Whisky, a gaming-focused front-end for Wine's Windows compatibility tools on macOS, is no longer receiving updates. As one of the most useful and well-regarded tools in a Mac gamer's toolkit, it could be seen as a great loss, but its developer hopes you'll move on with what he considers a better option: supporting CodeWeavers' CrossOver product.

Also, Whisky's creator is an 18-year-old college student, and he could use a break.

"I am 18, yes, and attending Northeastern University, so it's always a balancing act between my school work and dev work," Isaac Marovitz wrote to Ars. The Whisky project has "been more or less in this state for a few months, I posted the notice mostly to clarify and formally announce it," Marovitz said, having received "a lot of questions" about the project status.

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• Donald Trump's aggressive tariff strategy has caused the market and consumers to recoil in shock.
• While the market contracts, one niche segment may have a narrow opening: regional winemakers.
• Some producers may see a renaissance as consumers look for alternatives to their imported favorites.

Alcohol consumption is down across the board, and President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff strategy has struck a hard blow to the US economy, causing the market and consumers to recoil in shock. However, 2025 may not be a total loss for one niche segment in the booze industry.

Small California winemakers are waiting with bated breath to see if they could be one of the few lucky winners of Trump's unconventional trade policy.

"There's a potential upside for us here," Nicholas Miller, the vice president of sales and marketing for Miller Family Wine Company, told Business Insider. "The US wine industry has been in a cycle of being severely oversupplied for the last couple of years — but that's also been when there's a big global market coming in."

As the largest global consumer market for wine, the US is among the most desirable locations for any producer looking to sell their goods, Miller said. Hence, the market has, in recent years, been oversaturated by imported wines. But Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs slapped blanket 10% fees on any goods imported into the country — 20% from major wine importers like Italy and France — and Miller said that could "level the playing field" for domestic vintners.

"If tariffs do indeed slow down imports and make them less competitive, I can see that there would be an upside for domestic wines in that case," Miller said.

Industry insiders told Business Insider that ultra-premium wine producers likely won't see the same potential benefits from Trump's tariff plan that lower-tier producers might because too much of their business lies in exports, which have been disrupted. The wealthiest buyers also likely won't be significantly deterred by price hikes on their favorite French and Italian imports or will drink from their private reserves while waiting for the trade madness to subside.

"For the high-end collector, the wine connoisseur, someone with a high wine IQ, for them, those flavors are not fungible," Miller said. "Their favorite is not replaced by a domestic wine just because it's the same price point."

Similarly, bottom-tier suppliers may lose some business because the lowest-income households could simply stop buying any wine, as it's a luxury they don't need amid the economic turmoil. Still, mid-range varietals, like those abundant in California, have a narrow opportunity to gain ground, both in direct sales and tourism to the region.

"I feel like if people are pulling their purse strings because of their worries about the economy, then they would typically — and we saw this certainly during COVID but for other different reasons — choose to come to Santa Barbara County versus taking European vacations," Scott Bull, owner of Sustainable Wine Tours in Santa Barbara, California, told BI. "If we're talking about wine enthusiasts in general, we've seen they will turn to the California market to visit their local backyard rather than taking these extravagant trips."

A boon for mid-market producers

California produces an average of 81% of total US wine, employs 1.1 million Americans, and generates $170.5 billion in annual economic activity across the country, according to data from the Wine Institute. The famous Napa Valley, located northeast of San Francisco, is a major tourism draw, as is Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast and the Southern California wine region of the Temecula Valley.

"For us, certainly during COVID, and we're hoping maybe again now, is that we got the Los Angeles market and all these other people who typically would go overseas to look for those fine wines, instead coming into our backyard," Bull said. "And they realize that we have some extraordinary wines here that really offer the same type of quality or even higher quality, and that really offer everything they're looking for, from Burgundy to Bordeaux varietals. And so I think this could be that new introduction point."

Of course, Trump's tariffs do not mean it's all smooth sailing for mid-range producers. They still have to contend with the rising costs of imported goods they rely on for production — barrels, corks, and glass for their wine bottles are all seeing significant price jumps — and their export businesses are on the rocks.

"The tariffs have also killed any chance of exporting for domestic wine producers," Mike Officer, cofounder of Carlisle Winery, an ultra-premium Sonoma County zinfandel producer, told Business Insider. "After California, Canada and Denmark were our largest distribution channels. Those markets no longer exist for us."

Still, Trump's tariffs still represent a window of opportunity for some regional winemakers.

"I do think, potentially, the sweet spot is for that mid-market producer," Miller said. "For the largest players in central California, there also could be an opportunity open up the market where previously they were getting undercut."

The opportunity may not be limited to California winemakers. Other regional consumer goods, often regarded as modest luxuries compared to mass-produced big-brand products or fancy artisan imports — like Hawaiian coffee — could also see an increase in consumer interest amid Trump's burgeoning trade war.

Alexandre Bossard, the general manager of Kauai Coffee, told BI the current global trade dynamics represent "both challenges and opportunities" that Hawaiian coffee growers are monitoring closely.

And while it's too soon to know exactly how it will all shake out, California's regional winemakers are cautiously optimistic that they can avoid the worst impacts of Trump's trade war.

"It actually levels the playing field in a way that I think could be great for us," Bull said.

• The wine-growing region near Traverse City, Michigan, is often called the "Napa of the Midwest."
• It has stunning lakefront views, a small-town feel, and epic outdoor adventures.
• Affordable prices and lower crowds make this hidden gem my favorite drinking destination.

Napa Valley is renowned for its exquisite wine, stunning scenery, and outdoor activities.

However, when I'm looking for a wine-fueled getaway I skip the pricey and overcrowded tasting rooms in Northern California and instead head for Traverse City, Michigan.

The charming, small-town gem has striking water views and a burgeoning wine scene that consistently brings home awards from international competitions.

Often referred to as the "Napa of the Midwest," this boutique wine-growing region, offers so much more than just wine.

Here's why it consistently tops my vacation wish list.

Its lake views and picturesque wineries offer all the beauty of Napa at a fraction of the cost.

Much like Napa Valley, the area around Traverse City, Michigan, is full of rolling hills dotted with vineyards.

Instead of views of distant mountains, Michigan offers a different beauty: the blue waters of Lake Michigan.

The city is nestled between two wine-growing peninsulas — Old Mission and Leelanau — which jut out into this Great Lake, offering a scenic backup for a wine-tasting adventure.

What makes me prefer these sweeping vistas to the ones found in California is the cost.

Even during the peak summer season, it's not uncommon to find hotel rooms here for under $200 a night. Napa prices are easily double (or triple) that cost.

The quality of the wines here is stellar, with unique cold-weather varietals waiting to be uncorked.

Traverse City sits on the 45th parallel, just like some of the world's most famous wine regions.

The unique microclimate of the area creates perfect conditions for cool-climate wine production, with boutique wineries crafting rieslings, pinot noirs, and other varietals that are surprisingly great.

Its cozy tasting rooms found here tend to feel less stuffy than the ones I've visited in California. As a casual wine enthusiast, I appreciate how this informal style offers more welcoming vibes.

Beyond wine, Northern Michigan is a haven for family- and dog-friendly breweries and cideries

The craft-brew scene in Michigan is similarly booming, making this an ideal destination for savoring a taste of hops.

Plus, Michigan is the third largest apple producer in the US and the cherry capital of the world, making its fruit ciders a must-try.

This variety of drinking experiences means that there's always something delicious on tap.

One of my favorite spots is Sutton Bay Ciders, which features idyllic leaf-peeping opportunities in autumn, kid-friendly seasonal events, and dog-friendly seating areas that make this a place my whole family can enjoy together.

The charming small-town atmosphere offers a laid-back place to stay with fewer crowds.

