Barrel To Bottle, The Binny's Podcast

In 1981, the Widmer family fell in love with Tuscany, purchasing the Brancaia estate in Castellina in Chianti. Since then, with oenologist Barbara Widmer at the winemaking helm, Brancaia has grown to include three estates across Tuscany and a portfolio of accessible and world-class wines. Barbara walks the Barrel to Bottle team through some of her favorites, including Brancaia Tre, Chianti Classico Riserva, Ilatraia and Il Blu. And stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about Bordeaux futures.

Not only is Westland Distillery leading the charge for American single malt whiskey, but they're capturing the Pacific Northwest in every bottle of single malt whiskey they produce (yes, whiskey with an E, it's American). Westland cofounder and master distiller Matt Hofmann leads the Barrel to Bottle team through an in-depth tour of his whiskies, from their core range - American Oak, Peated, and Sherry Wood - plus multiple years from their limited Peat Week and Garryana releases. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question for a $20 Binny's gift card. This week, it's all about grain whiskey.

All those legendary, unobtainable bottles - are they worth the hype? The Barrel to Bottle crew tastes iconic, collectible whiskey, so you don't have to. Featuring top-notch bottlings from Old Forester, Eagle Rare, Wild Turkey, Angel's Envy and Pappy Van Winkle, this episode took some work. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question for a $20 Binny's Gift Card. In this week's question, the takes on "peak bourbon bubble."

Sour beers make up one of the most sought after styles around today. Sours are the ultimate beers for beer nerds, perfectly illustrating how beer is a combination of science and art. Roger walks the Barrel to Bottle team through a few favorite Lambic and Geuze examples, and he has a couple tricks up his sleeve, too. Beers tasted include Lindemans Framboise, Lindemans Cuvee Rene, Boon Geuze Mariage Parfait and Firestone Walker Paw Prints, a special collaboration with Binny's Beverage Depot. Plus a couple surprises tasted blind. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the Barrel to Bottle team list their favorite barleywines.

Fruit, earth, meaty and savory and floral characteristics: when you're talking about wine, syrah from the Northern Rhone includes some of the most intense and complex reds in the world. Kristen leads the Barrel to Bottle team through a guided tour of the region and a tasting of excellent examples including Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie 2014, Barruol Lynch Hermitage 2016,  J.L. Chave Selection Crozes Hermitage Silene 2016 and Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas 2016. It's wine for wine nerds. Stick around for this week's Q&A segment, when the team takes on three questions with a focus on the evolution of food and wine in the same region. 

Winter keeps holding on in Chciago, so we're talking about wine perfect for the weather: mulled wine and ice wine. Part one: Fire. Mulled wine is a style that includes glogg and gluhwein - spiced wine traditionally served warm. The Barrel to Bottle team tastes Glunz Glogg and St. Christopher Gluhwein as examples. Part two: IOce. Ice wine is a dessert style where grapes reach extreme ripeness by hanging late into the season. The team compares Jackson Estate Vidal Ice Wine to Huia Botrytis Riesling. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about different kinds of glassware.

Tickets are available now for the 2019 WINE EXPO. In this special bonus episode, the Barrel to Bottle team is joined by Barb Steadman, Assistant Director of Wine Sales at Binny's, who covers highlights from the Wine Expo - stuff like guided tours, seminars, the rose garden, a special VIP room, and a bunch more. Plus, the B2B team calls up the newest wine critic to write for robertparker.com, Anthony Mueller. Anthony shares his take on last year's Expo, and previews the seminar he is hosting at this year's Expo. Plus, the Barrel to Bottle team answers questions recorded live at last year's event. This year's big event is happening on Saturday, April 6th at Arlington International Racecourse. Get more info at binnys.com.

Despite being constructed in the 1960’s, the only way to get a taste of GlenAllachie over the last half-century was through rare independent bottlings or as a component in favorite blended Scotch. That’s all changing with new ownership, and Binny’s is excited to share the new OB GlenAllachie bottlings. Noted Distillery personality David Keir offers the Barrel to Bottle team an insider’s view of the distillery and offers a taste of the new GlenAllachie lineup. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about how tariffs affect the whiskey trade, both locally and internationally.

What does it take to persevere through the many trials and tribulations to reach the highest recognized level of education in the beer world? The Barrel to Bottle team is joined by the Golden Nose himself, Master Cicerone Jason Pratt, one of just eighteen in the world to reach Master Cicerone status. Jason shares his sensory perception techniques and encyclopedic knowledge, covering topics including the latest trends and classic styles, plus his favorite flaws in beer. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when Jason helps the team take on your question about the true shelf life of different IPA styles. This one is for the nerds.

