Review: James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon, Rye, and 15 Year Old Expressions of Both
James E. Pepper is an old, old name in the whiskey world (Kentucky is plastered with the name), and the heritage of the Bourbon associated with the name is deep, rich, and (if you go to the whiskey’s website) fun to look back upon. In fact, Bourbon has been made under the James E. Pepper…
Review: Virginia Distillery Virginia Highland Malt Whisky
Eades Whisky broke ground in 2008 with the then-bold goal of growing, malting, and distilling its own barley to make single malt whisky in Virginia. Since then, the craft distilling movement has gone wild, and the idea of making whisky styled like single malt Scotch in the U.S. is no longer a wild one. Eades…
Review: Hermitage Brewing Company India Pale Ale Single Hop Series – El Dorado
When most beer is brewed, it’s made with a variety of hops, designed to add complexity and a variety of flavors to a brew. But Hermitage Brewing, based in San Jose, California, has a series of brews with a unique focus: Using one strain of hops per beer. As the name implies, this IPA is…
Review: Wines of MacMurray Ranch, 2013 Releases
Two new releases from Russian River-based MacMurray Ranch. Some thoughts: 2010 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Reserve Russian River Valley – Juicy, with tons of strawberry character. Overly jammy, actually bursting with character closer to Jolly Ranchers than anything else. Surprising in its lack of restraint, this is the kind of approach I expect from Zinfandel,…
Return to Press Club San Francisco
It’s been about a year since we last reported on Press Club in San Francisco, and at the time it was overhauling its menu and management with some excited changes. Well, how has everything turned out? Smashing. Wine Director Mauro Cirilli has been doing some amazing things, with a heavy focus on both beer and…
Review: 2011 Georges Duboeuf Clos des Quatre Vents Fleurie and Pouilly-Fuisse
Today we consider a couple of recently-released value bottlings from Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, one of the biggest producers in France’s Beaujolais region (and beyond). Thoughts on these wines, a red and a white perfect for summer drinking, follow. 2011 Georges Duboeuf Clos des Quatre Vents Fleurie – Ample fresh berry jam character, punctuated with…
Review: Breckenridge Bitters
Most hear “bitters” and assume Angostura — something that’s used sparingly, by the drop or dash, to give a little something extra to a cocktail. Breckenridge Bitters — produced by one of our favorite vodka makers — isn’t the same stuff. More in line with Italian amari, this is a bittersweet liqueur designed for sipping…
Review: Wines for Dummies
Surely you’ve known there was Wine for Dummies. Now there are Wines for Dummies. Actual wines, made for dummies to drink. Don’t act so shocked. You knew this was coming. In fact it’s a pretty good idea: Package up cheap wine in a familiar package so utter novices can get their feet wet with the…
