Connecticut’s only trade magazine and comprehensive online resource for the local licensed beer, wine and spirits industry. Market’s Largest Product Source Brand & Price Index Local News, Photos & Columns GET LEARN READ SHOP MARKET INFORMATION ABOUT NEW NEWS, BE NEWS PRODUCTS & PRICES PRODUCTS ANYTIME INCLUDED IN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PASSWORD TO ACCESS THE PRODUCT ORDERING PORTAL & THE APP REAL-TIME PRODUCTS AND PRICES, ANYTIME, VIA MOBILE PHONE, TABLET OR LAPTOP ONLINE ORDERING 24/7 DIRECT TO WHOLESALER CONTACT US TO SUBSCRIBE CALL US AT 203.288.3375 | VISIT US AT WWW.THEBEVERAGEJOURNAL.COM DECEMBER2016 FEATURES 10 Local Focus Follow a new route to homegrown spirits brands with the launch the CT Spirits Trail. 14 Farewell to Fall View the final flurry of fall trade tastings in Connecticut. 31 Champagne Supernova December is a great time to maximize this sparkling celebratory seller. 10 32 Retail Review Essex Wine and Spirits, celebrating its 10th year, shares its customer-centric selling approach. 34 Trade Association Update The state’s representative trade associations publish a joint letter to beverage industry members. 38 Beer Column The year in craft beer was less than stellar. For all its buzz, is a bust imminent? 14 31 32 December 2016 CONNECTICUT BEVERAGE JOURNAL 3 DECEMBER2016 40 Trend Spotting In 2017, the hottest categories promise to get hotter. 44 Back to Basics: Cognac An up-close look at the world’s most revered brandy. 48 Austria: The Future is Now Fully reinvented, Austrian whites and reds are ready to captivate consumers. 54 Beer Watch in the New Year Huge, fragmented and peppered with new products, the beer market continues to churn. 44 54 48 DEPARTMENTS CONNECT WITH US Follow us @BEVJournalsCTRI 5 Market Point 36 CPSA News 52 New Products Find us on Facebook & Promotions 6 News Front 37 CRA News Search & Order on 18 Around Town 42 Serving Up TheBeverageJournal.com HOW BEER, WINE LIQUOR BRAND INDEX JOURNAL CLASSIFIED Page 1a AND SPIRITS WINE BRAND INDEX SHOPPING NETWORK GET TO THE BEER BRAND INDEX DCP NEWS THE INDEX MARKETPLACE The largest compilation of beverage alcohol price and brand information. 4 CONNECTICUT BEVERAGE JOURNAL December 2016 Search and order online at www.thebeveragejournal.com DECEMBER2016 CONNECTICUT BEVERAGE JOURNAL 40 Trend Spotting VOLUME No12 DECEMBER 2016 This is the last issue of 2016. It’s been a dynamic year In 2017, the hottest categories promise to get hotter. 81 of beverage business news, and you’ve been a big part { ISSN 0744-1843 } 44 Back to Basics: Cognac of it. The local market remains fun and fascinating, and An up-close look at the world’s most revered brandy. PUBLISHER always in our focus. Cheers to you! GERALD P. SLONE [email protected] “Back to Basics” with Cognac 101. It's brandy, yes, but arguably the 48 Austria: The Future is Now EDITOR & ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER world's finest brandy type. We will explain how and why. Fully reinvented, Austrian whites and reds are ready DANA SLONE [email protected] to captivate consumers. Get yourself into the holiday spirit, with on- and off-premise advice to DIRECTOR OF WHOLESALER SERVICES LAURIE BUICK make December sales sparkle. 54 Beer Watch in the New Year [email protected] A colorful look at the market forecast for rosés, reds and browns — Huge, fragmented and peppered with new products, the beer SUBSCRIPTION/RETAIL SERVICES market continues to churn. BRIAN SLONE wines and spirits, that is. [email protected] 44 Time to explore Austrian wines. Meticulous methods, improved DESIGN EVAN FRASER promotion and signature grapes are helping the country gain a [email protected] deserved market foothold. EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATOR SAVANNAH MUL Trends in beer for the New Year ahead; three pages brewed, in fact. [email protected] The gift that keeps on giving: your subscription. It includes three ways WRITER LAUREN DALEY to shop and order your beer, wine and spirits from your wholesalers: the print magazine, the trade-only secure shopping website, and the new iOS ordering app available via the iTunes Store. Let us help you connect anyway you want to … it’s all included, no extra cost! SUBSCRIPTIONS Make a resolution to showcase your brands, faces, places and & RENEWALS people in the year ahead. It’s so easy. Be a part of it. Email $40 FOR ONE YEAR $9 FOR SINGLE COPY [email protected]. $68 FOR TWO YEARS (Includes shipping and handling) Subscription includes Online ordering, iOs app user ID and password Editor’s Note: Photo caption 1, on page 19 of the “November 2016” issue contained All sales are fi nal. an error. The correct caption is “David Rosenberg, Vice President and Paul Angelico, thebeveragejournal.com 203.288.3375 General Sales Manager, both of Hartley & Parker, Limited, Inc.” Published Monthly By: Beverage Publications, Inc; 2508 54 Whitney Avenue, P.O. Box 185159; Hamden, CT 06518 48 is devoted to all liquor, wine and beer licensees as described by the Department of Consumer