#WE FOUND JANCY. BUT AT WHAT COST.....

[lemondoddle]

JANCY???

[I.D. an image of two digital drawings of a little lumpy creature sitting up in bed and looking around confusedly with big teary eyes and question marks surrounding them. End I.D.]

#drawtectives spoilers #NOOOOO #WE FOUND JANCY. BUT AT WHAT COST..... #liveblog #drawtectives

[sebbyisland]

i'm gonna rant about Stranger Things under the cut lmao spoilers warning!

so uh ima be real i'm not too mad at this season. we all know the queer rep was wack so let me not touch on that. MY BOY LUCAS FINALLY HAD A WIN (????) kinda. but he had a heroic moment im happy for him. also i liked how his dynamic with his sister was expanded, that made me happy ngl. ofc im still mad this show doesn't know how to write blk folk for SHITTTTTTT but at least Lucas had ONE (1) o n e moment i am holding it in my hands like a baby.

im happy max learned to love her friends!! i'm really proud of her. it makes me so sad she had to suffer, and for what, really?

EL WAS EVERYTHINGGGG her arc with her "papa" was amazing!!! the one/vecna reveal was amazing!!! her relationship with mike is stupid tbh but i'm glad they didn't let that drag her down!! i'm so happy she found some closure with 'papa" as well. fuck that guy he died in a very satisfying way though so i'm glad that happened. please let mike and el breakup, their relationship is a DUMPSTER FIREEEE. i just want someone to slap mike, honestly!!! slap some sense into him!! maybe will?? mike is not much of a "heart" to me though, it felt very forced. if anyone is the heart this season it's my boy will, and lemme tell you that heart is BLEEDING OUT!!

I wanted things to work out with Jancy!! i feel like at this point the writers are ruining it on purpose.....i kinda proud of Jonathan this season after he had that talk with Will!! I really wanted that and i got it, so that's been nice.

i don't understand the stancy angle at all like idk the dynamic is cute but for what? how will this help either of their characters grow. if you needed something for steve to do, you could have given him a bond with eddie!! now we just have this stupid love triangle and a DEAD eddie instead??? just admit you don't know what to do with steve and go. nancy as well, like honestly who CARES about who she's dating?????? why do they even bother my god.

i love joyce period i love her everything. she didn't get to do too much this season but whatever, i love her so much i am. gay.

maybe i'm ok because i already knew eddie was gonna die. they always kill the new character my god it's a pattern, AND HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH DUSTIN AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

i thought they would at least TRY to move Will forward but no he's just in eternal gay agony??? i'm dead like why are they beating around the bush so damn much just let the poor boy speak. what did Will do besides be emotional support at the cost of his OWN emotions my god. what DOES HE EVEN SEE IN MIKE. MY GOD. WILL VILLAIN ARC MAYBE?? cause this shit wild. at least robin is happy lol

#seb out #stranger things

[jancisstuff]

The Re-Kindle: Trading

Taking both Denz and Hestia’s words in earnest, Jancis took great care in the travel to Mor Dhonna, which took nearly a sennight for all the care she took in each part of the path. She stopped at every town and rested, staying awhile to aid others, eat, and talk along with that.

There was always a need for a conjurer, on one way or another. Even to simply listen to woes and pains beyond offering an outright cure or mending.

The way continued until she reached her destination.  Saint Coinach's Find - the perfect place to find those that would unlock the secrets of Allagan workings.  Out here on the outreaches is hazy, a constant humming from the corrupted land and call outs as other brave workers on this recovering frontier check in on one another. All the buildings here are tents or carts, something that can be transported quickly, and it's clear none of them sit still for long. 

And in this frontier Jancis found her quarry.  A mid-sized hellsguard is sitting down, paying more attention to her work than the shop.Her headgear is pretty impressive, different magnifications and eye pieces fold in and out of view as needed. The rest of her gear has a lot of pockets as well and curious tools that do not look like the regular set of goldsmithing tools from either novice or expert eyes.

Customer courtesy out in the frontier didn’t overly exist. It was plain and bare for this case, the roegadyn looking up from her work with a basic greeting and continuing on with the project with great attention, inspecting some disk of green and gold coloring making extensive notes in one hand as the other worked the many magnifiers her headset had.

“I am looking for a board. One of working Allagan technology.” Jancis said, clearly curious about the pieces of relics that were on display on the cart, a simple blanket that cushioned the broken shards burnt and cleaned or simply tiny bits put into resin for magnification, without much understanding to what they were used for.

“Word’s spread of my handiwork, I take it. Hopefully you’ve also heard how much such work costs.” The conversation was enough to slow the roe’s work.

“I did hear it costs a great deal.”

“That’s putting it mildly. I’ve sold a few. Even as a replica, the parts are hard to create and it’s all from scratch. The wiring and goldsmith you’ll find in the Jewel will not suffice so don’t waste my time with trying to haggle or provide parts.” 

A note was written with an amount. Jancis had to count the zeroes.

“Forgive me, Lady. I do not have that much with me. I am looking for something to trade for Lady Constantine. We found a curious circle in our hopes to find what she wished for.” The hyur shared the whole story with the patient smith, which the story at the end at least paid off. The humming crystal, the deal they had made, the item they found.

“Let me see what you found.”

Jancis handed the roegadyn the lock they had found. A curious design where the locking bar was curved into a circle and without a hinge or pop. It was locked tight, a thin slot in the thicker side for a key.

“This is impressive. And you and your family went out and risked your necks to get this for someone else?” The woman smith was impressed as much as bewildered by what the company had done and their reasons. “I might be able to fashion a new key. If I can study this for awhile.” She offered.

“Thaliak and Byregot would want that.” Jancis mused, furrowing her brow in thought at the offer. “I do need it to trade. Would you send it to the Jewel? Ul’dah, that is.”

“That can be arranged.” Some time was taken to make promissory notes, one for Jancis and the other for Lady Constantine, for the item to be delivered once study and key manufacturing was completed.

As much as Jancis wished to stay, travel to Thaliak’s stone, she remembered her promises to be careful. Wistfully looking toward Rathefrost for the rest of the midday, she made her careful travel southward for Ul’dah and the estate of Lady Constantine.

The Ul'dah estate is fairly lavish. The outside has decoration and big windows noticeably without any bars or visible security measures. Within the ceiling rises far far up to the roof of the building, though the way feels narrow in the entryway, only a couple offshoots to welcome company. Jancis was expected.

A woman resplendent in yellow and blue nearly floats in, high heels making a clicking sound in tiny beats upon the marble floors for all the tiny steps she takes. This lalafell has her hair wrapped up in braids and a headwrap to match her dress, like some kind of miniature oasis in an otherwise unforgiving desert.

After listening to Jancis’ story, and looking over the note provided, Lady Constantine’s face grew a large smile. “A generous trade, indeed.”

With a few bell rings and retainers gained, Jancis was ushered off. There were contracts to sign and a book to be had. A copy of the special information had been made, but with a seal that only those that knew the password could open the book and read. Other paperwork was provided on the spot, giving her and her family access to special gem contracts.

For anyone that could make a good trade, would get good ones back in return.

