The Flipboard magazine “LIQUOR INDUSTRY NEWS 11-04-25” curated by @MarkLenzi, covers several recent topics in the spirits and wine industry. The key stories include:
Wine Tariffs: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on a court case concerning imported wine tariffs, with a potential for the ruling to have broader implications.
Wine Aging: An exploration of the science behind aging wine under screw caps, noting that this closure type remains controversial despite being in use for almost 70 years.
Health and Wine: A meta-study suggests that moderate wine consumption may help reduce the risk of strokes.
Tito’s Vodka: An analysis of how Tito’s Vodka, America’s bestselling spirit, has managed to navigate prolific lawsuits.
Whisky Innovation: Bruichladdich has released the first-ever Islay Rye Whisky, a 7-year-old spirit distilled from Islay-grown rye and barley as part of a crop rotation experiment.
Cocktail Science: A discussion on whether dark liquor can be successfully used to make Jell-O shots.
We will explore wines that are aged in used Bourbon Barrels.
Did you know bourbon barrels by law need to be 100 percent new American oak, and heavily charred, there is an amazing amount of flavor remaining in the wood.
Located in the South Pacific, with the southernmost vineyards in the world, 1,000 miles east of Australia, New Zealand is a sea of thirst-quenching Sauvignon Blanc. Top 20 in both wine consumption and wine production,
We will of coarse explore Sauvignon Blanc comparing two styles. Did you also know they make a sparkling version? We will have it along with Pinot Gris, Rosé, Pinot Noir AND a Malbec blend yes Malbec from New Zealand!
Jillian will share photos from her trips and tell us all about 7 wines.
These will be great food wines for your Easter meal and gifts!
Jillian Smith Bio
Jillian is the Brand Ambassador for Villa Maria Wine Estates. She has been working with the company since 2014 and has covered the MA, CT, and RI markets. The Boston native has had the opportunity to visit Villa Maria’s properties in New Zealand 3 times to familiarize herself with the vineyards, the winemaking, and the team of individuals who craft the wines. She graduated from UMass Amherst in 2012 with a degree in Economics and French and has completed her WSET Level 3 in wine certifications.
19 Crimes, one of the fastest growing brands within the Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) portfolio, has been named ‘Wine Brand of the Year’ by leading US wine industry title Market Watch, demonstrating the outstanding success of this innovation since it was introduced to the US market in 2012.
Growing to one million cases in annual volume over the last 12 months, 19 Crimes is a unique wine proposition that celebrates the rebellious spirit of men and women exiled from 18th and 19th century Britain to Australia, having committed one of the 19 Crimes meriting punishment via transportation*.
We tasted all 7 wines made!
Also A Leader In New Augmented Reality Technology
Available now via the Apple App and Google Play stores, this first-of-its-kind app will animate 19 Crimes’ criminals-turned-colonists. Hovering a mobile device over the bottles will bring the character on the label to life, sharing their stories of rule breaking that sent them across the ocean to Australia.
About Timothy:
Timothy Chagnon has been with Treasury Wine Estates since July of 2017. Prior to joining Treasury he had worked extensively in the hospitably industry. Over the past 10+ years, his experiences have encompassed all aspects of the restaurant world including casual fare and fine dining establishments under the direction of such renown chefs as Jasper White and Ming Tsai . Most recently, Timothy was the Wine Director and Certified Sommelier at Flank Steakhouse in Waltham.
Learn more about one of the most prestigious family wine producers in Chianti Classico, Tuscany and taste their most popular bottles from each estates including Bolgheri DOC, Montalcino and single vineyards!!”
About Claudio
Claudio worked in the Food and Beverage industry for 20 years. At the young age he worked for many prestigious restaurants in his hometown Bergamo where he learned and lived the essentials of the hospitality industry.
Wine lover and collector in constant research to educate himself, he was able to go deeper in what it will become his passion and love..
He moved in the US in 2005 and with hard work and dedication within few years he received his WSET certifications and worked for a Wine Distributor Company in Massachusetts where he resides.
While working as Italian Wine Specialist during his career he had the pleasure to meet and work with some of the greatest Italian Producers until he was able to reach the most important opportunity in his career and life. To represent Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute in the US.
Passion for travel and new adventures is now an advocate that he is honored to work with one of the most prestigious and wonderful Family Producer in Tuscany.
Kim Simone, CSW, FWS, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) By The Society Of Wine Educators,
French Wine Scholar And Instructor (FWS) by the French Wine Society
Owner of Vinitas WineWorks
Is THRILLED to be part of the educational team at Franklin Liquors! Kim has been in the wine business since 2002 and holds a Master’s degree in Gastronomy from Boston University, where she is now a teaching assistant. Her passion is helping novice wine drinkers understand why they like the wines they do, clarifying the complexities of wine, and making the topic approachable and fun.
