Press Releases
Sixth Episode of Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services Podcast Provides Tips for Selecting French Wine in ABS Retail Stores
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) has released the sixth episode of its podcast series “Spirited Discussions: A Podcast by Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services.” The series helps residents and businesses understand alcohol products, trends and policies in Montgomery County. The sixth episode, “Selecting French Wine,” examines the distinctive winemaking regions in France, how to pair French wines with food and the ways ABS helps its customers find the right wine for their needs.
In the podcast, ABS Retail Store Manager Abdul Jones and Adventure Wine founder Robert Cavanaugh join host Jocelyn Rawat to explore the ways different climates create unique flavors, how food and wine complement each other and how customers can discover French wines in ABS retail stores. Guests recommend specific French wines to pair with seasonal dishes, local seafood and dessert. They also highlight bottles that make great gifts.
ABS stocks more than 100 French wines in its 27 retail stores and offers samples of French wines and other products at tasting events throughout the County. A full list of tasting events is available on the ABS website. Rosé continues to be the highest selling type of French wine in ABS stores, but others are growing in popularity. Leveraging its direct import capacity, ABS became the exclusive retailer in the Mid-Atlantic region of eight highly rated wines from the Domaine de Galuval winery in the Rhône Valley of France. By importing directly, ABS is able to offer these wines at attractive prices.
“Each of our stores carries a different assortment of products, based on customer demand,” said ABS Director Kathie Durbin. “The Potomac store has the biggest selection of French wine, and it even has some 2020 First Growth wines in stock. I encourage customers to ask our staff for recommendations. Thanks to the training from Robert Cavanaugh and other programs, the staff at our stores are very knowledgeable.”
The Alcohol Beverage Services podcast is posted on the department’s website and is available on several podcast platforms including Amazon, Apple and Spotify. Subscribe to the podcast by selecting the “follow” or “plus” button on your provider’s podcast platform.
Listeners are encouraged to email ideas and questions for future episodes to [email protected].
Previous episodes highlighted the art and science of whiskey barrel picks, defined the “control model” for alcohol distribution and introduced customers to locally produced beer. Episode seven will explore premium sipping tequila.
The Office of Broadband Programs in the County’s Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS) provides technical support for the ABS podcast.
ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County and operates 27 retail stores throughout the County. In addition, ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, its profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that otherwise would be funded by County tax dollars. Follow ABS on Facebook and X.
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Media Contact: Jocelyn Rawat 202-604-7289
Categories: ABS