Rant: The Value of Refugees & Immigrants

(Four years ago, I posted this Rant, during a time when the fate of Syrian refugees was front and center. Considering recent events and the significance of these issues at this time, I feel it is vital to bring back this Rant due to its applicability in the current crisis. I've slightly revised it from its original form to be more relevant to the immediate issues.)

The fate of refugees and immigrants are significant issues right now, with plenty of heated rhetoric and arguments. Fear is at the heart of much of the discussion and though the general threat of terrorism is real, the actual risks from these refugees and immigrants is much much less than the doomsayers proclaim. The basic humanity of these refugees and immigrants needs to factor far greater into these discussions, and compassion needs to be a prominent value.

America owes a huge debt to the refugees and immigrants which have come to our country over the centuries. They bring a diversity to our country which only benefits us all. Our country would not be as great as it is without the diversity that such people bring. And the important benefits they bring outweigh the small risk that is entailed. We cannot become insular, shutting our borders to these people.

Yes, there may be some bad apples in the bunch but there are bad apples everywhere, including people who have lived in this country their entire lives. We have to understand that these bad apples are a tiny exception and far from the rule. Those bad apples do not reflect the general mentality and behavior of the greatest majority of refugees and immigrants. We already have vetting procedures to help minimize those risks.

Let's consider but one area where America owes a huge debt to refugees and immigrants: our culinary scene. There are plenty of other significant areas that can be discussed but I just want to concentrate on this one area for now.

First, most restaurant kitchens, all across the country, couldn't operate without the refugees and immigrants who perform some of the most basic, and still very important, duties, from dish washing to prep work. They commonly work behind the scenes, unseen by the restaurant diners who might only may know the main chef. As they work unseen, too many people fail to understand their vital role and their importance to what ends up on your plate.

I've talked to a number of chefs who have been immensely grateful for these workers. Few others have been willing to do such jobs, from dish washing to basic prep work. Without these refugees and immigrants, it would be difficult to find others willing to do these duties. In addition, the chefs uniformly state that they are some of the hardest working people they know. For a significant number of these refugees and immigrants, they work multiple jobs, maybe in a couple different kitchens. These people contribute significantly to the community.

Second, these refugees and immigrants bring to the U.S. their home cuisines, including different ingredients, recipes and techniques. They have created a greater diversity in our culinary scene, opening diners up to so many new and different foods. Consider Boston and its neighboring communities and try to count the numerous cuisines from different countries which are represented, which wouldn't exist except for the influx of refugees and immigrants to our country. Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mexico, El Salvador, Senegal, Afghanistan, Vietnam and so much more.

In addition, other chefs have adopted the ingredients, recipes and techniques of these refugees and immigrants. Their culinary heritage has spread across the country, becoming firmly ingrained in our society. Without their contributions, our culinary world would be boring and plain. We revel in culinary diversity but need to understand and appreciate the myriad contributions of those refugees and immigrants.

Third, the presence of refugees and immigrants in restaurant kitchens, plus the spread of their cuisines, helps to make our communities more diverse, and more tolerant of differences. When people are exposed to more diversity, they become more worldly, and can better understand that despite out differences, we share many similarities too. We don't need a 50th burger joint in the area, but we certainly could use more restaurants from places like Guatemala, Armenia, Uruguay, Georgia, Nepal, and more.

Rather than worrying so much about the greatly exaggerated risks of refugees and immigrants, let us devote much more consideration to all the positive contributions they can make to our country. Let us embrace our humanity and compassion, and stand up for these refugees and immigrants.

Rant: DON'T DRINK & DRIVE!!!

It couldn't be any simpler so listen carefully. This is one of the most important pieces of advice you will receive this season. Please give this your full attention.

If you've had too much alcohol to drink, if there is any doubt in your mind, don't drive. Just don't do it!

Any questions?

Once again, I step forward with probably my most important Rant of the Year. It's an absolutely vital issue for everyone who enjoys alcohol of any type, from wine to beer, from Scotch to hard cider. With the advent of the holiday season upon us, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve, we reach a potentially dangerous period for those people who over indulge, who drink too much at parties, feasts and gatherings. There is nothing wrong with that, and you can drink as much as you desire, as long as you give up your keys to someone who is sober, and do not drive.

As I've said multiple times before, and which I'll repeat year after year, "If there is any question, no matter how small, whether you are too intoxicated to drive, then don't. If your family or friends think you have had too much to drink, don't drive. Just don't. It is not worth the risk by any calculation." Err on the side of caution so that if you have any doubt of your capacity to drive, then please do not drive. Take a taxi or Uber, catch a ride with someone else, walk or sleep it off. Just don't drive!

Rationally, we all know the dangers of drinking and driving. We endanger our own lives as well as the lives of others. Every year, we hear multiple news reports about terrible auto accidents, some with fatalities, that occur because a driver was intoxicated. Families are torn apart, lives are ruined, and much more. Why don't we learn from all these incidents? Even if you don't get in an accident, you might get arrested for drunk driving, with all the attendant high costs, and not just economic. You might even end up in jail.

About 17,000 people are arrested for drunk driving in Massachusetts each year. That is a huge figure, showing that far too many people still don't understand that they should not drink and drive. How difficult is it to understand? DON'T DRINK & DRIVE! I'm sure drunk driving incidents in other states are just as significant.

As a more sobering statistic, 10,497 people were killed in drunk driving crashes in 2016, an increase of 1.7% over 2015. That is far too many deaths and needs to be changed. Of those fatalities, 62% involved the drunk driver, 15% involved the passengers, and 23% involved the occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. In 2016, about 1,233 children, aged 14 or younger, were killed in automobile crashes and 214 of those children died in drunk driving accidents. Since 2007, when there was a high of 13,041 drunk driving fatalities, the number of fatalities has decreased but there is far much more work that needs to be done.

Each time you drink and drive, you endanger yourself, your passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and people in other vehicles. Let someone else drive you, whether it be a friend or family. Take an Uber or public transportation. Leave your car where it is parked as you can always pick it up the next day. You have plenty of options so there is absolutely no reason to drink and drive. Be responsible.

I don't want to lose any family or friends this year due to a drunk driving accident. I don't think anyone wants to lose their loved ones either. Your family and friends would rather you didn't drink and drive as they don't you to die in a terrible drunk driving accident. So please just don't!

Rant: Whisky, Sherry Barrels & A Lack Of Transparency

"Malt whisky, which emerges from the spirit-still as clear as gin, has to be matured in order to rid it of impurities and to improve its flavor. The choice of cask is therefore all-important, and the best is an oak sherry cask. It was, in fact, the sherry in the wood which gave the malt whisky its rich amber color, and, depending on the size of the cask, malt whisky is at its best between the eight and fifteen years."
--Scotch: The Whisky of Scotland in Fact and Story by Robert Bruce Lockhart (1951)

It all begins with an oak tree...

The tree is harvested, the wood cut into staves, and those staves are then used to construct a barrel which will eventually age alcohol, maybe Bourbon, Sherry or Port. In time, the used barrel will end up being sent to Scotland, where it will then age whisky. The significance of the barrel in the maturation of whisky cannot be underestimated and the choice of the cask is a crucial decision in the production process. Numerous individuals in the whisky industry claim that approximately 70% of the flavor of whisky comes from the oak barrels in which it is matured. Due to their vast importance, I believe it is also vital that the whisky industry be fully transparent in regard to the casks they use.

However, that isn't always the case, especially considering one specific type of barrel, the Sherry cask. That needs to change though first, it seems that much more attention needs to be brought to this issue, to make many more people aware of this problem. With greater awareness, then a larger and more united front can push for change in the whisky industry, to convince them to become more transparent about this matter.

As such, this is a preliminary article about the issue of the misuse of "Sherry" barrels, intended to raise public awareness and hopefully motivate others to explore deeper into these issues. I hope that it might even provide a little motivation for whisky producers to be more transparent, though I don't suspect a single voice will move them to action. However, I will be continuing to investigate, continuing to spread the word, and you can look forward to future articles about this controversy.

