Imbibe Magazine

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Molly Wismeier, sommelier and co-owner of MaMou in New Orleans. Photo by Michael Mantese Molly Wismeier , a Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year with more than 30 years of experience, has had a front-row seat to the rapid evolution in the French wine world. Photo by Sam Hanna Photography MaMou bar.

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VinePair

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

The former just involves opening a bottle and pouring a glass; the latter means falling in love with the many regions, grapes, and styles that come with the color. It may not look like the most accessible hobby given the scores of reds on the shelves of your local bottle shop. Definitely. Here’s what they had to say.

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Imbibe Magazine

JUNE 11, 2024

Because of tariffs and inflation, he says, “French wine pricing had gone up 25 percent in a year,” adding around $10 per bottle wholesale, which would have pushed list pricing beyond what he wanted to charge for a casual neighborhood weeknight spot. That’s definitely one of our selling points—one of the things that makes us unique.”

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VinePair

OCTOBER 29, 2024

And looking at a spirits list or bottle-shop shelf full of the smoky whisky , some may feel like they need a degree to decipher the selection. Colleen Kelly, director of food & beverage/mixologist/sommelier, Bernardus Lodge and Spa , Caramel Valley, Calif. “The Balvenie Caribbean Cask is a fantastic introductory Scotch.

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VinePair

JANUARY 15, 2024

But these 15 winemakers are definitely ones to keep an eye on in 2024. In 2024, Reynolds is looking forward to releasing a new bottling of Muscat Vert from Sonoma’s Nakai Vineyard. Keep an eye out for these stunning bottles to experience extremely linear, acid-driven wines. Emme Wines — Sonoma, Calif. Falanghina.

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Dry Atlas

AUGUST 28, 2024

They also reveal how they’re winning over both skeptics and sommeliers, while expanding the accessibility of wine for those who wish to enjoy the experience without the effects of alcohol. I was impressed to see that your Cuvée Revolutionnaire was described as “baffling” by a top sommelier in France. ST: Definitely.

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VinePair

DECEMBER 9, 2024

Master Sommelier. After the unexpected sensation of the original SOMM film , the elite title bestowed by the Court of Master Sommeliers upon a tiny set of hospitality industry obsessives has gone from obscure insider jargon to the wine world equivalent of celebrity status. Are you a Master Sommelier?

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Dry Atlas

MAY 15, 2024

I awarded each bottle of non-alcoholic bubbles that I list here with anywhere between 1 – 10 Bubbles. 10 Classico from Lyre’s Available in 250ml cans and 750ml bottles (the “Grande”), Lyre’s Classico is “an Italian-inspired sparkling with a crisp, dry finish.” First of all, I love the bottle.

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VinePair

AUGUST 27, 2024

Scanning a bottle shop or menu for something other than your tried-and-true wine can be intimidating. But while it may be tempting to turn to an old favorite, venturing off the beaten path and diving into the unknown may lead to discovering your new darling bottle. But, like all mothers, it’s happy to let her child steal the spotlight.

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VinePair

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Sommeliers often put their personal wine preferences aside when making recommendations to guests to ensure they’re getting exactly what they are looking for. Thibault Dubreuil, sommelier, Eli’s Table , NYC “When it comes to red wines, one of the most overrated and oversubscribed grapes is Cabernet Sauvignon.

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VinePair

MARCH 7, 2025

The Only the Somm Can Touch the Wine Rule Plenty of people have been frustrated by restaurants where ONLY the sommelier is allowed to talk about, open, or even look at the wine. Friends have told me, If they just let me order through the server, Id have ordered another $150 bottle. Lets dig in. But why do places do this? The solution?

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VinePair

JANUARY 25, 2024

Keep reading to discover producers from lesser-known villages worthy of committing to memory, the under-the-radar grapes you should discover, and a few standout bottles of Beaujolais. They are definitely worth seeking out.” Jenna Isaacs, sommelier, Rustic Canyon , Santa Monica, Calif. Supe versatile from a pairing aspect, too!”

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VinePair

MAY 6, 2025

Theres a definite style that combines delicious flavors that are easy to understand at a price point that doesn’t break the bank, Sanders says. Lots of sommeliers do not take the category seriously at all, Sanders says. It all started with Cloudy Bay and then just kept growing. But is it in for a Shiraz-level crash?

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VinePair

MARCH 19, 2024

It’s the rare home bar cart that has extra space for a constant influx of new bottles, though. Could definitely be considered a gateway into a vast category of spirits. Redacted Bros (known as Thompson Bros outside the United States) are the independent bottling arm of Dornoch Distillery. I’d say Oban 14.

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VinePair

MARCH 17, 2024

While white Muscadine is still one of Habersham’s top sellers, the bottles themselves are growing more complex. There is definitely a shift with native grapes. Ernst does his part by working with quality venues for his wine tours, partnering with the owners, winemakers, and sommeliers to offer tasting notes and change minds.

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VinePair

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

Rather than scanning dozens of pages in a binder-sized menu, wine professionals can typically determine the quality of a list by singling out one specific section or bottle. Curious which regions or winemakers sommeliers look for? We asked 10 top wine pros what bottles are a green flag when they sit down with a wine list to find out.

