Review: 2006 Antinori Agricola Bramasole La Braccesca Syrah Cortona
Syrah is traditionally considered a New World grape, but here Antinori has found a plot of the stuff in Tuscany. Old World Italian Syrah? For real, folks, and it’s a bracing change of pace from traditional Italian reds and, more strikingly, the Syrah and Shiraz to which you’re likely accustomed. The character is distinctly Italian,…
Review: Wemyss Malts Smooth Gentleman 8 Years Old and Peat Chimney 8 Years Old
Wemyss (pronounced “weems”) is well known for its blended (aka vatted) malts and its aggressive approach to picking a variety of single malt casks to reach various specified outcomes. Wemyss even names its malts — which are not blended Scotch, by the way, since they contain no grain spirit, just malted barley — to give…
Review: 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Kentucky Bourbon
1792 (a reference to the year that Kentucky became a state) comes from the Barton Distilling Company, which ages this small batch whiskey for 8 years before releasing it as a 93.7 proof finished product. That product is ready-made for any sweet tooth: 1792 is one of the most sugary, dessert-friendly bourbons I’ve ever had.…
Review: The King’s Ginger Liqueur
Can you feel the Royal Wedding excitement yet? It’s palpable, I know, as mere days away a new princess will be crowned. To celebrate the nuptials, Berry Bros. is reminding everyone of The King’s Ginger, a liqueur it created in 1903 for King Edward VII, “to stimulate and revivify His Majesty during morning rides.” It’s…
Tasting Report: Red Wines of Chile, 2011 Releases
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a live, online tasting event featuring the red wines of Chile. While Chile is primarily known as Cabernet country, I was surprised to find that it is home to several other widely-planted grapes. Its Pinot Noirs shocked me with their sophistication and quality. Its Syrahs, however, were another…
Tasting Report: Wines of Roessler, 2011 Releases
Sonoma’s Roessler is a hidden gem in the region, but it’s no small fry: The winery bottles nearly 20 wines with fruit sourced from all over California — and Oregon. Specializing in Pinot Noir, the winery employs hands-off winemaking techniques and the results speak for themselves. We tasted seven recent vintages stretching from its southern…
Review: Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver Tequila (2011)
Some years ago, Jose Cuervo launched a tequila that was unique for its time: 100% agave, affordable, and available everywhere. For a nation that grew up on the cheap mixto that is Cuervo Gold, this was something else. But Cuervo Tradicional was available only as a reposado. No blanco, no anejo. Just the middle, lightly…
Review: No. 209 and No. 209 Kosher Gin
Passover begins tonight, but those among you who keep kosher during the period may be surprised to find that you can still drink your gin and tonic during the week. No. 209 is one of the only kosher gins in the world (Gordon’s is also on the list) — and it’s the only spirit maker…