"These days they’re seen as slightly old-fashioned, looking back to a time when the Scotch whisky industry used more sherry casks than American oak. While it is not quite as simple as that – blenders were using refill casks in Edwardian times to produce lighter styles and sherry was still the dominant cask type in the 1930s, when light blends appeared – it’s true that the rich, deep blend is less common these days."
Whisky: The Manual by Dave Broom (2014)

In simple terms, Sherry is a wine produced in the Andalusian province of Cádiz in a region bounded by Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María, the Marco de Jerez, or the “Sherry Triangle.” The Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO (Denominación de Origen) and Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO cover approximately 17,500 acres of vines, with about 95% of that acreage dedicated to the Palomino grape. Sherry is a fortified wine, which means that a small amount of neutral grape spirit is added to the wine. There are a number of different types of Sherry, such as Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado.

There are very few other wines that are produced in a similar manner as Sherry, with its flor and solera system. The flor, a combination of yeasts that coats the surface of the Sherry in the barrel, is a natural way to protect wine from oxidation and also contributes to the flavor of the wine. The solera system, with its multiple barrels and fractional blending, helps to contribute to a consistent Sherry, while enhancing it with older and more complex Sherries. The Sherry barrels are usually stored in above-ground bodegas, with very high ceilings, reminding you of a cathedral. Most other wines are aged in barrels kept underground, in cellars or even caves. Sherry production is a very intriguing process, and creates a special wine.

Most Sherry bodegas have their own cooperage departments as their barrels are so essential to their business. Sherry botas are usually stacked no more than three or four high, as the added weight of a higher stack would damage the botas below. Once in place, barrels are rarely moved, and may remain in the same place for decades, and you can commonly see the dust and spiderwebs verifying their age. The sherry barrels are regularly and constantly examined for any problems. The barrels are commonly painted matte black, allowing leaks to be more readily discerned. It is more difficult to repair their barrels, which may be over 100, or even over 200 years old. They must locate old barrels or staves which can be used for repairs, and that is not as easy as finding a new barrel. In addition, older barrels and staves are more expensive in the Jerez region than new barrel, which is the opposite of much of the rest of the wine industry.


"Unlike table wine, the higher alcohol content of sherry allows the barrels to be used for many years. This constant reuse of barrels minimizes their need for a continual supply of new barrels, at least relative to the whiskey industries."
Wood, Whiskey and Wine: A History of Barrels by Henry H. Work (2014)

The history of the Sherry region extends back about 3000 years and it is the ancient Phoenicians who might have introduced the Palomino grape to southern Spain. Throughout history, the Sherry region has experienced numerous cycles of high and lows, yet always it has persevered. For example, the Peninsular War (1807-1814), which pitted France against Spain and its allies, wrecked havoc on the vineyards of Jerez, and stores of Sherry were often stolen, plundered or requisitioned. France even sometimes occupied the Jerez region. Yet once again, in the 1820s, the Sherry industry found a way to rebound and the industry continued to grow over the next several decades.

One of Spain's biggest customers for Sherry was England, and in 1864, 43% of the total wine imports to England constituted Sherry. It became a custom in middle-class English homes to offer guests a glass of Sherry and a biscuit. By the 1870s, the Sherry industry reached its highest point ever, with much of the credit to the significant number of English consumers. However, that success did not last long, and the Sherry industry fell hard, reaching a low point during the 1890s. This time the fall was due to a tragic combination of numerous factors including a peasant rebellion in Jerez, plenty of poor quality Sherry, fake Sherry being sold by unscrupulous merchants, malicious rumors that Sherry had been adulterated with unsafe chemicals, problems with Phylloxera, and a trend towards lighter wines. There were too many simultaneous problems for the Sherry producers to be able to successfully combat at this time. It was a dark time for the Jerez region.

As usual, the Sherry industry eventually found a way to rebound from its lowest point, showing its tenacity despite great adversity. In 1910, some leading Sherry sippers came together and founded the Sherry Shippers’ Association, pooling their resources to launch an advertising campaign for Sherry. Rather than promote their individual products, they chose to promote Sherry in general. They were largely successful, helping to restore Sherry exports to a very respectable level. For example, during the 1930s in England, Sherry parties became very popular and they continued to be for at least the next 20 years.

As least as far back as the 16th century, and maybe even earlier, Sherry was being shipped around the world in wooden casks, commonly butts of 500 liters. Once the Sherry reached its destination, the casks would generally be emptied and the butts would be reused. The Scotch Whisky industry became enamored of these used Sherry butts and began aging their whisky in those barrels, enjoying the color and flavors those barrels provided to the whisky. However, by the 1940s, the Scotch industry started using some barrels from the American whiskey industry.


"Today sherry casks are not only expensive but insufficient in supply for the requirements of the trade."
--Scotch: The Whisky of Scotland in Fact and Story by Robert Bruce Lockhart (1951)

As Sherry barrels became harder to find, and more expensive, the Scotch industry needed to seek elsewhere, and found that oak barrels from America, commonly used for bourbon, were cheaper and more readily available. Sherry barrels were still coveted, yet continued to be tougher and more expensive to acquire. Making it worse, in 1981, the export rules in Spain changed, and Sherry producers were no longer permitted to ship Sherry in casks. The consequence was that Sherry barrels became even more expensive and more difficult to obtain.

Due to the solera system, and the value of old barrels, there are few old Sherry barrels for sale. As such, some bodegas started creating Sherry casks specifically for the whisky industry. There are Scotch producers who have partnerships with certain bodegas, which provide them a number of Sherry barrels each year. These are considered "seasoned" casks, which hold Sherry for a few months to a couple years, and they are outside of the usual solera system. As an example, The Macallan is alleged to annually import about 25,000 Sherry barrels from Spain although not all of those barrels are from the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO.

If The Macallan isn't getting all of those "Sherry" barrels from the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO, where are they getting them from? And are other Scotch producers obtaining barrels from similar sources outside of the Sherry Triangle?

Let's begin the answer with a brief discussion of legally recognized geographic indications. The term "Scotch Whisky" is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), meaning it can only be produced in Scotland according to UK rules. No other distillery in any other country can claim to produce "Scotch Whisky," and if they try, there are legal remedies to stop them from doing so. In some respects, you can think of it as a trademark. "Champagne" is another example of a Protected Geographical Indication, and no Sparkling Wine outside of the designated Champagne region of France can label itself as Champagne.  However, there is a quirk in the U.S. where some producers were grandfathered into a U.S.-France agreement and allowed to use the term "Champagne" provided they labeled it as "American Champagne."

"Sherry" is another Protected Geographical Indication and as with other PGIs, Sherry can only be produced within a specific legally demarcated region, the Sherry Triangle formed by the cities of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It is important to recognize and respect PGIs, especially if you desire others to recognize and respect your own PGI. Thus, producers of Scotch Whisky should respect PGIs such as Champagne and Sherry, as those producers certainly want the rest of the world to respect the Scotch Whisky PGI. However, that respect is apparently lacking with some producers of Scotch Whisky and it needs to change.


"In an excellent practical paper to the Scottish section of the Institute of Brewing in 1906, on ‘Casks, their manufacture & treatment’, Haldane discussed the need for control of cask quality and showed how this could be achieved through standardisation. Some interesting comments were made on sherry casks and how these could be fraudulently manufactured by unscrupulous traders who shipped worn-out casks from Leith to Spain, rinsed them with sherry, covered them with cobwebs and allowed them to lie around in the bodega to acquire a patina of age. The casks were sold back to the Scotch whisky industry at an inflated price."
Scots On Scotch: The Book of Whisky by Philip Hills (2012)

As Sherry barrels became more expensive and tougher to obtain, it was obvious that Scotch producers would seek out less expensive and more readily available alternatives, and not just oak barrels from the U.S. Within Spain, there are regions outside of the Sherry Triangle which produce Sherry-like, or Sherry-style, wines though they are not legally permitted to designate their wines as Sherry. Some Scotch producers purchase barrels of this Sherry-like wine from these other regions and use it for aging their whisky. However, many of these Scotch producers still commonly refer to these barrels as "Sherry" despite the fact they are not legally Sherry barrels.