#Jancis Milburga #The Re-Kindle

[wineanddinosaur]

7 Drinks Trends to Watch in 2020

As we enter the year 2020, it’s time to predict the drinks trends that will define the next 12 months. This is no easy feat — will hard seltzers continue their meteoric rise? Is this the year the term “natural” wine finally dies? And just how much will demand for no- and low-ABV drinks grow, considering a highly contentious presidential election on the horizon?

At the VinePair HQ, we’ve had lengthy discussions on these topics and others that we feel will shape the next year of drinking. Here are the seven trends that we predict will define 2020.

Tariffs will affect everything. Or not.

Though currently hypothetical, the proposed 100 percent tariffs that threaten the entire American wine industry could majorly define consumer purchasing decisions in 2020.

Those who enjoy rosé wines in the summer can expect to see huge price increases on bottles from Europe. There will also likely be a hugely diminished selection, if, as many in the industry predict, smaller importers and distributors struggle to survive with the added cost of doing business.

Other popular summer drinks will also be affected, including the Aperol spritz. (Both Aperol liqueur and Prosecco are also subject to the proposed tariff increases.) The same goes for the Negroni, with Campari also falling under the potential duties.

Moving into fall and winter, when colder months call for stronger pours, Irish whiskey and Scotch could double in price, making that coveted evening dram all the more precious. And when the time finally comes to toast the new year, drinkers had better ration the Champagne or look for non-European or domestic alternatives.

But this is the Trump administration, and those in the industry must consider the very real possibility that international policies can and do change — perhaps in the time it takes to fire off a 280-character tweet. The tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could define the way America drinks this year and for years to come. But then again, there’s always “covfefe.”

Hard seltzer isn’t going anywhere.

Not since love was invented in the 1960s has a singular phenomenon had such a profound impact on summer as White Claw did in 2019. And it wasn’t just a seasonal craze, nor was White Claw the only brand impacting the sector.

Without a doubt, the meteoric rise of the hard seltzer category was the biggest trend of 2019. But while similarly hyped fads often fail to stand the test of time, VinePair believes hard seltzers are here to stay in 2020 and beyond.

In October 2019, a beer report published by Nielsen revealed that five of the year’s top 10 growth brands by dollar sales were hard seltzers. In November, speaking at a panel discussion produced by CNN Business, White Claw’s senior vice president of marketing Sanjiv Gajiwala predicted the company would surpass $1.5 billion in sales by the end of the year. Gajiwala also predicted that the hard seltzer category would grow to between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in 2020.

When VinePair reached out to brewers for their predictions of the 2020 beer landscape, many also cited hard seltzer as the trend to watch. This year, those major brands that are yet to introduce their own lines will surely join the likes of AB InBev (Bud Light Seltzer), Boston Beer (Truly Hard Seltzer), and MillerCoors (Henry’s Hard Seltzer, and imminently launching Vizzy). Constellation Brands also plans to launch Corona Hard Seltzer this spring.

The term “natural wine” may disappear. But not without a fight.

“Natural” is easily the most controversial term in wine, largely because it holds no legal definition. Over the past year, however, the term has managed to enter the (relative) mainstream following multiple high-profile articles published in non-beverage publications. While shining a spotlight on the “style,” these pieces further blurred the lines defining what natural wine is and is not.

Among the confusion, many in the wine industry distanced themselves from using “natural” when describing wines made using the low-intervention techniques that spawned the term in the first place.

Instead, producers such as Nathan Kendall (Finger Lakes, N.Y.), Ridge Vineyards (Sonoma County, Calif.), and La Violetta (Great Southern, Western Australia) are increasingly using phrases like “minimal-intervention,” “non-invasive,” and “low-fi” winemaking as these terms offer slightly more specific descriptions of the process. Crucially, these terms also distance bottles from the funky, often technically flawed wines that have become associated with the “natural” category.

While funky and flawed wines will no doubt continue to prevail, we believe 2020 will be the year serious industry professionals turn their backs on the term “natural” for good. With Jancis Robinson also recently entering the fray and calling for the death of the term, it’s only a matter of time before nature takes its course and “natural” wine becomes extinct.

Craft brewery mergers and acquisitions will stay hot.

Last year was huge for brewery mergers and acquisitions (M&As). There were high profile mergers (Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head), instances of big beer brands acquiring iconic craft breweries (Kirin-owned Lion Little World Beverages/New Belgium), and the unusual case of a brewery that was previously valued at $1 billion snapped up by a relatively unknown entity (Ballast Point/Kings & Convicts).

While acquisitions are old news in craft beer, the deals witnessed in 2019 signaled an evolution from the period when corporate breweries swallowed up hip craft brands by the barrel load for street cred.

In particular, the Boston/Dogfish merger and the offloading of Ballast Point at a bargain-bin price point were symptomatic of the biggest threat to craft brewers heading into 2020: declining beer sales — partly because of the increasing popularity of hard seltzers — at a time when more craft breweries operate in America than ever before.

In this landscape, you don’t need a masters in economics to predict that only the strongest brands will survive. For many, M&As will provide that strength; for others, 2020 might, sadly, be the end of the road.

Spirits brands will ramp up direct-to-consumer sales.

In October 2019, Patrón announced its famous tequilas were available for purchase directly through Instagram, simply by “swiping up” on its Instagram Story ads. Speaking to Adweek, Adrian Parker, the brand’s global vice president of marketing, revealed it was part of Patrón’s ambitious new e-commerce goals to take 20 percent of its business online by 2030.

Though various platforms already offered liquor for purchase online, this was the first example of a spirits brand utilizing social media to sell its products directly to customers. In an age when future life partners can be and often are) found simply by swiping a smartphone screen, it’s impossible to think that other spirits brands won’t follow suit.

Meanwhile, in the wine sector, the dollar value of direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipments surpassed the $3 billion mark for the first time in 2018. While that represented just 10 percent of the market, DTC wine subscription services, including Winc, Vinebox, and Naked Wines, offer a familiar model for consumers to purchase wine, emulating the way we buy everything from toothbrushes to bed linen, mattresses, and suitcases.

Whether spirits, wines, or otherwise, DTC is fast becoming as easy as 123.

Low- and no-proof cocktails will appear on chain restaurant menus.

Last year, VinePair predicted low- and no-proof cocktail lists would go national. With declining alcohol consumption (particularly among millennials) and the growth of wellness culture, it seemed natural that bars around the country would follow the lead of high-profile, large-city establishments in offering a range of low- and no-ABV options.

Many bartenders around the country did, indeed, follow suit, and introduced complex spirit-free offerings to their cocktail programs. This year, we believe the movement will evolve further and enter the mainstream.

In recent years, chain restaurants such as Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings have placed increasing importance on their cocktail programs. The latter already lists the calorie values for drinks on its menus and offers non-alcoholic beer by the bottle.

“BDubz” even serves “Hand-Shaken” alcohol-free drinks like the “Passionfruit Nojito,” and we expect many others to follow their lead in 2020. Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, Chili’s — show us what you’ve got!

Election-induced stress will drive up drinks sales.

In many nations, drinking alcohol is banned on election day. But in America, there’s at least a strong precedent for increased consumption during such events.

