Review: 8 Coastal Chilean Sauvignon Blanc Wines, 2022 Releases
Chile has produced solid Sauvignon Blanc wines for many years, but they often seem to be overshadowed by expressions from New Zealand, France, and California. Today we are reviewing 8 Chilean sauvignon blancs, all from the country’s Pacific coast, each with a distinctive character that deserves serious attention. 2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc…
Review: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon 2022 Edition
Whiskey season is officially underway, folks, and first out of the fall release gate is Four Roses, with the 2022 Edition of its Limited Edition Small Batch release. There’s plenty of old stock in the blend with this release, as always. It’s composed of 20 year-old bourbon from the OBSV recipe, 15 year-old OESK, 14…
Review: NV The Mill Keeper Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon
The Mill Keeper is a second label from Napa’s Gamble Family Vineyards, and it’s described as “a portfolio specializing in multi vintage, environmentally conscious wines at a sustainable price point.” We received the two wines in the collection, which represent Napa’s bread and butter varietals. NV The Mill Keeper Chardonnay Napa Valley – Bold notes of…
Review: St-Remy Signature Brandy
St-Remy is French brandy but it’s not Armagnac and it’s not Cognac. It’s actually made from grapes from all over France: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Beaujolais, the Rhône and Loire valleys, and Languedoc-Roussillon. That’s unusual for France, but it gives Cecile Roudaut, who’s been with parent company Remy-Cointreau since 1997, a lot more flexibility when it…
Review: Wines of Merry Edwards, 2020 Vintage
Merry Edwards‘ summer wine releases are upon us, with typically delightful results. Today we look at a collection of four wines. 2020 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley – An iconic, brilliant example of California sauvignon blanc at its best. Bright lemon pairs well with soothing coconut, green fig, and hints of ruby red…
Review: Hidden Barn Bourbon Series 1
Jackie Zykan’s recent departure from Old Forester for a whiskey startup sent shockwaves through the bourbon world, and I swear you can still feel them. For those who missed it, Hidden Barn was founded by Zykan and Nate Winegar and Matt Dankner of Colorado’s 5280 Whiskey Society, and while they get their own Kentucky-based operations…
Review: 2021 Ancient Peaks Sauvignon Blanc Paso Robles
The 2021 vintage finds us with a solid expression of sauvignon blanc from Paso Robles’s Ancient Peaks, notes of elderflower and lemon doing the heavy lifting, with hints of grapefruit and a touch of cantaloupe adding a little nuance. Slight floral notes emerge on the finish. Easy-drinking, perhaps to a fault, it’s a wine that…
Champagne’s Challenge Is Consistency: An Interview with Maison Mumm Cellar Master Laurent Fresnet
For his first two years as Maison Mumm‘s Cellar Master, Laurent Fresnet connected with much of his audience from a distance. Fresnet assumed the role in January 2020. Just weeks later, worldwide lockdowns restricted travel and put a pause in his goal to meet face-to-face with consumers in the Champagne house’s international markets. That didn’t…
