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Italy is named the world’s best wine country

Italy has been ranked as the best country in the world for wine lovers in a recent survey by Lastminute.com.

The survey compared thirty wine-producing countries by various criteria with Italy finishing with the highest score. It beat out other counties due to the fact that it offers the most wine tasting experiences; with 993 overall to choose from, and Italy has a total of 21 wine regions.

But how did Italy top France?

In three instances:

1. The number of wine tasting experiences – Italy 993 vs. France 406;
2. Italy has more vineyards open to the public – Italy 33 vs. France 31; and
3. The average price of a bottle of wine is less in Italy – €4.77 vs. €5.73 in France.

For the record, France came second, Spain third, South Africa fourth, Portugal fifth, while Australia came in 15th place, Canada 24th, and the US at 27th. The UK, which is fast making a name for itself for the quality of its sparkling wines, came in 30th place on the list.

https://www.lastminute.com/en/discover/wine-lovers-travel-index

Cocktails are becoming one of Britain’s fastest-growing drinks categories, according to new research

The popularity of cocktails and the fact they are more widely available has helped boost sales through Britain’s pubs, bars, and restaurants by 10 % over the past 12 months taking the market value to £587m, says CGA’s Mixed Drinks Report Q1 2019.

The number of licensed premises selling cocktails has risen 7 % in the past year, with 42,000 on-trade outlets. Drinks-led pubs have been particularly fast to respond to demand, with a growing number opting to sell pre-prepared or draught cocktails.

Based on the on-trade, number one in the Top 10 list of mainstream cocktails is the vodka-based Pornstar Martini, served with a shot of Prosecco on the side. Sales of Pornstar Martini have risen 2 % over the past 12 months and accounting for 15.3 % of cocktails sold.

Having fallen from its top slot, the white-rum based Mojito is Britain’s second favorite cocktail, accounting for 12.4 % of mainstream sales, down 1.2 % from last year.

Occupying the rest of the Top 10 are: Long Island Iced Tea, Sex on the Beach, Daiquiri, Woo Woo, Espresso Martini, Martini, Pina Colada and Collins.

Charlie Mitchell, CGA drinks expert said: “There are two clear trends coming through in the mainstream consumer’s preference for cocktails – that of shorter, more complex drinks with a higher ABV like the Martini cocktails, but also a growing preference for longer, more refreshing drinks such as the Collins which has a more sophisticated, less sweet flavor profile.”

“Tastes have moved away from fruity, sweet drinks with the Woo Woo, Sex on the Beach and Cosmopolitan losing the most favor over the past 12 months.

“The growing popularity of Aperol Spritz and other spritz serves are part of the trend towards a lighter, more refreshing drink with a lower ABV and fewer ingredients allowing the taste of the base spirit to come through.”

Les Dames d’Escoffier – Ontario Celebrate with Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Constellation

Twenty-five female leaders in the food, beverage and hospitality industries assembled to celebrate the official approval of the Ontario Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier last week.

The highlight of the evening, besides the speeches, was a champagne toast with Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Constellation. Which was a hit!

The women were in aww with the stunning detailed gold Robe which encased the bottle.

Tasting notes:

Salmon-pink in color; The nose is precise and very crisp with a lasting impression of freshness with hints of strawberries, redcurrants, raspberries, and black cherries.

Intensely fruity flavors begin clean and well-defined upon entry, the wine opens up to provide a melange of flavors of fresh strawberries, raspberries and wild cherries. It has great length and is well rounded.

“Constellation is the new pouring ritual”

Mirazur named world’s best restaurant

Mauro Colagreco’s Mirazur, a French Riviera restaurant with a backyard farm, has been named the World’s Best Restaurant. This is the first time a French restaurant has ascended to the top of the rankings since 2002. Mirazur, located right by the border with Italy, is known for its salted beetroot with caviar cream, and for its unparalleled views of the Cote D’Azur.

“This recognition from my esteemed colleagues and peers is a great honor. It recognizes the trajectory of my life from Argentina to the Riviera that welcomed me so warmly 19 years ago. I am overjoyed to bring this award back to France”, said Colagreco.

“I am from so many influences but above everything, I am a cook and I love to cook. My food is from my heart and I love to share it with my guests. From all of us at Mirazur, thank you – we are all celebrating tonight,” he added.

The votes were submitted by over 1,000 food writers, critics, chefs, restaurateurs and industry experts from 26 regions from around the world.

Colagreco creates modern, delicately flavored dishes made with local seasonal ingredients.
Mauro Colagreco grows much of the produce on his own farm and sources a lot of his ingredients from the nearby Ventimiglia market, making a hero of both seafood and vegetables. One of his signature dishes is oyster with tapioca, shallot cream and pear.
“I am proud to be one of the representatives of a new French kitchen that lives to the rhythm of all the influences of the world. I am not French, but I have made French cuisine my passion; it is so beautiful and so refined.

