VinePair Podcast - podcast cover

VinePair Podcast

VinePairvinepair.com
Join VinePair co-founder Adam Teeter, executive editor Joanna Sciarrino, and sommelier and wine educator Zach Geballe as they discuss the latest news, trends, and happenings in the world of wine, beer, and spirits each week. Now officially New York Times recommended!

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Episodes

The Martini Is Evolving Before Our Eyes

In anticipation of the second year of VinePair's Martini Madness , Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the hottest trends around the cocktail, including riffs that still attempt to be true to the classic stylings, innovative serves, and the rise of the covert 50/50. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be we...

Mar 20, 202527 minSeason 7Ep. 23

Cocktail Bars Are Becoming Restaurants, With Mixed Results

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss this rather curious question: while food programs at cocktail bars have gotten more and more elaborate and involved, do these bars actually want you to have a meal there? If so, why aren't more of them set up to facilitate a true dining experience? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for li...

Mar 17, 202523 minSeason 7Ep. 22

Is the Dining Public Over Tips?

With lots of public backlash building against tipping, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why "tip creep" is hurting folks who actually rely on tips for their wages, and why adding lots of different charges and service fees onto a restaurant or bar check is the wrong way to convey that employees are being taken care of. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions ...

Mar 13, 202541 minSeason 7Ep. 21

The Reasons Wine Service Sucks Right Now

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by Dave Foss to talk about some listener complaints surrounding wine service in restaurants: why staff training and education are critical, how cutting back on hours is counterproductive, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Adam is drinking: Colonel ...

Mar 10, 202546 minSeason 7Ep. 20

Does Constellation Want Out of the Wine Biz?

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to the widely-reported rumors that Constellation Brands is looking to sell off the entirety of its wine portfolio to focus on beer. They chat about how beer has become the centerpiece of Constellation's business, whether recently-implemented tariffs should be a cause for concern, and what this might mean for the few spirits brands in the portfolio. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episod...

Mar 06, 202532 minSeason 7Ep. 19

How the Old Fashioned Won Over Young Drinkers

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss some takeaways from the recent Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Competition , including the relative merits of cocktails made from vintage spirits, and the somewhat surprising fact that the Old Fashioned is the clear bourbon cocktail of choice for Millennials and Gen Z. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.co...

Mar 03, 202533 minSeason 7Ep. 18

Can the Metric System Revitalize Wine Service?

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about restaurants selling wine by the centimeter and other similar measures: does this make wine service and wine drinking more fun, or is it confusing to guests? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Joanna is reading: Has Tequila’s Statesid...

Feb 27, 202536 minSeason 7Ep. 17

Bourbon Isn't Taking Any Chances

With the news that Maker's Mark is unveiling a new ad campaign aimed squarely at young drinkers, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why the bourbon industry is being so proactive about courting the next generation of drinkers. Is it just canny business, or a reaction to some slippage in whiskey's popularity? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@v...

Feb 24, 202521 minSeason 7Ep. 16

Varietal Wine Still Reigns Supreme

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why Malbec remains an important variety for American drinkers, and more broadly how recognizable varieties are still supremely important in the conversation around wine in America. While there's room for and some interest in more obscure varieties, the power of the most well-known grapes and styles remains undiminished despite many years of longing and attempts at education from certain sectors of the wine industry and media. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, ...

Feb 20, 202534 minSeason 7Ep. 15

We Are Begging You, Just Serve Us Some Wine

Prompted by a recent experience, Adam, Joanna, and Zach bemoan the fact that too many restaurants channel all wine service through their sommeliers, even sometimes prohibiting servers from taking orders or even refilling glasses. Why are you keeping us from buying more wine?!? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for list...

Feb 17, 202531 minSeason 7Ep. 14

Vermouth's Great Vanishing Act

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss how the rise of the Martini hasn't necessarily buoyed vermouth's fortunes, with savory and freezer versions tending to either minimize the aromatized wine or cut it out altogether, while the more conventional preparations are leaning drier and drier. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for ...

Feb 13, 202530 minSeason 7Ep. 13

Wine Still Isn't Taking Women Seriously

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about why the wine industry as a whole still doesn't view women as serious wine drinkers, and dismiss many of the wines that women tend to gravitate to. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Zach is drinking: Alpine Run at Single Shot Joanna ...

Feb 10, 202534 minSeason 7Ep. 12

Is Legal Sports Betting a Boon for Bars?

With "The Big Game" just around the corner, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether the spread of legalized online sports betting is having a positive effect on the bar business, and if there are ways that savvy operators can draw in more of the sports betting crowd. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and ...

Feb 06, 202535 minSeason 7Ep. 11

Silver Linings in Wine's Gloomy Forecast

Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to the most recent Silicon Valley Bank report and Adam's recent presentation at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium , where they specifically look for the silver linings and potentially successful strategies that wineries and operators can embrace, if they just admit that wine has a problem. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or sug...

Feb 03, 202539 minSeason 7Ep. 10

Parsing the Puzzling Diageo Rumors

Adam, Joanna, and Zach delve into the rumor that Diageo might be looking to sell off Guinness , despite (or perhaps because) the beer's booming popularity. Could this be part of a move to take over ownership of Moët Hennessy? Who could possibly purchase the iconic beer? Would Ireland riot if it left British hands? Plus, a conversation with Friend of VinePair and Ten to One Rum founder Marc Farrell about the present and future of the spirit. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VineP...