In 2016, on the night of the U.S. presidential election, alcohol delivery service Drizly experienced an 86 percent increase in orders compared to a typical Tuesday. The hike wasn’t isolated to that particular night. In the lead-up to the election, the abundance of negative campaigning and stream of misleading advertising led psychologists to believe many of us may have suffered from “Election Stress Disorder.” For some, sadly, this stress and anxiety led to an increase in alcohol consumption.

With this year’s election set to be as contentious as 2016’s, and the (now declining) risk of a 2020 recession, all signs point to a repeat of four years ago. With this in mind, VinePair urges our readers to drink responsibly. Good luck out there!

The article 7 Drinks Trends to Watch in 2020 appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/top-drinks-trends-2020/

[johnboothus]

7 Drinks Trends to Watch in 2020

As we enter the year 2020, it’s time to predict the drinks trends that will define the next 12 months. This is no easy feat — will hard seltzers continue their meteoric rise? Is this the year the term “natural” wine finally dies? And just how much will demand for no- and low-ABV drinks grow, considering a highly contentious presidential election on the horizon?

At the VinePair HQ, we’ve had lengthy discussions on these topics and others that we feel will shape the next year of drinking. Here are the seven trends that we predict will define 2020.

Tariffs will affect everything. Or not.

Though currently hypothetical, the proposed 100 percent tariffs that threaten the entire American wine industry could majorly define consumer purchasing decisions in 2020.

Those who enjoy rosé wines in the summer can expect to see huge price increases on bottles from Europe. There will also likely be a hugely diminished selection, if, as many in the industry predict, smaller importers and distributors struggle to survive with the added cost of doing business.

Other popular summer drinks will also be affected, including the Aperol spritz. (Both Aperol liqueur and Prosecco are also subject to the proposed tariff increases.) The same goes for the Negroni, with Campari also falling under the potential duties.

Moving into fall and winter, when colder months call for stronger pours, Irish whiskey and Scotch could double in price, making that coveted evening dram all the more precious. And when the time finally comes to toast the new year, drinkers had better ration the Champagne or look for non-European or domestic alternatives.

But this is the Trump administration, and those in the industry must consider the very real possibility that international policies can and do change — perhaps in the time it takes to fire off a 280-character tweet. The tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could define the way America drinks this year and for years to come. But then again, there’s always “covfefe.”

Hard seltzer isn’t going anywhere.

Not since love was invented in the 1960s has a singular phenomenon had such a profound impact on summer as White Claw did in 2019. And it wasn’t just a seasonal craze, nor was White Claw the only brand impacting the sector.

Without a doubt, the meteoric rise of the hard seltzer category was the biggest trend of 2019. But while similarly hyped fads often fail to stand the test of time, VinePair believes hard seltzers are here to stay in 2020 and beyond.

In October 2019, a beer report published by Nielsen revealed that five of the year’s top 10 growth brands by dollar sales were hard seltzers. In November, speaking at a panel discussion produced by CNN Business, White Claw’s senior vice president of marketing Sanjiv Gajiwala predicted the company would surpass $1.5 billion in sales by the end of the year. Gajiwala also predicted that the hard seltzer category would grow to between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in 2020.

When VinePair reached out to brewers for their predictions of the 2020 beer landscape, many also cited hard seltzer as the trend to watch. This year, those major brands that are yet to introduce their own lines will surely join the likes of AB InBev (Bud Light Seltzer), Boston Beer (Truly Hard Seltzer), and MillerCoors (Henry’s Hard Seltzer, and imminently launching Vizzy). Constellation Brands also plans to launch Corona Hard Seltzer this spring.

The term “natural wine” may disappear. But not without a fight.

“Natural” is easily the most controversial term in wine, largely because it holds no legal definition. Over the past year, however, the term has managed to enter the (relative) mainstream following multiple high-profile articles published in non-beverage publications. While shining a spotlight on the “style,” these pieces further blurred the lines defining what natural wine is and is not.

Among the confusion, many in the wine industry distanced themselves from using “natural” when describing wines made using the low-intervention techniques that spawned the term in the first place.

Instead, producers such as Nathan Kendall (Finger Lakes, N.Y.), Ridge Vineyards (Sonoma County, Calif.), and La Violetta (Great Southern, Western Australia) are increasingly using phrases like “minimal-intervention,” “non-invasive,” and “low-fi” winemaking as these terms offer slightly more specific descriptions of the process. Crucially, these terms also distance bottles from the funky, often technically flawed wines that have become associated with the “natural” category.

While funky and flawed wines will no doubt continue to prevail, we believe 2020 will be the year serious industry professionals turn their backs on the term “natural” for good. With Jancis Robinson also recently entering the fray and calling for the death of the term, it’s only a matter of time before nature takes its course and “natural” wine becomes extinct.

Craft brewery mergers and acquisitions will stay hot.

Last year was huge for brewery mergers and acquisitions (M&As). There were high profile mergers (Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head), instances of big beer brands acquiring iconic craft breweries (Kirin-owned Lion Little World Beverages/New Belgium), and the unusual case of a brewery that was previously valued at $1 billion snapped up by a relatively unknown entity (Ballast Point/Kings & Convicts).

While acquisitions are old news in craft beer, the deals witnessed in 2019 signaled an evolution from the period when corporate breweries swallowed up hip craft brands by the barrel load for street cred.

In particular, the Boston/Dogfish merger and the offloading of Ballast Point at a bargain-bin price point were symptomatic of the biggest threat to craft brewers heading into 2020: declining beer sales — partly because of the increasing popularity of hard seltzers — at a time when more craft breweries operate in America than ever before.

In this landscape, you don’t need a masters in economics to predict that only the strongest brands will survive. For many, M&As will provide that strength; for others, 2020 might, sadly, be the end of the road.

Spirits brands will ramp up direct-to-consumer sales.

In October 2019, Patrón announced its famous tequilas were available for purchase directly through Instagram, simply by “swiping up” on its Instagram Story ads. Speaking to Adweek, Adrian Parker, the brand’s global vice president of marketing, revealed it was part of Patrón’s ambitious new e-commerce goals to take 20 percent of its business online by 2030.

Though various platforms already offered liquor for purchase online, this was the first example of a spirits brand utilizing social media to sell its products directly to customers. In an age when future life partners can be and often are) found simply by swiping a smartphone screen, it’s impossible to think that other spirits brands won’t follow suit.

Meanwhile, in the wine sector, the dollar value of direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipments surpassed the $3 billion mark for the first time in 2018. While that represented just 10 percent of the market, DTC wine subscription services, including Winc, Vinebox, and Naked Wines, offer a familiar model for consumers to purchase wine, emulating the way we buy everything from toothbrushes to bed linen, mattresses, and suitcases.

Whether spirits, wines, or otherwise, DTC is fast becoming as easy as 123.

Low- and no-proof cocktails will appear on chain restaurant menus.

Last year, VinePair predicted low- and no-proof cocktail lists would go national. With declining alcohol consumption (particularly among millennials) and the growth of wellness culture, it seemed natural that bars around the country would follow the lead of high-profile, large-city establishments in offering a range of low- and no-ABV options.

