Review: 2007 Picket Fence Pinot Noir Rodgers Creek Sonoma Coast
Newly released, this Sonoma Coast pinot is a rather archetypal version of the grape and the region, an earthy, chewy wine with a plummy, almost prunish, core — but with a twist. Raspberry is big on the nose, which makes Picket Fence’s creation a little more jazzy and exciting. It’s a shame that doesn’t translate…
Review: Wines of Tempra Tantrum, 2009 Releases
It’s not a bad idea at its core: Take Spain’s national grape, tempranillo, and blend it with grapes that American consumers might actually know, and sell the concoctions as double-varietal bottlings. Tempra Tantrum (get it?) takes cabernet sauvignon, merlot, grenache, and shiraz, and blends them in 40% concentrations with tempranillo (60%), in each of the…
Recipe: Aperol Spritz
I’m calling it now: This will be the “it” cocktail of 2010. Very simple to make, nicely bittersweet, beautiful to look at, and easy to drink, especially as an aperitif. Aperol Spritz 1 1/2 oz. Aperol liqueur 2 oz. Prosecco splash of club soda Build in a tall glass or wine glass over ice and…
Review: Pierre Ferrand Reserve Cognac
On the heels of Pierre Ferrand’s 10-year-old Ambre, I gave the distillery’s 20-year-old Reserve cognac a try. I was less of a fan of this edition of Ferrand’s brandy, which is considerably darker in color but comes off as a bit brutish and somewhat unbalanced. The flavors are relatively typical of the space, veering more…
Do You Need a White Wine Aerator?
I’m a fan of Vinturi’s Wine Aerator, a now much-copied gadget that instantly aerates your wine as you pour it through the device and into your glass. Handy, convenient, and quite the conversation piece. Seeking to expand its empire, Vinturi has released a version designed for white wine. the Vinturi White Wine Aerator, “exclusively designed…
Review: 4 Orange Vodka
4 Orange Vodka: Orange-flavored vodka, right? Not exactly: This is vodka made out of oranges. Nothing but Florida oranges (four varieties of ’em, hence the name). And flavored with oranges: As you might expect, it’s quite orangey, jammy/marmalade-like in character and with only a little bit of bitter orange peel bite in the finish. Very…
Review: Plantation Rum, Three 2000 Editions and Grande Reserve 5 Years Old Barbados
Plantation Rum. The name sounds innocuous, but the way these rums are made are unlike any others you’re likely to encounter. The rums are produced by the team behind Pierre Ferrand cognac and Citadelle Gin, single-country in origin with a bit of a twist. The rums are distilled in the country in which the sugar…
What’s a Girl Gotta Do to Get a Drink Around Here?
Reader K writes: I’m a fan of your blog and I’m interested to hear your thoughts on this. I travel to trade shows a few times a year with my bosses who are somewhat square and conservative, business-y, husband wife team — she always has a big cabernet, he has a Tanq-10 and tonic. And…