It’s easy to get caught up in local craft spirits, especially living in an area like Chicagoland that’s home to an incredible collection of craft options. Just don’t miss out on highlights from far away, including insanely remote places such as Hallock, Minnesota, home of Far North Spirits. This week, Johny Barbosa of Far North shares his incredible portfolio of criminally underappreciated craft spirits, from vodka to gin, rum to rye, plus a surprise or two. And of course, the team covers which spirits are best paired with hot dishes. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the Barrel to Bottle team takes on the question of best beverages for cooking.

Is that the red or the white? The Barrel to Bottle team takes a look at California’s ‘own grape’ from the craze of the 1980s to today’s high quality dry red versions. Zinfandel has a rather arcane history and no French connection, meaning this underdog had to grow into prominence all on it’s own, of course with the help of a few dedicated grape growers and winemakers. You can’t ignore how important it has been to the larger wine culture in the United States. The Barrel to Bottle crew samples Biale Black Chicken, Tommasi Heracles Primativo and the one that started it all, Sutter Home White Zinfandel. Plus, in this week’s Q&A and in response to the more expensive versions displayed in the Holiday Cali Cab cast, the team shares their favorite value California Cabernets clocking in around $20.

Juicy, fruity, dank and hazy – these are all buzzwords to describe the direction of IPA today. But for every action, there’s an opposite reaction. Enter brut IPA, the dry new IPA style that’s crisp, clean and focused. Roger leads the Barrel to Bottle team through a tasting including examples from Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Ommegang, Revolution, Hopewell and Miskatonic Brewing, plus a hoppy sparkling water from Lagunitas. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team shares their favorite Bourbons (and more) to make the perfect old fashioned.

We’re back with Part II of Brett Pontoni’s interview with Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe. This distilling industry legend shares keeping the family tradition going as he brings his son into the fold and offers some insights into how the business has changed over the years after growth and merging with international partnerships. Plus, Fred tackles your questions in our Q&A segment, and powers through a lightning round Q&A.

Spirits industry history runs deep for Fred Noe. The Master Distiller of Jim Beam Distillery, Fred is the seventh in his family to hold the position over the last two hundred years. Brett Pontoni from the Whiskey Hotline chats with this industry veteran, covering topics from how to taste whiskey and favorite flavor descriptors, to the Fred keeping the tradition going with the next generation. Plus some dishing about other industry giants. Keep an eye out for Part II, coming next week.

Kansas Whiskey? Not only is it a thing, but Kansas City, Missouri’s J. Rieger distillery was once the largest mail-order whiskey producer in the US. This week, the Barrel to Bottle team is joined by Brett and Joe from The Whiskey Hotline to interview Ryan Maybee, who in 2014 resurrected this historic brand along with some help from industry icons like Tom Nichols and Dave Pickerell. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team gets technical about charred barrels.

Seasons Greetings from Binny’s and the Barrel to Bottle Crew! This week, we’re talking about the best part of Christmas: winter beers, of course. From old world classics to the craft seasonals they inspired, the team covers the whole holiday beer range. Beers tasted include Weltenberger Asam Bock, Rochefort 10, Avery Old Jubilation, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Great Lakes Christmas and Lagunitas Brown Shugga’. And in this week’s Q&A segment, the team gives their favorite holiday gift ideas. Happy Holidays!

If you take out all the glamorous wine categories… Binny’s Wine Buyer Bill Newton is responsible for everything else. One of his favorite categories is Port, which is getting extra attention for the release of the 2016 vintage – the first declared Port vintage since 2011. What Port lacks in glamour, it more than makes up for in intensity and ageability. Bill shares a favorite vintage aged Port and talks about this great vintage. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team answers your question about red wine and cold weather.

Cabernet is king, especially during the holidays. The full Barrel to Bottle team is in the house, joined by Binny’s Wine Buyer Bill Newton, to talk through everything California Cabernet Sauvignon, tasting samples from Sonoma to Napa. Wines featured include cabernet bottlings from Gundlach Bundschu, Rodney Strong Alexander’s Crown, Ulysees and Robert Mondavi. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team tackles your question about Malbec.

Autumn brings the annual hop harvest, which means it’s time for fresh-hopped beer! Roger leads the Barrel to Bottle team through a flight of everything hoppy, from single hop pale ales through fresh hopped IPA’s. Beers featured include Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, SweetWater Mosaic, Lagunitas Super Cluster, Founder’s Harvest Ale, Deschutes Chasin Freshies and Half Acre Now & Then. Stick around for the Q&A segment, when the team gets to talk about themselves, and their favorite beer styles.

The Barrel to Bottle crew takes a walk on the sweet side this week. Tokaji is Hungary’s sweet white, loved for complexity and class on par with the sweet wines of Bordeaux in France. Laszlo Meszaroz, Director of the Disznoko winery, joins the podcast team and shares the rich history of the region, plus examples of the region’s sweet and dry white wines. Egeszsegere! Have a question for Binny’s Beverage Depot? Hit us on Twitter and you might win a […]