VinePair Podcast

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss a recent and much-shared New York Times piece claiming that Gen Z is "killing the bar tab." Is it true that younger drinkers are truly different from previous generations, or are time-old concerns about limited budgets and a lack of practical experience more to blame? Regardless, what are some strategies that operators can use to keep costs down and customers happy? Please remember to subscribe to, ra...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor Dave Infante to discuss his breaking story about Republic National Distributing Company's announcement that they'll be shutting down their California operations in September. What led RNDC to this stunning admission of failure? Is the changing landscape of total beverage part of the explanation? What will the fallout look like, and can RNDC weather it in other market...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discussed a frequently-posed question: what happened to some of the big public-facing food and drinks festivals, and why have they fallen off so dramatically over the last half decade. Is it just a case of another Covid-prompted change, or has the entire format gone stale? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any que...

Joanna and Zach respond to yet more reporting about how retailers and on-premise operators are reacting to declining demand for wine. While some producers are turning to price increases to shore up profits, many customer-facing businesses are reducing the number of SKUs they stock to concentrate purchasing power and perhaps to better align with what most wine drinkers really want. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review V...

Inspired by an aside on a recent Cocktail College episode, Adam and Zach discuss Gus' Sip & Dip, a Chicago bar that only offers one spirit in each category, but also sells all of its cocktails for $12. Eliminating the back bar has allowed them to concentrate their purchasing power on a few key bottles, getting them the best price they can and then letting them pass the savings on to their guests. Is this a model that other bars...

Prompted by a recent piece on additives in other spirits beyond tequila, Adam and Zach discuss why it is that the additive-free conversation is so focused on one spirit - is it something distinctive to the way tequila is discussed and marketed, or is it more about brown spirits versus clear ones? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any qu...

With summer around the corner, it's once again time for Joanna and Zach to talk about rosé: is the issue that the category needs to be better marketed, or is it more that other drinks have taken some shine away from the one-time summertime juggernaut. 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 t...

Joanna and Zach are joined by Full Book contributor Dave Foss to check back in a frequent topic of discussion in the Covid years: restaurant and bar professionals moving out of the biggest cities in America to operate or work at establishments in smaller cities and communities. Is that working out? What is happening in those markets? Are there sales and marketing opportunities going missed by bigger brands and companies? Please rem...

Fresh off speaking at the Culinary Institute of America's Wine & Beverage Summit, Zach poses the question to Adam and Joanna - can brands and categories use memes and viral videos as a part of marketing campaigns, or should they even be paying attention to trends like Gatorwine and jalapeno Sauvignon Blanc in the first place? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you ...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by friend of VinePair (and Chateau Montelena winemaker) Matt Crafton to discuss some of the most hot-button topics in Napa Valley, including the hidden reason why more wineries can't take walk-ins, why companies and brands pivoting shouldn't be a source of shame, and why the "doom and gloom" mindset hurts everyone. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotif...

Zach is joined by Leon Bañuelos, Jr., to discuss his family's storied tradition in tequila production and their new venture, Tequila El Mexicano. As part of the third generation of tequileros in his family, Leon discusses the process of building a new distillery from the ground up, the specialness of agave sourced from the highlands, and the three expressions (Blanco, Blanco 90, and Reposado) that are available in the United States...

With more and more producers of scotch, bourbon, and other whiskies discussing the global and growing glut of product, Adam and Zach discuss how exactly we got to this point, whether it will be like previous whiskey crashes, and why the current instability of the global economic system and order will have additional, particular challenges for bourbon. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spo...

With Joanna on jury duty, Adam and Zach discuss how some of the biggest drinks companies are launching or expanding into the canned vodka lemonade category, each betting not only that it will be the drink of Summer 2025, but that they can stand out in an increasingly-crowded category. What's driving this trend, and why does this kind of simple canned cocktail succeed where others fail? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and rev...

Adam, Joanna, and Zach muse on the fact that seemingly-successful wine startups that attempt to play in the affordable space are struggling to get purchased, even with impressive sales numbers and placements. Do the large wine and beverage alcohol companies only care about buying luxury or premium brands, or is there something else going on here? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,...

With the team back together, Adam, Joanna, and Zach talk about why slumping wine sales at more upscale dining establishments should encourage wine producers to look at one area that does seem to have it together - casual restaurants that can offer a more affordable experience and also maybe not mark the wines up to eye-watering levels. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whereve...

Adam and Joanna discuss whether the Trump Administration's trade war and tariff policies will do short-term harm to American wine abroad, with some countries, cities, and individual restaurants removing American wines from their offerings, and whether that harm might outlast these specific policies and this administration. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review VinePair on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get you...

Adam and Joanna take up a topic that's been bubbling up for some time: the impact of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs on the alcohol industry. As these drugs become easier to acquire and less stigmatized, are they having a noticeable impact on alcohol sales. 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 suggestio...

Joanna and Zach respond a recent New York Times piece about new restaurants prioritizing design and vibes over food quality or service. Zach shares a hot take about American diners, a conversation is had about how operators prefer to spend on things that they can fully control, 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, ...

Joanna and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor Dave Infante to discuss the many ways in which the United States' trade policy and whiplash tariff protocols are affecting and damaging the drinks industry. 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 l...