ROBERT MONDAVI (1916-2008)

When Robert Mondavi built the first major Napa Valley winery since Prohibition in 1966, he was determined to show the world that California Wines, especially those from his Napa Vineyards, could compete with wines from around the world. At that time, California was still primarily known for its bulk packaged, price slashed jug wines, but he was this country's true pioneer of the wine industry and he adopted revolutionary winemaking techniques and introduced the industry to a bold approach to marketing.

He was the industry's most enthusiastic ambassador for California wine, and he devoted his life and still traveled after the age of 90 to endorse wine's health, cultural and social benefits. True to his Italian immigrant roots, his company became the focal point in a portrait of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Robert Mondavi always believed that his wines belonged on every table even if the seasoned olive oil and sliced tomatoes shared space on the table with foie gras. Until his Death on May 16, 2008 Robert Mondavi promoted the moderate consumption of wine and its accompaniment to dining.

"He had the single greatest influence in this country with respect to high quality wine and its place at the table," said wine critic Robert Parker. Mondavi lead the way for wine making practices that are all commonplace in the industry today, like cold fermentation, and the use of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. He was the first to introduce blind tastings, and 'wine dinners' pairing varietal wines for different courses. He was confident enough to call his Sauvignon Blanc that was produced in Napa Valley Fume Blanc' adopting the name Fume' Blanc because it was more French sounding, and now the two terms are interchangeable.

It was Robert Mondavi who was the first to be confident enough to believe that California wines were as good as any wine found in the world, including France. Mondavi boldly put his wines up against French vintages when no one else would, and although his wine wasn't the winner of the now famous 1976 Judgment of Paris, Robert Mondavi was right. That year winemaker Warren Winiarski of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was awarded the best Cabernet Sauvignon, beating Château Mouton-Rothschild for the top spot in the world. Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, also from California, was made by winemaker Mike Grgich, and selected as the best Chardonnay in the world that same year. Both Winiarski and Grgich were former employees and the first students of what is called 'Mondavi College', and now the disciples of Modavi and his methods, were the best in the world.But it was Mondavi that was the pioneer of business he entered in the first French-American wine venture he forming a limited partnership with the legendary French vintner Baron Philippe de Rothschild to grow and make the ultra-premium Opus One at Oakville. The venture's first vintage was in 1979. That same year, Mondavi looked to the future of value-priced table wine, and to Lodi, California Vineyards when his Woodbridge Winery. Woodbridge became the first in the region to convert to single-label wine production with Robert Mondavi red and white wines, that he affectionately named Bob Red and Bob White. In 1985 the winery pioneered the gentle, direct-to-press operation for white wines, now practiced industry-wide. The success of the Mondavi winery allowed him to donate tens of millions of dollars to charity, but a wine glut and intense competition from Australia and South America gradually cost his family control of the business. In 2004, the company accepted a buyout worth $1.3 billion from Fairport, N.Y.-based Constellation Brands. "He was a tireless entrepreneur who transformed how the world felt about California wine, and an unforgettable personality to everyone who knew him. Robert Mondavi is a true California legend." said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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Diageo Acquires Ketel One

Coastal Wine and Spirits takes over distribution from RNDC in Florida in June

Who says up selling and a little advertising doesn't work?
Ketel One Vodka sold 1.9 million cases in 2007, which represents a 47% increase in sales since the brand bought their first national magazine advertisement in 2003. Maybe that's why industry giant Diageo paid $900 million for half the global distribution rights of Ketel One earlier this year. The Dutch family, Nolet, who has owned the company since the 1600's is now embarking on a worldwide expansion, just 15 years after first coming to the US. Diageo now controls the brand, and becomes distribution partners with the Nolet's worldwide. The challenge for Diageo will be to find a way to retain the mystique which made Ketel One, while making the brand less mysterious enough around the world to double sales in the next five years.

How will they do it, and what changes locally?
For starters, you now order Ketel One from Coastal Wine and Sprits along with other Diageo brands like worldwide icons Johnnie Walker and J & B Scotch, Tanqueray Gin, Captain Morgan's Rum, Smirnoff Vodka, Bailey's Irish Cream and Cuervo Tequila. Diageo's reach goes way farther than that. Diageo has brands that are in most every bar, like Guinness Beer, Crown Royal, Hennesey, Godiva Chocolate, Romana Sambuca, even Rumplemintz and Goldschlager. . They also own Sterling and Beaulieu Vineyards in California, Moet & Chandon with Dom Perignon in France, as well as other recognizable spirit and wine brands. Diageo owns and distributes 9 of the top 20 brands worldwide, and that's before they purchased Ketel One.

