Tasting Report: Tre Bicchieri Italian Wines 2010
Gambero Rosso puts on a tasting event of its most highly rated Italian wines — tre bicchieri, or three glasses — every year. I was fortunate to be able to sample 41 different wines from this elite event, with wines from all over the country. There’s no rhyme or reason to what’s on tap at…
Review: 2007 Rocca Family Vineyards Bad Boy Red Napa Valley
As a general rule of thumb, I never drink wine with a picture of a cowboy on the label*. Rocca Family Vineyards’ Bad Boy Red just might deserve an exemption from that rule, however. This red wine is a blend of 40% cabernet sauvignon, 33% cabernet franc, 17% merlot, and 10% petit verdot. That should…
Review: Deschutes Brewery Jubel 2010
I love a beer with a story behind it. Jubel 2010 — as explained to me personally by Deschutes brewmaster Larry Sidor — has a doozy. The story begins 20 years ago, when a burglar attempted to run off with a keg of Deschutes’ annual Jubelale in the dead of winter, failing to realize just…
Review: Wines of Donnafugata, 2010 Releases
Donnafugata hails from Sicily, drawing its name from the Italian novel The Leopard, whose estates bore the name of Donnafugata (literally “woman in flight”). Imagery and motifs from The Leopard play a part in virtually every wine that Donnafugata sells, but you can be forgiven for not delving into the backstory as you drink down…
Osmosis Online Interviews Yours Truly
Want to know more about me and Drinkhacker? Osmosis Online asked me a lot of questions to get to know the man behind the blog. This blog, I mean. Fun interview, I think. Related posts: No related posts.
Book Review: The Professional Bartender’s Handbook
What a strange little tome we have here. All business, this book claims to offer “a recipe for every drink known–including tricks and games to impress your guests.” Do professional bartenders engage in tricks and games? For most that I know, scowling is as close as they get to anything approaching a tabletop diversion. The…
Review: Blackheart Spiced Rum
Spiced rum continues to grow as a category as every distiller on earth realizes that Captain Morgan has been sucking down cash for years with no competition. This latest brand, Blackheart, comes from Heaven Hill, home of Evan Williams bourbon and Christian Brothers brandy. (Also, it is not to be confused with Black Heart Rum,…
Review: Deschutes Brewery Hop Henge Experimental IPA (2010)
Part of Deschutes’ Bond Street series, Hop Henge IPA is in limited release through April, a strong beer (8.75 percent alcohol) with even stronger hop content. “Several pounds” of hops go into each barrel of this beer, with crystal, pale, and carastan malts dropped into the mix. The result is intense and challenging: Very bitter…
