Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/33511
contents PANEL | June 2011 Vol. 69 No. 6 SPECIAL REPORT 120 THE 2011 WSWA WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION RESULTS FEATURES 5 UP FRONT: A MAJOR COMPOSTION Chopin Rye Is the Next Opus in the Brand’s Single-Ingredient Vodka Collection 36 GREEN ALL OVER Vinho Verde Grows on Consumers 38 VODKA ON BOURBON A Bar “Fly” Down Bourbon Street with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka 80 COVER STORY 57 SHAKE & BAKE Cupcake Vodka Inspires Mixologists and Pastry Chefs Alike DEPARTMENTS 4 Letter from the Editor 10 Industry Spotlight 16 Brief Encounters 22 Steven Spurrier’s Letter from London 24 Scotch Report 26 Wine Briefs 28 New Zealand Wine 30 Merrill Shindler’s Word of Mouth 32 Brand Focus: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey 34 What We’re Drinking 42 Sipped & Scene 44 Intro-Vinous: Clos Pepe 46 Wine Notes 50 Inside Look: A Garden Tour at Wente Vineyards 8 / the tasting panel / june 201 1 52 Intro-Vinous: Col Solare 54 A Lone Star Life 68 Launch Pad: SKYY Infusions Dragon Fruit 70 Blue Reviews 74 Gadd’s Sixpack 76 Publisher’s Picks 80 Milestone: W. J. Deutsch 30th Aniversary 96 Cellar Focus: Ca’ del Bosco 98 What’s Shaking: Bacardi Legacy Competition 104 The Drink and The Dish 106 Brand Spotlight: Aperol 108 Cocktail for Geeks 110 Coast to Coast 118 Bihl Your Brand 130 Taking Inventory 62 NEW YORK STATE OF MIND The Finger Lakes Region’s Reputation Is Starting to Catch Up with Wine Buyers 78 NORTHERN EXPOSURE Canadian Whisky Is a Trend Waiting to Happen 83 IRISH WHISKEY REGAINS ITS TITLE And It’s Redbreast to the Rescue 86 WE LIQUE LIQUEURS! A Category Retrospective 92 PISCO, TAKE TWO We Ask Two Spirits Experts to Give Us Their Takes on the Category 102 THE SUMMER’S CREAM OF SOCIETY Tres Leches Triple Cream Liqueur Goes Pool- side at a Top Southern California Resort 111 MAKER’S MARK LEGEND On the Eve of His Retirement, THE TASTING PANEL Spends Two Days Behind the Scenes with Bill Samuels 114 THE GRAPE WITH PANACHE The History, Style and Current State of Zinfandel THE