Oh yea...the other changes. Don't blame the sales person, but Coastal will be getting new pricing and programs when the brand shows up in their inventory. You can bet that the 'Ketel deal' that National had changes, and that the price will have to change as well. After spending $900 million dollars for half the distribution rights expect those changes sooner rather than later.

Pernod Ricard Wins the Absolut Sweepstakes

When the French based spirit giant Pernod-Ricard bought Sweden's Vin & Sprit AB, the owner of Absolut vodka, for $8.34 billion it moved them a little closer to parity with industry leader Diageo. Pernod-Ricard outbid Fortune Brands' Beam Global unit, the Wallenberg family of Sweden and the privately held Bacardi Company to get Vin & Sprit from the Swedish government.

Diageo had been the leading candidate to purchase Absolut, but changed their focus to Ketel One deciding that Ketel One's growth could return more dollars and a faster profit than could have generated by paying the big money for Absolut's 10 million-plus cases a year.

Absolut joins a strong world-wide distribution network and the worldwide appeal of Absolut enhances the strength of Pernod Ricard's premium brands portfolio, complementing Chivas, Ballantine's, The Glenlivet, Jameson, Martell, Beefeater, Ricard, Malibu, Kahlua, Havana Club Rum, along with Mumm, and Perrier-Joüet Champagne, and Jacob's Creek and Montana wines among other brands.

The acquisition of V&S also provides Pernod Ricard with other brands that have some recent success, notably Cruzan rum, which reached 600,000 cases sold in 2007 which was up +27%, and Level Vodka, which currently is only sold in the United States, and is Absolut's super-premium entry in the vodka category.

Stolichnaya looks for a New Partner

Since it looked like Absolut was going to Diageo or perhaps Fortune Brands Beam, Pernod-Ricard was ready to pursue the purchase of Stolichnaya Vodka, which they were contracted to distribute thru 2008. But the acquisition of V&S forces Pernod, by contract, to divest its distribution rights to Stoli after buying Absolut. This will result in the immediate end of the Stolichnaya distribution contract, even though Pernod-Ricard will continue to perform during a short transitional period. Southern Wine & Spirits will continue to distribute both Absolut and Stoli and the industry waits until Stolichnaya SPI identifies a new distributor.

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'Big Beer' Fishes for New Sales

Wine chosen as America's favorite alcohol beverage for the first time

This may be a trend that Spuds McKenzie, Alex the Dog and those 'Was'up?' commercials won't be able to reverse. For the first time in the US history, a Gallup Poll said that the majority of Americans (39%) of legal age would choose wine as their favorite alcoholic beverage over beer (36%).

Let's face it, wine makes food better, and a blown wine glass in hand makes everyone look better. Winemakers and drinkers talk about terrior, and go on trips around the world to see the hills and valleys where their favorite grapes grow. Wine 'enthusiasts' and 'spectators' go to tastings and dinners, collect vintages, artwork labels and build cellars to age their verticals...while people, mostly men, just 'drink' beer and the real beer aficionados collect T-shirts, coasters, commemorative steins and clever cans and bottles. Beer commercials never really talk about the beer, they sell the logo, and the comedy of the core group looking like barbarians and less educated than most any other drinker. The classiest thing about American Beer still remains the majesty of the Clydesdales...and their just really promotional employees.

Big beer is feeling the financial loss with society's move to cocktails, wines and the rapidly growing sake segment. Through the years big beer has tried to tell us that we needed Dry Beer, Ice Beer, even creating BE, the 'energy beer'. Past Anheuser-Busch has national distribution rights with Bacardi USA has delivered the Bacardi Breezer line of 'flavored malts and 'flavored beers' and always has been trying to find ways to tap back into the very market they used to own, from the underage drinker to 25 year old market.

