Quench! Archives - WebTalkRadio.net: Recent Episodes
Quench! Archives - WebTalkRadio.net
Mark Spivak’s second book, Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle, was released by Lyons Press on July 15. Moonshine is corn whiskey, traditionally made in improvised stills throughout the Appalachian South. While quality varied from one producer to another, the whiskey had one thing in common: It was illegal because the […]
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Throughout the centuries, the role of women in the whiskey business has been schizophrenic. Women have primarily taken over distilleries during emergencies, when men in their families died or went off to war. Despite the fact that women in positions of leadership performed as well or better than men, their accomplishments didn’t lead to a […]
The post Quench! – Encore Presentation: Women and Whiskey appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Canadian whisky has had a rough time in the U.S. over the past three or four decades: derided by many as “brown vodka,” it was shunned by mixologists in favor of spirits that had more dramatic flavors, such as bourbon and Scotch. The trend is now reversing, although progress is slow. Mark speaks with Davin […]
The post Quench! – Encore Presentation: The Rodney Dangerfield of Whisky appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
The role of sulfur in winemaking—and its effects on consumers—is one of the most misunderstood topics in the world of wine. Many wine drinkers believe that they are allergic to sulfites, that red wines contain more sulfites than whites, that European wines have lower sulfite levels than American ones: the misconceptions go on and on. […]
The post Quench! – The Myth of Sulfites appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of Italy’s great wines, and the Tuscan winery Avignonesi is perhaps its greatest estate. Americans tend to confuse it with Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, but anyone drinking it for the first time will be charmed by its balance, elegance and value—it sells for roughly half the price of its more famous […]
The post Quench! – Avignonesi: The Jewel of Vino Nobile appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
As you prepare to open that prized bottle of Lafite or Petrus, a dark thought may cross your mind: It might not be Lafite or Petrus at all. Counterfeit bottles were once as rare as fine wine itself, a phenomenon restricted to rogue wine merchants and sommeliers in Europe who were trying to make some […]
The post Quench! – Encore Presentation: Fine, Rare, Expensive and Fake appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Mark reports on a remarkable tasting of aged rums from the Bacardi Facundo Collection: four selections from the family’s private reserve, now released in a limited edition. He also examines the American renaissance in hard cider, revealed in a new website by blogger Tom Wark called The Cider Journal (ciderjournal.com). Turning his attention to wine […]
The post Quench! – The Art of Rum appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Mark is back from the Telluride Wine Festival, and files a full report on that less-than-satisfying experience. The rest of today’s show is devoted to a collection of the Bizarre Beverage New stories that piled up over the past several weeks. Some highlights include: an all-nude wine festival, coming up on August 16 in (where […]
The post Quench! – Bizarre Beverage Roundup appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
A large number of facilities that produce alcohol report ongoing occurrences of paranormal activity. Is there something about these places that attracts ghosts, and keeps those ghosts coming back? Mark speaks with Brock Wagner, one of the owners of Saint Arnold Brewery in Texas, the country’s largest craft brewer, about frequent ghost sightings in his […]
The post Quench! – Haunted Breweries and Distilleries appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
If you fantasize about owning your own winery, you’re not alone—after the desire to open a restaurant, winery ownership is one of the most common fantasies in the human psyche. The cost of admission, however, is steep: between $5-10 million in Napa, and even higher in some parts of Europe. Mark explores the growing category […]
The post Quench! – Fractional Vineyard Ownership appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Mark Spivak’s second book, Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle, will be released by Lyons Press on July 15. Moonshine is corn whiskey, traditionally made in improvised stills throughout the Appalachian South. While quality varied from one producer to another, the whiskey had one thing in common: It was illegal because […]
The post Quench! – Moonshine Nation appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
There’s a mounting body of scientific evidence to indicate that women are better tasters than men—not just of wine, but also of beer, spirits, food and other things. The original research was done in 1999 at the Yale University School of Medicine by Dr. Linda Bartoshuk, who discovered that women have more taste receptors than […]
The post Quench! – Are Women Better Tasters? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
For the first few decades after screwcap (or Stelvin) closures were invented in 1964, they met with considerable resistance from the public. Screwcaps were mostly associated with cheap, low grade wines such as Thunderbird or MD 20/20, the type of beverage consumed by drunks in convenience store parking lots. That perception has gradually changed, as […]
