Beverage trends look to health and wellness in 2005 (2/2)

"That is fairly new — in some cases the wine stewards are doubling as tea stewards following a meal," Simrany said. "They're going around with several varieties of loose tea, mostly green and black, describing the teas to customers and selling the teas by the pot." One such unit is fine-dining outlet Jean-Georges in New York. Afternoon tea has become a popular daypart in many hotels, including the St. Regis hotel in New York, which hosts a 4 p.m. tea that costs $40 to $45 per person. Chuck Simeone, the corporate beverage director for all Jean-Georges restaurants, noted an increase in specific cocktails and wines for the coming year. "We're seeing a lot more specialty cocktails. People are coming in and they aren't ordering the usual Jack and Coke; they're looking at our list and ordering specialty cocktails, like blood-orange mojitos and ginger margaritas. The trend is moving toward those specialty cocktails," Simeone said. As for liquor, "the trend is moving toward rum," he said. "Vodka is still the king, but people are starting to move over and try more rum drinks because of the popularity of mojitos." Basic mojitos are made with lime juice, sugar, crushed ice and light rum, with a spring of mint and a splash of club soda or dark Jamaican rum added. Wine sales are changing, as consumers become more educated and more adventurous, Simeone said. "The guests are much more knowledgeable than in the past. They're more willing to try different things," he added. Cabernet and Merlot sales are waning in favor of Pinot Noirs, which are more easily paired with fish, Asian foods, sushi and spicy dishes. They also pair better with the lighter beef fare that is prevalent today, Simeone said. -http://www.nrn.com