Downtown Napa is pretty, but it can also be a busy scene. Traverse City offers a slice of small-town Americana that I find much more endearing.

Quirky shops and comfy cafés make me feel like I've stepped into a Hallmark movie, and the pace here feels decidedly more relaxed.

The city's waterfront locale makes it a fun beachy getaway during the summer, and it's just a short drive from other interesting communities like Leland, where visitors can learn about the area's Native American history.

Michigan's natural wonders provide underrated outdoor exploration opportunities

California's national parks are well-known for their beauty, but Pure Michigan offers plenty of outdoor opportunities that often feel overlooked.

In addition to the ample boating, swimming, and other lake life options found in Traverse City, the nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore features miles of towering sand dunes that feel worlds away from the flat plains most associated with the Midwest.

Whether I'm hiking the dunes, sampling local flavors, enjoying a day out on the water, or setting off in search of striking lighthouses (Michigan has over 100), I always enjoy a stress-free and budget-friendly stay in Traverse City.

• From American whiskey to French Champagne, alcohol has become a factor in Trump's trade war.
• Both beverages could see tariffs in the coming weeks unless the US reaches a deal with the EU.
• Businesses, from wine shops to restaurants, are already reacting to the potential tariffs.

President Donald Trump might not drink, but his trade war is shaking and stirring up the market for some of the most popular boozy beverages globally.

On Wednesday, the European Union responded to US tariffs on aluminum and steel by imposing a 50% duty on various products starting on April 1, including one of the US's most well-known drinks: whiskey.

Just a day later, Trump threatened a 200% tariff on wine and alcohol from EU countries, including iconic French Champagne. It's unclear when or if that levy will take effect, but it's already prompting reactions in the US.

Some wine shops, for instance, are promoting specials for customers who want to stock up on European wine, with one in New York City sending out emails to regular customers offering "tariff buster" deals.

Alexandra Ivanac and her husband Stephen Varela, who run the Italian-Croatian restaurant Villa Berulia in Manhattan, said Trump's threats are "alarming." The restaurant carries about 75 European wines and upcharges alcohol 2.5 to 3 times, higher than many dishes.

"How does an Italian restaurant pivot away from European wine?" Varela said.

It's making them question whether to absorb the costs or pass them on to customers. Ivanac said they may instead look to South America, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand for wines if the tariffs go into effect, as well as some California wines. Varela also said they may order twice as much wine as normal and stockpile it in their basement.

"Some of these wines are going for, on the higher end, $200 to $300, so how much could we really increase prices?" Varela said, adding some customers are more cautious about spending given economic concerns.

The US accounts for about 31% of EU wine and spirit exports, according to Eurostat, the EU statistics office. The EU, meanwhile, made up about 40% of the export market for US spirits in 2023, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

For US winemakers, the latest tariff threat could be an opportunity.

Zach Pelka, cofounder and COO at New York-based Une Femme Wines, said his company developed a supply chain that sits almost entirely within the US after COVID made sourcing abroad more complicated and expensive.

Pelka said he expects more US-based alcohol brands to focus domestically if Trump's 200% tariff takes effect.

If the US's threats come true, Pelka expects that Une Femme will become a more attractive option for restaurants, retailers, hotels, and other customers who want a steady source of wine in the US.

"As of today, I think it becomes the focal point of the pitch" to buyers, he said of the potential tariff.

Tariff talk has already caused consumers in other countries to buy from local suppliers instead of importing from the US. Many Canadians are looking for "Made in Canada" alternatives in light of the levies that the Trump administration has threatened and enacted on that country's goods.

Whether any or all of the taxes materialize remains to be seen. Last week, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico — only to suspend it shortly afterward for most items until April 2.

Even if the tariffs take effect, drinkers might not see higher prices right away.

Blake Leonard, president of wine at Stew Leonard's Wine & Spirits, which operates several shops in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, told BI that some of her suppliers brought months' worth of European wine and even tequila from Mexico into the US to get ahead of potential tariffs.

That early action will help Stew Leonard's keep prices for many beverages stable, at least temporarily. "The last thing we want to do as a family business is raise prices for our customers," Leonard said. About half of all wine that the chain sells comes from European nations — primarily France and Italy, she said.

To say the situation is fluid "would be a massive understatement," said Lawson Whiting, the CEO of Brown-Forman, which makes Jack Daniel's whiskey and counts Europe as a major export market. "It seems like things are changing very, very quickly."

The April 1 effective date for the EU's tariffs on US whiskey leaves time for the US and the EU to resolve their differences, Whiting said at an industry conference on Wednesday, the day the EU announced its latest tariffs.

"That does give me some optimism that both the administration and the other counterparties over the last few weeks have been trying to resolve things," Whiting said.

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The kids these days aren't drinking as much as they used to. They're doing sober dating and alcohol-free game nights and whatever zebra striping is. But you know who is still boozing it up? Their parents and grandparents. While the media (including this publication) has been chattering about Gen Z and millennials scaling back on alcohol, many of us have missed that older generations are bucking the trend. Many baby boomers are turning into baby boozers. They're hitting retirement, they have savings to spend, and they're enjoying a little life victory lap — accompanied by a glass of wine (or three).

A recent analysis of customer credit card spending by the Bank of America Institute found that overall spending at bars in January was up 1% from the year before. The group responsible for the increase: baby boomers, who upped their spending by 4% and seemed to be opting for the bar over going to a restaurant. While Gen Z and millennials are still spending a larger aggregate amount at bars (the last time you went out, you probably didn't see the bar teeming with cougars and silver foxes), their tabs are shrinking. Gen Z, for example, decreased its spending on bars and alcohol stores in January by 15% compared to the same month in 2023. The youngs are backing off of the hard stuff; baby boomers aren't following suit.

"The interesting thing that's happening is that a higher share of baby boomers' going-out budgets is being dedicated to bars," said Joe Wadford, an economist at the Bank of America Institute.

A consumer survey by CGA by NIQ, a food-and-beverage industry research firm, found that average monthly spending on bars and restaurants by people between 21 and 34 fell from $166 in fall 2023 to $154 in fall 2024. During that same time period, spending by people over 55 went from $129 to $170 (of course, not all of that was on booze). The percentage of over-55 Americans who say they drink alcohol has increased from 49% in the early 2000s to 59% today, Gallup found; among people between 18 and 34, it fell from 72% to 62%. The proportion of older adults who say they sometimes overdo it has also gone up during that time period, while for everyone else, it's gone down. Older drinkers are also drinking more frequently. A Business Insider analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data found that spending on alcoholic beverages, adjusted for inflation, has gone down among most age groups since the mid-1980s — except among people over 65.

Overall, older people still drink less than younger people, but the generations are moving in opposite directions. Baby boomers are raising more glasses while their kids and grandkids are laying off.

So what's going on here? For one thing, baby boomers have been spending big on alcohol for years, and that's not going to change at the flip of a switch, especially now that their kids are out of the house and they've no longer got The Man to answer to. They've got time and money to spend, and they want to spend some of it on alcohol — and the nice stuff, too. Now that they can afford it, they're buying nicer wines and premium-brand liquors, eschewing the cheap options of their tight-budget youth.

"They're very much in this kind of YOLO period of their lives where it's like, 'I've got money; I feel good; people are living longer, healthier lives. I am traveling more compared to prior generations,'" said Kate Bernot, the lead analyst at Sightlines, which researches the alcohol industry. "They're just kind of in this prime time where buying nice stuff sounds good."

Younger adults have their bank accounts pulled in different directions. They're trying to buy homes or are saddled with mortgages. They've got car payments and childcare costs and student debt. Baby boomers, the youngest of whom are in their early 60s, are free of many of those expenses. They've reaped the benefits of rising home prices and a booming stock market. If you're 23 and struggling to pay your rent, you might have no choice but to swap a night out on the town for a quiet evening in with a six-pack to save money. A 65-year-old who doesn't have work tomorrow for the first time in 40 years and is sitting on a nice little nest egg isn't making the same calculation. As Gen Z and millennials are aging into more financial obligations, baby boomers are aging out of them.