Many bartenders around the country did, indeed, follow suit, and introduced complex spirit-free offerings to their cocktail programs. This year, we believe the movement will evolve further and enter the mainstream.

In recent years, chain restaurants such as Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings have placed increasing importance on their cocktail programs. The latter already lists the calorie values for drinks on its menus and offers non-alcoholic beer by the bottle.

“BDubz” even serves “Hand-Shaken” alcohol-free drinks like the “Passionfruit Nojito,” and we expect many others to follow their lead in 2020. Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, Chili’s — show us what you’ve got!

Election-induced stress will drive up drinks sales.

In many nations, drinking alcohol is banned on election day. But in America, there’s at least a strong precedent for increased consumption during such events.

In 2016, on the night of the U.S. presidential election, alcohol delivery service Drizly experienced an 86 percent increase in orders compared to a typical Tuesday. The hike wasn’t isolated to that particular night. In the lead-up to the election, the abundance of negative campaigning and stream of misleading advertising led psychologists to believe many of us may have suffered from “Election Stress Disorder.” For some, sadly, this stress and anxiety led to an increase in alcohol consumption.

With this year’s election set to be as contentious as 2016’s, and the (now declining) risk of a 2020 recession, all signs point to a repeat of four years ago. With this in mind, VinePair urges our readers to drink responsibly. Good luck out there!

The article 7 Drinks Trends to Watch in 2020 appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/top-drinks-trends-2020/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/7-drinks-trends-to-watch-in-2020

[isaiahrippinus]

7 Drinks Trends to Watch in 2020

As we enter the year 2020, it’s time to predict the drinks trends that will define the next 12 months. This is no easy feat — will hard seltzers continue their meteoric rise? Is this the year the term “natural” wine finally dies? And just how much will demand for no- and low-ABV drinks grow, considering a highly contentious presidential election on the horizon?

At the VinePair HQ, we’ve had lengthy discussions on these topics and others that we feel will shape the next year of drinking. Here are the seven trends that we predict will define 2020.

Tariffs will affect everything. Or not.

Though currently hypothetical, the proposed 100 percent tariffs that threaten the entire American wine industry could majorly define consumer purchasing decisions in 2020.

Those who enjoy rosé wines in the summer can expect to see huge price increases on bottles from Europe. There will also likely be a hugely diminished selection, if, as many in the industry predict, smaller importers and distributors struggle to survive with the added cost of doing business.

Other popular summer drinks will also be affected, including the Aperol spritz. (Both Aperol liqueur and Prosecco are also subject to the proposed tariff increases.) The same goes for the Negroni, with Campari also falling under the potential duties.

Moving into fall and winter, when colder months call for stronger pours, Irish whiskey and Scotch could double in price, making that coveted evening dram all the more precious. And when the time finally comes to toast the new year, drinkers had better ration the Champagne or look for non-European or domestic alternatives.

But this is the Trump administration, and those in the industry must consider the very real possibility that international policies can and do change — perhaps in the time it takes to fire off a 280-character tweet. The tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could define the way America drinks this year and for years to come. But then again, there’s always “covfefe.”

Hard seltzer isn’t going anywhere.

Not since love was invented in the 1960s has a singular phenomenon had such a profound impact on summer as White Claw did in 2019. And it wasn’t just a seasonal craze, nor was White Claw the only brand impacting the sector.

Without a doubt, the meteoric rise of the hard seltzer category was the biggest trend of 2019. But while similarly hyped fads often fail to stand the test of time, VinePair believes hard seltzers are here to stay in 2020 and beyond.

In October 2019, a beer report published by Nielsen revealed that five of the year’s top 10 growth brands by dollar sales were hard seltzers. In November, speaking at a panel discussion produced by CNN Business, White Claw’s senior vice president of marketing Sanjiv Gajiwala predicted the company would surpass $1.5 billion in sales by the end of the year. Gajiwala also predicted that the hard seltzer category would grow to between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in 2020.

When VinePair reached out to brewers for their predictions of the 2020 beer landscape, many also cited hard seltzer as the trend to watch. This year, those major brands that are yet to introduce their own lines will surely join the likes of AB InBev (Bud Light Seltzer), Boston Beer (Truly Hard Seltzer), and MillerCoors (Henry’s Hard Seltzer, and imminently launching Vizzy). Constellation Brands also plans to launch Corona Hard Seltzer this spring.

The term “natural wine” may disappear. But not without a fight.

“Natural” is easily the most controversial term in wine, largely because it holds no legal definition. Over the past year, however, the term has managed to enter the (relative) mainstream following multiple high-profile articles published in non-beverage publications. While shining a spotlight on the “style,” these pieces further blurred the lines defining what natural wine is and is not.

Among the confusion, many in the wine industry distanced themselves from using “natural” when describing wines made using the low-intervention techniques that spawned the term in the first place.

Instead, producers such as Nathan Kendall (Finger Lakes, N.Y.), Ridge Vineyards (Sonoma County, Calif.), and La Violetta (Great Southern, Western Australia) are increasingly using phrases like “minimal-intervention,” “non-invasive,” and “low-fi” winemaking as these terms offer slightly more specific descriptions of the process. Crucially, these terms also distance bottles from the funky, often technically flawed wines that have become associated with the “natural” category.

While funky and flawed wines will no doubt continue to prevail, we believe 2020 will be the year serious industry professionals turn their backs on the term “natural” for good. With Jancis Robinson also recently entering the fray and calling for the death of the term, it’s only a matter of time before nature takes its course and “natural” wine becomes extinct.

Craft brewery mergers and acquisitions will stay hot.

Last year was huge for brewery mergers and acquisitions (M&As). There were high profile mergers (Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head), instances of big beer brands acquiring iconic craft breweries (Kirin-owned Lion Little World Beverages/New Belgium), and the unusual case of a brewery that was previously valued at $1 billion snapped up by a relatively unknown entity (Ballast Point/Kings & Convicts).

While acquisitions are old news in craft beer, the deals witnessed in 2019 signaled an evolution from the period when corporate breweries swallowed up hip craft brands by the barrel load for street cred.

In particular, the Boston/Dogfish merger and the offloading of Ballast Point at a bargain-bin price point were symptomatic of the biggest threat to craft brewers heading into 2020: declining beer sales — partly because of the increasing popularity of hard seltzers — at a time when more craft breweries operate in America than ever before.

In this landscape, you don’t need a masters in economics to predict that only the strongest brands will survive. For many, M&As will provide that strength; for others, 2020 might, sadly, be the end of the road.

Spirits brands will ramp up direct-to-consumer sales.

In October 2019, Patrón announced its famous tequilas were available for purchase directly through Instagram, simply by “swiping up” on its Instagram Story ads. Speaking to Adweek, Adrian Parker, the brand’s global vice president of marketing, revealed it was part of Patrón’s ambitious new e-commerce goals to take 20 percent of its business online by 2030.

Though various platforms already offered liquor for purchase online, this was the first example of a spirits brand utilizing social media to sell its products directly to customers. In an age when future life partners can be and often are) found simply by swiping a smartphone screen, it’s impossible to think that other spirits brands won’t follow suit.