This practice fails to recognize and respect the Sherry PGI. It also shows a lack of transparency on behalf of the Scotch producers, confusing consumers who might have expected authentic Sherry barrels to have been used. It would be an easy problem to resolve so why don't they do so? To be clear, I'm not objecting to the use of these Sherry-like barrels but rather I'm objecting to their designation by Scotch producers as "Sherry" casks. If they want to use Sherry-like casks, then just be transparent about their use and respect the Sherry PGI.

One of the regions outside the Sherry Triangle is the Montilla-Moriles DO, located about 90 miles northeast of the Jerez region. It produces a number of Sherry-like wines though they are significantly different from authentic Sherry. For example, Montilla-Moriles wines commonly use Pedro Ximénez, rather than Palomino, as their main grape. In addition, most Montilla-Moriles wines are not generally fortified though authentic Sherry is always fortified. There are a number of other differences too and thus, there are additional reasons why the wines of this region should not be called Sherry.

I should join out that this problem isn't limited to the Scotch whisky industry and is an issue in the U.S. whiskey industry too. For example, at the Westland Distillery, in Washington, they produce a Sherry Wood American Single Malt Whiskey but it wasn't matured in authentic Sherry barrels from the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO. Instead, they sourced their barrels from Tonelería del Sur in the Montilla-Moriles DO. Although their website is clear the origin of the barrels, they do not specifically explain that they are not using authentic Sherry barrels. The average consumer will simply assume they are using legal Sherry casks.

The Condado de Huelva D.O. is another Spanish region, about 60 miles northwest of Jerez, which produces Sherry-like wines, and again, their wines have some significant differences from the Sherry produced in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO. Though they do use the Palomino grape, they also use a number of other grapes which are not permitted in the Jerez region. Within this region, one specific producer, Bodegas José y Miguel Martin, is especially well known in its connection to the Scotch whisky industry. By some estimates, at least half, if not even more, of their production involves producing barrels for the whisky industry.

You'll find numerous Scotch producers which purchase barrels from Bodegas José y Miguel Martin, such as Glenfarclas, Compass Box, and The Macallan. It can be difficult to determine which Scotch producers use the Martin barrels as their websites may not indicate the source of their "Sherry" barrels. For example, both Balvenie and Laphroaig produce a number of whiskies which are aged in "sherry" casks but their websites do not indicate the source of those barrels.

As the barrels produced by Bodegas José y Miguel Martin are not legally Sherry barrels, then the whisky producers using those barrels should not be stating on their labels, websites and marketing materials that any whisky aged in those Martin barrels are "Sherry." It would be far more preferable for those whisky producers to refer to those barrels as "Sherry-like" or "Sherry-style." Yet they do not do so.

Bodegas José y Miguel Martin apparently understands the issues involved as back in 2014, they applied to The Spanish Patents and Brands Office (OEPM) for a trademark to use the term "Sherry Cask" on their barrels. They wanted whisky producers to be able to legally use the term Sherry Cask on their labels, websites and marketing material. In 2015, they were denied by the OPEM and subsequently appealed that decision, though the appeal was dismissed in October 2015. As such, Bodegas José y Miguel Martin does not have the legal right to refer to their barrels as "Sherry Casks."

The Consejo Regulador in Jerez is concerned about the issues of whisky producers properly indicating whether they are using authentic Sherry casks or not. They are working toward this end though nothing definite has yet been decided. One idea that has been discussed and may be eventually implemented is a voluntary certification system, where a whisky producer could obtain a certificate that they use authentic Sherry casks. This might be the direction in which the Sherry regulations are most likely headed.

While we are discussing regulations, it is worthwhile to examine the The Scotch Whiskey Regulations 2009, which help to define and regulate Scotch production, marketing and more. First, we will discover that the regulations do not mention Sherry at all. As such, there is nothing in the regulations that restrict the Scotch industry from using only authentic Sherry casks. There is also nothing that forces them to properly differentiate authentic Sherry casks from Sherry-like wine casks. Hypothetically, by these regulations, a Scotch producer could use a cask from an American winery that makes Sherry-like wines and call it a "Sherry" cask.

Under Section 3.(1)(c) of these regulations, it states that Scotch whisky must be "... matured only in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres;.." That is the only restriction on the type of casks that may be used and you can see it provides much flexibility to the Scotch industry. The only other reference to "casks" in the regulations, under Section 7.(1), involves a restriction on moving Scotch Whisky from Scotland to another country in a wooden cask. In addition, none of the regulations, on marketing, advertising, labels, and more, mention identification of the type of cask used for maturation or finishing.

My interest in these issues was spurred on after a Scotch tasting with representatives of Compass Box, a company established in 2000 which produces and bottles a wide range of blended Scotch whiskies. I was impressed with their bottlings and asked about the source of their Sherry barrels, being informed that they were from Bodegas José y Miguel Martin. It was a Bodega of which I was unfamiliar but some quick research uncovered the reason for my unfamiliarity, that it wasn't a Bodega within the legally demarcated Sherry region. That led me to pose further questions to the Compass Box representative who directed my inquiries to John Glaser, the founder of Compass Box (pictured above on the right).

I exchanged several emails with John about this issue and then had the opportunity to speak to him in person as he presided over a local Compass Box event. John was very transparent and forthright about the issue, noting that I was the first person to inquire about this matter. As such, it certainly wasn't a high priority but John agreed as to its importance. John stated that Compass Box used both authentic Sherry casks as well as Sherry-style casks from Bodegas José y Miguel Martin. He uses the Martin casks because he feels they are very high quality, and that is a crucial aspect to their whisky production.

On their website, they provide a list of their Core Whisky Beliefs, including: "Good oak rules. Up to 70% of the flavour in mature Scotch whisky comes from the interaction of the spirit with the cask it is aged in. You can only create a great whisky when you use great wood." John stated that it was difficult to find authentic Sherry casks that met his high standards but that those from Bodegas José y Miguel Martin fit all of his needs. As I mentioned previously, I have no problem with the use of these Sherry-style barrels but I simply want complete transparency concerning their use.

Compass Box embraces the value of transparency and is already involved in a "Scotch Whisky Transparency" campaign, seeking to change the regulations concerning the information provided to the public concerning the aging of whisky. As their website states, "It is currently against EU regulations for a producer to mention an age when talking about a bottle of aged spirit – whether on the packaging or in the marketing of that product – unless there is only one age mentioned and that age is of the youngest spirit in the bottle." Compass Box would like to explain the aging of all of the individual whisky components in their blends, to be more transparent to consumers. That is a worthy goal though I would also like to see more transparency on the Sherry cask issue.

John indicated to me that they differentiate the usage of Sherry casks and Sherry-style casks by capitalizing "Sherry" when referring to authentic Sherry casks, and using a lower case "sherry" for Martin's Sherry-style casks. However, I pointed out to him that not all of his marketing materials follow this rule, showing him a marketing document I received at a prior Compass Box event. That document used both "Sherry" and "sherry" to refer to the same type of barrels. John indicated he would ensure that was corrected and that the rule would be followed in all marketing materials going forward.

I also inquired whether the Compass Box website would explain this rule as currently it didn't mention the different usages. Without a specific explanation, I don't believe consumers will understand there is a difference between "Sherry" and "sherry," simply assuming they both refer to authentic Sherry casks. An explanation would be simple to add to the website and could alleviate much confusion. John indicated that at this time, they would not add such an explanation as he felt that such an explanation might further complicate matters considering they already had to spend time explaining the basics of whisky, blending and such to consumers. Adding another level of complexity might be overwhelming.

In addition, John stated that they were involved in a number of other, more important projects so they didn't have the time currently to devote to the Sherry issue, although he agreed it was a matter that needed to be addressed in the Scotch industry. As I was the first person to raise the issue to him, there certainly wasn't any imperative to work on the matter. I'm sure plenty of other Scotch producers feel the same way, that as few people are raising the issue, it is a matter of low priority. Hopefully, that can be changed as we raise the visibility of this important issue.


