VinePair Podcast

You might have heard that apparently, smoking cigarettes is cool again. Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss what might be influencing this trend, why the health consequences of smoking might not resonate right now, and how that could impact the alcohol industry. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: 21 Liqueurs to Know to Read a Cocktail Menu With ConfidenceJoanna is reading: Here’s How 7 Top Bartenders Make Spritzes at HomeAdam is reading: Legendary Bartender Shingo Gokan on Hype, Humility, and Sip & Guzzle’s Big WinInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss whether people looking for a wine country outing actually care about being able to see vineyards, or even winery facilities, or if nice amenities and easy access are more appealing. Can urban tasting rooms and concentrated wine districts be a better bet for tourism than scenic vistas that also come with long drives and hard-to-access experiences? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: Happy Hour Isn’t Dead, But It Could Be Going Late-NightJoanna is reading: We Asked 14 Bartenders: What’s the Most Overrated Bourbon Cocktail?Adam is reading: The 15 Beers That Defined American Craft Brewing — and Where They Are NowInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Joanna dive into why the proliferation of reservation-only bars is hurting the industry, and has a surprising root cause. How is it that credit card companies and their desire to provide high-end perks for big spenders are changing the way that bars have always operated? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Joanna is reading: Malört Was Made for the Shot. Bartenders Are Changing That.Adam is reading: It’s Been 50 Years Since the Judgement of Paris — It’s Time to Move On.Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the quandary that faces the alcohol industry at the moment: people generally want to drink, but are drinking less than they used to. Instead of ascribing this to theories about wellness trends or shifting demographics, what if we looked at the friction points that are keeping people from drinking: cost, social media pressure, an overwhelming array of choices, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: With LYTT Electric Coolers, Boston Beer Co. Is Running Out of Bright IdeasJoanna is reading: Form Over Function: Why Some Wineries Are Rethinking the Shape of the BottleAdam is reading: AI Won’t Replace Sommeliers, But It Could Help Save WineInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach puzzle over New York City's recently launched "Buzzkill" campaign, ostensibly to inform the public about the health risks of alcohol. Why is this a priority for any city, especially one that relies so heavily on the food and beverage industry as a source of revenue and jobs? Doesn't this cut against at least a sizeable swath of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political constituency? Does this open him, and his administration, up to mockery? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: The 30 Best Cabernet Sauvignons for 2026Joanna is reading: 5 of the Most Shockingly Bad Guinness Pours We’ve Seen OnlineAdam is reading: Bartenders Can’t Outrun the Spicy MargaritaInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In light of the news that workers at the iconic New York City bar Attaboy have unionized, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss what might have led this unionization effort to succeed where previous ones have failed, whether this will spur similar efforts at other well-known bars and restaurants, and why the hospitality industry has largely not been union-friendly, particularly in smaller restaurants and companies. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is drinking: Nightingale Martini 2.0 at NightingaleJoanna is drinking: "The Localist" New York State Cream Ale at Grimm Artisan AlesAdam is drinking: Domaine Barge "Les Côtes" Côte-Rôtie Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special episode of The VinePair Podcast, Adam is joined by Nicole Hitchcock, the estate director of J Vineyards & Winery in Sonoma, California about her background in wine, what's so exciting about California sparkling wine, and the current state of Sonoma. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna and Zach discuss the recent news that Sazerac has taken a minority stake in Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila. Despite persistent questions about whether celebrity tequila has peaked, as well as the controversy that surrounded the brand's launch, it has been performing well of late, perhaps making it a smart pickup for the New Orleans-based company. Does the price-conscious, youth-oriented brand have the potential for broader reach, and can it stay relevant with the younger cohort it clearly clamors for? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: Pittsburgh Is Aggressively Courting Cocktail Enthusiasts. Will Other Secondary Markets Follow?Joanna is reading: Canada Dumped U.S. Alcohol Amid Tariff Turmoil. Here’s What Canadians Are Drinking Now Instead.Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the curious case of spirits brands and even prestige publications turning to sommeliers in lieu of bartenders for site visits, trips, and expert commentary. Is there actually some logic in looking beyond the traditional framework of "top bartenders at top bars" when you're either looking to make inroads in the on-premise or just get some good, audience-friendly commentary? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: The Wines That Changed How America Drinks, Decade by DecadeJoanna is reading: The 12 Most Important IPAs of the 21st Century So FarAdam is reading: White Claw’s Parent Co. Bought Finnish Long Drink Because Flavor Is KingInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prompted by the passing of legendary winemaking consultant Michel Rolland, Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss why the "flying winemaker" model has fallen out of favor, but also wonder if the current obsession with winemakers having worked (or interned, or just kind of hung around) at iconic wineries, even if they didn't have actual winemaking responsibilities, is actually any better. Is it better to have the eye-catching name on your resume or have had actual hands-on experience? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: At the Seattle Mariners’ Stadium, a Secret Door Is Dispensing Gonzo CocktailsJoanna is reading: 10 Winemakers Defining the Next Generation of Burgundy, According to SommeliersAdam is reading: The Origin Story of LeNell’s Red Hook Rye, the Coveted Cult Whiskey You’ve Never Heard OfInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joanna and Zach discuss whether or not restaurants really do try to put attractive guests front and center, and whether they reserve the worst tables in for guests who don't fit the image they want to project to the world. While sometimes stereotyping does occur, most of the time when you're given what you see as a bad table, there are reasons for it, even if you might not appreciate them. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: Inside the Wine Lockers at The Capital Grille — the Elusive Steakhouse Status SymbolJoanna is reading: How Dogfish Head Finally Found Growth Again — With the Grateful DeadInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach are joined by VinePair contributing editor Dave Infante to discuss a spate of news regarding the wholesale sector, from Southern Glazer's expanding ownership of AB InBev distributorships to further moves by Reyes Beverage Group to take over states from Republic National Distributing Company. Does RBG really have interest in becoming a major player in wine distribution? Why does Southern want in on the beer and RTD business? Do we even have antitrust laws anymore? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: New Report Ranks Most Popular Spirits Brands for Shots on American MenusJoanna is reading: Martini Madness 2026Adam is reading: At Banshee, Jen Murphy Goes All-In on Martinis, Guinness, and Neighborhood HospitalityInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With gas prices spiking, airfare following suit, and nightmarish security delays embroil many American airports, Adam, Joanna, and Zach ponder whether the travel industry, and the hospitality properties that depend on it, will be in for a very rough summer. Given that this is the time of year when many folks make those summer plans, will all those issues, plus general inflation and fears of a recession, combine to keep Americans home this summer? Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers!Zach is reading: Who Is George Clooney’s New Non-Alcoholic Beer Even For?Joanna is reading: From Ants to Escargots, Has the Stunt Cocktail Ingredient Gone Too Far?Adam is reading: How Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Became an American Whiskey UnicornInstagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.