Jan 30, 202552 minSeason 7Ep. 9

Why Can't Wine Service Ditch the Snobbery?

Adam, Joanna, and Zach riff a bit more on sommeliers and why wine service tends to err on the side of snobbery. From somms preemptively taking tastes of wines you ordered, to keeping bottles out of reach, and generally treating guests like a nuisance, wine service in a range of restaurants remains confrontational and condescending, much to their dismay. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions...

Jan 27, 202532 minSeason 7Ep. 8

Craft Beer Isn't Booming, but it Isn't Busting, Either

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair writer-at-large and Hop Take columnist Dave Infante to discuss his recent piece about the reality check that the craft beer industry got in 2024. With sales volumes flat or declining, and more closures than opening for the first time in decades, there's been some doom and gloom surrounding the category: is that deserved? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send ...

Jan 23, 202542 minSeason 7Ep. 7

The Constant Dynamism of Charleston Wine +Food

Adam is joined by Alyssa Smith, executive director of Charleston Wine + Food , to discuss the evolving nature of this signature festival, how it pays homage to Charleston's unique culinary history and influences, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrin...

Jan 21, 202521 min

Shorter Wine Lists Are Not a Panacea

With shorter wine lists becoming more commonplace at restaurants, some have suggested that this trend is good for the wine industry. Adam, Joanna, and Zach weigh in on why that might not be the case, as well as discuss what exactly the upper bound is for a "short" wine list. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listen...

Jan 20, 202530 minSeason 7Ep. 6

Dr. Emily Oster and the Truth Behind Alcohol Studies

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the second big alcohol report , this one from the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking, and how it seemed largely designed to pull in data that would support the desired conclusion, then are joined by best-selling author and economist Dr. Emily Oster to discuss the complexities and uncertainties that surround any attempt to study the impact that alcohol consumption has on health. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review...

Jan 16, 202545 minSeason 7Ep. 5

"Allocated" Wines and Alienating Guests

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether it works for bars, restaurants, and retailers to describe wines as "allocated." Does the average consumer know what that means? Do they care? Does it create excitement and prompt discussion, or does it come off as snobby and exclusionary? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for list...

Jan 13, 202518 minSeason 7Ep. 4

Unpacking the Recent Surgeon General Recommendation

In light of the recent recommendation from the U.S. Surgeon General that alcohol include a label warning about potential cancer risk, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss how the industry has and should respond to this proposal, and more generally how talking about the many social and even societal benefits of light to moderate consumption would be a beneficial tactic. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any...

Jan 09, 202541 minSeason 7Ep. 3

What Will 2025 Bring for the Drinks Industry?

To kick off 2025, Adam, Joanna, and Zach share some of their predictions for the year in the drinks industry, including a return to older models of targeted marketing, continued struggles for wine and craft beer, and the potential impact on the entire industry of the expanding use of GLP-1 medications. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vin...

Jan 06, 202538 minSeason 7Ep. 2

Our Favorite Drinks of 2024

As they do every year, Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by the rest of the VinePair team to look back at their best and most memorable drinks and drinking experiences of 2024. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See a...

Jan 02, 202527 minSeason 7Ep. 1

What Happened in the Drinks Biz in 2024

To wrap up 2024, Adam, Joanna, and Zach take a look back on the biggest stories, the most important trends, and the overall vibes of the year that was, including deserved concern about the wine industry, struggles for craft beer, and a looming hospitality crisis. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be ...

Dec 30, 202437 minSeason 6Ep. 108

Why Don't Americans Drink Hot Drinks?

With the holiday season in full swing, Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder why it is that Americans in general don't have much affinity for hot drinks, treating them as mostly a wintertime novelty or home cold remedy. It could be that hot drinks just aren't that good, or that they don't provide as much room for creativity and experimentation, but are there other reasons as well? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, an...

Dec 26, 202423 minSeason 6Ep. 107

How Guinness (Re)Conquered America

Guinness has been one of the unquestioned stars of the beer, and drinks, world this year, from viral fame to some hard-to-believe mixed drinks . Adam and Joanna speak with Laura Merritt, president of Diageo Beer Co., to discuss the ways in which the drinking public just keeps coming back to Guinness. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinep...

Dec 23, 202440 minSeason 6Ep. 106

Should Bourbon Cost More?

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the curious fact that despite the fact that many prized bourbons command staggering prices on the secondary market, for the most part the distilleries that produce those bourbons have generally not raised retail prices. What benefits do these brands derive from this practice? What would raising prices do? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiq...

Dec 19, 202428 minSeason 6Ep. 105

Matchmaking Spirits and Cocktails Is Hard

Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether spirits brands can try to attach their specific brand to a known cocktail, and if so, which ones are up for grabs or would make sense to highlight. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and be well. Joanna is drinking: Failla Pinot Noir Zach is drinking: Bella Union "La ...

Dec 16, 202431 minSeason 6Ep. 104

Napa Needs to Adapt, Again

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the current state of wine tourism in Napa Valley, after a year of declining visitations, and speculate that the region as a whole was too quick to assume that the post-pandemic landscape and model was going to be the new normal, instead of a weird outlier time. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. ...

Dec 12, 202436 minSeason 6Ep. 103
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