These issues with "Sherry" barrels also raise the question whether the Scotch whisky industry is being less than transparent with other types of barrels that they are using. Are they using authentic Bourbon barrels or are they using Bourbon-style barrels, which held some type of corn whiskey which isn't legally Bourbon? What about their Port barrels? The question could be asked about all of these various oak barrels. And if they aren't transparent about their "Sherry" barrels, then it certainly isn't a stretch to believe it might also occur with other barrels types. I haven't investigated these other barrel types yet but I may do so in the future.

We want transparency from so many of our food and drink industries and should demand it as well from the Scotch whisky industry. We should demand that they be transparent about the nature of the barrels in which they age their whisky. We should demand that they respect the Protected Geographical Indication of Sherry, just as they want everyone else to respect the Scotch Whisky PGI.  Until we have enough people demanding this transparency, then it is unlikely the whisky industry will take any action.

Please spread awareness of this issue and then push the Scotch whisky industry to be more transparent and respect PGIs.

Direct Wine Shipping & Local Wine Shops

As we near the holiday season, we approach the time when wine stores generally make their greatest amount of sales, their most profitable period of the year. Consumers tend to buy more wine for holiday parties and gifts. They are more willing to splurge, and purchase more expensive bottles of wine. I've worked at a local wine shop for a number of holiday seasons and have witnessed this consumer surge. Staff recommendations to customers become very important.

It is also during this season that I've written a number of articles, providing advice to consumers on selecting wine. Much of that advice involves choosing the right wine store and relying on the expertise of the wine shop staff in helping make your selections. I've been very supportive of local, independent wine stores however it isn't a blind support. My support, of any person, company of institution, needs to be earned and there will be issues where I hold a different opinion than wine stores. That certainly has come to the forefront this week.

On Monday, I posted Rant: MA Wine Lovers, We Urgently Need Your Help!, throwing my support behind bill, H3891, sponsored by Representative John Lawn, Jr., which would allow Massachusetts residents to "purchase and have shipped to them wine from out-of-state wine stores, Internet retailers, wine auction houses and wine-of-the-month clubs." There is a hearing on this bill scheduled for September 12, and I urged wine lovers to support this bill by sending emails to the Committee members prior to the hearing. And a number of them did so, as well as sharing the post for greater exposure.

However, I also heard, both online and offline, from a number of wine store owners, all essentially opposed to this bill. The basis of their opposition is that they fear they will lose business if this bill becomes law. In addition, so far, none of them has provided any facts or statistics to support their allegations. There is nothing to indicate what percentage of business, if any, they might lose to direct shipments of wine. Are their fears unfounded?

Even if Bill H3891 doesn't become law this time, it is only a matter of time before a similar law will be enacted. Back in 2006, a law was passed that barred many wine shipments from entering Massachusetts but it was later ruled unconstitutional, a decision affirmed by the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in 2010. Since that time, Massachusetts alcohol laws have been expanding, making numerous changes to the industry, from expanding the number of liquor licenses a single entity can possess to BYOB in Boston. As well as the recent change that permitted out-of-state wineries to directly ship to Massachusetts consumers. It is inevitable that the law will change to allow all direct wine shipments, and not just from wineries.

Back in 2014, as the bill to allow direct shipment from wineries was being considered, I already indicated that I hoped the law would also change to allow direct wine shipments from out-of-state wineries and online retailers. So, my support of the idea behind Bill H3891 shouldn't surprise anyone.  And in January 2016, I posted Rant: No Predictions, Only Desires, and stated: "Massachusetts has slowly been releasing the reins on wine control so there is much of which to be hopeful. A law was finally passed permitting wineries to ship to consumers in Massachusetts but we still need a law allowing online and out of state, brick & mortar retailers to ship to Massachusetts consumers. Let's see a push for this expansion in the wine shipping law."

Some of the latest statistics behind Direct to Consumer Wine Shipping come from an annual collaboration between ShipCompliant by Sovos and Wines & Vines, in the 2017 Direct To Consumer Wine Shipping Report. DtC wine shipments, despite their growth, still constitute only a small percentage of wine sales. The top five states that avail themselves of DtC wine shipments include California 31%, Texas 9%, New York 6%, Washington 5%, and Florida 5% with only 1.6% of DtC sales from Massachusetts.

In 2015, the first year Massachusetts allowed DtC wine shipments, the total value of those shipments was about $27.5M, and in 2016, that amount increased to about $39M. The average price of the wine shipped to Massachusetts was $41.79, which is higher than the country-wide average of $38.69. Massachusetts wine lovers are tending to purchase higher end wines directly from wineries. The report predicts that, "The state will likely see above average growth in 2017, but nothing astronomical."

The report also notes in its conclusions primary reason for the expansion of DtC channels, "That said, growth in the DtC shipping channel is reflective of changes in the wine industry itself. In particular, the ongoing consolidation of the wholesale distribution tier and the continued difficulty small and medium-sized wineries have in gaining access to wholesale distribution are important factors in wineries’ increased reliance and focus on direct shipments. The wholesaler consolidation will likely drive increased DtC shipping going forward." Over the year, I've spoken to numerous wineries who have indicated their frustration in trying to find a wholesaler who will sell and give sufficient attention to their wines.

As such, there are thousands of wines available in the U.S. which cannot be purchased in Massachusetts. There are plenty of wine lovers who want access to those wines, who want the ability to purchase any wine that is available in the U.S. Why shouldn't they have such access? As the current DtC statistics indicate, DtC shipping is still only a tiny percentage of wine sales and most people are opting for higher end wines. Allowing DtC wine shipping won't shut down local, independent wine shops. Such stores face a far greater threat from local, big-box wine stores than DtC wine shipping.

Good local, independent wine shops are needed, providing experienced staff to help make wine recommendations. And I have long supported such good shops. Over ten years ago, in the second post to my blog, I wrote Choosing a Wine Store, and it remains as relevant now as it did back then. The article provides my criteria for wine stores, from Selection to Service. Each year, in my annual Favorite posts such as 2016: Favorite Wine-Related Items, I provide some specific recommendations for my Favorite Wine Stores and Favorite Discount Wine Stores.

I've also give consumers plenty of advice on purchasing wine. In my Rant: The Best Way To Buy Wine, I state that "... my best advice is to ask the wine store owner, manager or employee for advice on selecting your wines. It is simple advice but can be extremely effective, with the caveat that you need to shop at the right wine store." In my Rant: The Lazy Way Of Buying Wine As A Gift, I continue that advice, "What you should do is stop at your local wine shop and ask for recommendations, for more unusual and different wines, for wines that are excellent values."

And in Rant: Holiday Wines--Don't Be A Cheapskate, I address the question of "How do you find these inexpensive but interesting wines?" First, "...the easiest path is to seek out one of the better discount wine stores," and I provide a few specific recommendations. Second, I mention that,"At whatever wine shop you visit, it might be best to ask the wine store staff for recommendations of value wines. They should be able to direct you toward those inexpensive wines which will be more interesting and delicious than those cheap commercial wines."

I've also jumped into the discussion of big-box wine stores in my Rant: Total Wine, Low Prices & Consumers. "To me, the best alcohol retail stores possess three key elements: a diverse & interesting selection, good service with knowledgeable staff, and reasonable pricing. The only way to find wines, beers, and spirits from such small wineries, breweries and distilleries, is at the smaller, more independent wine stores. We should cherish the diversity that is available at these retailers, expanding our palate beyond just the major national brands. In addition, by supporting these smaller alcohol retailers, you are giving your support to those smaller wineries, breweries and distilleries. They need your support, so they can continue to produce their interesting and diverse beverages."

Direct to Consumer Wine Shipments are inevitable and wine stores must find ways to deal with it. Currently, it doesn't appear that such shipments will have a significant impact on local wine stores, certainly nowhere near as much of an impact as the growth of big-box wine stores. These shipments will help wine lovers gain access to many thousands of previously unavailable wines. However, those same wine lovers will still patronize their local wine shops, and there are multiple reasons why that will occur. Yes, I support local, independent wine stores but I don't see these direct wine shipments as a serious threat to them.

