Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/832383
4 / the tasting panel / june 2017 The June issue is our gateway to summer, and we can't help ourselves but spread the good word of rosé with our readers. We held a rosé wine blind tasting in San Francisco at Finn Town (see more on page 84) with some very high-profile wine buyers as well as a wonderful variety of wine producers. The pink and salmon hues, the thrilling flavor profiles and the variations in aromatics were exceed- ingly impressive. We've all come to respect this style of wine, and as gatekeepers, I hope you'll share your knowledge in impressing upon your customers that rosé is not only refreshingly lively but, with its pairing abilities, makes fewer demands than many reds—and whites. A great example is Louis Jadot's Rosé— an expressive new wine that is spotlighted on page 68. We're glad summer's (almost) here—and revel with rum, the unofficial spirit of the season with our report on page 104. As the media sponsor of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) annual Convention & Exposition, The Tasting Panel runs a blind wine and spirits competition that brings over 40 on- and off-premise professionals together to taste and judge with their keen palates. You can see the top award-winning brands from this year starting on page 98—and also view the mixology competitions that fiercely pitted bartenders and distributor spirits specialists to show off their talents in timed frenzy. The Tasting Panel is at the forefront: re-introducing iconic Jägermeister with its updated image, tying in the art of glass-blowing with El Tesoro Tequila (see opposite page) and heading to the Pacific Northwest to introduce you to the folks and brands of Eastside Distilling. If you happen to be in Washington, D.C., on June 29, please come watch our patriotic celebration at the National Archives when we challenge ten brands to create All-American recipes with their domes- tic or global spirit for a salute to Independence Day—you won't see the results 'til our August issue, but at least we'll still be celebrating summer. Publisher/Editorial Director A Rosé Outlook for Summer LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI Publisher/Editorial Director A rosé fan!