Liquor Industry News 03-03-26
Exploring all things wine with you!
The Flipboard "Liquor Industry News" for March 3, 2026, curated by Mark Lenzi (The Wonderful World of Wine), features several stories covering beer, spirits, and global wine trends. Here is a summary of the key highlights:
Wine Industry & Trends
- Sea-Aged Sparkling Wine: An exploration of the growing practice of aging sparkling wines underwater, explaining why producers are choosing the ocean floor for maturation.
- Japanese Wine Boom: A look at the rising popularity of Japanese wine, characterized by its precision, restraint, and focus on indigenous grapes and food-pairing harmony.
- Phylloxera Threats: A report on whether the tiny aphid-like insect Phylloxera, which historically devastated European vineyards, remains a major threat to the modern global wine industry.
- Wine Diplomacy: A discussion on "Wine Diplomacy" and how international perceptions of the U.S. are shifting compared to the influence of countries like China.
Spirits & Beer
- Michter’s 10-Year Bourbon: Michter’s has announced its 2026 release of the 10-Year Bourbon. The distillery maintains a strict policy of releasing the spirit only when barrels meet specific sensory standards rather than following a set calendar.
- Bear Poop Beer Collaboration: In a more unusual story, Columbia Sportswear and Breakside Brewery have collaborated on a light lager featuring notes of berries and honey. The marketing focuses on an "outdoorsy" theme—though the headline clarifies it involves "bear poop," it is a play on the ingredients bears eat in the wild.
At a Glance
The collection reflects a shift toward artisanal precision (Michter's and Japanese wine) and experimental aging/branding (sea-aging and outdoor-themed beer) within the beverage industry in early 2026.
CSW,CSS,CWAS,FWS,IWS,SWS,IWM
Mark C Lenzi CSW,CSS,CWAS,FWS,IWS,SWS,IWM owner of Franklin Liquors, is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Spirits( CSS) by the Society of Wine Educators. The first in MA to hold a California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS) title from the San Francisco Wine School. French Wine Scholar(FWS)/instructor, Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS) and Italian Wine Scholar (IWS) by the Wine Scholar Guild. Italian Wine Specialist (IWS) by the North American Sommelier Association. Oregon Wine Expert (OWE) by the Napa Valley Wine Academy, Italian Wine Maestro (IWM) Vinitaly International (First USA Class), AFNA™ Wine Certified. Whiskey Diploma Journeyman Whiskey Taster from Whiskey University
Franklin Liquors is a family-owned vintage 1978. https://www.franklinliquors.com/
Founder of the Franklin Wine Club https://www.meetup.com/franklin-wine-club/
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