The post Quench! – Screwcap vs. Corks appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Most consumers agree that draft beer tastes better than the bottled version, but what are the advantages of wine on tap? For one thing, the product is fresher and free of the danger of cork taint. For another, bars and restaurants get a price break on kegs (whether this discount is passed on to customers […]
The post Quench! – Kegged Wine appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
The Great Quench! Giveaway Offer: For a limited time, Mark is giving away a free copy of his ebook, The Affordable Wine Guide to California and the Pacific Northwest, as a gesture of appreciation to Quench! listeners. The ebook is the definitive guide to the best domestic wines under $15: 42 wineries profiled, and over […]
The post Quench! – Cocktail Trends appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
The Great Quench! Giveaway Offer: For a limited time, Mark is giving away a free copy of his ebook, The Affordable Wine Guide to California and the Pacific Northwest, as a gesture of appreciation to Quench!listeners. The ebook is the definitive guide to the best domestic wines under $15: 42 wineries profiled, and over 300 […]
The post Quench! – Red Wine, Olive Oil and Rock Music appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
The past five years have been rough for small, family-operated wineries in California: dozens of them have been absorbed by large beverage conglomerates that proceeded to increase production and destroy the individuality of the product. Steve Reynolds is a former dentist who purchased property on Napa’s Silverado Trail about 20 years ago and built a […]
The post Quench! – Reynolds Family Winery appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Dust off those horned helmets: mead is coming back. Mead is the oldest alcoholic beverage on the planet, and has a tendency to become trendy every thousand years or so; it’s made in a variety of styles, from still and sparkling to sweet and dry. Mark talks with David Myers, Chairman of the Mead at […]
The post Quench! – Mead appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Thirty years ago, only four states allowed direct shipments from wineries to consumers; today, the total is 41. It took many years of lobbying to change the situation (not to mention a Supreme Court decision). Has the newfound freedom among wine consumers affected the industry? Mark examines the issue from a number of different viewpoints, […]
The post Quench! – Direct Shipping appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
He started out in finance, and worked as a master gardener and full-time painter before opening his own winery in California’s Santa Rita Hills. She was a professional musician, had her own biscotti business and trained Arabian horses. Mark traces the remarkable journeys of John Hilliard and Christine Bruce in a conversation with John, and […]
The post Quench! – Hilliard Bruce appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Wine trends are generally consumer-led, but spirits marketing tends to flow from the top: Brands are conceived and executed with a precise plan in mind. What exactly is the process of creating a new spirits brand? Mark talks with Peter Governale, a partner in the BH Group, who discusses the inspiration, blending, packaging and marketing […]
The post Quench! – Creating a Brand appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Canadian whisky has had a rough time in the U.S. over the past three or four decades: derided by many as “brown vodka,” it was shunned by mixologists in favor of spirits that had more dramatic flavors, such as bourbon and Scotch. The trend is now reversing, although progress is slow. Mark speaks with Davin […]
The post Quench! – The Rodney Dangerfield of Whisky appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Australian wine has traditionally been popular with Americans, but in recent years a trifecta of problems has created a perfect storm for the category: the global recession of 2007-8, an unprecedented glut, and the growing strength of the Australian dollar, which has made the wines more expensive on U.S. retail shelves. Mark talks with Lisa […]
The post Quench! – The Ferment Down Under appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a solemn occasion, both a cultural and religious holiday; here in the U.S., it tends to be a celebration of unbridled drunkenness. What does it look like to bartenders? Mark speaks with Charles Steadman, managing partner of Jack’s Grumpy Grouper in Lantana, Florida, to get an insider’s view of […]
The post Quench! – St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
No one knows exactly when bartenders morphed into mixologists, but one thing is certain: The cocktail culture has exploded across America over the past decade, and now plays a major role in our social life. Mark speaks with Brian Van Flandern, former head mixologist at Per Se in Manhattan and currently a consultant specializing in […]
The post Quench! – The Mixology Revolution appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
About 20 years ago stories began circulating about corporate executives who had cashed out and opted for the simpler life of a winemaker, usually in the Napa Valley. Charles Massoud had most of them beat by a decade. In 1983, while still working at IBM, he purchased an abandoned potato farm on Long Island’s North […]
The post Quench! – Paumanok: Fruits of A Corporate Dropout appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Cachaça is the national spirit of Brazil, distilled from sugar cane and sometimes referred to as Brazilian rum. They make a staggering 1.5 billion liters of it, 90% of which is consumed at home. Despite the fact that cachaça is the world’s third-largest spirit by volume, many Americans haven’t heard of it—if they have, it’s […]
The post Quench! – Cachaça appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
