Tony Loeb

🍸 Roberto Artusio, founder of La Punta di Roma, has significantly contributed to Mexican spirits knowledge in Italy since its opening 11 years ago. The venue first focused solely on tequila and mezcal, countering stereotypes of low-quality and worm-included bottles. Now, La Punta's selection includes Mexican whiskies from native corn, cane spirits like Ciaranda, and Michoacán rum, reflecting the country's diverse spirits evolution. Despite challenges such as US tariffs and the dollar's purchasing power, which affected agave sales last year, Artusio remains optimistic about promoting Mexican culture in beverages but is cautious about the growth of the spirits market, noting a general consumption decline and frozen luxury hotel chain investments until 2027. He advocates for storytelling in bar events, emphasizing the importance of music in creating a coherent atmosphere in line with a bar's identity. Artusio doesn't favor "Soberbars," arguing that responsible drinking is a cultural issue, not one of prohibition.

🍷 The Liv-ex Market February Report indicates a continued crisis in the fine wine market with over 12 months of price declines and market share shifts. Bordeaux's dominance has decreased, representing only 33.3% of volume and 36.2% of value traded in 2024. U.S. buyers, while still significant in Bordeaux purchases (31.9%), are driving growth in Italy and Spain. The UK, as the top buyer of Burgundy (42.6% in 2024), shows declining investment. The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 index dropped 0.4% in January, and the Liv-ex Fine Wine 1000 index fell 0.9%. However, the Italy 100 index rose by 0.6% in January, with Piedmont wines leading price performance.