Rant: MA Wine Lovers, We Urgently Need Your Help!

Massachusetts wine lovers, we urgently need your immediate assistance! It will only take about one minute and the potential benefits are great. 

In 2014, Massachusetts passed a Direct Shipment law, allowing out-of-state wineries to ship to consumers in the state. This was a great start and numerous wineries took advantage of this new law, acquiring licenses so that they could ship to local consumers. However, the law applies only to wineries and doesn't include out-of-state retailers. Thus, Massachusetts residents are still unable to order from online retailers or cool wine stores in other states.

However, that may change soon but your help is needed to enact this great and positive change.

Wine Freedom provides information about a new bill, H3891, sponsored by Representative John Lawn, Jr., which would allow Massachusetts residents to "purchase and have shipped to them wine from out-of-state wine stores, Internet retailers, wine auction houses and wine-of-the-month clubs." Retailers would only need to acquire a license, for an initial fee of $300 and $150 in subsequent years, to be able to sell and ship to Massachusetts consumers.

What a great thing if this bill becomes law! You would be able to order almost any wine available in the U.S., vastly expanding your vinous choices. Under the current law, you can order from U.S. wineries, but opening up matters to online retailers and stores would also allow you to purchase international wines that have not previously been available in Massachusetts. We desperately need this bill to pass.

As an added bonus, Massachusetts would receive significant revenue from taxes on these wine shipments, which Wine Freedom states would be "upwards of $2 million." Obviously, the added revenue could assist our state budget, providing monies for programs that might otherwise had been cut or reduced.

On Tuesday, September 12, Bill H3891, which has been assigned to the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, is set for a hearing at 2 pm. Now, here is the part where we need your urgent assistance to "contact their members of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure now and urge them to support and sign on as a sponsor of this legislation." All you have to do is go to this webpage and take 30 seconds to fill out the form, which will get emailed to all of the committee members.

PLEASE, PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM! It takes almost no time to fill out this form and we need you to do so immediately, prior to the upcoming committee hearing on September 12. If you love wine, then why wouldn't you want access to thousands of additional wines that were previously unavailable to you? Expanding your wine choices benefits all of us. Massachusetts wine laws have been slowly changing, in a positive way, and we need to continue that streak by allowing direct shipment from not just wineries, but also wine retailers and stores across the country.

Join me and other wine lovers in Massachusetts and lend your support to this bill. All it takes is filling out the form on this webpage. It would also help if you spread the word, telling your family and friends to fill out this form too. We need as many people as possible to give their support to this bill and let the Committee know about our support.

Rant: If There Is Any Doubt...

On this past Tuesday morning, while driving in Gloucester, famed Chef Barbara Lynch was involved in a motor vehicle accident, striking a parked car. The police arrived on the scene and Lynch failed sobriety tests and registered nearly twice the legal limit on a breathalyzer. She was subsequently arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident. It could have been much worse.

We will probably never know all the facts surrounding this incident. Most likely, Lynch will plead out to the charges, without the necessity of a trial. That is a very common occurrence in such incidents. We will probably never know how much alcohol Lynch consumed, and won't understand why she chose to drive after consuming all of that alcohol. Let us hope that this arrest is a wake-up call for Lynch, who won't ever drink and drive again.

Her arrest provides a fascinating cautionary tale for everyone who might consider drinking and driving. And it also provides a glimpse into the culinary world and the problem of substance abuse.

My own advice on drinking and driving is very simple.

If you've had too much alcohol to drink, if there is any doubt in your mind, don't drive.

Any questions?

This is an absolutely vital issue for everyone who enjoys alcohol of any type, from wine to beer, from Scotch to hard cider. During the summer, there are plenty of parties and barbecues, picnics and beach outings, and there is the potential for people to over indulge, to drink too much at these events. There is nothing wrong with that, and you can drink as much as you desire, as long as you give up your keys to someone who is sober.

As I've said multiple times before, and which I'll repeat year after year, "If there is any question, no matter how small, whether you are too intoxicated to drive, then don't. If your family or friends think you have had too much to drink, don't drive. Just don't. It is not worth the risk by any calculation." Err on the side of caution so that if you have any doubt of your capacity to drive, then please do not drive. Take a taxi or Uber, catch a ride with someone else, walk or sleep it off. Just don't drive!

Rationally, we all know the dangers of drinking and driving. We endanger our own lives as well as the lives of others. Every year, we hear multiple news reports about terrible auto accidents, some with fatalities, that occur because a driver was intoxicated. Families are torn apart, lives are ruined, and much more. Why don't we learn from all these incidents? Even if you don't get in an accident, you might get arrested for drunk driving, with all the attendant high costs, and not just economic. You might even end up in jail.

About 17,000 people are arrested for drunk driving in Massachusetts each year. That is a huge figure, showing that far too many people still don't understand that they should not drink and drive. Each time you drink and drive, you endanger yourself, your passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and people in other vehicles. Let someone else drive you, whether it be a friend or family. Take an Uber or public transportation. Leave your car where it is parked as you can always pick it up the next day. You have plenty of options so there is absolutely no reason to drink and drive. Be responsible.

I don't want to lose any family or friends this year due to a drunk driving accident. I don't think anyone wants to lose their loved ones either. Your family and friends would rather you didn't drink and drive as they don't you to die in a terrible drunk driving accident. So please just don't!

As for the issue of substance abuse in the restaurant industry, that is an important topic for another time.

Rant: DON'T DRINK & DRIVE!!!

(With my 10th Anniversary coming tomorrow,  I decided to revisit one of my most important Rants, with slight revisions. This is a Rant which I've repeated before because I don't think it can be said enough times. And I'm sure in the coming years, I'll repeat it again and again. It's just that damn crucial.)

It couldn't be any simpler so listen carefully. This is one of the most important pieces of advice you will receive this season. Please pay careful attention.

If you've had too much alcohol to drink, if there is any doubt in your mind, don't drive.

Any questions?

Once again, I step forward with probably my most important Rant of the year. It's an absolutely vital issue for everyone who enjoys alcohol of any type, from wine to beer, from Scotch to hard cider. With the advent of the holiday season upon us, from Mother's Day to Independence Day, we reach a potentially dangerous period for those people who over indulge, who drink too much at parties, feasts and gatherings. There is nothing wrong with that, and you can drink as much as you desire, as long as you give up your keys to someone who is sober, and do not drive.

As I've said multiple times before, and which I'll repeat year after year, "If there is any question, no matter how small, whether you are too intoxicated to drive, then don't. If your family or friends think you have had too much to drink, don't drive. Just don't. It is not worth the risk by any calculation." Err on the side of caution so that if you have any doubt of your capacity to drive, then please do not drive. Take a taxi or Uber, catch a ride with someone else, walk or sleep it off. Just don't drive!

Rationally, we all know the dangers of drinking and driving. We endanger our own lives as well as the lives of others. Every year, we hear multiple news reports about terrible auto accidents, some with fatalities, that occur because a driver was intoxicated. Families are torn apart, lives are ruined, and much more. Why don't we learn from all these incidents? Even if you don't get in an accident, you might get arrested for drunk driving, with all the attendant high costs, and not just economic. You might even end up in jail.

About 17,000 people are arrested for drunk driving in Massachusetts each year. That is a huge figure, showing that far too many people still don't understand that they should not drink and drive. How difficult is it to understand? DON'T DRINK & DRIVE! I'm sure drunk driving incidents in other states are just as significant.

Each time you drink and drive, you endanger yourself, your passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and people in other vehicles. Let someone else drive you, whether it be a friend or family. Take an Uber or public transportation. Leave your car where it is parked as you can always pick it up the next day. You have plenty of options so there is absolutely no reason to drink and drive. Be responsible.