Mark Lenzi CSW, CSS, CWAS, FWS, IWS, co-owner of Franklin Liquors
Trained by the International Sommelier Guild
Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Spirits (CSS) By The Society Of Wine Educators
First in MA to be a California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS) by the SF Wine School
French Wine Scholar And Instructor (FWS) by the French Wine Society
First in USA to hold a Quini Certified Educator (QCE) title
Italian Wine Specialist (IWS) by the North American Sommelier Association.
Franklin Liquors is a family-owned business vintage 1978.
Matchbook Wines began in the rolling pastures of Dunnigan Hills in 2004. Dunnigan Hills, one of California’s newest AVA’s is located in northern California, east of Napa Valley. It was first planted to grapes in the late 70’s when John and Lane Giguiere returned home from college to save their family’s wheat and sheep farm. Realizing that the wheat market could no longer sustain their farm financially, and that sheep are really not that smart, the couple planted Dunnigan Hill’s original vines. These vines would be the foundation of RH Phillips Winery and the famed Toasted Head Chardonnay. Years after selling the RH Phillips label, John and Lane returned to Dunnigan Hills to begin a new venture: Matchbook Wines.
Matchbook Winery is a small, family owned winery focusing on the production of high-quality, yet affordable wines that rival the world’s best.
Daniel O’Connor began working with John and Lane in 2016, and after years of working for much larger, more corporate wine companies, he has found a home. Dan’s passion for wine began early in the restaurant business as he worked to earn his graduate and undergraduate degrees. He lives in Boston’s North End and represents John and Lane’s interest here on the East Coast.
During our tasting and seminar, We will focus on “Old World Wines in the New World,” discussing the history of the grape varietals that we will taste and their roots in France and their success in California.
Santa Carolina is Carolina Wine Brands’ flagship brand. With a history spanning over 140 years, Viña Santa Carolina was established in 1875 by Luis Pereira, who named it after his wife, Carolina Iñiguez. Located in Santiago, the winery’s facilities and underground cellar are a National Monument and are open to the public at large. With sales in excess of 25 million bottles, Santa Carolina’s wines are available in over 90 countries. In 2015, Santa Carolina celebrated its 140th anniversary and was chosen the New World Winery of the Year by the prestigious American magazine Wine Enthusiast.
Amazing value in wine! We will explore reds and wihites.
About Mark
New England Regional President For Carolina Wine Brands USA
Today, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines includes more than 1,300 acres of cool-climate estate vineyards in the Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands regions of Monterey County, with an emphasis on Chardonnay, Riesling, Valdiguié and Pinot Noir, over 2,300 acres in Paso Robles dedicated to Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Sirah and other red varieties, and 33 acres in Napa Valley, highlighting Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc. From this rich and diverse palette of sustainably farmed estate fruit, J. Lohr crafts wines showcasing bold, concentrated flavors and a vibrant sense of place. The winery offers four tiers of award-winning wines – J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Cuvée Series and J. Lohr Gesture
We will explore the J.Lohr Vineyard series wines. Showcases the finest fruits from vineyards in Paso Robles, Monterey County, and Napa Valley. Very limited in production!
An educational adventure while tasting wines and explore labels.
Do you know the truths and lies on the labels?
We will get back to our original club roots at this event. Talking and tasting while giving you tips and tricks.
You will leave a better wine buyer and a little scared!
Whats in that bottle can all learned with a few tips.
The Abruzzo region today is on the cutting edge of grape growing and winemaking in all of Italy. We will talk about the special set of climates and soils that makes Abruzzo unique. We will talk about the grape varieties that have evolved in Abruzzo for over a thousand years. And we will talk about Gianni Masciarelli, the curious skeptic, biological savant, and energy management genius who took Abruzzo from a sleepy wine backwater to the cutting edge.
About Dave:
Dave Abbott began his wine career in 1985 with the Big Y Wine superstore in Northampton, Massachusetts just in time to taste all of the 1982 Classed Growth Bordeaux, and most of the to 1983 Burgundy Premier and Grand Crus. This is when he became vitally interested in the geography, geology, topography, climate, agriculture, history, culture, wine traditions and culinary traditions of the European wine lands. Dave has been liberally overeducated at Dartmouth (BA English 1972), University of Michigan (MA English Language and Literature 1977), and University of Massachusetts (PhD/ABD 19th and 20th Century Novel leaving in 1985). A teacher at heart, Dave has long been fascinated by all the factors that make every wine unique. A salesman by trade, Dave has worked for Consumer Programming Services selling encyclopedias door-to-door in the West Virginia coal fields, as Sales Associate and Italian and German Brands Manager for Big Y Wines, as the founder of Wine Diamonds wine brokerage, for MRR Traders as Western Mass Wholesaler’s Rep, and since 1998 for Masciarelli Wine Company as Western Mass Rep, and later as a Regional Sales Manager. In 2007 Dave became Regional Sales Manager for the imports division of Masciarelli Wine Company serving North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland and Delaware later adding Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Montana, Washington, Oregon and Northern California. In 2012 Dave also became Masciarelli’s Wine Educator, and Sales Trainer for both the Massachusetts and Florida divisions.. Since 2015 Dave has handled Regional Sales Manager duties for Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Marylnd, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois. Since 2012 he has been National Brand Manager for Valori, Castello di Cacchiano, La Caplana, and the Masciarelli Estate in Abruzo. Summer 2015 marked Dave’s 25th trip to Italy.
