Review: Lloyd 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and 2023 Chardonnay
Lloyd Cellars — technically “Lloyd by Robert Lloyd” — can be found in foggy Carneros, California, where it produces a small collection of curated wines representing the classic styles of the region. Today we look at a pair of white wines, including Lloyd’s first ever sauvignon blanc. 2024 Lloyd Sauvignon Blanc Carneros – Bright and peachy,…
Review: Martell VS Cognac
We’ve covered many of Martell‘s Cognacs over the years, but its most foundational bottle has eluded us: Martell VS. Note that this is different from Martell VS Single Distillery: Most Cognac is a a blend of eaux-de-vie from dozens of tiny distilleries around the region, but Single Distillery was from one source. This VS is…
Review: Wines of Meadows Estate, 2025 Releases
Meadows Estate Vineyard and Winery is located in the Umpqua Valley, in southern Oregon. The land was originally purchased in 1996 and grape vines were first planted there in 1999. The land currently belongs to Dexter and Marilyn Meadows, who expanded the vineyard and continue to make wine there. The region’s conditions are similar to…
Review: World Whiskey Society Doc Holliday Bourbon 8 Years Old Oloroso Sherry and 2 Years Old
Founded in 2004 as Aiko Importers, the company set its sights on a new frontier in 2023, rebranding as Aiko Brands — a name that better reflects its evolving spirit and expanding portfolio. Among its most recognizable ventures for American whiskey lovers is the World Whiskey Society (WWS), established in 2020. The World Whiskey Society…
Review: Wines of Heath Family Brands – Grape Creek and Invention, 2025 Releases
Texas’s Heath Family Brands is a high-end Texas wine operation, with wines sprawling across five different sub-brands. Today we’re looking at three of them, two under the Grape Creek brand and one under Invention Vineyards, all of which have been sold together as a three-pack. (We missed the boat on that one.) The good news…
Review: Boann Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Complete Lineup
Boann Distillery is a family-owned operation in Ireland, County Meath. It began running its stills in 2019, and now its first products are making their way to the U.S. — all single pot still Irish whiskey, each aged in a unique type of wine cask (though it’s unclear if this is complete aging or just…
Book Review: Savory and Sweet Shrubs
Penned as a follow-up to Michael Dietsch’s Shrubs: An Old Fashioned Drink for Modern Times, he’s back at it again with Savory and Sweet Shrubs. Dietsch, a celebrated author and bartender brings us a new drinking guide with fantastic culinary-inspired flavors. With over 50 recipes included, this comprehensive book demystifies shrubs, which Dietsch illustrates as…
The Top 10 Wines for Winter 2026
Can you feel that chill in the air? Winter is coming — well, at some point it will be — but it’s already obvious even down here in blistering hot Texas that the seasons are starting to change. That’s good news for fans of deeper, more intense wines. There is only so much pinot…