I don't want to lose any family or friends this year due to a drunk driving accident. I don't think anyone wants to lose their loved ones either. Your family and friends would rather you didn't drink and drive as they don't you to die in a terrible drunk driving accident. So please just don't!

Rant: Refugees, Immigrants & Our Culinary Debt

(Two years ago, I posted this Rant, during a time when the fate of Syrian refugees was front and center. After the events of this weekend, I feel it is important to bring back this Rant due to its applicability in the current crisis. I've slightly revised it from its original form to be more relevant to the immediate issues.)

The fate of refugees and immigrants are major issues right now, with plenty of heated rhetoric and arguments. President Trump's actions have been condemned by many and the courts have temporarily prevented any action from being taken. Fear is at the heart of much of the discussion and though the threat of terrorism is real, the actual risks from these refugees and immigrants is much much less than the doomsayers proclaim. The basic humanity of these refugees and immigrants needs to factor far greater into these discussions, and compassion needs to be a prominent value.

America owes a huge debt to the refugees and immigrants which have previously come to our country. They bring a diversity to our country which only benefits us all. Our country would not be as great as it is without the diversity that such people bring. And the great benefits they bring outweigh the small risk that is entailed. We cannot become insular, shutting our borders to these people.

Yes, there may be some bad apples in the bunch but there are bad apples everywhere, including people who have lived in this country their entire lives. We have to understand that these bad apples are a tiny exception and far from the rule. Those bad apples do not reflect the general mentality and behavior of the greater majority of refugees and immigrants. We have vetting procedures to help minimize those risks.

Let's consider but one area where America owes a great debts to refugees and immigrants: our culinary scene. There are plenty of others areas that can be discussed but I just want to concentrate on this one area for now.

First, many restaurant kitchens, all across the country, couldn't operate without  the refugees and immigrants who perform some of the most basic, and still very important, duties, from dish washing to prep work. They work behind the scenes, unseen by the restaurant diners who might only may know the main chef. As they work unseen, too many people fail to understand their vital roles and their importance to what ends up on their plate.

I''ve talked to a number of chefs who have been immensely grateful for these workers. Few others have been willing to do such jobs, from dish washing to basic prep work. Without these refugees and immigrants, it would be difficult to find others willing to do these duties. In addition, the chefs uniformly state that they are some of the hardest working people they know. For a significant number of these refugees and immigrants, they work multiple jobs, maybe in a couple different kitchens. These people contribute significantly to the community.

Second, these refugees and immigrants bring to the U.S. their home cuisines, including different ingredients, recipes and techniques, They have created a greater diversity in our culinary scene, opening diners up to so many new and different foods. Consider Boston and its neighboring communities and try to count the numerous country cuisines which are represented, which wouldn't exist except for the influx of refugees and immigrants to our country. Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mexico, El Salvador, Senegal, Afghanistan, Vietnam and so much more.

In addition, other chefs have adopted the ingredients, recipes and techniques of these refugees and immigrants. Their culinary heritage has spread across the country, becoming firmly ingrained in our society. Without their contributions, our culinary world would be boring and plain.We revel in culinary diversity but need to understand and appreciate the myriad contributions of those refugees and immigrants.

Rather than worrying so much about the greatly exaggerated risks of refugees and immigrants, let us devote much more consideration to all the positive contributions they can make to our country. Let us embrace our humanity and compassion, and stand up for these refugees and immigrants.

TasteCamp Vermont: History, Prohibition & Today

"Vermont winemaking offers an opportunity to participate in a modern economy with an artisan product that is true to an agricultural heritage and ethic of craftsmanship for which Vermont is widely recognized."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

Vermont is well known for maple syrup and cheese, Bernie Sanders and Ben & Jerry's, skiing and leaf-peeping. However, its drinks industry, including wine, beer, cider and spirits, is lesser known for many people. Of all those drinks, its beers may have the greatest recognition beyond the state lines, though it is interesting that historically, there were few commercial breweries in Vermont. Currently though, you'll easily find over 40 commercial beer breweries in the state. Vermont entire drinks industry, though still relatively young in many respects, needs more recognition as there are a number of excellent producers worthy of your attention.

This past June, approximately 35 writers and their significant others, attended TasteCamp 2016, which was held in Vermont. TasteCamp was created by Lenn Thompson, of the New York Cork Report, back in 2009, and the concept is a weekend immersion into a wine region for a small group of wine writers. We have visited places such as Long Island, the Finger Lakes, Quebec, Virginia, and Niagara. This year, the TasteCamp attendees included people from both Canada and the U.S., with a couple people coming from as far away as California. It's great to see wine lovers willing to travel such a distance to explore a small region where most of their products aren't sold outside of the state.

"Wine offers Vermont the opportunity to blend the components of its geographic, agricultural and cultural past to enhance its evolving modern identity."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

The TasteCamp group generally visits a variety of producers, tours vineyards, tastes dozens of wines, dines on local foods and holds a fun BYOB dinner. Over the years, the scope of the concept has evolved so that it is no longer limited to wine, and now also includes beers, ciders and spirits, noting how local regions have developed fascinating drinks industries. A key principle for TasteCamp is "drink local," consuming products that are locally produced, usually from local ingredients. There is little reason to limit ourselves to wine when local producers are making so many interesting and tasty beverages.  

Each TasteCamp has a limited number of sponsors and the attendees shoulder the lion's share of expenses for the trip, including their transportation, lodging and most meals. With its limited size, TasteCamp is a more intimate event, allowing you to get to know everyone in the group, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones too. The focus of the event is on tasting, both food and drink, and there aren't any seminars or events about writing, blogging, photography, or similar activities.

"Vermont winemaking is hard work but also an honor, an opportunity to commune with the land and to make something special."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

TasteCamp is a curated event, intended to showcase some of the best of the region. This year, a huge debt is owed to Todd Trzaskos (pictured above atop the barrel), of Vermont Wine Media and author of the book Wines Of Vermont, for all his hard work and dedication in helping to plan, organize and curate TasteCamp Vermont. His efforts helped to make this one of the best TasteCamps ever. Lenn Thompson, Remy Charest and myself also contributed to the organization and planning of this event. The attendees learned much about Vermont, acquiring a new appreciation for this region, and spreading their new passion to others.

To understand the present, it can be worthwhile to understand something about the past, to see some of the origins of the drinks industry in Vermont. Almost two hundred years ago, Vermonters were drinking a significant amount of alcohol. "While estimates vary on daily consumption in the United States during this period, it is generally agreed that the average adult consumed around five gallons of spirits, a barrel’s worth of beer and untold amounts of hard cider over the course of a year. A simpler breakdown would be around seven drinks a day per man, woman and child." (Vermont Prohibition: Teetotalers, Bootleggers & Corruption by Adam Krakowski).

Around 1820, there were over 200 distilleries in Vermont (more than the number of towns in the state), and it is thought that Gin was the most widely produced spirit. Curiously, there were few beer breweries during this period, which was due in part because many people made beer (and cider) at home and they could even find beer recipes in local newspapers. However, the 1820s also saw the rise of the temperance movement, such as the founding of the Vermont Society for the Promotion of Temperance.

"Vermont's wines represent the unique qualities of place, the inspirations and aspirations of its people, and offer something that the world at large might enjoy."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

The temperance movement was apparently quite influential in Vermont and in 1852, a state mandated prohibition on alcohol was passed, effective March 1853. Contrast that with Federal Prohibition which didn't begin until 67 years later, in 1920. The main focus of the Vermont prohibition was on distilled spirits, with lesser restrictions on fermented alcohol. For example, people were permitted to make their own fermented alcohol at home for their own consumption. There was also another law that people could consume alcohol at their home, provided it didn't cause intoxication. It seems the law was fascinated with the idea of intoxication as the only beers that were prohibited were those which were found to be "intoxicating" and there would eventually be legal cases on that very issues.

The production of hard cider was also permitted, for a number of reasons and with some restrictions. For example, you couldn't add any additional fermentable sugars to the cider. The government also felt that with the ease of cider production, and the myriad of apple trees in the state, that it would be impossible to enforce a prohibition on cider. Plus, cider provided important nutritional benefits as water consumption was still risky. Prohibition thus led to a surge in hard cider consumption, which eventually bothered the temperance movement which finally got hard cider production banned in 1880.