On a global level, Bordeaux wine is still the benchmark against which all other wines are measured. There’s no doubt, however, that the category has disappeared from the cellars and dinner tables of Americans over the past two decades. Mark looks at some of the many reasons for this reversal of fortune, including price, style, […]
The post Quench! – Is Bordeaux Vanishing? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Pisco is the signature spirit of both Peru and Chile: a brandy distilled from wine, unoaked and clear, clean and refreshing. It’s currently experiencing explosive growth in the U.S., expanding by as much as 80% annually. In a belated celebration of National Pisco Sour Day, Mark speaks with mixologist Duggan McDonnell, a partner in a […]
The post Quench! – Pisco appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Many consumers wrestle with the question of what to do with leftover wine. What’s the best way to preserve it overnight, so that it remains as fresh as it was when the bottle was opened? Although Mark admits to some bafflement over this dilemma (the problem of leftover wine doesn’t exist at his house), he […]
The post Quench! – Wine Preservation Systems appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Over the past five years, wine drinkers have become less dependent on ratings. Part of the shift in attitude is due to the Internet, as a spate of new websites has encouraged consumers to share their opinion about the wines they drink. Americans are relying less and less on publications such as the Wine Spectator […]
The post Quench! – Form Your Own Tasting Group appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Wine purists wax poetic about the romance of the cork, but using corks to seal wine bottles is actually a relatively new invention. Even so, when the screwcap (or stelvin) closure became popular several decades ago, traditionalists had a hard time accepting it. The screwcap reminded many of low-grade wine consumed by drunks in convenience […]
The post Quench! – Screwcaps, Bag in Box, Tetra Pak and Can appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Alsace is one of the most baffling categories in the universe of wine:Critics and experts constantly rave about how magnificent the wines are, yet nobody drinks them. Mark investigates some of the factors that may contribute to this conundrum, and talks with Lisa Klinck-Shea, brand ambassador for the Helfrich winery in Alsace, to get her […]
The post Quench! – The Mystery of Alsace appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
As we approach the New Year, Mark devotes this show to a comprehensive look at wine with bubbles. He begins by recommending Prosecco and Cava in the $12-16 range; surveys a handful of entry-level French Champagnes worth buying; and reminisces about some of the greatest Champagnes he’s ever tasted: Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes D’Or, Charles Heidsieck […]
The post Quench! – Champagne and Sparkling Wine appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Mark finishes the first annual Quench! Awards with a handful of the most superlative spirits he tasted during 2013. As with last week’s wine awards, these aren’t necessarily best-of-category selections, but rather the spirits that stood head and shoulders above the rest: Glenrothes Select Reserve Scotch Whiskey ($50) Canadian Club Sherry Cask ($30) Angel’s Envy […]
The post Quench! – The Quench! Spirits Awards appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
As we move toward the end of 2013, Mark looks back on a year of intensive tasting and selects the outstanding wines he sampled over the past twelve months. He singles out four wines—two whites and two reds—as being the most exceptional bottles of the year. The selection process was both personal and subjective, but […]
The post Quench! – The Quench Wine Awards appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Do consumers play a role in creating beverage trends, or are they merely the tail wagging the dog? It turns out to be a mixed bag: wine trends tend to be consumer-led, while spirits marketing is usually top-down. To support this theory, Mark analyzes at some of the most successful wine trends of recent years […]
The post Quench! – Wine and Spirits Trends appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
For the beginning wine collector, commercial auctions are an excellent way to build a cellar, since they give drinkers access to older vintages not usually sold in retail stores. It’s important to choose an auction house that carefully inspects incoming consignments and places importance on the provenance of the bottles. Mark interviews Allan Frischman, vice […]
The post Quench! – The Wine Auction Market appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
On this holiday roundup, Mark begins by chronicling several interesting recent wine experiences: a meeting with the daughter and granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, and a review of their wines from the House of Mandela; and a description of a tasting conducted by Napa’s Mira Winery, which compared land-aged wine to wine aged at the bottom […]
The post Quench! – Wines for Thanksgiving appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Throughout the centuries, the role of women in the whiskey business has been schizophrenic. Women have primarily taken over distilleries during emergencies, when men in their families died or went off to war. Despite the fact that women in positions of leadership performed as well or better than men, their accomplishments didn’t lead to a […]
The post Quench! – Women and Whiskey appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