"For the older generation, if you think of economic headwinds and economic issues, they perhaps might not have been as affected as much as young people," said Matt Crompton, a vice president at the market research firm NIQ, who focuses on the restaurant and bar market.

Older people may not listen to or be as aware of the health concerns around even moderate drinking as younger people. They came up in an age when some amount of drinking was considered healthy — that glass or two of red wine at night was supposedly good for their hearts. They've got ingrained habits they're not going to be quick to drop in the way younger people might in trying out Dry January, Sober October, or swapping nonalcoholic options into their routines on occasion.

"They have always been pretty strong alcohol consumers since they turned a legal drinking age, so they're just continuing those patterns, and now they just have money and time," Bernot said.

Crompton pointed out that while cannabis is competing for the "buzz dollar" among young consumers, that's not so much the case for most older ones. "The older consumer often will stick with what they know," he told me.

Baby boomers may not be who we think of as the typical alcohol consumer. We don't see them much in alcohol ads or in the media. But that doesn't mean that they're not excited about exploring alcohol — and brands are starting to notice. During the Super Bowl, Michelob Ultra ran a commercial featuring Catherine O'Hara, who's 71, and Willem Dafoe, 69, playing younger competitors on the pickleball court for beer. Brands are "finally waking up to the huge spending power and interest" in alcohol boomers have, Bernot said.

For the alcohol industry, the boomer boozer represents an under-the-radar market to serve. But there's a looming issue: As the cohort ages from "fun retiree" to "old old," they're going to become less frequent consumers. As people get into their mid-70s and 80s, they really slow down on drinking, and, at some point, they die. According to Sightlines, baby boomers account for 40% of all alcohol spending in the US. Brands are working to replace them, but meeting the tastes of a younger generation — especially when they're cutting back in general — can be tricky. This is an issue for wine, in particular. Silicon Valley Bank's latest report on the state of the US wine industry found that wine is the favorite of the three major alcoholic beverage categories for people over 60, while it ranks last for people under 60, behind spirits and beer.

"I hope we are all past the notion that we shouldn't worry about younger consumers coming to wine, and all we need to do is wait or, said another way — be patient and do nothing," wrote Rob McMillan, the founder of Silicon Valley Bank's wine division, wrote in the report. "Doing nothing won't change our present situation."

Baby boomers aren't getting sloshed every night in their retirement communities — or at least most of them aren't. But they aren't stepping away from alcohol in the same way that younger generations are, and they're keeping the party going longer than generations before them. Grandma might still have her two glasses of wine at dinner, while Mom has half a glass, and her 21-year-old daughter opts for a Diet Coke. Or Dad still goes to the bar for the big game and spends $30 on a handful of beers, while his son watches at home with some NA Athletic brews shared with friends. The elder half of the family can't figure out how to get the games with all the streaming services now, anyway.

Health considerations aside, boomers are in a moment when they have the space and finances to enjoy a drink more than they have in a long time. So, they're seizing the opportunity.

"It really boils down to where they are with their life stages," Wadford said. "The baby boomers are just enjoying some well-earned downtime."

Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

Vivek Ramaswamy formally declared his candidacy for Ohio governor on Monday during a rally in his hometown of Cincinnati where he outlined his plan to "revive our conviction" in the state of Ohio, where he says the "best days are still yet ahead."

Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, for weeks has been moving towards launching a gubernatorial campaign in the 2026 race to succeed GOP Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

"I will lead Ohio to become the state of excellence in America," Ramaswamy told the crowd. "Think that sounds unrealistic? It’s not. In fact, it wasn’t long ago that Ohio was that state. Today, young people on the internet make fun of something by saying ‘that’s so Ohio.’ But less than a century ago, people weren’t making fun of Ohio, they were aspiring to be Ohio."

Ramaswamy, who's now 39 years old, was among the contenders who challenged President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination before dropping out of the race and becoming a top Trump ally and surrogate.

TOP JD VANCE POLITICAL ADVISERS TO PLAY KEY ROLES IN RAMASWAMY CAMPAIGN

He launched his presidential campaign in February 2023 and quickly saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.

He campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."

Ramaswamy dropped his White House bid 13 months ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.

Trump, in the days after his November presidential election victory, named Elon Musk, the world's richest person, along with Ramaswamy, to steer the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which is better known by its acronym DOGE.

But last month, as Trump was inaugurated, the new administration announced that Ramaswamy was no longer serving at DOGE. Ramaswamy's exit cleared the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.

"It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!," Ramaswamy wrote at the time.

Musk and Ramaswamy recently sparked a firestorm among Trump's hard-core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries.

Ramaswamy's comments criticizing an American culture that he said "venerated mediocrity over excellence" received plenty of pushback from some leading voices on the right as well as some in Trump's political circle.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON VIVEK RAMASWAMY

DeWine announced last month that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio that was held by now-Vice President JD Vance until he stepped down ahead of the Trump/Vance inauguration.

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate. 

DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.

Ramaswamy was raised in Evendale, Ohio, in suburban Cincinnati by parents who emigrated from India. His father worked as an engineer at General Electric Aviation and his mother was a geriatric psychiatrist. Ramaswamy and his family currently live in suburban Columbus.

Ramaswamy is kicking off his campaign at CTL Aerospace just outside of Cincinnati.  Sources with knowledge say CTL Aerospace, a privately held company that specializes in aviation repair and original equipment manufacturing, symbolizes Ramaswamy's push for a new age of growth of industry in Ohio.

The candidate is also scheduled to make stops in the next 48 hours in the Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland areas.

The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination could be competitive. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, 68, announced late last week his candidacy for governor.

"This is my heart, my home," Yost said in a recent press release announcing his candidacy. "I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I'm thinking about them and our future."

Ohio GOP Treasurer Robert Sprague, who filed paperwork to run for governor, changed course after Husted's Senate appointment and announced he is running in the Republican primary for Ohio Secretary of State.

Sprague endorsed Ramaswamy, calling him "the leader we need to lead Ohio forward with a bold vision of conversation reform."

Former Morgan County local school board member Heather Hill has also announced she is running for governor as a Republican.

Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a well-known former Ohio State University head football coach who was sworn in last month to succeed Husted, appears to be mulling a gubernatorial run.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted to red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections, and the eventual GOP nominee will be considered the clear front-runner in the 2026 election.

There's speculation that former longtime Rep. Tim Ryan, the 2022 Democratic Senate nominee in Ohio, is possibly considering a gubernatorial bid, as well as Chris Redfern, a former longtime state representative and former state Democratic Party chair.

Former Ohio Health Director Amy Acton, who was one of the prominent faces of the COVID-19 response in the state, has announced she is running for governor as a Democrat.

As Fox News confirmed last month, leading members of Vice President JD Vance's political team, including two top advisors, are helping Ramaswamy's gubernatorial bid.

The two Vance advisors are Andy Surabian and Jai Chabria, who played major roles in Vance's 2022 Senate race and in his vice presidential campaign last summer and autumn, after Trump named the first-term senator as his running mate.

Tony Fabrizio, the veteran Republican pollster who worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns, as well as Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign, is also helping Ramaswamy, as is Arthur Schwartz, who along with Surabian is a close ally to Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

The vice president, who has known Ramaswamy since they both studied at Yale Law School, has put his imprint on Ohio politics since winning his 2022 Senate election.

Vance endorsed now-Sen. Bernie Moreno ahead of his 2024 GOP Senate primary victory, and key members of Vance's political team steered Moreno's campaign.

