Review: The Yamazaki 1984
With just 300 bottles coming to the U.S. this fall, odds are good you are not going to be drinking any of Suntory’s Yamazaki 1984 vintage whiskey — the first vintage-dated whiskey the company has released in the U.S. And that’s a shame, because based on what is the teeny-tiniest sample of a whiskey I’ve…
Review: Apollo Single-Serving Blender and Grinder
Smoothies for one? Who wants to break out the giant blender, then clean up the mess afterwards, just for a single-serve drink? Enter Tribest’s Apollo AP-200, a pint-size blender with vessels that let you mix drinks or grind solid objects in single-serve doses. The AP-200 is so simple it doesn’t even have an on-off switch.…
Tasting Report: Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandels, 2007 Releases
Had the chance to sit down with Ravenswood Winery’s founding winemaker Joel Peterson this week and sample his 2007 old vines lineup. The son of a woman who worked on the atomic bomb and a trained immunologist, Joel is full of stories, but most involve his love of wine, for which he developed a taste…
Review: Jefferson’s Presidential Select Bourbon 17 Years Old
Produced in the final years of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, this high-end bourbon rounds out the Jefferson’s line of Kentucky whiskeys, though supplies will be limited, to say the least. Plus, it’s Jefferson’s Presidential Select, which means it was selected personally by Thomas Jefferson. Right? This is a big bourbon, fragrant with roasted nut…
Super-Cheap Winepod on the Way
The Winepod gizmo I used to create my own Chateau de Null may no longer be for sale — a victim of the recession that made $4,500 DIY wine urns a tough sell — but former CEO Greg Snell has a new trick up his sleeve: A $500, stripped-down version that might put (easier) home…
Review: 2005 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Recent vintages of Silver Oak have not really impressed me, and that’s sad — in the ’90s, Silver Oak was one of the most reliable wines you could buy… and you paid for that reliability, too. But then the ’00s came along and Silver Oak just wasn’t the same. Bummer. I’m happy to report that…
Review: El Grado Tequila Reposado
Released this summer, El Grado is a new, ultrapremium, 100 percent agave tequila to arrive on U.S. shelves. Available in the three traditional expressions (and mainly in Texas for now), we got our hands on the reposado for a sample. Rested for six months in old bourbon barrels, El Grado’s reposado is a pale yellow…
Thoughts on Clock Bar, San Francisco
Clock Bar is a hotel bar, yes. But you know what? I like hotel bars — good ones, anyway. They’re not as loud. Not as crowded. And the drinks that get made are often top notch. Plus you get to talk to random tourists, not just jaded locals. Good times. After passing by many times,…