So you want to be a wine collector? Are you aware of the perfect storage conditions for your wines, to avoid having your collection develop premature senility? Can you curb your momentary enthusiasms and not end up with the world’s foremost assemblage of Albanian Grenache? Can you thread your way through the intricacies of Bordeaux […]
The post Quench! – Wine Collecting and Storage appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
For Jews and non-Jews alike, kosher wine is a topic filled with many preconceptions and misconceptions, beginning with the age-old jokes about Mogen David and Manischewitz. . A number of consumers are ignorant of the process by which a wine is made kosher. Many others only see kosher wine being sold at holiday time, and […]
The post Quench! – Kosher Wine appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
In a relatively short period of time, Numanthia has taken its place near the top of Spain’s red wine hierarchy. Located in the Toro region, in Castille y Leon, Numanthia is made from a clone of the Tempranillo grape called Tinta de Toro. The secret to the power and elegance of the wine is the […]
The post Quench! – Numanthia: A Great Spanish Wine Estate appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Americans tend to have a schizophrenic attitude toward vodka. On one hand, we expect it to be virtually without identifying odors or flavors of any sort; on the other, we like it to taste like whipped cream, bacon, or peanut butter and jelly. In the middle of this dynamic are two unusual vodkas from Australia, […]
The post Quench! – Bombora and Cooranbong appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Being a craft distiller is more than a matter of size: It’s a question of style, approach and mission. At Koval, Chicago’s first legal distillery within the city limits since Prohibition, Michael Birnecker and Sonat Birnecker Hart are carrying on a family tradition with passion. They source and mill all of their own grains, select […]
The post Quench! – Koval Distillery: From The Heart appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Where do those magical wine ratings come from? Who are the experts, and what qualifies them to pass judgment on wine and recommend it to you (or not)? Mark surveys the history of wine criticism in America over the past three or four decades, describes the major players, and examines how the critical scene is […]
The post Quench! – Everyone’s A Critic appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
A cicerone is a beer expert, the beer world’s equivalent of a sommelier. There are three levels to the program: Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone, and Master Cicerone. Mark speaks with Nicole Erny, one of only seven Master Cicerones in the country, who discusses her passion for beer in all its forms. Unlike a sommelier, […]
The post Quench! – The World of the Cicerone appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
At one time, dry rosé from the South of France was one of the most popular wine categories in America. Then the dreaded White Zinfandel epidemic swept across the land: Like the plague during the Middle Ages, it destroyed everything in its path, obliterating good taste much as the plague wiped out human lives. After […]
The post Quench! – Pink Wine: The Agony and the Ecstasy appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Until several decades ago, pairing wine with food was an exercise with its own set of sacred rules. In recent years those rules have been challenged and broken—partly because the nature of restaurant cooking has changed, but also because of consumer empowerment. Mark examines a few of the traditional and modern approaches, and exposes some […]
The post Quench! – The Art of Food and Wine Pairing appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
German wine has certainly had its ups and downs. In the early 1970s, it was one of the most popular wine categories in America, the go-to drink for neophytes who were first getting acquainted with wine. Its market share began to slip toward the end of that decade, with the rise of California wine and […]
The post Quench! – Riesling Uber Alles appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
We all do our best to decode the world of wine, but have you ever wondered what the subject looks like from an expert’s point of view? Mark speaks with Virginia Philip, Master Sommelier, winner of the competition for Best Sommelier in America, wine director at The Breakers resort in Palm Beach, and owner of […]
The post Quench! – Masterful Insights appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Once upon a time, executives in the upper echelons of the wine industry were alarmed because market research indicated people under 35 primarily drank beer or spirits rather than wine. What would happen, they wondered, in a decade or two? If these folks reached their peak earning years without learning to love the grape, the […]
The post Quench! – The Millennial Wine Market appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Currently there are seven multinational beverage conglomerates that control two-thirds of the wine sold in the U.S. The result of this near-monopoly has been a tidal wave of quaff—roughly 200 million cases of wine that taste more or less the same from one producer to another. In the midst of this situation, wineries that are […]
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Is it true that most people choose cheap wine over more expensive wine in a blind tasting? Do wineries that advertise in the Wine Spectator get high ratings than those that don’t? Why do certain wineries consistently wine gold medals in competitions and county fairs, while others get skunked? Mark explores these questions with Orley […]