In early 2007 AB introduced Spykes, a brand of flavored malt liquor sold in colorful, 2-ounce bottles. Spykes was designed to be mixed with beer or any hard liquor drink, but also was suggested that it could be taken as a shot, as well. The product was designed to appeal to young adults and women, groups that often do not favor the taste of beer, but Spykes mixed a 12% alcohol content with the stimulant caffeine, as well as herbs ginseng and guarana. Flavors included mango, lime, melon, Grape, Peach, Banana, and Blue Raspberry and even chocolate. Think that they sound like flavors of ice cream or snow cones...well so did the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. They found that the labeling as well as the marketing of Spykes was Illegal mainly because people were using it for sweet sixteen parties and high school experimentation. Spykes licenses were cancelled by the end of the year. Before it was released, there was criticism of the brand and its approval for sale. Spykes was rightfully targeted by industry watchdog groups as being marketed to underage customers. According to some critics, the size, unique flavors, and low price of the drink appeared to be aimed at teenage customers in rich urban communities.

This summer, AB tries again, but just through Labor Day. Trying to capitalize on the popularity of the Michelob ULTRA brand, Anheuser Busch will offer 3 flavors of flavored beers that only have 105 calories each, and the flavors sound more like cocktails than Kool-Aid. Michelob ULTRA Lime Cactus, Michelob ULTRA Tuscan Orange Grapefruit, and Michelob ULTRA Pomegranate Raspberry certainly have a more adult package than Spykes, but they probably will be a bigger hit at those same sweet sixteen parties and convenience stores. But pre-legal drinkers are not the only target as Anheuser-Busch just launched its organic beers in March and April in several test markets nationwide. You won't find the Budweiser name on these bottles though. The labels credit the Green Valley Brewing Co. on the Wild Hop Lager packaging and the mirco sounding Crooked Creek Brewing Co. is registered as the brewer on the Stone Mill Pale Ale.

Anheuser-Busch has always tried to find revenue streams from the attempt in the 80's to sell 'Eagle Brand' snacks to the recent launch of products like 'Jekyll & Hyde' a spirit brand, to a line extension like '(Bud Light) BL Lime'. 'Wild Blue' is a macro craft Blueberry Beer with an artsy label and they recently have expanded the distribution of Chelada in all 50 states, Chelada has two SKU's, and is of Bud or Bud Light with Clamato, a blend of vegetable and clam juices. Anheuser-Busch continues to set the pace for imagination and their Innovation and New Products Division and they recently hired an in house mixologist to help promote beer as a mixer and plan on spending lots of money to promote the creative mixing of 'beertails and beertinis'. With sales flat and profits sputtering, 'Big Beer' plans on surfing the cocktail wave with creations like the Orangutang (Bud Light and orange juice) and the BE Bomb, in which Budweiser's caffeinated offshoot, BE, is spiked with Jägermeister. This mixture is destined to be enjoyed at the high school level and might be a warm up for college life.

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Boston Bans Bottle Service

The City of Boston has passed a new law that will force the party in VIP rooms and couch clubs to have fun without 'bottle service'. The law was instituted when city officials agreed that the cost of the bottle causes patrons to feel they have to down the whole thing before the night is over to get the full value of the purchase. The decision was based on the City of Boston's "happy hour" law of a two-drink max per patron. No wonder they smuggle flasks into Fenway.

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Outrageous 'Cocktails for the Cure' a Big Hit at Spring Training!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Created: March 4th, 2008

Manny's Homer RamierX...Big Papi Goes Deep! And Papelbon and Jelly are just some of the names for the latest Outrageous Cocktails developed by Larry 'Smokey' Genta and now available at all three Blu Sushi locations in Southwest Florida, the winter home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox. The cocktails are being featured all month long and are helping raise awareness and money for the local Southwest Florida affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and their Second Annual 5K Race for the Cure.

A total of seven Outrageous Cocktails are being featured that all have a name that connects to the World Champions who play at City of Palm Park in downtown Fort Myers, Florida. Cy Beckett Iced Ya is a jab at the baseball writers who didn't award the 'Cy Young Award' to Beckett, who then went on to record a 4-0 post season record that ensured another World Championship for the Red Sox. The Okie-Dokie Shooter is a 'sake bomb' that's named after a pitch thrown by Red Sox relief pitcher Hideki Okajima, and even ESPN baseball reporter Peter Gammons, who recently released a music CD, is remembered with the drink called Gammons' Wicked Rocktail.

The cocktails feature iconic brands like Cabo Wabo Tequila and Skyy Vodka, but Genta seeks new and unknown products and innovative brands when creating his signature Outrageous Cocktails, These cocktails and items are available to the industry through local distributors and introduce brands and flavors like X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, Pearl Pomegranate Vodka, Zipang Sparkling Sake and Canton Ginger Liqueur. The Papelbon and Jelly is an Outrageous Cocktail version of a peanut butter and jelly martini, named after the unconventional and often comical Red Sox pitcher Jonathon Paplebon.