"When newcomers to Vermont wine realize where the wine in their glasses comes from, they may think that the people making it are crazy."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

Like Federal Prohibition, Vermont prohibition was generally ineffective, especially considering their border with Canada. Plenty of illegal alcohol passed across the border and law enforcement seemed relatively useless in stopping the majority of the flow of this bootleg alcohol. Prohibition though did decrease revenue, from alcohol sales, for the state and it also decreased the amount of tourism, hurting many communities.

After prohibition ended, Vermont was not quick to rebound and it wasn't until approximately 30 years ago that the alcohol industry started to establish itself once again. As such, their drinks industry is still relatively new, in many aspects, yet they have come far in a short time. There is certainly plenty of room for growth but there is much to be proud about now, and is worthy of your exploration. 

"Winemaking in this place may be just a bit crazy, but it is more truly the mark of a certain kind of bravery (possibly fortified by wine), that emboldens growers, producers and supporters of the endeavor."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

Since 2009, I've written a number of articles and reviews of Vermont wine, cider and spirits. In prior year's, I've attended the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival which not only offered an abundance of cheese but also presented some of the wines, ciders, beers and spirits of Vermont, from Boyden Valley Winery to Whistle Pig Distillery. Most recently, I've written about Mad River Distillers, more on Dave Pickerell & Whistle Pig, Eden Speciality Ciders, and Shacksbury Cider. Over the years, I've seen a clear improvement and evolution of their wines, ciders and spirits. TasteCamp helped to solidify my positive impressions of the current status of Vermont's drinks industry.

In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing what I experienced in Vermont, highlighting plenty of interesting wines, ciders, and spirits, as well as some compelling food. This summer, as well as in the coming fall, you should visit Vermont to taste your own way through some of the best the state has to offer. It's only a short drive from Massachusetts and there is much to see and do in Vermont. It's certainly one of my favorite places to visit and in my subsequent articles, I'll give you more motivation to travel to Vermont as well.

I'll also be looking forward to next year's TasteCamp.

"This is just the beginning of history for the wines of Vermont."
--Todd Trzaskos in Wines Of Vermont 

Rant: Restaurants, Hygiene & First Impressions

When compiling my first impressions of a new restaurant, I'm forgiving of many service and food issues as I understand it can take a little time for a new place to work its initial kinks out. I'll usually return at a later date to see how the restaurant has evolved, to note what changes might have been instituted. However, there are some serious issues that may arise on my first visit to a restaurant which might cause me never to return. It arises infrequently but occurred on one of my latest forays to a new local restaurant.

While I was out running some errands, I was considering where to grab lunch. I noted a Facebook post that a new wood-fired pizzeria was opening that day and I was very close to its location. I decided to give it a try, sitting at the counter in front of the open kitchen and wood-fired oven. I had some issues with the service and food, but nothing I couldn't attribute to the fact that it was only their first day open. They were issues I could overlook for the moment and I normally would have returned after some time to dine there again.

However, I won't dine there again. I saw something which disturbed me, which should not have occurred. Something I just cannot ignore.

The pizza peel, the tool which they use to remove the finished pizza from the oven, was standing up against a wall. At one point, while I was eating my pizza, the peel fell over onto the floor. The chef/owner picked up the peel and put it back against the wall. He then used it to remove multiple pizzas from the oven. This is where the problem arose.

The chef/owner did not clean or even just wipe off the peel after it had fallen to the floor. He did not replace it with another peel. Absolutely wrong. There is no reason why he couldn't have taken a minute to clean the peel. And this was in my full view as I was sitting at the counter. He didn't even try to hide the fact he failed to clean the peel.

If some inexperienced kitchen employee had done this, I might have been a bit forgiving but this was the chef/owner, the person who knows better. I find it inexcusable for the chef/owner to have done this in front of me. And it raises the question in my mind of what hygiene problems existed that I didn't witness or couldn't see. This was a negative first impression and I won't give them the chance at a second impression.

Rant: Restaurants, The Land of Opportunity

As I was drafting this post, I saw a Facebook post from Chef Charles Draghi of Erbaluce which directly dealt with the issue I wanted to address. Chef Draghi stated: "In over 30 years of running restaurants (I had my first managerial position at age 18,) I have never once had a U.S.-born person apply for a position as a dishwasher. Ditto for the positions of over-night cleaner, or early morning prep cook/receiver."

In 2014, there were approximately 15,251 eating and drinking places in Massachusetts, providing about 330,000 jobs (which is about 10% of all jobs in the state). The restaurant industry provides maybe the greatest opportunity for anyone to make a living, no matter their level of education, social class, place of origin, experience level, and much more. Your willingness to work hard is often the most important factor in obtaining a job in this industry.

Kitchens often owe a huge debt to immigrants who perform some of the most basic, and still very important, duties, from dish washing to prep work. Yet how often do they get credit for all of their hard labors? Not enough! If they so desire, they can eventually work their way to different positions. I don't think there is another industry which is so open to providing these immigrants jobs. Chef Draghi understands and it was great to see him acknowledging their role.

Non-immigrants too can find plenty of opportunity in the restaurant industry. For example, the position of server has helped many people make a living and provide for themselves and their families. It can be very hard work, but the barriers to entry are often low, giving opportunity to those with little experience. In time, those servers acquire experience which can be used to get better jobs in the industry.

Sometimes we think of the restaurant industry as a luxury, yet we must consider the vital role it plays in our community, in our economy. It provides numerous jobs which can help some of the neediest of our community. It is about more than famous chefs and mixologists. It is also about everyone from dishwashers to barbacks, servers and prep cooks. We need the opportunities that this industry provides. It makes us a better society.

Stop looking at a restaurant and seeing only their celebrity chef. Look deeper and note all of the people who contribute to the success of that restaurant. Give them kudos for all of their hard work, work that many others might not choose to do. Support restaurants as they support our community. With the holidays coming, they will be working harder than ever, and deserve respect and recognition for all that they do.

Sake News

Kanpai! Here is another short list of some of the interesting Sake articles that have been published lately. It is great to see more and more coverage for Sake, though I recommend that anyone seeking to publish a Sake article check it at least a few times for accuracy. A few basic errors continue showing up in introductory Sake articles, and those errors would be easy to eliminate if you had a knowledgeable Sake person check your facts. Let us also hope that we see more than just introductory Sake articles in the future. Sake has many depths and all those varied facets make great material for articles.

1) It is the Cabernet Sauvignon of Sake rice, considered the King of Sake rice. And Nippon presents the reasons why it is so popular in the article,. "Yamadanishiki Reigns Supreme Among Sake-Brewing Rice Varieties." The article begins with a short explanation of the role of rice in Sake production, noting some of the reasons why Yamandanishiki is such a favored rice, from its large kernels to its prominent shinpaku. Yamandanishiki, a crossbreed, was created in 1923 in the Hyōgo Prefecture, and most of that rice, about 71%, is still grown there. In recent National Sake Tasting Competitions, over 80% of the entries were made from Yamandanishiki.  Check out this article and learn more about this famed Sake rice.

2) Sake labels can be daunting as many Americans can't read kanji. However, The Japan Times recently reported that METI plans bilingual app that scans sake labels, The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is developing a smartphone app which will scan Sake label and provide a wealth of info about that bottle. The initial release of the app will be in October and is should be free. Initially, it will only cover about 10 brands, making it of limited use, but it will expand over time, starting around April 2016. The goal is to provide info for over 1000 brands, but that is probably around a couple years away. This could be a valuable app but it will rake time before it is truly beneficial.

3) Italian Sake?The Asahi Shimbun is reporting about Tiny Japanese brewery links up with Italian town to make unique sake. Shintani Shuzo, said to be Japan's smallest Sake brewery, is collaborating with the Italian city of Biella, in the Piedmont. The brewery is using rice from Biella to make a special Sake, called  Il Sake. This Italian rice is not too conducive to Sake brewing as koji has difficulty penetrating into the rice kernel. However, the Sake is supposed to be easy to drink, something to drink casually at room temperature. It is an intriguing experiment, and could lead to more collaborations, with other countries, in the future.

