Drinking Is Culture - Learn About Wine, Beer & Spirits | VinePair

photography: Justin Sisson

At NYC’s New June Baby, a Traditional Filipino Housewarming Gift Acts as a Cocktail Garnish

Liz Provencher

Ask a (European) Bartender: Is It Rude to Tip at Bars and Restaurants in a No-Tip Culture?

We Asked

We Asked 16 Bartenders: Which Bourbon Offers the Best Bang for Your Buck? (2026)

Is it Rude to Ask the Somm to Change the Temperature of the Wine I Ordered?

PARTNER

Why Eloy Pacheco Loves Mixing With Luxardo Espresso

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The 2026 Next Wave Awards

The 2026 Next Wave Awards

VinePair Podcast Network

The VinePair Podcast

The VinePair Podcast

The VinePair Podcast: How to Be Enthusiastic and Knowledgeable Without Intimidation

The Buildout

The Buildout

The Buildout Podcast: Andrew Tarlow

Wine 101

Wine 101

Wine 101: American Wine Stories: Alison Story of Smith Story Wines – Arriving at Wine

Booze News

Booze News Weekly Roundup: Modelo Named Official Beer of the NCAA, Stoli Returns to the U.S. After Bankruptcy, and More · Booze News Weekly Roundup: U.S. Household Alcohol Spending Hits Record Low, EU Approves Chianti Rosé, and More · Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth Leaving to Lead Luxury Gym Chain Equinox · Booze News Weekly Roundup: Judge Approves RNDC Chapter 11, Class Suit Brews Against Celsius, and More

What Does It Take to Find Success as a Bar in New York City Right Now? 5 Top Operators Weigh In.

Stephen Bradley

What Does It Take to Find Success as a Bar in New York City Right Now? 5 Top Operators Weigh In.

photography: Eric Medsker

Booze News Weekly Roundup: Modelo Named Official Beer of the NCAA, Stoli Returns to the U.S. After Bankruptcy, and More

Booze News Weekly Roundup: Modelo Named Official Beer of the NCAA, Stoli Returns to the U.S. After Bankruptcy, and More

Booze News Weekly Roundup: U.S. Household Alcohol Spending Hits Record Low, EU Approves Chianti Rosé, and More

Booze News Weekly Roundup: U.S. Household Alcohol Spending Hits Record Low, EU Approves Chianti Rosé, and More

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth Leaving to Lead Luxury Gym Chain Equinox

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth Leaving to Lead Luxury Gym Chain Equinox

Videos

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Is the customer always right? When it comes to the base spirit for an Espresso Martini, we may be more divided than you’d expect... We asked some guests of last night’s After Hours at VinePair what spirit they prefer and what spirit their customers prefer to find out what’s going on in the world of Espresso Martinis in NYC. Huge thank you to the Bar Madonna team (@barmadonnabk) for helping us throw a fantastic After Hours event. And shoutout to Guinness (@guinnessus) for treating all our guests to perfect pints all night. Cheers!

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When a reservation is this hard to get, the easiest way to get in is to wait. But will the wait for I Cavallini be worth it?Since its opening in July 2025, I Cavallini has lived up to the reputation of its predecessor The Four Horsemen — and has been an equally difficult table to snag. But how long does it take to get a seat to enjoy the crisp Cavallini Martini and cloud-like tiramisu? We set out to see.Huge shoutout to our bartenders, particularly Ari at I Cavallini and Romi at Echo Lake. Go say hello while you explore one of NYC’s best neighborhoods — they’ll help make any wait worth it. Cheers!Hosted by @jacobkleaf📸 by @cassidysledge

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When you want to know where to eat in NYC, ask one of its best chefs. We caught up with chef Hillary Sterling (@chefhillarysterling) of Ci Siamo (@cisiamonyc) to talk best dishes, best bars, and everything in between. Where are you headed first?

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If you don’t want to wade through lists of London bars, just listen to Gento Torigata, bartender and owner of the highly acclaimed @waltzbar, so you can eat and drink like one of the best in the biz. Of course, you should also visit him at Waltz, where a focus on 72 micro-seasons means you will never be lacking for something new to discover. Cheers!

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As chef of the No. 1 restaurant on the NY Times 100 Best Restaurants List, Paul Carmichael has no business being this fun. Needless to say, we are inspired and ready at any moment to spend a night with this Barbados-born icon. Be sure to stop by and say hello at Kabawa, order the Kabawa Martini (our 2026 Martini Madness Winner), and dive into some of the best Pan-Caribbean food in New York, if not the world. Cheers!

