The Tasting Panel Magazine 🥃🍹🥂

In her May column, @winedinewanda shines a light on @blackvines_ , a wine festival that celebrates culture, community and connection@between black-owned brands, hospitality professionals, and consumers. Swipe to read more.

Light-drinking reds for summer? Yes, please! In his May column, @ransomwrites says, “Podere Il Carnasciale in the Valdarno di Sopra DOC south of Arrezzo in eastern Tuscany produces the must-try Ottantadue Sangiovese, which is imported by Volio (SRP $40). The family-owned winery is most famous for its singular Caberlot, a Super Tuscan of sorts made from the world’s only known planting of Caberlot—a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Merlot—that’s highly allocated and sells out before bottling each year. The Ottantadue is the Caberlot’s polar opposite: a light (in fact almost translucent), fresh, easy-drinking, and even chillable unoaked Sangiovese that’s meant to be poured among friends at any time. Perfect for the aperitivo hour or a meal on the patio, this versatile wine is unlike any Sangiovese you’ve had before and is well worth seeking out.”

When it comes to pairing wines and sakè with sushi, balance is a delicate dance. At @kizakiden in Denver, Colorado, beverage director and saké sommelier Yuki Minakawa has the task of developing a wine and saké program that doesn’t steal the spotlight from the culinary artistry of renowned chef/owner Toshi Kizaki. igiri. To accompany sushi featuring richer fish—think toro and eel—Minakawa typically offers a glass of Pinot Noir such as the Joseph Drouhin 2022 Bourgogne. “The Pinot Noir is our perfect pairing with the tuna, and in Japan, you do that often, because the acidity will break down the fat and the red fruit notes will complement the flavors of the tuna,” she says.  Swipe to read more.

In his May column, @erik4wine writes, “There are two key factors to consider when determining your go-to-market strategy: market appropriateness and ease of entry. Most brand managers believe that they have both a strong value proposition and a receptive market, but more often than not, they’re lacking in one or both of those factors. So if your strategy can be broadly summarized as “I want to be in the main population centers and busiest markets,” that’s in fact not a strategy at all. When it comes to ease of entry, a brand team must consider the costs involved in opening a market, including distributor sales trainings, market visits, buyer meetings, and events. Everything is more expensive in the bigger, more saturated markets, from the cost of a visit to the expectations of buyers when it comes to events.” Swipe to read more.

Importer/distributor/retailer Thatcher Baker-Briggs aims to bridge the gap between curiosity and confidence, one bottle at a time at his Brentwood, CA retail store, @thatcherswine . There, his current focus is Spain. “I’m seeing huge shifts in Rioja and Jumilla, and I’m focused on working with producers who are making precise, elegant wines,” he says. Earlier this year, the team from Thatcher’s Imports led a group of 13 sommeliers on a week-long trip to the country, visiting several different regions as a surefire way to turn market knowledge into lived experience. Gatekeeping, in Baker-Briggs’ view, is a thing of the past; the future of wine is about throwing the doors wide open. Swipe to read more.

Meet some of the faces in our May issue! Another great issue is headed your way, complete with profiles on wine and spirits professionals from across the globe!

Cover reveal! Our May/June issue is here, and the cover features @brassfieldestatewinery and a look at their impressive history and work in Lake County, CA! Stay tuned for more from this issue!

The @grappanonino family’s industry history stretches back to 1897, when patriarch Orazio Nonino established a grappa distillery in the Friuli–Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. “That’s six generations, with the most recent being three generations of powerhouse women who have been running the distillery,” explains Lauren Reed, fine wine and spirits business development manager for @sgwinespirits . “Now it’s led by three daughters continuing the family business to uphold its history and traditions.” Part of the Terlato Artisan Spirits portfolio, Nonino L’Aperitivo occupies a distinct space alongside the family’s celebrated amaro. While both contain Nonino’s Fragolino grape distillate, sourced from small Friuli vineyards and distilled in copper stills, the amber amaro is rich and complex, built for digestion with higher alcohol and pronounced bitterness; in contrast, the golden L’Aperitivo is lighter, fresher, and designed to awaken the palate. It’s the modern version of a recipe created by Silvia Nonino in the 1940s. “The younger generations removed the citric acid to make it 100% botanical with gentian root, orange, lemon, and other spices,” confirms Reed. The botanicals are carefully dried at low temperature and gently infused, creating a liqueur that is aromatic, layered, and as enjoyable on the rocks as it is in refreshing cocktails. Read more in the digital edition at the link in our bio.