4) Sake brewing is traditionally a male-dominated profession though that is starting to change. Saveur recently highighted three of Japan's Female Sake Brewers, including  Miho Imada of Imada Brewery, Yoshiko Sato of Kaetsu Brewery, and Miho Fujita of Mioya Brewery. There are only about 20 female Toji,  master brewers, in Japan and it is great to see Saveur showcasing some of the achievements of women in the Sake industry. Check out the brief info about each of these three women, and I'll note that some of the Sakes they produce are available in the U.S. so you can support these women by buying andd enjoying their Sake.

5) I just want to highlight two of my own recent Sake posts, which both deal with the same subject. In Rant: The Legal Protection of Sake, I discuss Japan's plans to try to garner legal protection for "Japanese Sake." The plans are still tentative and I offer some of my own suggestions. In Protecting Japanese Sake & Rice, I offer a theory as to why Japan is only now moving to try to protect Japanese Sake. It might not be a fear of foreign breweries but more a fear of foreign rice, which could become very cheap if a new international trade treaty comes to pass.

Protecting Japanese Sake & Rice

It's probably not about foreign Sake breweries.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about Japanese efforts to legally define and protect "Japanese Sake." Legal protection apparently will be sought from the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the initial definition, which is still subject to change, indicates that "only sake made in Japan using domestically grown rice be sold as “Japanese sake.” Such efforts to protect "Japanese Sake" are akin to previous efforts to protect items like Champagne and Sherry, efforts I support.

However, I was curious as to why Japan decided to just now seek legal protection for Sake. What was the impetus for their decision? Were they concerned about the couple dozen of foreign Sake breweries which have arisen around the world, from the U.S. to Norway? None of the news articles seemed to indicate a rationale for Japan's actions.

I might now have an answer. An article I read yesterday in the Financial Times may just offer that rationale. You've probably heard about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a "free trade" agreement among 12 countries, including the U.S. President Obama has been trying to get approval for this controversail agreement, and has run into some opposition, especially from Democrats. It is also an agreement which has garnered plenty of attention in Japan, and I wrote a couple years ago how it could lead to lessened or eliminated Sake tariffs.

If TPP passes, it could lead to a significant reduction in Japan’s heavy tax on imported rice, currently about $1.30 per pound. Discussions on rice imports and tariff reductions have occupied plenty of negotiations between the U.S. and Japan. If the taxes on imported rice are drastically reduced, it could mean that some Japanese Sake producers might decide to purchase the less expensive rice from the U.S. rather than use more expensive domestic rice. The Sake industry may see such a scenario as a threat to their traditional product.

Would Japanese Sake breweries actually use U.S. rice? Consider that about 75% of all Sake is called futsu-shu, regular Sake which often is made from table rice, and not the more expensive Sake rice. Futsu-shu often is inexpensive and some producers try to make it as cheaply as possible. If they had access to cheap U.S. rice, cheaper than domestic rice, there probably is a good chance they would do so to save expenses.

It seems logical then that the Sake industry would want to protect itself from this eventually, If they require "Japanese Sake" to use domestically grown rice, that would probably stop most Sake breweries from considering using U.S. grown rice, no matter how inexpensive. The threat to the integrity and reputation of Japanese Sake is not from foreign breweries. It is more from the possibility of Japanese brewers no longer using Japanese rice.

Rant: The Legal Protection Of Sake

The use of the term "Champagne" is legally limited, under international agreements, primarily to sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France. Back in March 2006, the U.S. and European Community signed wine accords where the U.S.agreed not to use certain European wine terms, from Champagne to Port, to protect the geographical origins and reputation of these wines. However, the agreement also allowed existing U.S. wine labels to be grandfathered in, continuing to allow them to use the protected terms. As such, you still can find wines produced in the U.S. and labeled as "California Champagme."

According to The Japan Times, Japan is considering the idea of securing international protection for Sake, their traditional, rice based alcohol. The article states: "The National Tax Agency proposed Thursday that only sake made in Japan using domestically grown rice be sold as “Japanese sake.” At this time, there isn't a clear definition of "Sake" but the tax agency plans to create one by the end of the year. The Japan News also noted that the definition may include that "..sake made from rice grown in foreign countries or produced abroad cannot be sold as Japanese sake."

As an aside, under that proposed definition of Japanese Sake, where the rice must be grown in Japan, that would mean at least a couples Sakes currently produced in Japan would fail to meet the definition. For example, Kikusui makes an organic Sake that is made from rice grown in the U.S., though the Sake is fermented in Japan. With the new definition, they could no longer refer to themselves as "Japanese Sake."

It is still very early in this process so there are still many unknowns and we can only speculate as to what might come during the coming months. Nothing is set in stone. "Sake" is a Japanese term which refers to all types of alcohol, though it is commonly used in English to refer only to their traditional alcohol fermented from rice. The Japanese more often refer to that traditional rice alcohol as nihonshu, or Japanese alcohol, and legally, it is referred to as seishu, or clear alcohol.

So which term or terms are they considering protecting? Sake, nihonshu or seishu? The news articles seem to all be using the term nihonshu, translating it as "Japanese Sake," though there isn't anything definitive yet. After further consideration, that could very well change. Legal protection apparently will be sought from the World Trade Organization (WTO), under Article 22 and Article 23, subject to any exceptions in Article 24.

However, to try to gain legal protection for the term "Sake" might be difficult as the word itself is fairly generic, and it is not commonly used in Japan. They would have more ease in trying to protect nihonshu, Japanese Sake, but would that really gain them any advantage? The Sakes produced in breweries outside of Japan, including those in the U.S., usually use the term "Sake" by itself, without qualifying it as "Japanese." As such, protecting "Japanese Sake" would not prevent outside Sake breweries from doing anything they already do.  The same would occur with protecting the term "seishu" as it isn't really used outside of Japan.

Is there confusion in the market over Sake made in Japan and Sake made elsewhere? I can personally attest to witnessing such confusion, on multiple occasions, where people drank Sake made in the U.S. but thought it was made in Japan. As Sake in the U.S. remains a niche beverage, and ignorance about it remains high, it is easy to understand why people are confused. There is even a fair amount of people who are not even aware that Sake is made in the U.S.  Interestingly, about 60% or so of the Sake consumed in the U.S. is actually produced in the U.S. Consumers need to learn more about Sake, including where it is produced.

There might be a better way to protect Japanese Sake, and that would be to try to protect Sake categories such as Honjozo, Junmai, Ginjo and Daiginjo. Those terms have specific meanings in the Japanese Sake industry, and maybe those definitions could even be adjusted to only include Sake made from rice grown in Japan. Most, if not all, Sake breweries outside of Japan use these terms even though their use is not regulated in any way.

For example, in Japan, a Ginjo Sake requires the rice to be polished down by at least 40%, but in the U.S. there is no legal definition of what constitutes a Ginjo. Because of that, a U.S. Sake brewery could technically label a Sake as a Ginjo even if the rice was only polished down by 30%. They are not legally bound by Japanese definitions, though I'm unaware of any U.S. brewery that actually doesn't follow their definitions. The possibility remains though and maybe that should be changed.

The restriction of these terms might better indicate whether a Sake is from Japan or not. However, if Japan sought protection for those terms, it seems likely that pre-existing Sake breweries outside of Japan might be grandfathered in, allowing them to still use those protected terms. That will all depend on diplomatic negotiations. Only new breweries would likely be affected by any new restrictions.

At this time, there are less than twenty Sake breweries in North America and only a few each in South America and Europe, There are also a small amount of Sake breweries in Australia and other Asian countries. As more and more Sake breweries are likely to be established outside of Japan, this might be a good time for Japan to seek legal protection.

I'll be keeping an eye on Japan's progress in this area and will report back when I learn more.