Charlie Trotter accused of selling fake DRC

New York wine collectors sue Charlie Trotter, accusing him of selling a counterfeit bottle of wine

Source: Chicago Tribune

By P.J. Huffstutter

June 13, 2013

The famed Chicago chef Charlie Trotter has been sued for allegedly selling two wine collectors from New York a big, bogus bottle of wine.

According to a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Chicago, Bekim and Ilir Frrokaj paid more than $46,200 last June for what they thought was a magnum of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from Trotter's Michelin-starred restaurant.

Trotter closed his restaurant last August, citing a desire to travel and to study philosophy, and as part of the closure made plans to sell thousands of bottles from his restaurant's wine collection. This drew interest from wine aficionados who admired the restaurant's collection of Bordeaux and cabernets.

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"During dinner, Charlie Trotter and the sommelier explained the rarity and value of the DRC magnum to Benn and Ilir," according to the court filing. "Charlie Trotter and the sommelier also spoke about wines from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti estate and how those wines are some of the rarest and most valuable in the world."

But the Frrokajs contend this was not true, and that it was only when they tried to have the bottle insured that they learned from a consultant that it was counterfeit.

Trotter could not immediately be reached for comment. It was not immediately clear whether he hired a lawyer for his defense.

According to the complaint, when consultant Maureen Downey met with estate co-owner Aubert de Villain, he stated "Domaine de la Romanee-Conti only produced small yields in 1945 and as a result did not produce any large format magnum-size bottles."

The lawsuit accuses Trotter and his former restaurant of violating federal and state consumer laws, and seeks $75,000 in damages. Efforts to recover without going to court proved unsuccessful, the plaintiffs' lawyer John Auchter said Thursday.

Paul Pacult's 120 Top Spirits

Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal's June 2013 Edition Cites the 120 Top Spirits in the World

Angel's Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Highland Park 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Tie as "BEST SPIRIT IN THE WORLD"

Source: F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal

Jun 10th

F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, viewed by many as the final word in independent spirits evaluation, has announced its annual list of the Best Spirits in the World in its June edition. The 98th issue of F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal lists nine Whiskeys, one Calvados and one Rum in the expanded Top Ten. This marks the first time that there has been a tie for the Number One spirit in the world ranking.

Said founding editor F. Paul Pacult, "I could not say that the Angel's Envy was even a hair better than the great and venerable Highland Park 25 and therefore I ended up calling a tie for the Best Spirit in the World. Clearly, however, they were the two finest expressions of distillation that I tasted within the last twelve months. Further, the dynamic growth of high quality American Whiskeys is reflected in their Top Ten dominance. America's distilling community, from large-scale leaders in experimentation like Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky to the hundreds of creative craft distillers like Balcones in Waco, Texas and Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania who make Boyd & Blair Vodka, continues to surge ahead with both innovation and imagination."

This year's roster of the world's elite spirits includes 22 American Whiskeys, 18 Scotch Whiskies, 2 Irish Whiskeys, 16 Rums, 6 Gins, 10 Cognacs, 2 Calvados, 6 Armagnacs, 10 Vodkas, 7 Tequilas, 14 Liqueurs and 7 other assorted spirits. All spirits listed were rated Five Stars in F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal and were tasted at least once in the past year.

Said managing editor Sue Woodley, "We acknowledge that all criticism is ultimately subjective and that lists of 'bests' are controversial. But the provocative nature of selected summaries stimulates debate among mavens, the beverage industry and average consumers alike. Discussion is always healthy. When the critic is trusted and independent, lists can serve consumers well by paring down their choices in buying circumstances. Even though some spirits on this year's SJ list are rare and expensive, most others are affordable and readily available in major metropolitan areas in the US."

The F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal World's Top 10 are:

1) TIE Angel's Envy Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

1) TIE Highland Park 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

2) George T. Stagg Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2012 edition)

3) Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

4) Christian Drouin 1992 Pays d'Auge Calvados

5) St. George Spirits Single Malt Whisky XXX 30th Anniversary Edition

6) Longmorn 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

7) Parker's Heritage Collection Master Distiller's Blend of Mashbills Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

8) Brugal Papá Andrés 2013 Edition Rum

9) Bowmore Dorus Mor 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

10) Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Uncut & Unfiltered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

To view the other 110 Best Spirits in the World please log onto www.spiritjournal.com

About Spirit Journal, Inc.  Founded in 1991 by F. Paul Pacult and Sue Woodley, Spirit Journal, Inc. is a leading publisher, events producer and consulting firm to the beverage industry. For more information about obtaining a Spirit Journal subscription ($55 USA for one year; US$60 Canada & Mexico; US$65 Rest of World), please email mail@spiritjournal.com or call 845-895-8910.

Constellation Distributes Corona

Constellation Brands buys beer business for $4.75 billion

Source: News 10

06/07/2013

Corona beer and others will now be imported and sold by a local company. Constellation Brands announced it has officially purchased Groupo Modelo's U.S. Beer Business from Anheuser-Busch InBev. The total sale is just under $5 billion.

In addition to Corona, Constellation will import, market and sell Corona Light in the U.S. It will do the same with three additional Mexican beers and one beer from China.

The sales means Constellation will have two operations, a beer division and a wine and spirits division.  

Restaurants Growing Again

Restaurants set to double overall job growth

Source: NRA

June 7, 2013

In his latest commentary, the National Restaurant Association's Chief Economist Bruce Grindy breaks down the latest jobs report.  Restaurants added more than 38,000 jobs in May, and are on pace to post their second consecutive year of job growth above three percent.  Meanwhile, the overall economy continued down the path of steady but moderate employment gains.

The restaurant industry continued to be one of the top job creators in the economy in May, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Eating and drinking places - the primary component of the restaurant industry which accounts for roughly three-fourths of the total restaurant and foodservice workforce - added a net 38,100 jobs in May on a seasonally-adjusted basis, the third time in the last four months with gains above the 30,000 level.

Meanwhile, the overall economy added a net 175,000 jobs in May, which essentially matches the average number of jobs added during the last 12 months.  The private sector added 178,000 jobs in May, while government payrolls declined by 3,000.

On a year-to-date basis through May 2013, eating and drinking places added jobs at a strong 3.2 percent rate, which is double the 1.6 percent gain registered in the overall economy.

If the current trend holds, 2013 will represent the 14th consecutive year in which restaurant industry job growth outpaces the overall economy, and the third consecutive year in which the industry registered job growth in excess of 2.5 percent.  In comparison, the overall economy hasn't posted job growth above 2.5 percent since 1998.