"We don’t have to be a state in decline," Ramaswamy said on Monday. "A decade from now, when we cure a genetic disease; when we send rockets to Mars; when we power our electric grid with nuclear fusion…the thing people are going to say is ‘that’s so Ohio.’ And this is just the beginning."

• As a sommelier, wine is my job — and sparkling wine is my favorite.
• Costco has solid prosecco and cava as well as fancy vintage Champagne like Henriot
• There are plenty of other sparkling wines from brands like Roederer Estate and Moët & Chandon.

I wasn't sure if my husband and I would be able to get the full value out of our Costco membership, but I was wrong.

The bulk retailer has some of the best wine prices, and as a sommelier, I buy a lot of wine. Every time I go, I seem to discover something new, and I'm always looking for the best deals.

Here are some of the best sparkling wines at Costco.

The Kirkland Prosecco is a steal.

At $8 a bottle, Kirkland's prosecco is one of the most affordable sparkling wines at Costco.

Don't let the price fool you, though. This wine is from the "Superiore" area of the Italian prosecco region, meaning the winemaking standards are higher.

The Kirkland bottle is on the sweet side, and it's perfect in brunch mimosas.

Moët sells millions of bottles of its Champagne every year.

Moët & Chandon Champagne is probably the most iconic wine on this list.

As a sommelier, people often ask for a glass of Champagne whenever they want something fizzy. However, true Champagne has to be made in the Champagne region of France — trust me, it actually makes a difference.

The flavors are much more complex and layered than a standard sparkling wine. There's also something special and luxurious about Champagne.

This bottle is amazing on its own but also shines with salty snacks such as potato chips, mixed nuts, and popcorn.

Kirkland's Champagne is also hype-worthy.

You may not expect much from the Kirkland brut Champagne, but it's hard to find another bottle like it.

It's true Champagne that only costs $21 — it's rare to find a large bottle of the stuff at such a low price.

Kirkland's variety is a little lighter and fresher than some Champagnes, but if that doesn't bother you, it's a total winner.

If you've got Champagne taste on a beer budget, try cava.

Choosing cava is a great way to save money when it comes to sparkling wines.

The Spanish sparkler uses the same production method as Champagne but rarely costs more than $20 a bottle. Costco even has one from Blanchard Perez that's under $10.

Cava is generally dry, with little to no sweetness. I love serving it with appetizers and tapas.

If regions don't matter to you, Roederer Estate makes a stunning $20 sparkler.

Some big Champagne brands purchase land and make Champagne-style sparkling wines worldwide. In this case, Louis Roederer bought property in Northern California's Anderson Valley.

Its sparkling brut is a delight and only costs $20 a bottle. In comparison, the brand's true French Champagne goes for closer to $60.

I like the Californian Roederer Estate stuff so much that I served it at my own wedding.

Rosé all day — even when it comes to sparkling.

The only thing more on trend than sparkling wine is sparkling rosé, and Scharffenberger Cellars has a bottle for $19 at Costco.

The affordable Californian wine is made with grapes from Mendocino County and has a cheerful effervescence.

It pairs well with light dishes such as salad, shrimp cocktail, and smoked-salmon dip.

For when only fancy vintage Champagne will do, turn to Henriot.

I wanted to include one special, pricier wine on the list, and that spot went to the $150 bottle of Henriot at Costco.

It's a vintage Champagne, which means all the grapes were harvested the same year — in this case, 2006.

Henriot has been around for over 200 years, and it's one of the few larger brands that's still independent and family-owned. Its Champagne hits all the marks for complexity, flavor, acid, and finish.

Vivek Ramaswamy will launch his 2026 campaign for Ohio governor in one week, sources confirm to Fox News.

The multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur, who went from long shot to contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination before dropping out 13 months ago and becoming a top supporter and surrogate of now-President Donald Trump, will announce his candidacy on Feb. 24 in his hometown of Cincinnati.

Ramaswamy will kick off his campaign – in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine – at CTL Aerospace just outside of Cincinnati. AP was first to report the news.

Sources with knowledge say CTL Aerospace, a privately held company that specializes in aviation repair and original equipment manufacturing, symbolizes Ramaswamy's push for a new age of growth of industry in Ohio.

RAMASWAMY DONE AT DOGE AS HE HEADS BACK ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

The candidate is expected to make stops over the following two days in the Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland areas.

Ramaswamy, who's now 39 years old, launched his presidential campaign in February 2023 and quickly saw his stock rise.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON VIVEK RAMASWAMY

He campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."

Ramaswamy dropped his White House bid in January of last year after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a staple for the former and future president on the campaign trail during the general election.

Trump, in the days after his November presidential election victory, named Elon Musk, the world's richest person, along with Ramaswamy, to steer the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which is better known by its acronym DOGE.

But late last month, as Trump was inaugurated, the new administration announced that Ramaswamy was no longer serving at DOGE. Ramaswamy's exit appeared to clear the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.

"It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!," Ramaswamy wrote at the time.

Ramaswamy and Musk sparked a firestorm among Trump's hard core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries. Ramaswamy's comments criticizing an American culture that he said "venerated mediocrity over excellence" received plenty of pushback from some leading voices on the right as well as some in Trump's political circle.

DeWine announced last month that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by JD Vance, Trump's 2024 running mate, until he stepped down ahead of the inauguration.

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate. 

DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.

Top members of Vance's political team – including advisors Andy Surabian and Jai Chabria, who played major roles in Vance's 2022 Senate race and in his vice presidential campaign last summer and autumn – are helping Ramaswamy as he runs for governor.

Tony Fabrizio, the veteran Republican pollster who worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns, as well as Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign, is also on board, as is Arthur Schwartz, a close ally to Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination could be competitive. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, 68, announced last month his candidacy for governor.

"This is my heart, my home," Yost said in a press release announcing his candidacy. "I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I'm thinking about them and our future."

Yost also brought in staff from Trump's political world, announcing that former Trump campaign official Justin Clark had joined the campaign as a general consultant. 

Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a well-known former Ohio State University head football coach who was sworn in last month to succeed Husted, appears to be mulling a gubernatorial run.

Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is currently the only Democrat in the race.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.

Ramaswamy was raised in Evendale, Ohio, in suburban Cincinnati by parents who emigrated from India. His father worked as an engineer at General Electric Aviation and his mother was a geriatric psychiatrist. Ramaswamy and his family currently live in suburban Columbus.

The soon-to-be candidate filed paperwork on Friday with the Ohio secretary of state's office ahead of his campaign launch.

• I'm a food and beverage journalist living in Barcelona, and I love exploring Spain's wine regions.
• I highly recommend touring both a historic winery and a famous wine cellar.
• Local wine bars are a great place to try out some more niche bottles.

As a food and beverage journalist living in Barcelona, I've learned so much about Spain's many beautiful vineyards.

I think the country's nearly 140 wine regions are quite underrated compared to other European destinations.

Here are my top six tips for planning a Spanish vino adventure.

Prioritize visiting historic wineries.

Regardless of which region you're visiting, look up historic wineries and book your lodgings near them.

For example, Codorníu is one of the oldest wineries in Spain. It's located in Catalonia and is known for its cava. Best of all, it's a quick train ride from the heart of Barcelona.

My favorite wines from Codorníu's collection can only be purchased and tasted in Spain (some, only at the winery). It's worth the visit for those glasses alone.

In general, smaller and newer wineries also tend to set up shop near historic ones, which makes it easier to plan a full-day wine tour.

From Codorníu, I recommend heading to hillside winery Vins El Cep. The small but mighty operation also produces award-winning cava.

Look up local wine festivals and events.

Planning a trip around a wine festival is an easy way to get a lot of bang for your travel buck while still having a socially and culturally enriching experience.