The post Quench! – The Economics of Wine appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Continuing his exploration of the craft beer universe, Mark speaks with Mitch Steele, brewmaster at the Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California—once referred to by Beer Advocate magazine as the best brewery on planet earth. They discuss issues such as beer with food, why craft beer has become such a mania among certain segments of […]
The post Quench! – Craft Beer, Part II appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
In the past decade, craft beer has exploded in popularity across the United States—even as the sales of mainstream brews such as Budweiser are declining drastically. This trend has been fueled by publications such as the Beer Advocate, and bears an eerie resemblance to the mania that occurred when wine first became part of the […]
The post Quench! – Craft Beer, Part I appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Foodies often debate about which restaurant personnel to tip, and how much. Should you tip the sommelier? Should you tip on the cost of a bottle of wine? However, the real question—and a far more compelling one—is the issue of who is actually pocketing that money. Is your tip going to the person you intend […]
The post Quench! – Who Gets the Tip? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
What are the differences between someone who makes less than 40,000 cases of spirits each year and an operation such as Smirnoff, which cranked out over 26 million cases in 2012? Obviously the distinctions go way beyond numbers and relate to intangibles such as entrepreneurial spirit, vision, passion and commitment to quality. Mark speaks with […]
The post Quench! – Anatomy of A Craft Distiller appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
How did a lemon liqueur produced in a small part of Italy’s Adriatic Coast become an international sensation? Mark speaks with Alan Kropf of Anchor Distilling, one of the marketing wizards behind Luxardo, the world’s oldest commercial producer of Limoncello. He then explores the subject further with Chris Chickerneo, a young entrepreneur from Chicago. Chickerneo […]
The post Quench! – Limoncello: The Art of Citrus appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Why is it impossible to get a decent glass of wine in coach, during a period when airline cocktails are getting better than ever? Why can you drink better wine in Utah than you can at 30,000 feet? Mark gets a consultant’s point of view from Josh Wesson, who has helped choose inflight wine for […]
The post Quench! – Is it Paint Thinner, Or Is It Airline Wine? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Organic and sustainable products have become the rage over the past decade; the popularity of biodynamic farming is surging as well, although few people know much about it. Some practitioners embrace it with the fervor of converts to a new religion, while cynics criticize it as a far-fetched and marginal cult. The debate dates to […]
The post Quench! – Biodynamics: Sensible Farming or Dangerous Cult? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Sooner or later, you’ll be staring at a restaurant wine list with the realization that you’re about to pay $50 for a bottle of wine you saw selling on the supermarket shelf for $12. In this age of consumer empowerment, many customers are more aware of what wines actually cost, and they’re not happy with […]
The post Quench! – Restaurant Wine Prices: Why So High? appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
What would Andrew Zimmern be drinking, if he were drinking instead of eating? Mark begins with a range of strange and unusual libations: chocolate donut beer and pizza beer; reptile-infused wine and scorpion vodka; isinglass, a substance derived from fish bladder, which is commonly used to clarify wine and beer. He then examines two of […]
The post Quench! – Bizarre Beverages appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Burgundy has the reputation of being the hardest wine region in the world to understand, as well as being a notoriously closed society—a place where upwards of one dozen generations of the same family have worked the same parcels of land for centuries. With that background, consider the amazing saga of Alex Gambal. Alex went […]
The post Quench! – An American in Burgundy appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
When Americans hear about Madeira wine, they usually think of spinsters , maiden aunts, and cobwebbed bottles in ancient sideboards. This is a shame, since Madeira can be some of the most glorious wines in the world—supple, elegant, and capable of pairing very well with a wide range of foods. Mark begins by reminiscing about […]
The post Quench! – A Glass of Madeira, My Dear appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
On Bizarre Beverage News, Mark investigates the severe decline in wine drinking among the French, and also explores Grand Theft Champagne: the strange tale of burglars who broke into Domaine Jacques Selosse in the middle of the night, and stole eight pallets of Champagne worth approximately $500,000. Then he has an extended conversation with Peter […]
The post Quench! – Charles Krug and the Mondavi Family Legacy appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
More Americans are eating sushi all the time, and the popularity of sake is exploding. Sake presents an aroma and flavor profile that is very different from wine, and many consumers are confused about exactly what it is, how it’s made, and how best to appreciate it. Mark speaks with John Gauntner, an American living […]
The post Quench! – Sake appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
We hear a great deal about molecular gastronomy and molecular mixology, but how many people have actually experienced these techniques at the hands of a master? Mark speaks with Eric Anderson, a consumer who visited Chicago for his tenth wedding anniversary and had a pair of extraordinary experiences. First they dined at Alinea, the Michelin […]