Blu Sushi is a local sponsor, and will field a team of racers for the 5k of Susan G. Komen for the Cure that is to be held March 15 at Coconut Point Mall, and Major League Baseball is a national sponsor of Susan G. Komen for the Cure of breast cancer. Through the month of March, Blu Sushi will donate $1 for every cocktail served on their Red Sox, Blu Sushi and Pink Ribbons 'Cocktails for the Cure' menu at all three locations. BluSushi is the perennial award-winning Sushi restaurant and can be found at the corner of McGregor and Cypress lake in Ft Myers, In Naples, just off historic Third Street South in The Plaza and their newest location is at the exciting Gulf Coast Town Center just off I-75 Exit 128 in Estero. Check them out at www.BluSushi.com

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Caipirinhas and Cachaca helps Bring Carnival to America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Created: February 10, 2008

The fact is that the entire country of Brazil would like Americans to stop their long running affair with Margarita. Over the past thirty years, the increased popularity and price of tequila has changed the way the spirits industry looks at individual cocktails and their effect on an entire category. Most recently the rejuvenated sales of white rum with the emergence the Classic Cuban Mojito as one of the most popular 'new' choice of the cocktail circuit has convinced importers, distributors and yes, even the Brazilian government that we should look at changing the way we get happy at happy hour. If Americans give Cachaca the same warm welcome it gave Tequila with the Margarita in the 70's and 80's you see brands like Cachaca 61 and Boca Loca in the speed rack.

Brazilians know that we'll just love their version of sugarcane distillate called Cachaca. It's kind of like someone introducing you to a friend of friend...but if Margaitaville is in Key West and blows out flip-flops, the Caipirinha (KAI-PUR-REEN-YAH) is strutting its stuff on South beach and she's wearing high heels.

Cachaca (KA-SHA-SA) is, and has always has been the preferred beverage alcohol and the spirit of Brazil...and they drink a lot of it. Of the estimated 1.3 billion liters of Cachaca produced, less than 4% is exported. While some people call it 'Brazilian Rum', this product is really a category of its own that slides in between Rum and Tequila. It's made with the juices from sugarcane like rum, but without any infusion or addition of molasses. The juice is then fermented before distillation, just as agave juice is in the making of tequila, or grapes are fermented in the making of brandy. Cachaca can be aged and typically is categorized as either small batch artisanal, that receives oak cask aging or the commercial graded varietals that are distilled and then immediately bottled like most rums, Plata tequilas and all vodka.

But it's the Caipirinha that is the national cocktail of Brazil and one of those 'cultural cocktails' found its way to beaches and resorts around the globe. While the Caipirinha is far from new, and actually is rated as one of the top 50 Internationally requested Cocktails, it's hard to find Cachaca at most American bars, and even harder to find a bartender that know what to do with it.

While Americans look toward New Orleans to celebrate the days around 'Fat Tuesday' or Mardi Gras', the rest of the World and particularly Brazil has already danced and partied for weeks during the season known as Carnival. Carnival is actually the entire 40 days before the religious season of lent that encourages parties, dancing, drinking and cavorting as a farewell to pleasures of the flesh. In Brazil, the season is an expression of culture as well as social release and the Cachaca and the drink, The Caipirinha, are as important to Carnival as the samba music and the parades of masqueraders.

The Caipirinha is typically a shorter drink, built similar to a Mojito, using a muddler to release the juice of fresh lime with a two bar spoon measure of superfine sugar prior to icing the glass. After an ample pour of Cachaca, a vigorous shake helps melt the ice enough to make for a delicious 'sweet-tart' flavor that is a perfect sipper. A well made Caipirinha looks and tastes great, and is a refreshing cocktail that fits perfectly between two wildly popular Cocktails.

Ask for the Caipirinha, and look for this 'Outrageous Cocktail' on the drink lists at more creative restaurants and bars, and don't be afraid to try Brazil's national drink, Cachaca, in your next Margarita, Mojito or with your favorite tropical juices.

Larry 'Smokey' Genta consults beverage retailers, and is a friend of the spirits, wine and specialty beer industry. Known for creative mixology, imaginative promotions and brand building at OutrageousCocktails.com, 'Smokey' is the Managing Director of BluSushi and a contributor to Entrée Magazine. //-->