StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/661597
E D I T O R ' S N O T E Editor Jeremy Nedelka Tel: 203-855-8499 x2213 jnedelka@epgmediallc.com Associate Editor Kyle Swartz Tel: 203-855-8499 x2225 kswartz@epgmediallc.com Associate Art Director Andrea Schneider Contributing Editors Laurie Daniel, Melissa Niksic, Marnie Old, Thomas Henry Strenk Sr. Regional Sales Managers Bruce Kostic Tel: 203-855-8499, x2215 bkostic@epgmediallc.com Mark Marcon Tel: 248-761-6231 mmarcon@epgmediallc.com Debbie Rittenberg Tel: 215-431-8787 drittenberg@epgmediallc.com Senior Research Analyst Marina Velez Vice President, Beverage Amy Collins acollins@epgmediallc.com Production Director Cherri Perschmann Tel: 763-383-4425 cperschmann@epgmediallc.com Reprints Circulation and Audience Development Manager Debra Welter Tel: 763-383-4439 dwelter@epgmediallc.com List Rental Jim Scova Tel: 914-368-1012 jscova@MeritDirect.com StateWays is published by by Beverage Information Group, a division of EPG Media & Specialty Information Editorial offices 17 High St., 2nd Fl., Norwalk, CT 06851 Tel: 203-855-8499 Fax: 203-855-9446 Executive offices 10405 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55441 Tel: 763-383-4400 Fax: 763-383-4499 StateWays n www.stateways.com n March/April 2016 4 OUR AWARDS SEASON HAS JUST BEGUN T he Best Picture win by "Spotlight" at this year's Academy Awards marked the end of Hol- lywood's season of self-congratulations, but the honors for the beverage alcohol industry have just begun. More than 130 wine and spirit brands qualified as Growth Brands Award winners this year (page 18), ranging from Established Growth brands that drive sales growth to Rising Stars that demonstrate great promise. The annual Growth Brands Award reception will be held at the 73rd Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention in Las Vegas. Representatives from dozens of suppliers will be on hand to accept their trophies, includ- ing wine Hall of Fame winner J. Lohr Estates. Spotlight on Wine There were far more wine winners on this year's awards list, and this is an exciting time for the category as it looks to diversify to compete against new entrants to the indus- try - particularly cider, hard soda and flavored whiskey. This issue is packed with wine coverage, beginning with the dozens of wine brands named in our awards feature. You'll also find Chardonnay reviews (page 45) just in time for summer, as well as an overview of north- western wines from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Columbia (page 39), and an update on the shifting fortified wine category (page 42). Port wines and Sherries have long struggled to shed their image as only an after-dinner drink – now brands are going after a younger consumer base and arguing that they're appropriate for any occasion, not just dessert. Finally, our profile of the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (page 8) provides a blueprint for creating a responsive, efficient control state operation. The NHLC manages retail locations, wine and spirit distribution, regulatory enforcement and consumer education – regularly upgrading its operations and technology. They were a 2015 Control State Best Practices winner for Best Tech- nology Innovation, and they're well on their way to earning recognition again in 2016. Jeremy Nedelka, Editor