Meanwhile, in the wine sector, the dollar value of direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipments surpassed the $3 billion mark for the first time in 2018. While that represented just 10 percent of the market, DTC wine subscription services, including Winc, Vinebox, and Naked Wines, offer a familiar model for consumers to purchase wine, emulating the way we buy everything from toothbrushes to bed linen, mattresses, and suitcases.

Whether spirits, wines, or otherwise, DTC is fast becoming as easy as 123.

Low- and no-proof cocktails will appear on chain restaurant menus.

Last year, VinePair predicted low- and no-proof cocktail lists would go national. With declining alcohol consumption (particularly among millennials) and the growth of wellness culture, it seemed natural that bars around the country would follow the lead of high-profile, large-city establishments in offering a range of low- and no-ABV options.

Many bartenders around the country did, indeed, follow suit, and introduced complex spirit-free offerings to their cocktail programs. This year, we believe the movement will evolve further and enter the mainstream.

In recent years, chain restaurants such as Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings have placed increasing importance on their cocktail programs. The latter already lists the calorie values for drinks on its menus and offers non-alcoholic beer by the bottle.

“BDubz” even serves “Hand-Shaken” alcohol-free drinks like the “Passionfruit Nojito,” and we expect many others to follow their lead in 2020. Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, Chili’s — show us what you’ve got!

Election-induced stress will drive up drinks sales.

In many nations, drinking alcohol is banned on election day. But in America, there’s at least a strong precedent for increased consumption during such events.

In 2016, on the night of the U.S. presidential election, alcohol delivery service Drizly experienced an 86 percent increase in orders compared to a typical Tuesday. The hike wasn’t isolated to that particular night. In the lead-up to the election, the abundance of negative campaigning and stream of misleading advertising led psychologists to believe many of us may have suffered from “Election Stress Disorder.” For some, sadly, this stress and anxiety led to an increase in alcohol consumption.

With this year’s election set to be as contentious as 2016’s, and the (now declining) risk of a 2020 recession, all signs point to a repeat of four years ago. With this in mind, VinePair urges our readers to drink responsibly. Good luck out there!

The article 7 Drinks Trends to Watch in 2020 appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/top-drinks-trends-2020/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/190179391119

[jackiedluke]

Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup)

This might be one of the earliest monthly wine product samples roundups here on 1WD, but I’m tending to a sick kiddo at the moment, and figured that I’d use the limited available writing window give you the lowdown on a couple of rather not-so-inexpensive wine products (no book reviews this month!) before I accidentally kill the brain cells housing my thoughts on them while they were still fresh in my memory.

Image: richardbrendon.com

First up is “The Wine Glass” ($112 for a set of 2), part of the 1 Collection, a collaboration between British Master of Wine (and friend of 1WD) Jancis Robinson and Notting Hill native designer Richard Brendon. The idea behind the glass, as per its creators, was to create a drinking vessel that can be used “for every wine, whatever its colour, including sparkling wine, port, sherry, sweet wines and anything else you want to savour and enjoy to the fullest… specially designed to maximise your enjoyment of all wines’ aromas, flavours and textures in the most practical way possible.”

That’s a lofty goal, and one that, in my testing experience, the glass mostly achieves. While I found it a bit large for dessert and fortified wines, it does a fair job on those, and an exceptional job on anything bubbly or still. Robinson describes the style as “gossamer-thin” and she’s right – The Wine Glass is so light that you might forget that you’re holding anything at all when it’s in your hand. This comes with the anxiety that it might break easily, but for its lack of thickness it is surprisingly durable, and handles stints in the dishwasher with ease.

It’s also a stylish item, and for that you are paying a dear farthing, my friends, at about $56 per stem. Is it worth it? I have serious reservations about answering that question in the affirmative; while The Wine Glass is superior in almost any measurable way to most of the stemware available designed for everyday use, it’s simply too luxurious an item to fit into such a category. This is especially pertinent considering that you can get nearly the same durability, style, and all-in-one applicability from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson‘s The One stemware line, which currently goes for under $30 a pair. And lest you think $15/stem suggests an experience fit for inferior sipping, when I sat for the 2010 Romanée-Conti vintage tasting in NYC, they used Andrea’s glasses…

Next, we have an even more expensive item, the NewAir AWR-290DB Compact Wine Cooler (about $750). Here’s roughly how this product sample exchange went down over the past couple of weeks:

NewAir: “We want to send you a product for possible review.”

Me: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”

NewAir: “The AWR-290DB model.”

Me, looking at the price tag: “That’s f*cking crazy, you’re taking a big gamble on sending a sample that expensive.”

NewAir: “It’s on its way.”

Image: Amazon.com

Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn ya, PR folks!

Here are the basics on the AWR-290DB: it’s sized for 29 standard 750 ml bottles, with super-cool-looking blue LED internal lighting; an upper area that can be adjusted between 40- & 50-degrees Fahrenheit (for reds), and a lower area between 50F & 66F (for whites, rose, sparkling, etc.); while it can be used as a free-standing unit, the dimensions are targeted at fitting into a standard trash-compactor spot under your kitchen counter; the combination of a stainless metal front and wooden shelving makes for a pretty stylish presentation indeed; it’s estimated to cost about $25-$30 a year to operate.

The pros: the dual temperature areas work exceedingly well, and cool down to their target ranges nice and quickly; overall, the unit looks great, particularly if you can get it under a counter and if the door front matches your other kitchen appliances; there’s a key lock to keep your teenage kids out of your stash; vibration (which wines do not like), while present, is minimal; the LED lighting is way cool; and this thing is quiet… I mean, really, really quiet… like, mouse-sneaking-around-when-it-knows-you-have-a-pet-cat quiet. Setup, by the way, was minimal – attach the door handle, and you’re pretty much done.

The cons: my sample cooler arrived with some exterior cosmetic shipping damage (bent metal in the back, and a small ding on one side); while the vibration is minimal, it’s still there, which could impact (very) long-term aging of some fine wines; I found the instructions a bit lacking (some parts have no explanation of their purpose, for example); while it’s not too heavy, it’s still a fairly major appliance and therefore isn’t exactly light, either; the door on my sample was a bit noisy when opening, and the door seal of all such units just smells odd, and even at this price tag the AWR-290DB is no exception (you can try using baking soda to mitigate this, YMMV).

The final verdict is that the AWR-290DB is a great wine storage solution, but given the lofty price tag (competing units can be found for 25% to 50% of the price of this particular NewAir model), I have some reservations about the shipping quality and the comprehensiveness of the included instructions.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup) from 1WineDude.com – for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/

source https://meself84.wordpress.com/2018/07/12/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/ from Sommelier Courses https://sommeliercourses.blogspot.com/2018/07/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine.html

[sommeliercourses]

Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup)

This might be one of the earliest monthly wine product samples roundups here on 1WD, but I’m tending to a sick kiddo at the moment, and figured that I’d use the limited available writing window give you the lowdown on a couple of rather not-so-inexpensive wine products (no book reviews this month!) before I accidentally kill the brain cells housing my thoughts on them while they were still fresh in my memory.