The post Quench! – Alinea and The Avairy appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
On Bizarre Beverage News, Mark investigates the severe decline in wine drinking among the French, and also explores Grand Theft Champagne: the strange tale of burglars who broke into Domaine Jacques Selosse in the middle of the night, and stole eight pallets of Champagne worth approximately $500,000. Then he has an extended conversation with Peter […]
The post Quench! – Charles Krug and the Mondavi Family Legacy appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
It’s true that Cru Beaujolais and Beaujolais Nouveau share a common parentage: As with humans and apes, some people believe there’s a difference between the two. Cru Beaujolais, from ten superior growing regions just south of Burgundy, can be some of the most complex and glorious red wines in the world. Beaujolais Nouveau comes out […]
The post Quench! – Beaujolais Nouveau and Real Beaujolais appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
What does a former porn star have in common with an Italian family that has been making wine for 800 years? They’re both producing wine in the Brunello region of Tuscany, although in very different styles. The Frescobaldi clan, with a legacy going back to the 1300s, is making a cutting-edge blend of Sangoivese and […]
The post Quench! – Brunello di Montalcino appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Most of the time, the neighborhood watering hole is far more than a bar: It’s a place for conversation, connection and therapy, a location that knits a community together. For 35 years, Joe Danno’s Bucket O’Suds in Chicago was all those things and more. Danno was one of the legendary barmen of 20th century America, […]
The post Quench! – Scott Schiller and the Legacy of Joe Danno appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
You’re cruising down the aisles of your favorite wine shop, past hundreds of bottles—some familiar, many not. One label in particular catches your eye. You pick up the bottle, look at it, read the back label, decide to try it and place it in your cart. Was this a random occurrence? Not at all: You’ve […]
The post Quench! – Wine Label Design appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
What do whipped cream, bacon, and peanut butter and jelly have in common? Believe it or not, they’re all popular flavors of vodka. Flavored vodka has exploded in the U.S. over the past few decades, causing some purists to wonder how far the trend will go. Mark interviews Tim Voss, master distiller for Van Gogh […]
The post Quench! – Flavored Vodka appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Listen to a tale of two Frenchmen. The first, David Henault, is the cellarmaster at Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte; the second is Jean-Jacques Bonnie, son of the owners of Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere in Bordeaux, who is now spending most of his time making wine in Argentina. What do these two men have in common? They are both […]
The post Quench! – Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte and Bodega Diamandes appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Is the creation and branding of a super-premium spirit any different from marketing potato chips, chocolate chip cookies or nutritional supplements? Gary Shansby, who spent his career developing brands, didn’t think so, and he turned out to be correct. The result was Tequila Partida, one of the finest spirits on the market. Mark explores Gary’s […]
The post Quench! – Tequila Partida appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Can the shape of your wine glass affect the aroma and taste of the wine? How can its design impact the way the wine is delivered to your palate? Maximilian Riedel, 11th generation proprietor of the world’s most famous stemware company, expounds his controversial theories to host and skeptic Mark Spivak. On Viewer Mail (emails […]
The post Quench! – Riedel Stemware appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Would you cough up $2,500 for a bottle of California Sauvignon Blanc? That’s what some people are paying at auction for Screaming Eagle: Bizarre Beverage News indeed. On Viewer Mail (mail sent in by people who enjoy watching their iPods), Mark discusses the thorny issue of bringing wine into restaurants. Should you do it, and […]
The post Quench! – 021113 appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Yellow Tail, a bottled substance frequently confused with wine, is in financial trouble—could we be lucky enough to see it disappear? Why are the French bent out of shape over a wine served at the Inaugural luncheon? Mark doscusses these stories in Bizarre Beverage News. Then we explore the legacy of Prohibition: Scott Bush describes […]
The post Quench! – 020413 appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
Did you know that more than half of the wine sold in the U.S. is controlled by just three companies? Were you aware that there were individuals on the planet spending $1,300 for a bottle of beer? Join Mark Spivak as he explores the ramifications of these strange tales in Bizarre Beverage News. Are you […]
The post Quench! – 012813 appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.
How did an Italian porn star become a famous winemaker? How is beer helping to rebuild an abandoned Trappist monastery? What’s a day in the life of a whiskey expert or craft distiller like? Join Mark Spivak as he explores these and other burning questions in the beverage universe. We begin with an installment of […]
The post Quench! – 012113 appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.