Key Trends in the Wine Industry for 2021

An experienced hospitality professional, Lonnie Lazear possesses nearly two decades of experience serving at Fairfax, Virginia-based Glory Days Grill in the roles of manager and district manager. Lonnie Lazear has a personal interest in cooking and learning about wine.

The wine and beverage industry, like many others, has experienced significant changes in part due to the global pandemic. Three of the key trends predicted for the wine industry in 2021 are described here.

Increased online purchases

A trend that was already in motion, online wine purchases will continue to increase in 2021 for several reasons including more convenient shipping options and increased customer use of direct-to-consumer online merchant sites such as Winc.

Greater availability of canned wines

Canned wines are gaining popularity due to their convenient packaging, ease of opening, and non-fragile nature. These wines also offer the benefits of being able to be drunk straight from the can and transported easily.

Wine with a low alcohol content

As consumers become more health-conscious, the market for wines with low alcohol content is increasing. White Claw is one such wine beverage that features reduced amounts of sugar, calories, and alcohol.

An Introduction to Three Popular Types of White Wine

Based in Virginia, Lonnie Lazear works as the district manager for Glory Days Grill. In addition to over 15 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Lonnie Lazear is also certified by Health Communications as an instructor for alcohol service.

One way to elevate the dining experience is to properly pair wine with food. White wine varieties contain a wide range of flavors from dry to sweet and are considered to be lighter in flavor and color than their red counterpart. The following are three of the most popular white wines:

1. Pinot Grigio

Balanced by light and earthy notes, the pinot grigio is one of the most versatile white wines. With a fruit-forward taste, pinot grigio is known for its crisp taste that pairs well with grilled chicken, white fish, and cream-based pasta. In addition, this style of wine is often called pinot gris in France, but the grape variety used to grow it is the same.

2. Chardonnay

As the most popular of the white wines, this style of wine is grown across the world such as Burgundy, France, its origin, California, and South Africa. Often bringing to mind butter or toffee, chardonnay also has fruit notes such as celery, lemon, or apple. This style of wine is a good pairing with cheese plates, and nuts as well as mushrooms, and fish.

3. Gewürztraminer

While not as popular as pinot grigio and chardonnay, this wine has distinct floral notes, such as rose or lavender, followed by a fruit finish of peach, strawberries, and allspice. In addition, this wine is between dry and sweet which makes it ideal for fatty meats such as pork and sausage. 

The Triathlon's Journey to the Olympics

Lonnie Lazear serves as district manager for the Glory Days Grill group in Fairfax, Virginia. Beyond his work in areas such as personnel management and food quality control, Lonnie Lazear enjoys staying active by competing in triathlons.

The history of the modern triathlon is typically traced back to Mission Bay, San Diego, in 1974, during which time Olympic runners often used the unique combination of events while training for marathons and other long-distance running events. John Collins, a competitor at the first-ever Mission Bay Triathlon, left California soon after and established the Ironman version of the event in Hawaii.

By 1982, the Ironman in Hawaii had to introduce qualifying standards due to its popularity. As the decade ended, the sport successfully formed its first international governing body. The top priority for the International Triathlon Union was to discuss the sport’s inclusion in the Olympic program with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which accepted the sport in 1995. Standard elements set for the triathlon at the Games were a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride, and a 10-kilometer run. The triathlon made its debut as a medal sport at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

 

A Brief Look at the Most Popular Scout Merit Badges of 2019

Lonnie Lazear joined Fairfax, Virginia’s Glory Days Grill as a manager in 2003 and continues to lead the restaurant, along with several additional locations, as a multi-unit district manager. Lonnie Lazear further engages with the greater Fairfax community through his work with organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America.

In 2019, the single most popular merit badge for members of the Boy Scouts of America was the First Aid badge, which was earned by 62,352 Scouts throughout the nation. First Aid was followed in popularity by badges for Swimming, Camping, and Citizenship of the World, each of which was earned by at least 50,000 Scouts. Personal Fitness rounded out the top five with 49,802 Scouts.

Camping enjoyed a particularly strong year in 2019. After establishing itself as a Top 8 badge between 2014 and 2018, the Camping badge increased by 5 percent to its No. 3 position. That said, the American Business badge enjoyed a leading growth rate of 166 percent, while interest in Backpacking nearly doubled, growing by 78 percent.

It should be noted that all of the top 10 most popular merit badges are on the "required" list to achieve the Eagle Scout rank. When this group of badges is removed, the most popular badges are for Fingerprinting and Rifle Shooting, with 36,510 and 34,049 new Scouts, respectively, followed by badges for Archery and Leatherwork. More information about merit badges is available on the Boy Scouts of America website.