I spent my 32nd birthday at the Festa de la Verema, which is a grape harvest festival in Sitges — a beach town 30 minutes outside Barcelona. It was a lovely day of trying wines from all over Spain and hanging out with friends by the Mediterranean Sea.

Spain has countless wine festivals all year round, so I recommend finding one that interests you and booking a hotel in that area in advance.

Festival admission tends to be pretty affordable — I've never spent more than 10 euros — but finding nearby accommodations can get pricey if you don't plan ahead.

If you already know your favorite region, make sure to book a full tour.

Some of Spain's wine regions, like Catalonia and the Meseta, are more accessible due to their proximity to public transportation and major international airports.

Others, like Andalusia and Rioja, can be trickier to get to without a car, but they have internationally renowned wines.

Regardless of where you are, booking a wine tour is one of the most efficient ways to get a lot of wine in without much planning. Some tours even span multiple regions, last several days, and include housing, transportation, and food.

If you're interested, definitely check out the Wine Tourism Spain website. It has lists of tours from different companies, and you can search by your starting city.

Local wine bars are the best place to find niche bottles.

I love stopping in local wine bars across Europe but especially in Barcelona. They're always so full of personality and usually have a lively tapas menu to accompany the wine selections.

You can also expect to find some particularly niche wines if that's what you're into. Local wine bars tend to have experimental bottles from all over Spain, so you can almost take a mini wine tour right from your bar stool.

Some of my favorite spots in Barcelona are Masa Vins, an intimate natural wine bar, and Viblioteca, an Instagram-worthy wine bar that's worth the hype.

There are also some Spanish restaurants with wonderfully long wine lists.

I've found that some luxury hotels have extensive local wine collections and highly trained staff that can walk you through the region's wine history, glass by glass.

In Barcelona, my top pick is Amar, a Catalan restaurant that focuses on seafood and has about 700 wines on deck.

It's located inside the El Palace Hotel, and I often see a good mix of locals and tourists there, which is always a green flag for me.

Don't miss out on touring a historic wine cellar.

Vineyards are beautiful, especially during harvest season, but they're not the only destination for vinophiles. If you like to nerd out about wine but also want an intimate experience, booking a walkthrough at a wine cellar is a must.

Although almost all wineries and some restaurants have wine cellars, very few of them are worth taking a vacation to see. One that is worth traveling to is the city-like cellar underneath Codorníu.

It has a cava train that shuttles guests through the 30-kilometer underground system.

Other cellars, like the one at Puente Romano Resort, allow you to walk through with a guide, pick a wine from the collection, and enjoy it there.

The resort's wine cellar is over 1,000 vintages strong and houses some of the rarest wines in Spain — several of which aren't even available for purchase.

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Monday that he is nominating former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel to serve as the state’s lieutenant governor.

"Jim Tressel is Ohio values," DeWine said at a news conference announcing the nomination of Tressel to replace former Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who DeWine appointed to the U.S. Senate last month. 

"He’s a hard worker and shares that vision (I have) for the future of Ohio. He has the ability to pull people together. He has the ability to lead. He will enable me to be assured that if something happens to me, he can walk in and be governor that day and that would be seamless."

Tressel, who DeWine called a "born leader," was head coach of Ohio State University’s football team from 2001 to 2010. The Buckeyes won the 2002 national championship during Tressel’s tenure along with six Big Ten championships and a record of 9-1 against rival Michigan.

NEXT OHIO SENATOR, A 'FISCAL CONSERVATIVE,' AIMS TO 'GET GOVERNMENT OUT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES'

Tressel, 72, retired a year and a half ago as president of Youngstown State University, a job he had held since 2014. Since then, he has been engaged in workforce and economic development activities.

"With his wealth of experience in the education field, Jim understands its importance in building Ohio’s workforce of tomorrow," Ohio Chamber President & CEO Steve Stivers said in a statement, saying Tressel would prioritize workforce development "for the benefit of the business community and all Ohioans."

SENATORS BACK VIVEK RAMASWAMY FOR OHIO GOVERNOR AHEAD OF EXPECTED GUBERNATORIAL BID

Tressel’s nomination must now be approved by the Ohio Senate and Ohio House, which are both led by Republican supermajorities.

"I want to study a little bit about what Jon Husted has going on, and so I want to learn the business, if you will," Tressel, a political newcomer, said at the press conference. "And then it’s up to when you sit down with the team and the staff and everyone else trying to figure out who plays what position best. And I’d be more than happy to to help wherever I can."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich congratulated Tressel in an X post saying, "Jim Tressel always puts one foot in front of the other trying to improve our world. Good luck, @JimTressel5."

DeWine, who must retire in 2026 due to term limits, said the two have not discussed if Tressel plans to run for governor, which would put him in a race against the state's Republican attorney general, Dave Yost, and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to jump into the race this month.

Former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is running as a Democrat.

Associated Press contributed to this report

Vice President JD Vance's political team, including two top advisors, is joining Vivek Ramaswamy's soon-to-be announced 2026 Ohio gubernatorial run, a source with knowledge confirmed to Fox News.

The news follows conversations between Ramaswamy and Vance, who until he stepped down earlier this month to assume the vice presidency was a senator from Ohio, added the operative, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.

Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, for weeks has been putting the pieces together to launch a gubernatorial campaign in the race to succeed GOP Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

"Expect Vivek to announce his candidacy in mid-February," the source told Fox News.

RAMASWAMY DONE AT DOGE AS HE HEADS BACK ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Ramaswamy was among the contenders who challenged President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination before dropping out of the race and becoming a top Trump ally and surrogate.

The two Vance advisors are Andy Surabian and Jai Chabria, who played major roles in Vance's 2022 Senate race and in his vice presidential campaign last summer and autumn, after Trump named the first-term senator as his running mate.

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY IGNITE MAGA WAR OVER SKILLED WORKER IMIMGRATION

The Ohio-based Chabria, a veteran in Buckeye State politics, is expected to serve as the Ramaswamy campaign's general consultant.

Surabian, who is also a top advisor to Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son and a top figure in the MAGA movement, will steer an outside political group allied with Ramaswamy.

Tony Fabrizio, the veteran Republican pollster who worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns, as well as Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign, is also on board, according to the source, as is Arthur Schwartz, another close ally to Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

Vance, who has known Ramaswamy since they both studied at Yale Law School, has put his imprint on Ohio politics since winning his 2022 Senate election in the one-time key battleground state that has shifted to the right over the past decade.

Vance endorsed now-Sen. Bernie Moreno ahead of his 2024 GOP Senate primary victory, and key members of Vance's political team steered Moreno's campaign.

"It should not come as a surprise that JD's top operatives are working with Vivek, given that JD and Vivek have had a longtime friendship," a source in Vance's political orbit told Fox News.

A longtime Ohio-based Republican operative, who asked for anonymity to speak more freely, said Vance is "sending a message" with this move.

He added that the advisors joining the Ramaswamy effort are "an all-star caliber campaign team."

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON VIVEK RAMASWAMY

Also part of that team, according to the source, are three veterans from Ramaswamy's White House campaign – Ben Yoho, Mike Biundo and Chris Grant.

Ramaswamy, who's now 39 years old, launched his presidential campaign in February 2023 and quickly saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.

He campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."

Ramaswamy dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.

Trump, in the days after his November presidential election victory, named Elon Musk, the world's richest person, along with Ramaswamy, to steer the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which is better known by its acronym DOGE.

But last Monday, as Trump was inaugurated, the new administration announced that Ramaswamy was no longer serving at DOGE. Ramaswamy's exit appears to clear the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.

"It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!," Ramaswamy wrote. 

DeWine announced a week and a half ago that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by Vance until he stepped down ahead of the Trump/Vance inauguration.

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate. 

DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, a major Trump ally in the Senate, on Monday endorsed Ramswamy's all-but-certain gubernatorial bid.

"I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Vivek G. Ramaswamy, and he is totally focused on trying to save our country," Scott said in a social media post.

The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination could be competitive. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, 68, announced late last week his candidacy for governor.

Ramaswamy's move to run for governor also comes a couple of weeks after he and Musk sparked a firestorm among Trump's hard core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries.

Ramaswamy's comments criticizing an American culture that he said "venerated mediocrity over excellence" received plenty of pushback from some leading voices on the right as well as some in Trump's political circle.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.

• As a server, there are a few things I wish more people would do during a wine tasting.
• In order to ensure the best experience possible, it's important to respect reservation policies.
• My favorite guests always engage with their servers and ask about their expertise.

As a server with six years of experience at a bustling Oregon-based winery, I've developed a deep understanding of what makes an ideal guest.

From reservations to tipping etiquette, there are many unspoken rules of wine tasting that I feel more people should be aware of.

Here are five things I wish every guest at a wine tasting would do.

Respect the winery's reservation policy

Whether it's a casual tasting or a group event, sticking to a winery's reservation policy makes everyone's experience smoother.

When I serve guests, I find their experience feels more elevated when I can prepare their table with chilled water, food-and-wine menus, and tasting information — details that reservations allow us to organize in advance.

Most importantly, a quick call is always appreciated if you're running late or need to cancel. It allows us to adjust our priorities, accommodate walk-ins, or better serve other guests without disruption.

Engage with the servers and ask questions

Though some servers may work at a winery for a side job with a view and a generous wine discount, others are soon-to-be sommeliers.

In my opinion, the best guests ask their servers about their background in the wine industry. Many staff members I've met have unique insights from formal wine education, hands-on vineyard work, or years of tasting and studying wines.

I especially recommend taking the time to get to know your servers if you visit frequently. They're often the staff who will guide your future tastings and provide personalized recommendations.

Showing interest in your server's knowledge and history creates a personal connection and makes the interaction more meaningful. After all, it's not just about the wine — it's about the shared passion for the experience.

Keep the table tidy during and after the tasting

It never goes unnoticed when guests make a point to bring their glassware back up to the bar. It's a thoughtful gesture that shows a customer respects the space and the staff's efforts.

If you've used napkins, snack plates, or other items during your visit, neatly gathering them before you leave can help staff maintain a clean, inviting environment for the next guests.

Small actions like these create a positive atmosphere and are always appreciated, especially during peak business hours.

Tip the servers accordingly

Tipping is a meaningful way to show appreciation for the time, knowledge, and effort the staff puts into your experience.

However, I've noticed many guests don't realize that, just like restaurant staff, servers in wineries often rely on tips.

Even if you get a complimentary wine tasting, I still recommend tipping $5 to $15 per person. My favorite guests are the ones who come for a free glass and leave a $5 bill for the staff.

Be mindful of the winery's closing time

Paying attention to the winery's posted closing time is a small but significant courtesy.

Take it from me: There's nothing more awkward than vacuuming around customers as a casual way of saying, "We closed 30 minutes ago, and I'm ready to go home."

Some wineries have strict rules about when they can serve alcohol, and staying late often means the staff have to delay their cleanup and end-of-day tasks. Wrapping up your visit on time shows respect for the team's schedule and ensures a smooth experience for everyone.

I recommend asking about a winery's hours before arriving or planning an earlier visit if you plan to stay for a while.

This story was originally published on January 26, 2025, and most recently updated on May 16, 2025.

The open source Wine project—sometimes stylized WINE, for Wine Is Not an Emulator—has become an important tool for companies and individuals who want to make Windows apps and games run on operating systems like Linux or even macOS. The CrossOver software for Mac and Windows, Apple's Game Porting Toolkit, and the Proton project that powers Valve's SteamOS and the Steam Deck are all rooted in Wine, and the attention and resources put into the project in recent years have dramatically improved its compatibility and usefulness.

Yesterday, the Wine project announced the stable release of version 10.0, the next major version of the compatibility layer that is not an emulator. The headliner for this release is support for ARM64EC, the application binary interface (ABI) used for Arm apps in Windows 11, but the release notes say that the release contains "over 6,000 individual changes" produced over "a year of development effort."

ARM64EC allows developers to mix Arm and x86-compatible code—if you're making an Arm-native version of your app, you can still allow the use of more obscure x86-based plugins or add-ons without having to port everything over at once. Wine 10.0 also supports ARM64X, a different type of application binary file that allows ARM64EC code to be mixed with older, pre-Windows 11 ARM64 code.

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Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is done at President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday.

The confirmation came a couple of hours after a source close to the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur told Fox News Digital that Ramaswamy was no longer with DOGE.

And Ramaswamy, who along with Elon Musk, the world's richest person, was tapped in November by Trump to steer DOGE, is expected to launch a Republican campaign for Ohio governor early next week, according to the source.

"Vivek Ramaswamy played a critical role in helping us create DOGE," Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for DOGE, said in a statement. "He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE, based on the structure that we announced today. We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last 2 months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again."

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY IGNITE MAGA WAR OVER SKILLED WORKER IMIMGRATION

GOP Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.

DeWine on Friday announced that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by former Sen. JD Vance until earlier this month, when the vice president stepped down ahead of Monday's inauguration.

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate. 

DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.

Ramaswamy, 39, who launched his presidential campaign in February 2023, saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON VIVEK RAMASWAMY

Ramaswamy campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."

He dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.

Ramaswamy's exit appears to clear the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.

The move also comes a couple of weeks after Ramswamy and Musk sparked a firestorm among Trump's hard core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries.

Ramaswamy's comments criticizing an American culture that he said "venerated mediocrity over excellence" received plenty of pushback from leading voices on the far right.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.

Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is expected to announce a run for governor in his home state of Ohio by the last week of January, a source close to the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur told Fox News Digital.

The development on his timetable comes two days after multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that Ramaswamy, who along with Elon Musk is co-leader of President-elect Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, was likely to launch a gubernatorial campaign "shortly."

"Vivek’s base plan remains [the] same: to get accomplishments at DOGE and then announce a run for governor shortly," an Ohio operative familiar with Ramaswamy’s thinking told Fox News on Friday.

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.

DeWine on Friday announced that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by former Sen. JD Vance until earlier this month, when the vice president-elect stepped down ahead of Monday's inauguration.

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY IGNITE MAGA WAR OVER SKILLED WORKER IMIMGRATION

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate. 

DeWine's decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy's move toward launching a run for governor.

Ramaswamy, 39, who launched his presidential campaign in February 2023, saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON VIVEK RAMASWAMY

Ramaswamy campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."

He dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.

Ramaswamy was named along with Musk, the world's richest person, to lead DOGE, in an announcement in November by Trump.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.

Vivek Ramaswamy, the multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, plans to launch a bid for Ohio governor, multiple sources confirm to Fox News Digital.

The sources add that Ramaswamy, who along with Elon Musk is co-leader of President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, is expected to make an announcement on a gubernatorial run "shortly."

"Vivek’s base plan remains [the] same: to get accomplishments at DOGE and then announce a run for governor shortly," said an Ohio operative familiar with Ramaswamy’s thinking who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News on Friday.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON VIVEK RAMASWAMY

Current Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2026.

DeWine on Friday announced that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat held by former Sen. JD Vance until earlier this month, when the vice president-elect stepped down ahead of Monday's inauguration.

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY IGNITE MAGA WAR OVER SKILLED WORKER IMIMGRATION

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had long planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine.

The now-39-year-old Ramaswamy, who launched his presidential campaign in February 2023, saw his stock rise as he went from a long-shot to a contender for the Republican nomination.

Ramaswamy campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."