Image: richardbrendon.com

First up is “The Wine Glass” ($112 for a set of 2), part of the 1 Collection, a collaboration between British Master of Wine (and friend of 1WD) Jancis Robinson and Notting Hill native designer Richard Brendon. The idea behind the glass, as per its creators, was to create a drinking vessel that can be used “for every wine, whatever its colour, including sparkling wine, port, sherry, sweet wines and anything else you want to savour and enjoy to the fullest… specially designed to maximise your enjoyment of all wines’ aromas, flavours and textures in the most practical way possible.”

That’s a lofty goal, and one that, in my testing experience, the glass mostly achieves. While I found it a bit large for dessert and fortified wines, it does a fair job on those, and an exceptional job on anything bubbly or still. Robinson describes the style as “gossamer-thin” and she’s right – The Wine Glass is so light that you might forget that you’re holding anything at all when it’s in your hand. This comes with the anxiety that it might break easily, but for its lack of thickness it is surprisingly durable, and handles stints in the dishwasher with ease.

It’s also a stylish item, and for that you are paying a dear farthing, my friends, at about $56 per stem. Is it worth it? I have serious reservations about answering that question in the affirmative; while The Wine Glass is superior in almost any measurable way to most of the stemware available designed for everyday use, it’s simply too luxurious an item to fit into such a category. This is especially pertinent considering that you can get nearly the same durability, style, and all-in-one applicability from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson‘s The One stemware line, which currently goes for under $30 a pair. And lest you think $15/stem suggests an experience fit for inferior sipping, when I sat for the 2010 Romanée-Conti vintage tasting in NYC, they used Andrea’s glasses…

Next, we have an even more expensive item, the NewAir AWR-290DB Compact Wine Cooler (about $750). Here’s roughly how this product sample exchange went down over the past couple of weeks:

NewAir: “We want to send you a product for possible review.”

Me: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”

NewAir: “The AWR-290DB model.”

Me, looking at the price tag: “That’s f*cking crazy, you’re taking a big gamble on sending a sample that expensive.”

NewAir: “It’s on its way.”

Image: Amazon.com

Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn ya, PR folks!

Here are the basics on the AWR-290DB: it’s sized for 29 standard 750 ml bottles, with super-cool-looking blue LED internal lighting; an upper area that can be adjusted between 40- & 50-degrees Fahrenheit (for reds), and a lower area between 50F & 66F (for whites, rose, sparkling, etc.); while it can be used as a free-standing unit, the dimensions are targeted at fitting into a standard trash-compactor spot under your kitchen counter; the combination of a stainless metal front and wooden shelving makes for a pretty stylish presentation indeed; it’s estimated to cost about $25-$30 a year to operate.

The pros: the dual temperature areas work exceedingly well, and cool down to their target ranges nice and quickly; overall, the unit looks great, particularly if you can get it under a counter and if the door front matches your other kitchen appliances; there’s a key lock to keep your teenage kids out of your stash; vibration (which wines do not like), while present, is minimal; the LED lighting is way cool; and this thing is quiet… I mean, really, really quiet… like, mouse-sneaking-around-when-it-knows-you-have-a-pet-cat quiet. Setup, by the way, was minimal – attach the door handle, and you’re pretty much done.

The cons: my sample cooler arrived with some exterior cosmetic shipping damage (bent metal in the back, and a small ding on one side); while the vibration is minimal, it’s still there, which could impact (very) long-term aging of some fine wines; I found the instructions a bit lacking (some parts have no explanation of their purpose, for example); while it’s not too heavy, it’s still a fairly major appliance and therefore isn’t exactly light, either; the door on my sample was a bit noisy when opening, and the door seal of all such units just smells odd, and even at this price tag the AWR-290DB is no exception (you can try using baking soda to mitigate this, YMMV).

The final verdict is that the AWR-290DB is a great wine storage solution, but given the lofty price tag (competing units can be found for 25% to 50% of the price of this particular NewAir model), I have some reservations about the shipping quality and the comprehensiveness of the included instructions.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup) from 1WineDude.com – for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/

from Linda Johnson https://meself84.wordpress.com/2018/07/12/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/

[cacophonyofolives]

Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup)

This might be one of the earliest monthly wine product samples roundups here on 1WD, but I’m tending to a sick kiddo at the moment, and figured that I’d use the limited available writing window give you the lowdown on a couple of rather not-so-inexpensive wine products (no book reviews this month!) before I accidentally kill the brain cells housing my thoughts on them while they were still fresh in my memory.

Image: richardbrendon.com

First up is “The Wine Glass” ($112 for a set of 2), part of the 1 Collection, a collaboration between British Master of Wine (and friend of 1WD) Jancis Robinson and Notting Hill native designer Richard Brendon. The idea behind the glass, as per its creators, was to create a drinking vessel that can be used “for every wine, whatever its colour, including sparkling wine, port, sherry, sweet wines and anything else you want to savour and enjoy to the fullest… specially designed to maximise your enjoyment of all wines’ aromas, flavours and textures in the most practical way possible.”

That’s a lofty goal, and one that, in my testing experience, the glass mostly achieves. While I found it a bit large for dessert and fortified wines, it does a fair job on those, and an exceptional job on anything bubbly or still. Robinson describes the style as “gossamer-thin” and she’s right – The Wine Glass is so light that you might forget that you’re holding anything at all when it’s in your hand. This comes with the anxiety that it might break easily, but for its lack of thickness it is surprisingly durable, and handles stints in the dishwasher with ease.

It’s also a stylish item, and for that you are paying a dear farthing, my friends, at about $56 per stem. Is it worth it? I have serious reservations about answering that question in the affirmative; while The Wine Glass is superior in almost any measurable way to most of the stemware available designed for everyday use, it’s simply too luxurious an item to fit into such a category. This is especially pertinent considering that you can get nearly the same durability, style, and all-in-one applicability from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson‘s The One stemware line, which currently goes for under $30 a pair. And lest you think $15/stem suggests an experience fit for inferior sipping, when I sat for the 2010 Romanée-Conti vintage tasting in NYC, they used Andrea’s glasses…

Next, we have an even more expensive item, the NewAir AWR-290DB Compact Wine Cooler (about $750). Here’s roughly how this product sample exchange went down over the past couple of weeks:

NewAir: “We want to send you a product for possible review.”

Me: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”

NewAir: “The AWR-290DB model.”

Me, looking at the price tag: “That’s f*cking crazy, you’re taking a big gamble on sending a sample that expensive.”

NewAir: “It’s on its way.”

Image: Amazon.com

Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn ya, PR folks!

Here are the basics on the AWR-290DB: it’s sized for 29 standard 750 ml bottles, with super-cool-looking blue LED internal lighting; an upper area that can be adjusted between 40- & 50-degrees Fahrenheit (for reds), and a lower area between 50F & 66F (for whites, rose, sparkling, etc.); while it can be used as a free-standing unit, the dimensions are targeted at fitting into a standard trash-compactor spot under your kitchen counter; the combination of a stainless metal front and wooden shelving makes for a pretty stylish presentation indeed; it’s estimated to cost about $25-$30 a year to operate.

The pros: the dual temperature areas work exceedingly well, and cool down to their target ranges nice and quickly; overall, the unit looks great, particularly if you can get it under a counter and if the door front matches your other kitchen appliances; there’s a key lock to keep your teenage kids out of your stash; vibration (which wines do not like), while present, is minimal; the LED lighting is way cool; and this thing is quiet… I mean, really, really quiet… like, mouse-sneaking-around-when-it-knows-you-have-a-pet-cat quiet. Setup, by the way, was minimal – attach the door handle, and you’re pretty much done.

