This week’s wine round-up balances everyday value with high-stakes policy battles. We look at how sommelier top picks at Trader Joe’s and Costco are making budget-friendly French classics more accessible than ever, while the Canadian federal government pushes provinces to finally greenlight cross-border direct-to-consumer shipping. On the trade front, American importers are overhauling their operational strategies to survive volatile tariffs and currency shifts. But the biggest stir comes out of New York City, where a controversial anti-alcohol campaign called “Buzzkill” has hospitality pros on edge over its aggressive cancer-warning posters.
Gina Pace writing for Food & Wine taps certified sommelier and wine educator Samantha Capaldi alongside Romain Monnoyeur — executive chef at Westport Cafe in Kansas City and a native of France’s Jura wine region — to rank the grocery chains delivering the best wine programs for everyday shoppers. Their top three: Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Aldi, with a nod to Whole Foods for a specific niche.
From the article:
Trader Joe’s wine selection has a devoted fanbase, and both experts independently named it as a top pick for buying a bottle. The appeal isn’t just the low prices you’ll find — TJ’s provides a treasure hunt–style experience for shoppers with its regularly rotating inventory.
Monnoyeur, who shops at Trader Joe’s for personal bottles, gravitates toward the French options. “At Trader Joe’s I usually grab a Châteauneuf-du-Pape or a Saint-Émilion,” he says, adding that “Trader Joe’s has Beaujolais under $15 — hard to beat.”
Capaldi highlights Costco as a standout for buying Champagne and Burgundy, noting that the retailer “does an excellent job… especially when it comes to reasonably priced Champagnes and Burgundies, categories where finding true value can be challenging.” Monnoyeur has his own Costco legend, recalling that “I once found a Sauternes there so well-priced that I bought enough to throw a Sauternes party around it… Costco Sauternes at $11 was a steal.”
In this Press Release, Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s Minister responsible for Internal Trade, issued a statement pressing provinces and territories to finish the job on direct-to-consumer alcohol sales, a reform that would finally let Canadians order wine, beer, and spirits straight from producers in other provinces. Ottawa argues these interprovincial barriers impose needless costs and choke opportunity, and the federal government says it has already cleared its own side of the table by amending the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act and dropping federal exceptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.
“Removing interprovincial trade barriers that create unnecessary costs and limit opportunities for Canadian business and consumers alike is critical to building a more competitive, integrated, and prosperous Canadian economy. Direct-to-consumer alcohol sales is a prime example of how we can make progress by giving Canadians the option to purchase their favourite wine, beer, or spirits directly from producers in other provinces.
Jessica Dupuy reports for SevenFifty Daily on how American wine importers are surviving a year of pure volatility: unpredictable tariffs, a moving dollar, uneven demand, and a cascade of distributor reorganizations. She contends that the winners have stopped fighting forces they can’t control and started rebuilding the fundamentals instead, with operational discipline rather than portfolio growth emerging as the defining strategy of the moment.
From the article:
Tariffs and foreign exchange swings are often discussed as abstract headwinds. In practice, they show up as compounding landed costs and a series of uncomfortable choices. Timing matters, too. Many importers built inventory ahead of tariff uncertainty, which delayed price moves for a time, but it did not eliminate them.
Banville estimates wineries absorbed less than five percent of the additional costs, while importers and wholesalers absorbed about 40 to 50 percent, and the remainder was passed on to the final consumer through price increases. “The combined impact of tariffs and currency fluctuations has effectively created what feels like a fourth layer in an already complex system,” says Luchetti.
Kate Dingwall reports for Wine Enthusiast on “Buzzkill,” a New York City public-health campaign that posted fake beer posters reading “Cancer Risk” across subway platforms, bar walls, and Instagram feeds. Backed by the city’s Health Commissioner, it is the first time a major American city has built a temperance campaign around cancer rather than drunk driving or underage drinking, and hospitality professionals are alarmed by both the tactics and the precedent.
From the article:
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new campaign, “Buzzkill,” is aimed at educating New Yorkers about the risks associated with alcohol consumption—some studies have found there is strong evidence that correlates several forms of cancer and heavy alcohol consumption.
“New Yorkers deserve to know the truth about the risk of cancer when drinking alcohol,” says Dr. Alister Martin, New York City’s newly-appointed Health Commissioner.
But industry members find the campaign alarmist and, frankly, scary as hell—specifically, using the c-word to get New Yorkers on the wagon. Moreso, critics argue the ads favor fear-mongering reports, and forgo the scientific nuance of alcohol-and-health arguments.
If the idea of high desert wines and a winery with a Spanish soul intrigues you, you’re going to love Albuquerque’s Casa Rondeña Winery. While there are over 60 wineries in New Mexico, Casa Rondeña distinguishes itself with a selection of wines that is influenced by both French and Spanish winemaking and a breathtaking atmosphere. Boasting one of the best tasting room patios in Albuquerque, the winery offers stunning views, gorgeous architecture, and an atmosphere that is relaxing and inviting.
The palate is dense with black fruit. Waves of plum and blackberry are complemented by cedar and cinnamon spice. Deeper textures and flavors like coffee, spicy black pepper, old leather, and a streak of bell pepper come together for a long, well-balanced finish.
Graciano can be pretty tannic, but Bodegas Manzanos’ interpretation is well crafted, and the moderate acidity makes this a very enjoyable wine. It’s no surprise that the grapes used in this stand-alone bottling are hand-harvested in the cool evening hours to preserve that necessary acidity.
There is a lot to love about this East 4th Street District Mexican restaurant. The food and drinks were great. The seafood relleno and the trio sampler were just perfect. But here’s the thing: the owners clearly invested a lot of time, energy, and creativity when they designed this concept, and the artwork, food, and cocktail selections were excellent. Our only qualm was with the service. It’s hard to know if the restaurant was understaffed the day we visited or if they just needed better staff training, but the service was far too slow.
We only saw five other tables seated, so it wasn’t a matter of the servers being overwhelmed. It looked like they just weren’t paying attention. If the service was better, Cleveland’s Blue Agave would easily have been a five-star experience.
Corkage Fee: $40 per Bottle/No Limit
Corkage Fee: $75 Per Bottle / No Limit
Chicago, IL
4.5 Stars with over 723+ reviews
He worked under the watchful eye of both Chef Gallegos and his father, Chef Jean-Claude Poilevey. At 19 Oliver moved to France to work on a vineyard and at Le Duc Bistro in Paris. Oliver’s passion for travel and cooking led him to Hawaii, Los Angeles and Florida where he continued to develop his culinary skills. In 2013, Oliver returned to Chicago and worked at The Publican under Chef Paul Kahan and Brian Houston for a little over a year. In 2014 his father hired him as Sous Chef at Bucktown mainstay, Le Bouchon. As the current chef/owner of Le Bouchon, Oliver along with his brother Nicolas, carry on the Le Bouchon tradition begun by their parents.