Amber Drea

Naperville, New York

Blogger, How to Eat a Whale and Freelance Writer at Freelance

Writer / Editor / Storyteller / Mother / Record Collector @vinylvices (she/her)

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Articles

Tequila And Mezcal Take Flight –

3 weeks ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Tequila’s steady long-term growth continues paying off, and the recipe for success appears straightforward. “Take into consideration the secret to having a good quality Tequila is yeast, water, and agave,” says Mike Moreno Jr., co-owner of Moreno’s Casa Tequilera & Liquors in Chicago. “As you see liquor sales as a whole unfortunately slow down, Tequila is still going very strong.”Education and a diversified consumer base have contributed to Tequila’s growth.
Mayacamas Releases Latest Vintages Of Chardonnay And Merlot –

3 weeks ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Napa Valley’s Mayacamas has announced the newest vintages of the winery’s Chardonnay and Merlot. The wines, a 2023 Chardonnay ($65 a 750-ml.) and 2022 Merlot ($75) will be available in select retailers across the U.S., as well as through the winery’s club and tasting room. For more information, visit Mayacamas.com.
Champagne Bruno Paillard Launches Blanc De Noirs Grand Cru –

3 weeks ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Champagne Bruno Paillard has announced the U.S. release of its first Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru multi-vintage Champagne. Fruit for the new Blanc de Noirs ($119 a 750-ml.) comes from four Grand Crus: Verzenay, Mailly, Verzy, and Bouzy. Imported by Massanois Fine Wines & Craft Spirits of New York, the wine is debuting nationally. For more information, visit Champagnebrunopaillard.com.
Taylor Fladgate Unveils Quinta De Vargellas Vintage Port 2019 –

3 weeks ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Kobrand-imported Taylor Fladgate has released Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port 2019, a single quinta vintage bottling from the Port house. The wine ($70 a 750-ml.) is sourced from grapes grown in its namesake vineyard. Taylor Fladgate notes the Port’s long life-span, saying that this release is looking to suit demand for well-aged Port at the end of the decade. The 2019 Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port is rolling out in select retailers across the U.S. For more information, visit Taylor.pt.
Pernod Ricard Unveils Jameson Triple Triple Irish Whiskey –

1 month ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Pernod Ricard has launched Jameson Triple Triple Irish whiskey. The 40% abv whiskey ($29 a 750-ml.) begins life as the brand’s flagship whiskey, which then receives additional maturation in chestnut casks before bottling. With the additional maturation in chestnut wood, the whiskey has been distilled three times and matured in three different types of casks—ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry, and chestnut—thus giving it its name, Triple Triple.
Bulleit Debuts Bottled In Bond Bourbon –

1 month ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey has revealed its first bottled in bond Bourbon that was distilled and matured at Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville, Kentucky. The whiskey ($55 a 750-ml.) was distilled in Spring 2017—the year Bulleit’s distillery opened—aged seven years, and bottled at 50% abv. Bulleit Bottled in Bond maintains the brand’s signature high-rye mashbill of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley.
Wine-based RTDs Make A Splash At Retail –

1 month ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

The modern RTD phenom’s latest growth boost is coming from innovative wine-based cocktails. “I was hesitant to take them on, but they are selling,” says Andrew Mendez, vice president of operations at the three-unit convenience store chain Mendez Fuel in Miami. “I don’t think people even know they are wine-based. Customers don’t come in specifically looking for wine-based RTDs.”Convenience, flavor and eye-catching packaging are attracting the attention of young, legal-drinking-age adults.
Mellowing Agent –

1 month ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

The worlds of drinks and food are colliding again behind the bar in a new and interesting way. Following the rising popularity of fat-washing—wherein bartenders use high-fat meat or oil to impart flavor into spirits—mixologists are now experimenting with rice using a similar, albeit simpler, washing technique. Rice washing is catching on for cocktail creators, especially in spirits-heavy drinks, and the results are notable.
Mexican Inspired, American Made –

1 month ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, on-premise operators may want to round out their typical beer offerings with emerging products that blend the drinkability of imported Mexican brews with the handcrafted tradition and innovation of American craft beer. Indeed, Mexican-style lagers from craft brewers have more than tripled in number in the last three years, notes Zach Keeling, CEO of Sapporo-owned Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, California and Richmond, Virginia.
Expansion Mode –

1 month ago | marketwatchmag.com | Amber Drea

Looking at gin’s recent U.S. sales, the category is clearly fragmented. Premium and value brands continue to lose market share while super-premium labels continue to post year-over-year gains. Even as the lower end of the category drags total U.S. volume down—to approximately 8.34 million cases in 2024 from 9.33 million in 2021, according to Impact Databank—the higher end is a hotbed of innovation and emerging brands keeping the category interesting.