Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/142283
Dinner with Buyers PROFESSIONAL PALATES EXPERIENCE TALLARICO VODKA photos by Tom Clark Giancarlo Tallarico, founder of Tallarico Vodka. I f the Tallarico vodka bottle were personified, it would look like its founder, Giancarlo Tallarico: Tall, dark and handsome. And we might add, sleek and classy. The liquid inside the bottle is smooth. We would agree that Giancarlo is smooth. The U.S.-made spirit is produced on a foundation of winter wheat and common rye, and its soothing texture is round and elegant. OK—we really like Giancarlo. But we also admire the vodka so much that we threw a party for it. The night before the wine and spirits competitions at the WSWA Convention, we invited our judges—an impressive group of wine and spirits buyers, media and distributors—to a dinner at Norman's in The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. 100 / the tasting panel / july 2013 TP0713_100-148.indd 100 6/24/13 6:02 PM