The cons: my sample cooler arrived with some exterior cosmetic shipping damage (bent metal in the back, and a small ding on one side); while the vibration is minimal, it’s still there, which could impact (very) long-term aging of some fine wines; I found the instructions a bit lacking (some parts have no explanation of their purpose, for example); while it’s not too heavy, it’s still a fairly major appliance and therefore isn’t exactly light, either; the door on my sample was a bit noisy when opening, and the door seal of all such units just smells odd, and even at this price tag the AWR-290DB is no exception (you can try using baking soda to mitigate this, YMMV).

The final verdict is that the AWR-290DB is a great wine storage solution, but given the lofty price tag (competing units can be found for 25% to 50% of the price of this particular NewAir model), I have some reservations about the shipping quality and the comprehensiveness of the included instructions.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! source http://www.1winedude.com/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/

[static-pouring]

Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup)

This might be one of the earliest monthly wine product samples roundups here on 1WD, but I’m tending to a sick kiddo at the moment, and figured that I’d use the limited available writing window give you the lowdown on a couple of rather not-so-inexpensive wine products (no book reviews this month!) before I accidentally kill the brain cells housing my thoughts on them while they were still fresh in my memory.

Image: richardbrendon.com

First up is “The Wine Glass” ($112 for a set of 2), part of the 1 Collection, a collaboration between British Master of Wine (and friend of 1WD) Jancis Robinson and Notting Hill native designer Richard Brendon. The idea behind the glass, as per its creators, was to create a drinking vessel that can be used “for every wine, whatever its colour, including sparkling wine, port, sherry, sweet wines and anything else you want to savour and enjoy to the fullest… specially designed to maximise your enjoyment of all wines’ aromas, flavours and textures in the most practical way possible.”

That’s a lofty goal, and one that, in my testing experience, the glass mostly achieves. While I found it a bit large for dessert and fortified wines, it does a fair job on those, and an exceptional job on anything bubbly or still. Robinson describes the style as “gossamer-thin” and she’s right – The Wine Glass is so light that you might forget that you’re holding anything at all when it’s in your hand. This comes with the anxiety that it might break easily, but for its lack of thickness it is surprisingly durable, and handles stints in the dishwasher with ease.

It’s also a stylish item, and for that you are paying a dear farthing, my friends, at about $56 per stem. Is it worth it? I have serious reservations about answering that question in the affirmative; while The Wine Glass is superior in almost any measurable way to most of the stemware available designed for everyday use, it’s simply too luxurious an item to fit into such a category. This is especially pertinent considering that you can get nearly the same durability, style, and all-in-one applicability from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson‘s The One stemware line, which currently goes for under $30 a pair. And lest you think $15/stem suggests an experience fit for inferior sipping, when I sat for the 2010 Romanée-Conti vintage tasting in NYC, they used Andrea’s glasses…

Next, we have an even more expensive item, the NewAir AWR-290DB Compact Wine Cooler (about $750). Here’s roughly how this product sample exchange went down over the past couple of weeks:

NewAir: “We want to send you a product for possible review.”

Me: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”

NewAir: “The AWR-290DB model.”

Me, looking at the price tag: “That’s f*cking crazy, you’re taking a big gamble on sending a sample that expensive.”

NewAir: “It’s on its way.”

Image: Amazon.com

Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn ya, PR folks!

Here are the basics on the AWR-290DB: it’s sized for 29 standard 750 ml bottles, with super-cool-looking blue LED internal lighting; an upper area that can be adjusted between 40- & 50-degrees Fahrenheit (for reds), and a lower area between 50F & 66F (for whites, rose, sparkling, etc.); while it can be used as a free-standing unit, the dimensions are targeted at fitting into a standard trash-compactor spot under your kitchen counter; the combination of a stainless metal front and wooden shelving makes for a pretty stylish presentation indeed; it’s estimated to cost about $25-$30 a year to operate.

The pros: the dual temperature areas work exceedingly well, and cool down to their target ranges nice and quickly; overall, the unit looks great, particularly if you can get it under a counter and if the door front matches your other kitchen appliances; there’s a key lock to keep your teenage kids out of your stash; vibration (which wines do not like), while present, is minimal; the LED lighting is way cool; and this thing is quiet… I mean, really, really quiet… like, mouse-sneaking-around-when-it-knows-you-have-a-pet-cat quiet. Setup, by the way, was minimal – attach the door handle, and you’re pretty much done.

The cons: my sample cooler arrived with some exterior cosmetic shipping damage (bent metal in the back, and a small ding on one side); while the vibration is minimal, it’s still there, which could impact (very) long-term aging of some fine wines; I found the instructions a bit lacking (some parts have no explanation of their purpose, for example); while it’s not too heavy, it’s still a fairly major appliance and therefore isn’t exactly light, either; the door on my sample was a bit noisy when opening, and the door seal of all such units just smells odd, and even at this price tag the AWR-290DB is no exception (you can try using baking soda to mitigate this, YMMV).

The final verdict is that the AWR-290DB is a great wine storage solution, but given the lofty price tag (competing units can be found for 25% to 50% of the price of this particular NewAir model), I have some reservations about the shipping quality and the comprehensiveness of the included instructions.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/

[canvasclothiers]

Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup)

This might be one of the earliest monthly wine product samples roundups here on 1WD, but I’m tending to a sick kiddo at the moment, and figured that I’d use the limited available writing window give you the lowdown on a couple of rather not-so-inexpensive wine products (no book reviews this month!) before I accidentally kill the brain cells housing my thoughts on them while they were still fresh in my memory.

Image: richardbrendon.com

First up is “The Wine Glass” ($112 for a set of 2), part of the 1 Collection, a collaboration between British Master of Wine (and friend of 1WD) Jancis Robinson and Notting Hill native designer Richard Brendon. The idea behind the glass, as per its creators, was to create a drinking vessel that can be used “for every wine, whatever its colour, including sparkling wine, port, sherry, sweet wines and anything else you want to savour and enjoy to the fullest… specially designed to maximise your enjoyment of all wines’ aromas, flavours and textures in the most practical way possible.”

That’s a lofty goal, and one that, in my testing experience, the glass mostly achieves. While I found it a bit large for dessert and fortified wines, it does a fair job on those, and an exceptional job on anything bubbly or still. Robinson describes the style as “gossamer-thin” and she’s right – The Wine Glass is so light that you might forget that you’re holding anything at all when it’s in your hand. This comes with the anxiety that it might break easily, but for its lack of thickness it is surprisingly durable, and handles stints in the dishwasher with ease.