He dropped his White House bid a year ago after a distant finish in the Iowa caucuses. Ramaswamy quickly endorsed Trump and became a top surrogate on the campaign trail.

Ramaswamy, an Ohio native, was named along with Musk, the world's richest person, to lead DOGE, in an announcement in November by Trump.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.

• The US Surgeon General recommended disclosing the cancer risk of alcoholic beverages on Friday.
• While just a recommendation, the advisory sent shares of some big alcohol manufacturers lower.
• It also presents a fresh opportunity for makers of alternatives to alcohol.

The US Surgeon General's finding Friday that alcohol causes cancer led to stock declines for some of the beverage industry's biggest names — and an opportunity for some newer entrants.

Drinking is a major cause of preventable cancer, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in the advisory, which also recommended placing a notice about the cancer risk on beer, wine, and spirits — similar to how packs of cigarettes include warnings about their health risks.

On its own, the recommendation doesn't mean that labels on booze will change. That would require an act of Congress.

Murthy is also part of President Joe Biden's administration and will be replaced by President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general after he takes office on January 20. That nominee, Janette Nesheiwat, could take a different view on the advisory if she's confirmed by the Senate.

However, the advisory prompted a response from some companies and the markets today. Here's what it might mean:

Shares of alcohol companies like Diageo and AB InBev lost out

Stocks of some of the biggest alcohol companies in the world were down Friday after the surgeon general released his advisory.

Shares of Budweiser-maker Anheuser-Busch InBev closed down 2.8% in Belgium. In London, shares of Diageo, the company behind Captain Morgan rum and Ketel One vodka, closed nearly 4% lower.

Still, there's reason to doubt that the surgeon general's advisory will lead to a lot less drinking and fewer sales for the big booze makers, Kate Bernot, lead analyst at Sightlines, which researches the alcohol space, told Business Insider.

Annual per-capita alcohol consumption in the US has hovered around 2 ½ gallons since 2012, Bernot said, citing data from the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Gallup polling shows that the percentage of Americans who say that they drink alcohol has mostly stayed between 60% and 65% since the early 1990s, she added.

That stability in habits comes despite previous research into the link between alcohol consumption and cancer as well as the growth of "Dry January," a commitment drinkers make to avoid drinking during this time of the year.

"Maybe some people change their behavior, but I don't think we're going to see population-level dramatic shifts in alcohol consumption," Bernot said.

Makers of non-alcoholic beer and spirits could get a boost

Even if there is a nationwide shift away from alcohol, many of the big producers already have alcohol-free options that they have been ramping up for years. In 2023, for instance, Constellation released a non-alcoholic version of Corona beer.

"The diversification has been happening as a result of consumers' potential thoughts about alcohol's effect on their health," Bernot said.

Murthy's advisory came right as many drinkers are trying to cut back on their alcohol consumption in the new year or embarking on a Dry January.

That's a potential win for many other brands that make alcohol-free beer, wine, gin, and other drinks.

The CMO of non-alcoholic spirit brand Spiritless, Tom Santangelo, told BI he sees these comments as the "front end of a tipping point."

"My guess is that for a lot of America, this surgeon general statement is kind of the message they need to come to a realization that this is something serious," Santangelo said.

He said the industry has already grown significantly in the last few years as alcohol moderation and abstention have become increasingly normalized. Similar to cigarettes, change may not come quickly, but he said, "It's a message that's going to carry a lot of weight."

Milan Martin, the CEO of non-alcoholic spirit brand The Free Spirits Company, told BI that the US Surgeon General's comments are another "nugget" of insight that will contribute to cultural change around drinking.

"All of these teeny little nuggets sit in our minds and sit there at the point where we're ready to order our third drink and impact our choice," Martin said, adding that conversations among peers and in the media around drinking are contributing to changes in drinking culture.

Athletic Brewing, which sells non-alcoholic beer, similarly said that while it is "aware of the ongoing discussions about alcohol and health," it "has never been anti-alcohol."

"We believe the alcohol and non-alcoholic sectors are synergistic," the company told BI.

Innovative soft drinks, from seltzer to kava, could benefit

Besides alcohol-free beer and cocktails with all the ingredients other than the, well, alcohol, there are other beverages that have attracted attention from the sober-curious — and could benefit if people cut back on booze.

Celebrity seltzer and soda brands often pitch themselves as upscale, healthier soft drinks, BI reported last year.

Others have turned to kava, a beverage that's common to the Pacific and is supposed to help you relax and put you in a better mood. While the most authentic kava is served on its own, brands that have added juice, sugar, and coloring before canning it have popped up over the last few years. Some point to their kava as a healthier choice than a cold beer or cocktail.

Cannabis products could become more attractive

People looking to cut back on alcohol sometimes turn to cannabis as a replacement, especially as governments loosen restrictions. That could be good news for makers of everything from CBD-infused beverages to marijuana dispensaries. Cannabis company Canopy Growth, for example, rose more than 2% Friday.

In 2022, the number of daily or near-daily cannabis users outpaced the number of daily or near-daily drinkers, research from Carnegie Mellon University found.

Some states, such as Minnesota and Texas, already allow liquor stores to sell drinks that contain THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, right alongside liquor.

• Growing evidence has linked alcohol to a higher risk of cancer. Can it be part of a healthy diet?
• The Mediterranean diet and Blue Zones diet, linked to longevity, both include wine in moderation.
• Wine's role in a healthy diet may be related to factors like stress relief and social connection.

Doctors, including the US Surgeon General, are sounding the alarm that drinking alcohol is linked to cancer — but some of the longest-living people in the world enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.

The Mediterranean diet, based on eating traditions in countries like Spain, Italy, and Turkey, is widely acknowledged as the healthiest way to eat.

Along with olive oil and whole grains, it includes wine in moderation — typically defined as one daily drink or less for women, two or less for men.

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Longevity "Blue Zones," areas of the world where people reportedly live longer, healthier lives, are home to rich wine-drinking cultures like Ikaria, Greece and Sardinia, Italy.

While some researchers say there are clear benefits of drinking wine — including a social outlet and a boost of antioxidants — others say there's no safe amount of alcohol.

So how come wine features in the healthiest diet? Here's what we know.

Can wine be good for you?

Some people live into their 90s or past 100 while enjoying wine, beer, or even whiskey.

One clear benefit is socializing.

Blue Zones are known for being hubs of community and support, and research suggests those strong social bonds contribute to longevity.

Drinking wine brings people together, which can relieve stress, reduce loneliness, and positively stimulate the nervous system. Plus, people who eat with friends and family tend to eat more moderately and mindfully.

The second factor is sustainability.

The healthiest diet is one you'll follow, and dietitians routinely emphasize that an all-or-nothing approach to eating (and drinking) can lead to cycles of restriction and binging, which damages your metabolism.

While that's no reason to start drinking, if you don't already, flexible habits make it easier to stick to a healthier lifestyle overall with a little indulgence in things you enjoy.

Several studies over the years have found some benefit to drinking in moderation such as lower risk of heart disease and dying early.

A 2023 study found light drinking was linked to lower risk of heart attack, especially in people with anxiety, suggesting it may have a benefit for reducing stress.

The risks of drinking wine, even in moderation

Alcohol is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance).

International agencies like the World Health Organization have warned that any alcohol consumption can increase cancer risk.

Heavy drinking — more than four drinks per session for women and five for men, or more than eight to 15 drinks per week — can lead to high blood pressure, liver disease, and higher risk of stroke, according to the CDC.

Cardiologists, oncologists, and gastroenterologists generally agree that drinking less is one of the biggest ways to reduce your risk of illnesses like heart disease and cancer.

Is natural wine better for you?

Natural wines are popular in the Mediterranean and Blue Zones like Sardinia, Italy, said researcher Dan Buettner in a 2023 docuseries on longevity.

