Crystal Head Vodka Banned in Ontario; Shocker: French Study Shows Wine Is Good

Dan Aykroyd's Crystal Head Vodka has been banned in Ontario because the bottle looks like such a lifelike skull. Oddly, the Canadian-born Aykroyd thinks the decision "kind of makes the product more appealing."
[Globe and Mail]

Meanwhile, Crystal Head Vodka has reached the 1 million bottle mark. The brand has racked up nearly $50 million in North American sales.
[NY Post]

In other vodka news, the Kangaroo -- or vodka martini -- was named one of Imbibe's 25 Most Influential Cocktails. The drink marked the beginning of vodka's rise in popularity.
[Serious Eats]

And finally, is there an artisanal vodka trend afoot? Tito's Handmade Vodka from Austin, Texas, Dutch EFFEN Vodka, and Slovakia's Double Cross Luxury Vodka point to yes.
[T Magazine]

A French study has found that moderate drinkers are more likely to have healthy hearts, minds, and body weights. However, results could also be linked to drinkers' social status.
[NY Daily News]

Chardonnay made in the Santa Rita Hills is ripe and fleshy, with bracing acidity, unlike most chards from California.
[Wall Street Journal]

Pabst Brewing Co., the maker of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Old Milwaukee, is seeking $100 million in loans to help fund a buyout by the private-equity firm C. Dean Metropoulos & Co.
[BusinessWeek]

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