April Around The Store with Blake

We’re seeing a trend towards great wines under $20 and a slowdown of wines over $50. Customers are still buying more expensive sipping spirits. Other trends we’re seeing…

 

Convenience!

Ready to drink cocktails are still the fastest growing category in the spirits space. A new one gets released almost weekly! Customers are turning from malt-based hard seltzers to spirit-based seltzers with vodka and tequila. High Noon just came out with their Tequila Variety Packs, and it is already the #1 canned cocktail.

 

No And Low!

No Alcohol and Low Alcohol wines, spirits, and beer – a relatively small category but growing fast. Athletic Brewing, a local Connecticut brewery, is the most popular non-alcoholic beer. If I tasted it blind, I’m not sure I’d know it didn’t have alcohol! I’m still a big wine drinker and I find myself drinking more low alcohol wines (under 12% abv). There are a lot of lighter reds, whites and sparkling around that percentage.

 

Making A Comeback

Martinis, and especially Espresso ones. People are even starting to replace vodka and gin with tequila in their martinis.

 

Back from…

Cartagena, Colombia, and WOW! A tropical, colorful city along the Caribbean coast with the freshest fish, delicious coffee, and cocktails. I went for fun and came back a bigger rum and coffee lover. I’ve never been a big rum drinker but turns out, I’ve just been drinking the wrong ones the wrong way all along!

 

Heading To 15 Football Fields Of Wine

This is what I’m about to experience when our team heads to the biggest wine show in Verona, Italy this week. We’ll see our friends that own wineries and find some new hidden gems for you. I’ll be saying goodbye to all diets and hello to fresh pasta, pizza, and lots of wine!

 

Planning For…

Spring is near and so is Easter and Passover. We are loving lighter reds, like fruity and earthy Pinot Noir and juicy Grenache and Syrah blends like a Côtes du Rhône. Both wines are great options with your Easter meal.

 

Wine Hack - Freeze Your Wine!

I had some leftover wine the other day that my husband and I didn’t finish. I froze the remaining wine in an ice cube tray and will pop them out and transfer them to a plastic bag for the next time a recipe calls for red wine!

 

What’s in your glass? I’d love to know!