Seminar and Pairing: German Wine + Asian Food = Love
When you eat sushi, Chinese food, or pad thai, what’s your drink of choice? If you’re like most: Beer, maybe sake, if you’re feeling adventurous. Why not wine? The general dearth of wine options on most Asian food beverage lists is a good reason, but a more common one is that consumers just have no…
Tasting Report: Italian Wine Masters, 2012
Sangiovese is the king of all Italian grapes, so much so that if you’re drinking a wine from Italy but aren’t sure what it’s made from, there’s a good chance it’s Sangiovese, usually 100%. Three of Italy’s big names in wine are all based on Sangiovese: Brunello, Chianti, and Montepulciano. I was excited by this…
Review: Sandeman Ruby Porto and Founders Reserve Porto (2012)
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get good quality Port. These two Ruby Ports from Sandeman show that you can get solid dessert wines for under 20 bucks. Not familiar with Ruby Port? Ruby is (of course) the cheapest and least complex Port, a blend of wines that sit in neutral (not wood)…
Review: Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Cask Strength 12 Years Old (2012)
My oh my how the people love Redbreast. It wins awards, has hipster cred, and bartenders love the stuff. It’s the hippest Irish whiskey on earth, and it costs a boatload. Somehow I’ve never really gotten into it. Made by Midleton (which also makes Jameson and other Irish brands), it is distilled three times in a…
California Wine Trip 2012: Page, Revolver, Mumm, Miraflores
I’ve spent more time than usual in various wine regions in Northern California, and I figured I’d put all my tasting notes into one post. Page Wine Cellars is a boutique winery in Yountville that also sells under the Revolver label. Miraflores is based in El Dorado — up in the Sierra Nevada foothills —…
Review: Tequila Clase Azul – Plata and Reposado
I’m never quite sure what to make of the ornate tequila bottles like this. They’re striking to look at, but I always feel like they’re trying to hide something behind a lot of glass, metal, and ceramic. Perhaps my fears are founded in the case of Clase Azul, a very expensive and unique but ham-fisted…
Review: George Killian’s Irish Red (2012)
Killian’s was a big hit around when I was in college. I’m sure I drank plenty of it then, but haven’t even thought about it in the last 15 years or so. Now, as we head into St. Patrick’s Day, Killian’s Irish Red is revamping its recipe and repackaging the beer. The new recipe, per…
Review: Shock Top Wheat IPA
Our mohawked friends at Shock Top are experimenting again with something new: A wheat beer made in an India Pale Ale style. Can that be done? I won’t pretend to be the beer expert that our resident beer guy Greg Bruce is, but Shock Top’s Wheat IPA really is as curious as the company says…