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At the newly opened Bar CC (@barccnyc), a Dirty Martini doesn’t just have one brine, it has three. Follow along to see how bar director Harrison Ginsberg (@harrison.ginsberg) brings together mignonette, gordal olive, and piparra pepper brines into a complex, and deeply savory Dirty Martini riff.Of course, you should swing by Bar CC for the real deal, but if you’re looking to make this Martini at home, Harrison offered us a helpful tip: stir your Martini for longer than you think. The perfect dilution and temperature requires patience and a lot more ice than most would expect. If you’re really going for it, top your mixing glass with fresh ice before pouring so that the liquid’s last moments before hitting your glass are as cold and crisp as possible. Cheers!📸: @jacobkleaf

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We are back in London to catch up with Bertie Morris from Brutes of Mayfair. He’s got many recommendations, but you should definitely stop by and enjoy a Martini at this special Mayfair spot. Cheers!

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The Kombu Celery at Bar Goto (@bargoto_nyc) has long been considered one of New York’s best and most beloved bar snacks. We stopped by the famed Lower East Side bar for a behind-the-scenes look at how Kenta Goto (@kenta_san) and his team make it.(We know the recipe is incomplete — Kenta may have written a comprehensive bartending book, but he still wants to keep this iconic dish a secret.)

Buying Guides

The 30 Best Zinfandels for 2026

The 30 Best Zinfandels for 2026

7 Chardonnays You Should Try if You Like Big, Oaky Wines

7 Chardonnays You Should Try if You Like Big, Oaky Wines

The 30 Best Rye Whiskeys to Drink in 2026

The 30 Best Rye Whiskeys to Drink in 2026

Where to Drink in NYC

November 2026

Spirits

A Visual Timeline of the 21st Century’s Biggest Cocktail Trends [Infographic]

A Visual Timeline of the 21st Century’s Biggest Cocktail Trends [Infographic]

The Buildout Podcast: Bateman’s

The Buildout Podcast: Bateman’s

Holiday Bottle Shop 2026

Holiday Bottle Shop 2026

At Portland’s Papi, a Pornstar Martini Riff Is Topped with Cava Custard Foam

At Portland’s Papi, a Pornstar Martini Riff Is Topped with Cava Custard Foam

Where To Drink in NYC Right Now (November 2026)

The Best Bottle of Whiskey for Each Classic Cocktail, According to Bartenders

The VinePair Podcast: Can Drinks Brands Tap Into Halloween’s Ascendence?

Why We Still Ask for a ‘Fifth’ at Liquor Shops, and the 1980 Law That Shrank U.S. Booze Bottles

Wine

Wine 101: An Excited Reflection on American Wine in 2026 And Where We Can Go From Here

Wine 101: An Excited Reflection on American Wine in 2026 And Where We Can Go From Here

The 50 Best Wines of 2026

The 50 Best Wines of 2026

We Asked 17 Sommeliers: What’s the One Wine You Always Order When You See It on a Menu?

We Asked

We Asked 17 Sommeliers: What’s the One Wine You Always Order When You See It on a Menu?

We Asked 16 Sommeliers: What’s the Most Underrated Pinot Noir?

We Asked

We Asked 16 Sommeliers: What’s the Most Underrated Pinot Noir?

The VinePair Podcast: The Scourge of the Massive Wine List

Wine 101: American Wine Stories: MJ Towler and the Grenache Festival

Good Wines

7 of the Best Chardonnays From Germany

A Wine Cellar Was Left Untouched Since 1939. Here’s What Was Found

Beer

Whatever Happened to Amstel Light? The Beer That Taught America to Drink ‘European’ — Then Vanished

Free Pour

Whatever Happened to Amstel Light? The Beer That Taught America to Drink ‘European’ — Then Vanished

The Highest-Rated Stout in Every State (2026) [MAP]

The Highest-Rated Stout in Every State (2026) [MAP]

People Have Been Ranking Cheap Beers For Decades. The Appeal Lives On.

People Have Been Ranking Cheap Beers For Decades. The Appeal Lives On.

We Asked 10 Brewers: What’s the Most Underrated Cheap Beer? (2026)

We Asked

We Asked 10 Brewers: What’s the Most Underrated Cheap Beer? (2026)

After Going Mainstream, Has Pumpkin Beer Become a Regional Specialty Again?

The Highest-Rated IPA in Every State (2026) [MAP]

Ask a Bartender: Is There a ‘Right’ Way to Split the Check?

Hop Take

Coors Distributing Co. Is Fighting for Its Life — and the Future of the Middle Tier