It’s also a stylish item, and for that you are paying a dear farthing, my friends, at about $56 per stem. Is it worth it? I have serious reservations about answering that question in the affirmative; while The Wine Glass is superior in almost any measurable way to most of the stemware available designed for everyday use, it’s simply too luxurious an item to fit into such a category. This is especially pertinent considering that you can get nearly the same durability, style, and all-in-one applicability from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson‘s The One stemware line, which currently goes for under $30 a pair. And lest you think $15/stem suggests an experience fit for inferior sipping, when I sat for the 2010 Romanée-Conti vintage tasting in NYC, they used Andrea’s glasses…

Next, we have an even more expensive item, the NewAir AWR-290DB Compact Wine Cooler (about $750). Here’s roughly how this product sample exchange went down over the past couple of weeks:

NewAir: “We want to send you a product for possible review.”

Me: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”

NewAir: “The AWR-290DB model.”

Me, looking at the price tag: “That’s f*cking crazy, you’re taking a big gamble on sending a sample that expensive.”

NewAir: “It’s on its way.”

Image: Amazon.com

Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn ya, PR folks!

Here are the basics on the AWR-290DB: it’s sized for 29 standard 750 ml bottles, with super-cool-looking blue LED internal lighting; an upper area that can be adjusted between 40- & 50-degrees Fahrenheit (for reds), and a lower area between 50F & 66F (for whites, rose, sparkling, etc.); while it can be used as a free-standing unit, the dimensions are targeted at fitting into a standard trash-compactor spot under your kitchen counter; the combination of a stainless metal front and wooden shelving makes for a pretty stylish presentation indeed; it’s estimated to cost about $25-$30 a year to operate.

The pros: the dual temperature areas work exceedingly well, and cool down to their target ranges nice and quickly; overall, the unit looks great, particularly if you can get it under a counter and if the door front matches your other kitchen appliances; there’s a key lock to keep your teenage kids out of your stash; vibration (which wines do not like), while present, is minimal; the LED lighting is way cool; and this thing is quiet… I mean, really, really quiet… like, mouse-sneaking-around-when-it-knows-you-have-a-pet-cat quiet. Setup, by the way, was minimal – attach the door handle, and you’re pretty much done.

The cons: my sample cooler arrived with some exterior cosmetic shipping damage (bent metal in the back, and a small ding on one side); while the vibration is minimal, it’s still there, which could impact (very) long-term aging of some fine wines; I found the instructions a bit lacking (some parts have no explanation of their purpose, for example); while it’s not too heavy, it’s still a fairly major appliance and therefore isn’t exactly light, either; the door on my sample was a bit noisy when opening, and the door seal of all such units just smells odd, and even at this price tag the AWR-290DB is no exception (you can try using baking soda to mitigate this, YMMV).

The final verdict is that the AWR-290DB is a great wine storage solution, but given the lofty price tag (competing units can be found for 25% to 50% of the price of this particular NewAir model), I have some reservations about the shipping quality and the comprehensiveness of the included instructions.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup) from 1WineDude.com – for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

Source: http://www.1winedude.com/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/

[neurotic-nimrod]

Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup)

This might be one of the earliest monthly wine product samples roundups here on 1WD, but I’m tending to a sick kiddo at the moment, and figured that I’d use the limited available writing window give you the lowdown on a couple of rather not-so-inexpensive wine products (no book reviews this month!) before I accidentally kill the brain cells housing my thoughts on them while they were still fresh in my memory.

Image: richardbrendon.com

First up is “The Wine Glass” ($112 for a set of 2), part of the 1 Collection, a collaboration between British Master of Wine (and friend of 1WD) Jancis Robinson and Notting Hill native designer Richard Brendon. The idea behind the glass, as per its creators, was to create a drinking vessel that can be used “for every wine, whatever its colour, including sparkling wine, port, sherry, sweet wines and anything else you want to savour and enjoy to the fullest… specially designed to maximise your enjoyment of all wines’ aromas, flavours and textures in the most practical way possible.”

That’s a lofty goal, and one that, in my testing experience, the glass mostly achieves. While I found it a bit large for dessert and fortified wines, it does a fair job on those, and an exceptional job on anything bubbly or still. Robinson describes the style as “gossamer-thin” and she’s right – The Wine Glass is so light that you might forget that you’re holding anything at all when it’s in your hand. This comes with the anxiety that it might break easily, but for its lack of thickness it is surprisingly durable, and handles stints in the dishwasher with ease.

It’s also a stylish item, and for that you are paying a dear farthing, my friends, at about $56 per stem. Is it worth it? I have serious reservations about answering that question in the affirmative; while The Wine Glass is superior in almost any measurable way to most of the stemware available designed for everyday use, it’s simply too luxurious an item to fit into such a category. This is especially pertinent considering that you can get nearly the same durability, style, and all-in-one applicability from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson‘s The One stemware line, which currently goes for under $30 a pair. And lest you think $15/stem suggests an experience fit for inferior sipping, when I sat for the 2010 Romanée-Conti vintage tasting in NYC, they used Andrea’s glasses…

Next, we have an even more expensive item, the NewAir AWR-290DB Compact Wine Cooler (about $750). Here’s roughly how this product sample exchange went down over the past couple of weeks:

NewAir: “We want to send you a product for possible review.”

Me: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”

NewAir: “The AWR-290DB model.”

Me, looking at the price tag: “That’s f*cking crazy, you’re taking a big gamble on sending a sample that expensive.”

NewAir: “It’s on its way.”

Image: Amazon.com

Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn ya, PR folks!

Here are the basics on the AWR-290DB: it’s sized for 29 standard 750 ml bottles, with super-cool-looking blue LED internal lighting; an upper area that can be adjusted between 40- & 50-degrees Fahrenheit (for reds), and a lower area between 50F & 66F (for whites, rose, sparkling, etc.); while it can be used as a free-standing unit, the dimensions are targeted at fitting into a standard trash-compactor spot under your kitchen counter; the combination of a stainless metal front and wooden shelving makes for a pretty stylish presentation indeed; it’s estimated to cost about $25-$30 a year to operate.

The pros: the dual temperature areas work exceedingly well, and cool down to their target ranges nice and quickly; overall, the unit looks great, particularly if you can get it under a counter and if the door front matches your other kitchen appliances; there’s a key lock to keep your teenage kids out of your stash; vibration (which wines do not like), while present, is minimal; the LED lighting is way cool; and this thing is quiet… I mean, really, really quiet… like, mouse-sneaking-around-when-it-knows-you-have-a-pet-cat quiet. Setup, by the way, was minimal – attach the door handle, and you’re pretty much done.

The cons: my sample cooler arrived with some exterior cosmetic shipping damage (bent metal in the back, and a small ding on one side); while the vibration is minimal, it’s still there, which could impact (very) long-term aging of some fine wines; I found the instructions a bit lacking (some parts have no explanation of their purpose, for example); while it’s not too heavy, it’s still a fairly major appliance and therefore isn’t exactly light, either; the door on my sample was a bit noisy when opening, and the door seal of all such units just smells odd, and even at this price tag the AWR-290DB is no exception (you can try using baking soda to mitigate this, YMMV).

The final verdict is that the AWR-290DB is a great wine storage solution, but given the lofty price tag (competing units can be found for 25% to 50% of the price of this particular NewAir model), I have some reservations about the shipping quality and the comprehensiveness of the included instructions.

Cheers!

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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Pricey Reservations (July 2018 Wine Product Roundup) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers! Source: http://www.1winedude.com/pricey-reservations-july-2018-wine-product-roundup/