Tequila Tromba Launches Endangered Agave Program

The craft tequila maker says its initiative aims to restore nearly extinct populations of the agave plant by seeding wild agave plants on their designated sanctuary near the base of the Volcán de Colima.

Beginning Sept. 16, Mexican Independence Day, for every case of Tromba sold, one endangered agave will be planted with a goal of planting 5,000 plants representing five species that are in most need of protection and repopulation. No agave on the sanctuary will be harvested to produce spirit products instead, the plants will be allowed to mature, flower, and seed to create a rich source and ecosystem for mezcal producers to replant their own crop development. The Endangered Agave Program is in partnership with the Partida family in Zapotitlan de Vadillo, creators of the Mezcal Chacolo brand.

“Thousands of plants are harvested and destroyed each year to create corporate farmland, threatening the diversity of the agave population,” says Tequila Tromba co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Nick Reid. He adds, “The Endangered Agave Program will help restore those species on the brink of extinction to help ensure that wild agave, one of Mexico’s most important agricultural gems, can thrive long-term and establish a sustainable source of seeds for future planting in the region.”

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Watershed Distillery Releases Batch 002 of Barrel Strength Bourbon Finished in Apple Brandy Casks

Watershed Distillery, Columbus, Ohio, plans to release just 3,060 bottles of its most mature spirit to date on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the distillery followed by limited allocation to select retail outlets in Ohio and to Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Lexington, New York City and Tampa.  SRP: $89.99.

The highly anticipated 2021 Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 002 follows the release of Batch 001 in September 2020 for the distillery’s 10-year anniversary, which sold out in under three hours.

Created from some of the last remaining barrels of Watershed Distillery’s original five grain mash bill of corn, wheat, rye, barley, and spelt—an ancient grain grown primarily in Ohio and nod to the distillery’s craft roots—Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 002 was created from copper pot-distilled bourbon aged four years in virgin char #4 White Oak barrels and finished for 34-45 months in Watershed’s own Ohio apple brandy casks. Bottled without chill filtration at 120.8 proof, this rare and complex spirit was created from barrels 100% distilled, aged, and bottled on-site, and represents the oldest bourbon ever released by Watershed Distillery.

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Germain-Robin Introduces Single Barrel Pinot Noir Brandy, Aged 19 Years

It’s the brand’s first new single-barrel product since joining the E. & J. Gallo spirits family four years ago.  The initial release at California Brandy House in Napa, which Gallo opened last year to raise awareness of premium California brandies, will be followed by a limited release to select markets.  SRP $250.

Crafted exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes grown in California’s bucolic Anderson Valley in coastal Mendocino County, the brandy pays homage to Germain-Robin’s distinctive heritage of being among the first to ever distill California Pinot Noir grapes in the history of brandy making.

Hubert Germain-Robin and I shared a simple vision: to make the best brandy possible,” said Gallo’s Vice President of Distilling David Warter. “And I believe we’re delivering on that vision. The lot behind this release stood out among a multitude of barrels because of its true Pinot Noir characteristics of red fruit that can hold oak. We selected Pinot Noir to honor the path blazed by our visionary founders who revolutionized brandy making in the early 1980s when they were among the first to distill California Pinot Noir grapes.”

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POM Wonderful® Launches National Cocktail Contest to Support Local Bars After Pandemic Closures

Five bars to receive a $10,000 cash prize and a year’s supply of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice by creating cocktails made with the POM.

Entrants will develop a signature POM-inspired cocktail and sharing a photo of their creation on Instagram along with the recipe, tagging @POMWonderful and nominating a local bar. Entries will be judged on presentation, creativity, diversity of ingredients, and the extent to which POM Juice is featured.

On Oct. 1, 10 finalists will be chosen, and their cocktails will be featured on the @POMWonderful Instagram page. Consumers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite POM cocktail by “liking” the photo to determine the semi-finalists. Five winners will be selected Oct. 11. The winners’ nominated bars will receive a $10,000 cash prize to help them recover from pandemic hardships, along with a year’s supply of POM Juice to incorporate into cocktails.

The bar community played an important role in the beginnings of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice, bringing to life the iconic POMtini and pomegranate margarita. With so many bars impacted by COVID-19 closures, we wanted to rally behind those who have supported us,” said Adam Cooper, senior vice president-marketing, Wonderful Co. “Through a friendly competition and unique POM cocktails, we hope to bring some hope, excitement and flavor to the bars and bartenders that have had a challenging year.”

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Codorniu Limited Edition Honors Catalan Modernism

Codorníu is debuting at this week’s Food & Wine Classic in Aspen a limited-edition sparkling wine that pays homage to Catalan modernism inside and out: a fresh, elegant wine adorned in designs inspired by the cultural movement of the early 20th century.

This new Cava honors the transformative movement that occurred a century ago: Catalan modernism, or Modernisme as its known in Catalan. With floral motifs of brilliant gold on black matte, the cutting-edge packaging of the limited edition encapsulates both the old and the new with inspiration from the pomegranate: a symbol of modernity rooted in a Medieval legacy, revived in fabrics, tapestries, and décor of the Modernisme artists.

Additionally, the new packaging underlines the close link between Codorníu and the Modernisme movement. The Codorníu winery in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia—a Monument of National Historic-Artistic Interest since 1976—is the work of Puig y Cadafalch, one of the most renowned architects of the Catalan modernist era, along with Domènech y Montaner and Gaudí. The Raventós family also played an important role as patrons, placing orders for advertising posters by key modernist artists, such as Ramon Casas and Miguel Utrillo.

“Raventós Cordorníu is a winery deeply connected to its centuries-old history, and this limited-edition Cava speaks to our dedication to our Catalan roots—honoring our past while continuing to evolve and move forward towards the future,” says Mike Jackson, president of Raventós Codorníu North America.

Codorníu Limited Edition is a Brut Reserva Cava made from the traditional varieties of Penedès—Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada—and Chardonnay sourced from vineyards heavily influenced by the Mediterranean. At harvest, grapes are pressed, fermented, and then transported to Codorníu’s underground cellars for secondary fermentation, followed by aging for 15 months in the bottle.

Pale straw in color, the Codorníu Limited Edition (SRP: 412.99) has very fine and persistent bubbles and aromas of citrus and almond blossom, layered with notes of brioche and nuts.

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Who & What —

HIRED:  Nik Keane, as the Ultra Premium Portfolio Leader and Tim Szonyi as Global Innovations Leader at Stoli Group  Keane joins from Diageo, where he was global marketing leader, and Szonvi from Tribe Breweries, one of Australia’s largest craft beer brewers where he build the commercial marketing, innovation and sales functions. .

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