Top 10 Beverage Trends 2011

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Summer time means patios time, and patios time means sun, friends, and good beverage! Here is the must about beverage summer for this summer ! Try it and ENJOY.

Trend 1: Unoaked chardonnays are replacing the big oak wines of the past.

Trend 2: Sauvignon Blanc continues to gain popularity.

Trend 3: More obscure grape varieties like Torrontes, Bonarda, Carmenere, Albarino, Chenin Blanc are being embraced today.

Trend 4: Champagne sales are down, but sales of sparkling wines, such as Spanish Cava, Prosecco, French Cremant, are up. New and innovative cocktails and punches are making great use of these less expensive sparkling wine versions.

Trend 5: Sangria is making a comeback Often mixing in less expensive wines currently on the market. A sangria bar is an increasingly popular change of pace from Bloody Mary bars for brunch and cocktail parties. Cava Sangria, made with the sparkling Spanish Cava wine, for example, is refreshing and great fun to enjoy!

Trend 6: Retro with a twist … Basic cocktails, like martinis, mojitos, margaritas, sidecars, etc. are being revamped with fresh new ingredients such as herbs, spices..etc  The best bars and patios have stainless steel ice cube trays as part of the retro movement however these fixtures are always more hygienic and generally outlive their plastic counterparts.

Trend 7: Novelty is au courant in cocktails today.
Bars are creating contemporary ways to serve traditional cocktails … including, for example, wine popsicles.

Trend 8: Craft beers are hot.
“Beer dinners” are growing in popularity, demonstrating the compatibility of beer with food. Beer is also working its way into cocktails, such as with beer margaritas.

Trend 9: The Slow Food revolution now includes enjoying locally produced beverages.

Trend 10: The popularity of wine and wine-pairing classes is strong and gathering steam! Pairings of wine & cheese, wine & herbs, wine & chocolate are exceptionally strong today.