Review: Fish Eye and Pinot Evil Boxed Wines, 2009 Releases
More and more producers are turning to boxes to move lots of product (they typically hold three liters vs. just 750ml of wine in a standard bottle) at rock-bottom prices. Here’s a look at two more offerings that use cardboard and plastic in lieu of glass and cork. 2008 Fish Eye California Pinot Grigio is…
Review: NV Quady Electra and Red Electra
What an idea: Chill a wine shortly after fermentation begins and then filter and bottle it right there: You’re left with a quite sweet proto-wine (because most of the sugar in the grapes remains in the juice) with a low level of alcohol. In the case of Electra, which is the juice of orange muscat…
Busch Up, Bud Down
A sour economy is boosting the fortunes of cheap beer: Sales of Busch and Miller High Life are up and the last year, while sales of “premium” beers like Budweiser and Miller Lite (yes, in the beverage world these are considered premium products) are down. In the case of Bud, by 7.4 percent since a…
Review: The Macallan Fine Oak 15 Years Old
It is difficult to go wrong with a dram of Macallan in any of its forms, and the distillery’s 15-year-old Fine Oak expression is no exception to that rule. The Fine Oak line is aged in a combination of three casks — ex-sherry casks from European oak, ex-sherry casks from American oak, and ex-bourbon casks…
Review: 2007 Robert Oatley Shiraz South Australia
This line of wines, founded by 80-year-old Robert Oatley, who originated the Rosemount Estate brand, marks a return to U.S. soil from the Australian impresario. A selection of varietals — Chardonnay, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, a Cabernet-Merlot blend, and a Sangiovese Rose — are being made available, all with an avowed “modern” approach to…
Review: Cofia Hazelnut/Espresso Vodka
Man that’s good stuff. Threading a fine line between a standard coffee-flavored vodka and Frangelico, Bendistillery’s Cofia is about as good as flavored vodkas get. Actually, at just 50 proof it’s practically more a liqueur than a vodka, but that just goes to show how much flavoring goes into this spirit. Those flavors — all…
Review: Deschutes Brewery The Abyss Aged Stout 2008 Edition
The Abyss is insane beer. It is obviously named for its coal-black color and deep, deep flavor profile. It’s a limited edition beer that you’ll have trouble finding, but if you’re a dark beer lover (and I’m talking dark beer), you’re going to dig this one hard. Vintage dated (this bottle was released in November…
Review: Tequila Tierras, Complete Lineup
One last look at tequila before this year’s Cinco de Mayo fades into the history books. This one a new brand in the States, Tierras. Staking its claim as the first USDA Organic tequila available in the U.S. — although 4 Copas is also organic, it’s not USDA certified to that effect — Tierras comes…
