously over ice. Strain into a Collins glass. Pour 2 oz Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Moscato to loosen form. Gently pour remaining liquid and ice into glass and garnish with a candy cane.

 

Gingerbread Martini

Fresh ginger

Ground cinnamon

Powdered sugar

Graham cracker crumbs

Gin

Jacob’s Creek Classic Moscato

2 cloves

In a shaker or mixing glass, muddle a couple slices of fresh ginger. Add a tablespoon of powdered sugar and a heavy pinch of cinnamon or dust the entire inside of the glass with cinnamon. Add ice to shaker. Add 2 cloves, 2 oz of gin and 2 oz of Moscato. Shake vigorously. Strain into a graham cracker crusted martini glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Tasting Table Announces The Best Cocktails of 2012

One of our go-to websites, Tasting Table, has announced their favorite cocktails of 2012 and where to get them. After much research and tasting, the team compiled a list of top bars and the best recipes on the list. We have had the opportunity to enjoy many of the cocktails throughout the country, and some of our favorites made Tasting Tables cut. Did yours?

Tasting Table's Best Cocktails of 2012 and Where to Drink Them

Get Toasty with a Broken Shed Negroski!

This holiday season, Broken Shed Vodka, a new spirit out of New Zealand, asks you to surprise friends and guests with a special treat - a twist on the iconic Negroni cocktail. Broken Shed, a premium vodka made out of whey, comes direct from the beautiful mountains of New Zealand, founded in a shed right on Lake Wanaka. Easy to create, the Negroski cocktail brings Broken Shed together with Campari, Ruby Port and citrus peel - highly reminiscent of the classic Italian cocktail we have all come to know and love.

Negroski

3.5 oz Broken Shed Vodka
1 oz Campari
1/3 oz sugar
2/3 oz Ruby Port or Spiced Otago Pinot
Stirred up 10 seconds (this will give best chill with least dilution)
Serve up in Martini or down on the rocks
Garnish with a lemon/orange/grapefruit peel. Flame if desired.

Stay Toasty With These Warm Tequila Cocktails

As the weather cools down, why not treat yourself to a spicier alternative to that pumpkin spice latte with a warm Tequila cocktail! The Heated Affair, Café Pacifico and Mexican Hot Chocolate cocktails are sure to heat those chilled bones on even the coldest of days. Check out the easy-to-make recipes below:

--

Heated Affair
2 oz Partida Añejo
6 oz Hot Spiced Apple Cider
Heavy Cream
Nutmeg

In a small warm wine glass add Tequila and Hot Apple Cider. Float Heavy Cream.
Garnish: Grate fresh Nutmeg over Heavy Cream.

Apple Cider Preparation:
In a pot add Organic Apple Juice. Add winter spices like Cloves, Cinnamon Stick, All Spice, and Orange Peel. Start off by adding a few cloves, one cinnamon stick, etc. to find your preferred spiced apple cider flavor. (You can always add more spice later!) Bring everything to a low heat for about 15 minutes. Taste for flavor. When the desired flavor is reached, take off stove. Strain out all the spices and orange peel. Serve warm and enjoy!

 

Café Pacifico
1.5 oz Partida Blanco
.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
4 oz Freshly Brewed Hot Coffee
3 Barspoons Cinnamon - Sugar Mix
Heavy Cream
Cinnamon Stick

Heat a small wine glass. Add Tequila and Hot Coffee and Coffee Liqueur. Mix in the Cinnamon – Sugar Mix. Float Heavy Cream on top of the liquid. Garnish with a sprinkle of Cinnamon- Sugar mix on top along with a Cinnamon stick.
Note: The Cinnamon - Sugar Mix is 4 parts granulated white sugar to 1 part ground cinnamon, mixed together in a bowl

Partida Mexican Hot Chocolate
2 oz Partida Añejo
Your favorite hot chocolate mix
Full Cream Milk
Grated Cinnamon
Cayenne Pepper
Grated Nutmeg

In a pot add chocolate powder mix and milk. Stir and bring to a hot simmer. Add small pinches of Cayenne Pepper and Grated Cinnamon to taste. Add hot chocolate to your favorite mug with the addition of 2 ounces of Partida Añejo and grate a little Nutmeg over the top. Enjoy.

--

Each of the above recipes were created by Tequila Partida's award-winning Brand Ambassador Jacques Bezuidenhout.

Mexican Independence Day

Sunday, September 16th is Mexican Independence Day! Each year on September 16, the joyous shouts of El Grito de Dolores - ““¡Viva Mexico!” and “¡Viva la independencia!” are heard all over Mexico, signaling the beginning of their National Day of Independence from the Spanish. For locals, the Mexican National Day of Independence is a truly patriotic holiday, or fiesta patria (literally, holiday of the Fatherland), when festive foods such as pozole (a soup made of hominy and pork) and celebratory drinks such as the darker Reposado or Añejo Tequila styles are shared amongst friends, family and fireworks.

