Review: 2021 Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico DOCG
Tenuta Perano’s Chianti Classico is a wine we’ve covered in numerous incarnations — including this (standard) version and the Riserva bottling. This 2021 expression is firing on cylinders: A biting, tart attack is bursting with cherry fruit but also rhubarb, and plenty of it, though gentle notes of vanilla and orange peel offer a fruity…
Review: Seven Whiskeys from 15 Stars, 2024 Releases
We first encountered 15 Stars — “the spirit of 1795,” the year Kentucky got its star on the U.S. flag — late last year. Since then, the operation has been on a tear, turning out more limited releases than we’ve been able to keep up with. In just about eight months, seven different whiskeys have arrived…
Review: Fortune’s Fool Rye – The Overture
Fortune’s Fool was founded by former anesthesiologist Juliet Schmalz, a doctor who turned her attention to a different and much more enjoyable form of numbing the body and mind, in 2019. She sources whiskey from Kentucky and ages it in in barrels sourced from Napa Valley’s Seguin Moreau Cooperage, which is certainly a unique choice…
Review: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon 2024 Edition
There’s no big anniversary to celebrate this year, so it’s back to perhaps a tamer recipe for 2024 in Four Roses’ Limited Edition Small Batch release. What you’re getting this time around is a blend of 12 year old OBSV (21%), 15 year old OESK (23%), 16 year old OESF (39%), and 20 year old OBSV…
Review: 2018 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville
2018 is widely considered the best vintage for Napa cabernet sauvignon since the vaunted 1997 release, which is perhaps why Paul Hobbs was so careful about the timing of this Coombsville bottling, which was kept in the cellar until 2024. Born in one of the coolest parts of Napa County, the wine is made from…
Review: Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Missouri Oak Edition
Irish whiskey darling Redbreast now has two different special release ranges delivering periodic additions to the portfolio: the Iberian Series and the American Oak Series. The latter kicked things off in 2023 with Kentucky Oak Edition, a standout debut that saw Redbreast finished in virgin casks made from oak harvested from a single farm in…
Review: Lost Lantern Summer 2024 Single Cask Releases and More
Vermont-based Lost Lantern first launched their bourbon-focused series Summer of Bourbon in 2023 with a simple message that “great bourbon now comes from all over the United States.” They’re back in 2024 with another exclusive bourbon lineup for the summer (which is also on the heels of this year’s Spring 2024 series featuring whiskeys more…
Review: Alto Canto Tequila High Proof Blanco and Reposado
Alto Canto is a certified organic, additive-free tequila that is distilled at a whopping 9,000 feet. I am familiar with the difference between Lowland and Highland tequila, which is determined by where the Blue Weber agave is sourced, but I was not aware that the altitude of the distillery could impact the flavor. The good…