“I believe in mixing, combining and celebrating all influences. I am pleased to be able to open my kitchen to different inspirations,” he said.

Mauro Colagreco cut his culinary teeth in Buenos Aires, moving to France in 2000 to work at the Lycée Hôtelier de La Rochelle. A year later his big break arrived when he worked as an apprentice under Bernard Loiseau at Cote d’Or. He then went on to work with some of the biggest names in French cooking, including Guy Martin, Alain Passard and Alain Ducasse.
Branching out in 2006, he opened Mirazur in the grounds of a 1930s villa surrounded by orchards and gardens close to the French-Italian border. The restaurant received its first Michelin star less than a year after opening and now boasts the top accolade of three stars.

Here is the official list of the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019” which were announced last night in Singapore:

1. Mirazur (Menton, France)
Chef: Mauro Colagreco
Last year’s rank: 3
Average cost: €110-€210

2. Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Chef: Rene Redzepi
Last year’s rank: N/A
Average cost: 2,500 DKK

3. Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain)
Chef: Victor Arguinzoniz
Last year’s rank: 10
Average cost: €176 tasting

4. Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand)
Chef: Gaggan Anand
Last year’s rank: 5
Average cost: THB 6,500

5. Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)

6. Central (Lima, Peru)

7. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)

8. Arpège (Paris, France)

9. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)

10. Maido (Lima, Peru)

11. Den (Tokyo, Japan)

12. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)

13. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)

14. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain)

15. Septime (Paris, France)

16. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)

17. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)

18. Odette (Singapore)

19. Twins Garden (Moscow, Russia)

20. Tickets (Barcelona, Spain)

21. Frantzén (Stockholm, Sweden)

22. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)

23. Cosme (New York City, USA)

24. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)

25. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)

26. Boragó (Santiago, Chile)

27. The Clove Club (London, United Kingdom)

28. Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, USA)

29. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)

30. Elkano (Getaria, Spain)

31. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)

32. Nerua (Bilbao, Spain)

33. Lyle’s (London, United Kingdom)

34. Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

35. Atelier Crenn (San Francisco, USA)

36. Le Bernardin (New York City, USA)

37. Alinea (Chicago, USA)

38. Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)

39. A Casa do Porco (São Paulo, Brazil)

40. Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)

41. The Chairman (Hong Kong)

42. Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)

43. Hof Van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)

44. Test Kitchen (Cape Town, South Africa)

45. Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)

46. De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)

47. Benu (San Francisco, USA)

48. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (Shanghai, China)

49. Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)

50. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)

US and EU winegrowers hit back at Trump’s proposed Tariffs on EU wine

US members of international grower organization Wine Origins Alliance have written to the government’s trade representative, calling for the scrapping of proposed tariffs on EU wine.
In a letter to US trade representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, the group strongly urged him to exclude wine and wine products from the list of goods that may be subject to WTO tariff countermeasures, as a result of a WTO dispute over EU subsidies to Airbus.

It echoes a similar letter from the organization’s European contingent to the European Trade Commissioner, signed by representatives from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Chianti, Rioja, and Jerez.

The Wine Origins Alliance comprises 25 organizations across 10 counties, which together represents nearly 80,000 wineries and growers, who are focussed on promoting and protecting wine growing place names worldwide and preventing the purposeful misuse of geographic names.

The appeal after the US government identified $21 billion-worth of EU good imports, including wine and cheese, which it said could be subject to tariffs in the ratcheting up of trade hostilities between the two blocks in response to the EU subsiding aerospace and defense group Airbus. Last year the WTO ruled the EU subsidies to the company were illegal in the culmination of a 14-year dispute between Airbus and US company Boeing.

In response the EU is also expected to authorize tariffs countermeasures on US-made wine and other products.

The letter pointed out that the US and the EU are two of the world’s leading wine producers and last year collectively exporting $28 billion of product and urged the US trade representative to remove wine from the list and work with the EU to reduce and eliminate tariffs.

“We urge you to work with the EU government to reduce or eliminated wine tariffs, not raise them. Promoting wine exports by removing trade barriers is critical to driving industry growth and creating new industry jobs,” it said.

Signatories of the letter include the President of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, Linda Reiff, Sonoma County Vintners’ executive director Michael Haney, Oregon Winegrowers Association CEO Tom Danowski, alongside representatives from Pasa Robles Wine Country Alliance, the Long Island Wine Council, Santa Barbara Vintners, the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, and Willamette Valley Wineries Association.

In a similar move, the presidents of the Conseil Interprofessional du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, Bureau Interprofessional des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja, Comité Champagne and Consejo Regulador del Vino del Jerez urged the EC’s Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström to exclude wine from any list of goods on the tariff countermeasure list.

Source: Drinks Business