3 Questions About Boston Summer Beverage Trends With David Remillard

BOSTON (CBS) - David Remillard manages marketing and community relations for the Whole Foods Market River Street store in Cambridge. He has an extensive background in the food world having worked in restaurant operations at the likes of Ben & Jerry's and Welch's. David's job includes overseeing in-store events – tastings, author book signings, cooking classes, lectures, out of store events – Taste of Somerville, Taste of Cambridge, and Cupcake Camp, and managing community outreach. CBSBoston sat down with David to discuss summer beverage trends.

What are some summer beverage trends and observations?

Craft beers in cans. We are asked about them all the time, and we sell a lot of them. From Oskar Blues (the pioneers in Colorado) to local Harpoon.

In wine, our #1 seller currently is Sauvignon Blanc (from all countries): Loire Valley, New Zealand, California. If it is a Sauvignon Blanc, people want it.

Second to that, we're seeing a lot more folks asking for Rose. One of our big sellers is actually from Washington State made with 100% Syrah. It is called Charles and Charles (a collaboration from winemakers Charles Smith and Charles Bieler) and third, we think whites from lesser-known countries and regions are going to see growth. Right now, we predict Frascati wines from Rome, Italy will take off. Light, crisp and slightly "nervous" (frizzante) make for a perfect Summer Quaff.

How does WFM-River Street promote wine/beer tastings in the summer?

We have tastings every Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings. We occasionally have a tasting on Thursday evenings, usually with a supply partner. We promote it through social media (Facebook and Twitter), in-store signage and bag stuffers. We also will list it on as many calendar listings as we can online.

Where is your favorite place to enjoy a summer time beverage in the Boston area?

On my shaded patio at home with friends and family. In the summer, I will usually enjoy and serve a great chilled rose wine (currently the Washington State Charles & Charles OR a Basque country txakolina) with some great natural hardwood charcoal grilled foods such as: local stripped sea bass, grass-fed beef burgers and of course any and all local seasonal veggies. At the end of the day, wine is great but even better with good food and friends.

Whole Foods Market
340 River Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 876-6990
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Whole Foods River Street donates 5% of the net profits to local area charities including Second Chances, Cambridge Community Center and many others.

A Southern girl born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Emily Olson is pursuing a master's degree in gastronomy at Boston University. On the weekends, she can be found at farmer's markets, wine tastings, and testing new recipes in her kitchen all documented on her blog whatemilycooks.com.