@unclevals Gin pays homage to @3badgecorp founder August Sebastiani’s great-uncle Valerio Cecchetti, whose face appears on the label’s Roman coin. Rich Moreno, Western region sales manager for 3 Badge, highlighted described the brand’s range, which also includes Botanical and Zested gins. “While Botanical is the flagship, this expression deserves attention too,” he said, citing The Tasting Panel’s high 94-point score. Infused with Grandiflora rose petals, cucumber, coriander, and juniper, the gin lives up to its name through its restorative properties: Rose is calming, while cucumber keeps the profile crisp and fresh, as evidenced by the cocktail created by mixologist Matthew “Crispy” Crisp: Val’s Veranda Cooler (aka Crispy’s Bougie Arnold Palmer) ■ 2 oz. Uncle Val’s Restorative Gin ■ 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice ■ 0.75 oz. hibiscus-chamomile tea ■ Soda water  ■ 0.25 oz. Crème de Mûre blackberry liqueur Shake the gin, lemon juice, and tea with ice and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with soda, add the blackberry liqueur to layer on the bottom, and garnish with lemon and dried rose petals.

“We’re actually a winery, but we do have some fun spirits as well,” says Jay Martino, Heritage Collection field sales specialist for @tfewines Wine & Spirits. “It’s all about finding great stories.” The story behind @tresagaves additive-free tequilas starts in Amatitán, Mexico, where the brand’s Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo are made from organic 100% blue agave with well water from Tequila Valley aquifers and estate-grown yeast. The Reposado spends nine months resting in Four Roses Bourbon barrels, which “helps bridge a gap for people who love tequila and people who love brown spirits,” Martino asserted. For an effervescent topper to his cocktail creation (see recipe below), Martino reached for Bottlerocket Spritz. Made by Charles Bieler, it combines sparkling rosé with blood orange, gentian root, and other botanicals. “It just came out [in 2024], and it’s super fun,” he said. Rocket Fuel ■ 1.5 oz. Tres Agaves Organic Reposado Tequila ■ 1 oz. Giffard Abricot du Roussillon ■ 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice ■ 0.5 oz. Tres Agaves Agave Nectar ■ Bottlerocket Spritz Shake all ingredients except the Bottlerocket Spritz with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Top with Bottlerocket and garnish with orange peel and a dehydrated blood-orange wheel.

At our recent Speed Tasting, Sara Southard, Arizona regional manager for @mswalkerbrands Brands, led with the company’s history as a pharmacy that was established in 1929 to make extracts and syrups before shifting into spirits. Though it’s sourced from Casa Maestri, one of Mexico’s most decorated distilleries, this tequila from the producer’s portfolio also claims Boston roots. “The founder, Chris Moran, was a bartender known for his spicy Margaritas, who teamed up with a chemist from MIT to extract the capsaicin from ghost peppers,” Southard explained. The result delivers consistent heat without the unpredictability of muddled chiles, she added: “You can use it in Palomas, Espresso Martinis, and Old Fashioneds—the sky’s the limit.” As an example, Southard shook up her own creation, Fire Flower & Ice, which incorporated St. Elder Elderflower Liqueur, also an M.S. Walker Brands label, to balance heat with floral sweetness. Fire Flower & Ice ■ 1.5 oz. Ghost Spicy Reposado Tequila ■ 0.5 oz. St. Elder Elderflower Liqueur  ■ 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice ■ 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice ■ 0.5 oz. agave syrup Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a glass over a large cube encasing an edible flower. Garnish with a grapefruit twist and a rosemary sprig.

Are you ready for @pasorobleswinemonth ? This nationwide on- and off-premise campaign highlighting Paso Robles wines is supported by an array of marketing strategies, including branded POS displays, digital media, and social media both consumer- and brand-driven, in partnership with the @pasoroblescab , @travelpaso the @pasorobleswineries , Bay Cities Packaging, and Tastry AI. Retailers can customize their in-store experience with branded endcaps, case stackers, bottle neckers, and POS signage. QR codes on these materials and on the Paso Robles Wine Month (PRWM) website connect shoppers to wineries, recipe pairings, and a sweepstakes contest, for which consumers can sign up as for a chance to win one of three prizes, including a trip to Paso Robles. Participating retailers can also host in-store tastings and off-site winemakers’ dinners. On-premise, Paso Robles themed–wine flights and wine dinners will be enhanced by PRWM-branded assets for dedicated sections on wine lists. Swipe to read more about this initiative.