Natural wines carry the same health risks as any alcohol, but they tend to have less sugar, fewer additives, and lower alcohol content.

As a result, natural wines may be a healthier drink option, helping to lower the risks associated with too much alcohol and sugar, and may offer more antioxidants than conventional wines.

Polyphenols, plant-based compounds found in berries, grapes, and wine, offer benefits such as improved gut health, research suggests.

However, wine by itself doesn't contain high enough amounts to back up the benefits seen from some polyphenols like resveratrol in health and longevity studies.

How to get the benefits of alcohol without drinking

If you're interested in cutting down your drinking, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor.

You can cut back on drinking by limiting the number of drinks you have per day or week and planning alcohol-free days.

You could also harness the social benefits of alcohol while drinking alcohol-free alternatives like kombucha or non-alcoholic beer.

• I'm a certified sommelier who loves shopping for tasty, high-quality wine at Costco.
• The Kirkland Signature Asolo prosecco superiore is refreshing and bubbly.
• I pair the Guillaume Gonnet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, a sweet wine, with dessert.

As a certified sommelier, I believe great food needs an excellent wine pairing. Period.

That's why, when I'm entertaining, I turn to stores like Costco that I know will have a solid selection of high-quality wines at a great value.

Here are five wines I buy from Costco when I'm having company over.

The Guillaume Gonnet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is the perfect sweet wine to pair with dessert.

When I attended the Culinary Institute of America, we learned about wine pairing during a five-course lunch — and the experience sent me down a dessert-wine rabbit hole. 

Now, serving sweet wines alongside desserts in my own home makes me feel like I'm recreating that special experience for my guests.

This sweet Guillaume Gonnet wine, made from fruit harvested in France's Rhône region, contains 100% muscat grapes.

It tastes like sweet apricots and honey, so I'd pair it with pumpkin pie, vanilla ice cream, buttery shortbread, and desserts made with stone fruits (like peaches and plums).

The Kirkland Signature Asolo prosecco superiore feels like a high-brow beverage. 

I'll be honest — most of the time, prosecco isn't a wine I tend to reach for. It can have a dull, muted flavor, and I may as well just be drinking sparkling water.

However, the Kirkland Signature Asolo prosecco superiore is anything but that.

When I put my nose to a glass of this drink, I'm hit with fruity notes — to me, it smells like white peach and green apple — and florals. Upon tasting this wine, my palate gets a refreshing acidity and zippy bubbles.

This prosecco makes a fabulous spritz when mixed with amaro liqueur and ginger beer. It also pairs beautifully with crunchy, salty snacks.

I love the flavor of the Scharffenberger Cellars brut rosé.

While studying to be a sommelier, I visited the Scharffenberger tasting room in Mendocino County, California, and the quality of the wines blew me away.

Because Mendocino County has a cool maritime climate, the grapes used in this wine have a perfect tartness that elevate this sparkling beverage from good to great. This brut (dry) rosé also has notes of raspberry jam and strawberries on a pastry base.

Plus, it's made using a similar method to how Champagne is processed. So, if you want something of similar quality to Champagne for one-third of the price, this is a great option.

I serve Louis Père & Fils chablis before my guests have their main course.

Chablis is like the nice, popular girl. Pretty much everyone loves it, and it's a total crowd-pleaser. Even people I know who hate chardonnay — the variety of grapes used in this wine — adore this option.

This white wine, made with grapes harvested in France's Burgundy region, tastes fresh and light. It also spent nine months on the fine lees — a fermentation process that gives the beverage a more complex flavor — so it has a pillow-soft texture.

I love to serve this wine when my guests arrive so they can whet their appetites.

The Kirkland Signature Gigondas is a full-bodied red wine with fruity notes.

Gigondas is a French appellation (a designated area where grapes are grown and harvested) in the southern Rhône region known for robust red wines.

This Kirkland Signature wine has a satisfying juiciness and fruity notes — when I have a glass, I can taste spiced plum, black cherries, and even mocha. Plus, it's the perfect partner for heavier dishes.

One of my favorite pairings for this wine is a juicy cheeseburger. If I'm hosting a dinner party and want meals where I let the oven do most of the work, I serve it with short ribs, shepherd's pie, or a deep, rich ragù.

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• As a sommelier, there are a few red wines I like to keep on hand for the holiday season.
• Sparkling reds can add a special touch to a festive gathering or big dinner.
• Cesanese and teroldego are some of my favorite Italian reds.

When I started my career in the wine industry over 15 years ago, I drank red wines I didn't enjoy just because I thought they were high quality.

Turns out I couldn't train myself to like them. Luckily, however, I eventually found a few reds that always seem to please me and any guests I'm hosting.

Here are some of the red wines I've been buying lately as a sommelier.

I live near Rome, so cesanese is plentiful.

Cesanese del Piglio is the first DOCG of Lazio, the region where Rome is located. This means it's been rated one of the highest-quality Italian wines.

The beautiful wine grape grows in the foothills of the Apennines Mountains.

Cesanese has aromas of cherry, sweet spices, roses, and often black pepper. The tannins are pretty light, too, so bottles don't have to age long to be enjoyed.

It pairs best with fresh pasta dishes, heavy meat sauces, and seasonal porcini mushrooms.

Zinfandel has a whole new image.

When most people think of zinfandel, they picture the pink-hued boxes of white zinfandel from the '80s and '90s.

This hasn't given it the best reputation among wine drinkers and professionals.

However, winemakers in California have started to reimagine zinfendel. They're making gorgeous, robust reds from the old white-zin vines.

These are well-constructed, spicy wines with lots of dark berry aromas. They're often labeled "jammy," so if you like a fruit-forward bottle, this is for you.

Teroldego reminds me of summer, even in the dead of winter.

I go to the Dolomites in the Italian Alps every summer to eat and drink the region's best food and wine.

Nothing tops a well-made glass of teroldego for me. When I open a bottle back at home near Rome, I'm immediately transported to those alpine summers. Think wild berries, pine needles, freshly turned earth, cut grass, mountain streams, and medicinal herbs.

The flavor is complex and bright, and it's perfect to pair with the region's heavier cuisine, such as polenta with chanterelle mushrooms, knödel, and fondue.

I always have a case in my cellar.

This is your sign to try some sparkling reds.

Sparkling reds aren't as well known as their white counterparts, but they are the perfect pizza wine. I like to keep some on hand for more casual dinners and gatherings.

One of the most famous sparkling reds is Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna. However, winemakers worldwide are producing delicious, naturally sparkling reds in the pet-nat style.

The best ones are made from high-acidity red-wine grapes. Look for sparkling shiraz, dry Lambrusco, Gamay-based vin du bugey, and my personal favorite, barbera frizzante. It's made from the barbera grape and is known for its high acidity and food friendliness.

Saperavi is one of the oldest domesticated red grapes.

Saperavi, originating in the country of Georgia, is one of the oldest known domesticated red grapes in the world. Today, you can find bottles from Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Australia, and even the Finger Lakes in New York.

These wines look almost black because they contain high levels of anthocyanins (water-soluble pigments).

The wine is often complex, with aromas of cassis, blackberries, spice, earthiness, cherries, leather, and licorice. A bold glass of saperavi is great on its own, but it also pairs well with lamb or game dishes and cheese-based sauces.

Rosé is popular for a reason.

Today's rosé wines go beyond the blush-pink bottles of yesteryear. I love that they can give you the flavors of beloved red-wine grapes without the heaviness.

I lean toward deep-hued rosés made from grapes like grenache, Sangiovese, teroldego, and even cabernet sauvignon. Italians also have a long history of producing darker rosato wines such as Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo and Cerasuolo di Vittoria.

If you can't decide between red and white next time you're hosting, this is a great compromise.