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VinePair

DECEMBER 11, 2024

Around the holidays, a bottle of wine seems like a simple, easy gift to give until youre standing in a liquor store trying to figure out what to buy. Whether the aim of a bottle is to seem in the know about new wine trends, or about historically popular grapes and regions, a sommelier can help identify the right bottle.

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VinePair

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

In order to expand your palates and inspire more adventurous drinking, we reached out to 14 sommeliers to hear what bottles, regions, and producers they think are underrated when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc. ” —Giovanni Tallu, head sommelier, Beaverbrook , Surrey, England “Austrian Sauvignon Blanc without a doubt.

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VinePair

MAY 15, 2025

From readily available and versatile bottles to thousand-dollar splurges, keep reading to discover the best bunker bottles of bourbon according to 22 bartenders. When she and I get together we always finish the whole bottle. A reliable bottle to hole up with and wait out.

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VinePair

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

Whether it’s a specific bottle recommendation or a hot tip on an underrated region, here are the best bargain wines to watch out for next time you hit the bottle shop. percent ABV and so, so good just make sure to pick up more than one bottle. Mark Watten, sommelier, La Zozzona at the Grand Hyatt , Scottsdale, Ariz.

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VinePair

MARCH 13, 2025

Its not necessarily a bad thing there are tons (and tons) of phenomenal bottles worth checking out in each of these categories. To learn more about which wines are criminally underappreciated, we asked sommeliers and wine professionals from across the country to share their opinions.

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VinePair

DECEMBER 3, 2024

It can also make certain labels exorbitantly priced: Some Pinot Noirs hailing from Burgundy, for instance, can set you back more than $10,000 a bottle. During this journey, they’re likely to discover a cost-effective bottle so exquisite and complex, they may be compelled to triple-check its price tag in disbelief.

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VinePair

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

We loved sommelier Keara Driscoll’s recommendation of the Rico Nuevo Flor de Albihar, made from the obscure Albillo grape in Spain’s Sierra de Gredos region. Khosla’s new list at Field Guide definitely doesn’t disappoint. Start with a bottle of Champagne from the well-curated and competitively priced selection.

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VinePair

MARCH 24, 2025

Every visit to your local bottle shop comes with the possibility of discovering something new to add to your home back bar. Bar professionals ask this same question whenever a brand rep swings by their space and introduces them to a bevy of new bottles to populate their back bar. Louis New Riff Single Barrel.

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VinePair

DECEMBER 8, 2024

There was a significant increase in creative no- and low-ABV menus, an obsession with clarified and carbonated cocktails, and, unfortunately, a massive price hike on bottle and by-the-glass wine lists. While many sommeliers have long pushed to feature sake alongside wine on their menus, it seems like the concept is finally starting to stick.

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VinePair

MAY 21, 2025

We took things a little too far with the unctuousness, says Sara Floyd , Master Sommelier and co-founder of Californias Swirl Wine Brokers and Luli Wines. A really great glass over a pretty good bottle is a trend Im seeing. When asked if hes experienced this disconnect as a winemaker, Ramey says most definitely.

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VinePair

FEBRUARY 17, 2025

generally range from two to 10 years old, with higher age statements like 20- and 30-year, and single-vintage bottlings, filling out the middle and top tiers. We will be selling less bottles for more money. We will be selling less bottles for more money. Premiumization is definitely the way forward.

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VinePair

JANUARY 16, 2025

Is that bottle of natural wine made by a talented winemaker with reverence for low-impact agriculture, or is it a decidedly mid commodity being sold to you by a content creator riding the coattails of other people’s labor? Do I love organic and biodynamic wines? Absolutely, I want them all over my list.

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Mixologists

APRIL 11, 2025

Beyond the Basics: The 10 "Must-Have" Bar Tools for Serious Home Cocktail Enthusiasts (H2) While a basic bottle opener and a haphazard collection of drinking glasses might suffice for the most rudimentary of home bars, truly elevating your cocktail creation to an art form demands a more refined and purpose-driven selection of equipment.

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Drinkhacker

JANUARY 28, 2025

If you’ve ever gotten rankled by your sommelier, your bartender, your booze merchant, or your favorite brand of hooch, read on and see if you agree with us. RL Failing to discard the fishnet padding wrappers on booze bottles This one I dont get. Maybe they see it the way some rum brands wrap their bottles in a twine lattice.

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VinePair

APRIL 14, 2025

The northern Italian darling continues to crush all competition , with bottling figures for the product reaching all-time highs in 2024, according to the Prosecco DOC Consortium. Champagnes] not falling off the map, but there’s definitely a softness. You cant do what happened to the Prosecco category with all sparkling wines.

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VinePair

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

So we asked 20 professionals writers, photographers, beer sommeliers, beer competition judges, and others for their picks on the breweries people need to watch in 2025. Chuckanut hasnt appeared in my local bottle shop yet, but its nice to feel like thats possible again. Their reasons are various. Pivotal Brewing Company Bristol, R.I.

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