Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/221505
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT Looking Back—and Forward —at Laetitia W hen entrepreneur Selim Zilkha bought the property and winery that is now Laetitia Vineyard & Winery on California's picturesque Central Coast, he saw an opportunity to fulfill his farming dream and work alongside his daughter, Nadia. "I like my children to work with me" says Zilkha. "My son [Michael Zilkha] works with me in energy, and I asked my daughter to work with me in farming and the wine business." Today, 15 years later and celebrating the winery's 30th anniversary in Arroyo Grande, Laetitia Vineyard & Winery and its sister brand, NADIA, are thriving benchmarks by which many producers are measured, due in large part to Nadia's marketing oversight. "Differentiating our wine from others in the region while still honoring its similarity is both challenging and exciting," says Nadia. Not surprisingly, Laetitia Vineyard & Winery is also a leader in sustainable farming practices, thanks to the efforts of Laetitia's team leaders, President and Head Winemaker Eric Hickey and Vice President of Vineyard Operations Lino Bozzano. Nadia Zilkha and her father, Selim, on the Laetitia estate property. Introducing Plantation Original Dark Rum T he Ferrand house in France recently introduced Plantation Original Dark Rum ($17.99/750 ml.), a blend of rums from Trinidad and Tobago, crafted by Alexandre Gabriel, named world's best Rum Master Blender at the 2012 U.K. RumFest. The 80-proof dark rum is first matured in the Caribbean in heavily charred American oak barrels, which impart full-bodied flavors and a deep color. Gabriel then selects specific barrels— only the ones to his liking—and blends the rums. The base rum is aged three to five years and married with a full-flavored rum distilled 8 years ago. Then this rum blend is aged a second time for 12 to 18 months in medium-toasted Cognac Ferrand French oak barrels, which add spicy, tannin notes. Patrick Sullivan, Executive Director of Bar Operations for Legal Sea Foods, has chosen Plantation Original Dark for the restaurant's Spiced Pineapple Daiquiri, to be served in 32 Legal Sea Foods Restaurants around the country. The cocktail will appear on their cocktail menu through April 2014. "Plantation Original Dark brings a unique Caribbean authenticity to every rum based cocktail," says Sullivan. "This is how rum is supposed to taste. The flavors are rich, buttery and complex while being perfectly balanced and beautifully blended." The Real McCoy Rum Brings Roaring Twenties to Rhode Island O n October 29, The Real McCoy Rum took Hanley's Ale House in Providence, RI back to the Roaring Twenties. Complete with flappers and fellas, guests of the speakeasy event danced to electro-swing music as they enjoyed Prohibition-style cocktails featuring The Real McCoy Rum. Left to right: Bailey Pryor, President and CEO of Real McCoy Spirits; Jennifer Pryor, Art Director for Real McCoy Spirits; and Michael Lester, On-Premise Manager for MS Walker. 10 / the tasting panel / december 2013 TP1213_001-33.indd 10 11/22/13 8:37 PM