Protection, Liquor Control Division. Nothing may be reproduced or uploaded without written permission from the publisher. This includes articles, DEPARTMENTS CONNECT WITH US pictures, pdf fi les, online or electronic versions. Not responsible for unsolicited material or advertising claims. The opinions expressed here are that of the individual Follow us @BEVJournalsCTRI authors and not necessarily the views of Beverage Publication, Inc. We reserve the right to reject any 5 Market Point 36 CPSA News 52 New Products Find us on Facebook material that is fl awed due to content or design. & Promotions All advertisements and price list advertising are subject 6 News Front 37 CRA News to the approval of The Beverage Journal which reserves Search & Order on the right to edit, reject or properly classify. 18 Around Town 42 Serving Up TheBeverageJournal.com Periodicals postage paid at New Haven, CT. Postmaster: Send address changes to: CT Beverage Journal, P.O. Box 185159, Hamden CT 06518 HOW BEER, WINE DO NOT FORWARD. LIQUOR BRAND INDEX JOURNAL CLASSIFIED AND SPIRITS National Coverage, Local Advantage WINE BRAND INDEX SHOPPING NETWORK Page 1a The Beverage Network Publications are served by: GET TO THE Beverage Media Group, Inc. BEER BRAND INDEX DCP NEWS 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 600, New York, NY 10016 THE INDEX MARKETPLACE tel 212.571.3232 fax 212.571.4443 www.bevnetwork.com The largest compilation of beverage alcohol price and brand information. December 2016 CONNECTICUT BEVERAGE JOURNAL 5 NEWS FRONT CALIFORNIA RELEASES 2016 WINE the acquisition of the Charles Smith Wines collection, five HARVEST REPORT ultra-premium wines for approximately $120 million. The The 2016 California wine grape transaction includes Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Velvet Devil harvest arrived early this year Merlot, Boom Boom! Syrah, Eve Chardonnay and Chateau with normal yield of quality fruit Smith Cabernet Sauvignon. Within their spirit portfolio, throughout the state, according Constellation has completed the High West acquisition, to The Wine Institute’s harvest which includes all of High West’s operations and its portfolio report. “It’s been a good season of American straight whiskeys. so far — the grapes are in great condition, showcasing spectacular flavors,” said Randy MICHTER’S AMERICAN WHISKEY Ullom, wine master at Kendall-Jackson Wines, with vineyards ANNOUNCES COMPANY PROMOTIONS in Sonoma County and statewide. Overall, the state crop as Michter’s American of August 2016 is estimated to be near the historical average Whiskeys has released of 3.9 million tons by the California Department of Food and a series of promotions. Agriculture. “The 2016 harvest in Sonoma County looks a Pamela Heilmann (center) lot like the 2015 harvest,” said Ryan Decker, winegrower at has been named the new Rodney Strong Vineyards. “We started early, we will finish Michter’s Master Distiller, early, and the winemakers are very excited with what they are which was previously held seeing in the fermenters.” by Willie Pratt. Pratt will now be transitioning to Michter’s Master Distiller Emeritus. Andrea Wilson (left), Vice President REPORT SHOWS MORE THAN 1,300 ACTIVE of Michter’s will add onto her role and be Master of Maturation SPIRITS PRODUCERS IN THE NATION and Distillery Manager, Dan McKee (right), will move up to A study from the Craft Spirits Data the distiller position formerly held by Heilmann. “For some Project revealed there are 1,315 time we have been preparing for this transition,” said Michter’s craft distillers in the U.S. and the President Joseph J. Magliocco. “At Michter’s, the quality of our U.S. craft spirit industry reached whiskey is so, so important to us. I am excited that we have 4.9 million cases and $2.4 billion in phenomenally talented people like Pam Heilmann, Andrea retail sales in 2015. The study also Wilson, and Dan McKee assuming greater leadership positions revealed exports of U.S. craft spirits and carrying on the remarkable work done by Willie Pratt.” reaching 523,000 cases in 2015. It further projected there is potential for craft spirits to achieve the same market share as HAIG CLUB CLUBMAN SCOTCH WHISKY the craft beer industry. The data was presented during the PARTNERS WITH DAVID BECKHAM inaugural Craft Spirits Economic Briefing at Nomad Hotel Haig Club Clubman Single in New York from the American Craft Spirits Association Grain Scotch Whisky released (ASCA), the International Wine and Spirits Research (ISWR) a new TV advertisement titled and Park Street. The Craft Spirits Data Project is a research “Make Your Own Rules,” initiative to provide factual information for evaluating featuring brand partner David performance and trends in the U.S. craft spirits industry. Beckham. The advertisement “redefines the stereotypical CONSTELLATION BRANDS ACQUIRES CHARLES expectations” of when, where and how people should enjoy SMITH WINES, HIGH WEST DISTILLERY whisky juxtaposed against montages of lively and stylish Constellation Brands moments amongst friends.