Today my business involves making connections with 9 distributors, traveling to 13 states, doing ride-alongs with 85 sales people a year teaching them about the things that make our wines so very special, calling on 1000 retailers and restaurants projecting the voice, character, style and passion of the Masciarelli Wine company and the wine families we represent. Always fascinated by the intricacies of Italian wine, Dave aspires to be the World’s Best Italian Wine Salesman.
The history of Masi is the history of a family and its vineyards in the Venetian regions. The name itself derives from “Vaio dei Masi”, the small valley in Valpolicella acquired by the Boscaini family, who are still its owners now, at the end of the XVIII century.
Today, Sandro Boscaini, company President and Managing Director, runs Masi with the help of his daughter Alessandra, in charge of sales and administration; his son Raffaele, Marketing Manager and
Co-ordinator of the Masi Technical Group and his brother Bruno, Production and Plant Manager. His brother Mario has his own business, but is still part of Masi and an adviser to the management.
Tony Apostolakos comes from a family with a winemaking background, as they originally owned vineyards in Central Greece dating back to the early 1900s before emigration to Montreal in Canada. Tony himself took a degree in Economics at the University of Alberta before entering the wine trade, where he now has over 20 years of experience.
Tony first represented Masi in Canada in 1999 before he switched his attention to the United States market in 2005. He has now been appointed Director of Marketing and Sales in USA for Masi and makes regular trips to company headquarters in Valpolicella, to spend time with the Boscaini family and the Masi Technical Group and ensure he is fully up-to-date with the company’s winemaking techniques and global strategy.
When not travelling inside USA for Masi, Tony resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 316 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! From Food Critic to Wine Titan With Meridith May In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), Kim and Mark sit down with a true powerhouse of the industry: Meridith May. As the […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 315 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Sustainability with Sandra Taylor In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), hosts Kim and Mark dive deep into the world of sustainable viticulture with special guest Sandra Taylor. As the author of […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 314 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! From Prescriptions to Stills with GlenPharmer Distillery In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), hosts Kim and Mark sit down with Beth and Patrick Downing, the visionary owners of Franklin, Massachusetts’ own […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 313 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Decoding the Wine Label with Marie Cheslik Ever feel like you need a PhD and a Rosetta Stone just to pick a decent bottle of Cabernet? You aren’t alone. This week on The Wonderful World […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 312 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Parenting, Wine, and Playful Rhymes 🍷 Grab a glass and settle in! In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), Kim and Mark sit down with the witty and insightful Danielle Frank, author […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 311 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! The Liquid Jazz Experience with Inventor Michael Fors In this episode, Kim and Mark dive into the art of aeration with Michael Fors, a Massachusetts-based wine inventor and the creator of The Liquid Jazz Experience. […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 310 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Uncorking a New Way to Learn with Mistral Wine Cards In this episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW), Kim and Mark sit down with Seth Cysewski, the visionary founder and inventor of Mistral […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 309 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Decoding Non-Alcoholic Wine with Rachel Martin Get ready for groundbreaking wine education on The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) as Kim and Mark host Rachel Martin, the visionary Founder and CEO of Oceano Wines ( […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 308 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Talking Whiskey With Colonel Craig Duncan Grab a glass 🥃 and join us for a very special episode as Kim and Mark take their first deep dive into the world of whiskey! We're thrilled to […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 307 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! Wine Social Media Star Kelly Axelrad Dive into a fascinating episode of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) as hosts Kim and Mark sit down with the powerhouse wine entrepreneur and social media superstar, Kelly […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 306 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi exploring all things wine with you! A Spirited Sip with a Wine Maverick Raymond Blake Join hosts Kim and Mark on as they uncork a fantastic conversation with acclaimed Irish wine author, Raymond Blake. In this spirited episode, Raymond takes us […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 305 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi explore all things wine with you! All Things Bubbly For New Years Bubbly Bonanza! 🍾 Join your hosts, the effervescent Kim, the Bubbly Queen, and Mark, for the last show of 2025, where they pop the cork on a year of […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 304 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi explore all things wine with you! Holiday/Christmas Songs Paired With Wine Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! Get ready to deck the halls and pour the wine with hosts Kim and Mark in this festive holiday special of The Wonderful World of […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 303 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi explore all things wine with you! Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Get ready for a Thanksgiving episode that's anything but ordinary! The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) hosts Kim and Mark are celebrating a classic: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving! Ever wondered what wine […]
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) Episode 302 Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi explore all things wine with you! The Umami King Tim Hanni MW Join hosts Kim and Mark as they welcome a true icon of the wine world: Master of Wine (MW)Tim Hanni. Tim, the first American to earn the prestigious MW […]