In Mexico, the most popular type of Tequila consumed on national holidays is the more expensive and aged Reposado, not Blanco. By Mexican law, Reposado Tequila must be aged a minimum of 2 months, and Añejo Tequila must be aged a minimum of one year. Aged Tequila styles such as Reposado and Añejo were originally created when producers made use of leftover red wine, brandy and rum casks that were shipped over for consumption by the Spanish aristocracy in the 1900s. This incredible invention changed the overall quality and taste of basic Tequila production, which at the time, was raw and without complexity.

Reposado Tequila possesses a unique woodsy flavoring that works well with beef-based, poultry and pork-type main dishes in the kitchen. An easy pairing of complementary flavors includes orange, cinnamon and honey. Got a sweet tooth? Try finishing off your evening with an Añejo, which generally pairs well with desserts such as churros and dark chocolate. Salud!!!

The 36 Rules of Social Media (By Fast Company) … and how they apply to the Wine & Spirits Industry.

The September 2012 issue of Fast Company features a series of articles relating to Social Media. Also known as the “Social Media Roadmap” this series is a great resource for both content creators and content absorbers. One feature in particular, dubbed “The 36 Rules of Social Media” gives readers just that, 36 digital tips to live by, written by various Founders, Presidents, CMOs, Authors and Heads of Social Media (among others). The tips are listed below, along with my personal comments on the ones that particularly relate to Wine & Spirits Industry.

1. If all you do is respond to complaints, that's all people will send you. 
2. Stop & Ask; Would an actual person talk this way?
   • A key component to engaging content is the manner in which it is spoken. Posts by the Wine & Spirits crowd often target both consumers and industry professionals - it is important for both of these to feel like they are being spoken with (not to).
3. Everyone says they don't want to be marketed to. Really, they just don't want to be talked down to.
   • Exactly - as previously mentioned, speak WITH/ not TO  the audience in your posts.
4. The consumer is out for himself, not for you.
5. As monetization attempts go up, consumer experience goes down.
6. Don't try to be clever. Be clever.
7. Social is 24/7 not a one-time stunt.
   • As the old saying goes "If you can't do it well. Don't do it at all". Once you publicize your company's Facebook or Twitter account, users expect them to be active. If the account is collecting dust - shut it down. To avoid mishaps such as the potential frustration of a customer who posts about drinking your wine and never receives a response.
8. Always write back
   • Building on the previous tip - ALWAYS WRITE BACK. Social media is just that, SOCIAL - if a user is taking his/her time out to applaud or diss your product it is of utmost importance to publicly respond. Showing the social universe you are there,present and amongst them, eventually results with brand loyalty and down the road, $ spent.
9. Have an ROI. Have an ROI. Have an ROI.
10. People would rather talk to "Comcast Melissa" than "Comcast".
11. Solve problems for people who talk about you, even if they don't address you.
    • Especially vital for brands out there with limited distribution. It is a fact of social media life that many user posts express their negative thoughts and frustrations. Posts and tweets like "Can't figure out which wine to pair with my beef goulash" or "I would so love some XYZ tequila right now but have no idea where to find it" are your company's chance to shine. Be aware of on-line chatter beyond just that mentioning your brand. There are many social monitoring tools out there to assist in this.
12. Not everything will work, and that's fine.
13. Embrace negative content about your brand.
    • Sometimes the best comment is a negative one. It opens up the conversation to two things: 1- Your chance to directly address the concern of the commenter. 2- Your loyal fans to answer on your behalf.
14. Everyone's an influencer.
15. If fans distribute your content without permission, offer to help.
16. It's okay to drive people to your site instead of Facebook's.
17. Update your page - or delete it.
18. Don't make people do X,Y, then Z. Stick with X.
19. Last year: Pump out content. This year: Optimize content.
20. Become BFFs with your Facebook reps.
21. Social Media doesn't exist in a vacuum. Make traditional media and social media work together.
    • When developing your Social Media strategy it is important to, just like wine and food, pair it with the right traditional marketing mix. One is not better or a replacement of the other. The best campaigns work in sync - driving people offline to interact on-line and vice versa.
22. Desktop is conquered territory. Mobile is the battlefield.
23. If you don't see financial results, you wasted your money.
24. People fights for their privacy.
25. The only way to scale word of mouth: paid advertising.
26. Have a crisis plan.
27. Don't use ads to prop up boring content. Use ads to accelerate successful content.
28. Forget individuals. You're creating content that encourages groups to form.
29. People don't want to shop where they socialize.
30. Contests and sweepstakes are fine. If you want to encourage short relationships.
31. People care what you had for breakfast - if you're a food brand.
    • It may seem obvious, but this little gem is often overlooked. You are a vodka - do not post about your mother's favorite Elvis Presley song unless it relates. Your online fans are bombarded with literally 1,000s of pieces of information daily. Make sure ALL of your relates to your brand - do not waste your (or their) time.
32. Pinterest works.
33. Your fans own your brand.
34. If you're bored by Social Media, it's because you're trying to get more value then you create.
35. Think past vanity metrics like followers.
36. It's an organism, not a process.

The original article creative is posted below. Hope you enjoyed! (See full size image here).