Market Watch, March 1, 2017

Palm Bay keeps its wine and spirits portfolios separate and has different sales teams for each The company emphasizes whiskies another nod to its roots Martins first beverage alcohol job right after the repeal of Prohibition was as a rectifier bottling high proof spirits To honor that history Palm Bay will launch its first self produced whiskey brand this year an American entrant that pays tribute to one of Martins first labels The brand will be called Jacobs Pardon and its initial offering Baltimore Club is based on Martins original recipe The label will also include more upscale offshoots The companys overall whisk e y portfolio is varied One of its oldest partners is Walsh Whiskey Distillerys The Irishman which includes four expressions Founders Reserve 38 a 750 ml Single Malt 46 12 year old single malt 75 and Cask Strength 150 Walsh Whiskey also produces the upscale and limited offering Writers Tears as well as The Irishman Irish Cream and Hot Irish Coffee cordials Both The Irishman and Writers Tears are gaining momentum from a small base Writers Tears debuted Copper Pot 45 a single malt and single pot still whiskey last year In addition The Irishman 2016 Cask Strength 150 is now being bottled and will be sold in the United States on allocation The Walsh Whiskey portfolio is currently at about 20000 cases in the United States with flag ship label The Irishman Founders Reserve contributing much of that volume Its distributed in New York Pennsylvania Massachusetts and Washington D C Last June Walsh Whiskey opened a 28 million 650000 case distillery and visitor center in County Carlow Ireland Palm Bay also represents the French Bastille 1789 whisky brand and boasts 15 Scotch whisky and gin labels from Wemyss Malts including several single malts and unique blends 45 to 70 a 750 ml up to 200 for single cask expressions Theres a generational trend happening now Taub says For the next 25 years brown goods are going to come back Consumers of every generation go back and drink what their grandparents drank Today thats brown spirits and we want to participate in the most efficient way Though whiskies dominate Palm Bays spirits portfolio the company does have many other offerings Taub is excited about a new brand hes launching soon called Drumshanbo Irish Gunpowder gin He also has high hopes for growth from some recent entrants and established players including Chamucos Tequila Bribone Tequila Los Amantes mezcal U K based Chase vodka Swedish brand Råvo vodka and Dos Maderas rum from Jerez Spain Along with these spirits the company represents a roster of grappas vermouths Calvados labels and liqueurs California Wine AdditionsThe launch of Palm Bays California wine labels in 2014 made sense and was a long time coming as the company spent almost a decade doing research and looking for the right part ners The Taub family has a storied past in California Martin launched his first wine enterprise the distributor Premier Wine Spirits in 1952 by signing on to sell E J Gallo wines in New York City In addition Marc Taub has California experience having spent two years after college working in sales and marketing for Gallo on the West Coast California has always excited me Taub says I felt there was a place for California in our portfolio When youre dealing with national restaurant accounts California is sometimes all they sell so we need to be part of that market The wine industry is still 75 percent California based so to have a large wine concern and not be in the domestic business doesnt make long term sense Imports will always be our focus but its important to have access to the core areas on a wine list Instead of searching for established brands to add to the fold Taub decided to create his own California labels and signed on winemaker Tom Hinde His first launch Au Contraire 1999 to 5299 a 750 ml debuted three years ago and features a Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley and a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast Au contraire is a term my dad used to tease the team with when we thought we were going in the right direction and he decided we werent Taub says The brand also includes a California Pinot Gris a Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir and a Lawler Vineyard Pinot Noir For this label and our other California wines were sourcing the fruit and creating long term contracts Taub explains At some point well have our own winery We want to build something thats entirely our own and that we have a long term stake in In a few months Taub plans to open a tasting room space for Au Contraire in Sonomas central plaza The venue will serve the labels wines with small plates and tapas style fare in an industrial modern setting Rounding out the companys California offerings are the Napa Valley brand Heritance which includes a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon and the Zinfandel based label Angry Bunch which has three expressions from Lodi and Mendocino Were excited to work in a segment that accounts for three quarters of all wine consumption in this country says Marcy MARCH 2017 MARKETWATCHMAG COM MARKET WATCH 33The Esprit du Vin leadership team includes from left Badr Bena bdessadek Marc Taub Matthew Green and Pascal Salvadori The company operates independently from Palm Bay International PHOTO BY RICK WENNERMW0317_