Review: 2017 Sosie Pinot Noir and Red Blend
Two wines from the increasingly reliable Sosie brand recently arrived for our consideration. So let’s consider: 2017 Sosie Pinot Noir Spring Hill Vineyard – This Sonoma Coast bottling is a dazzling example of the Sonoma Coast style — rich in body, boldly cherried, and layered with nuance that runs to dark chocolate, hazelnut, and a…
Review: 2021 Cocktail Courier Gift Sets
Nine months ago there was a more optimistic tone to reuniting in public spaces. In an article published at the time, I intonated a foolish sense of optimism that folks would be congregating in large spaces safely without having to worry about catching anything that could potentially land them on a ventilator. Thankfully we are…
Review: Casa Mexico Tequila, Complete Lineup
“Casa Mexico” has to be the laziest tequila branding on the planet, but let’s put that aside for the moment. Recently updated with new packaging, the company behind Casa Mexico — which boasts ownership that includes both Oscar De La Hoya and Mario Lopez — offers the traditional trio of tequila expressions, all 100% agave…
Review: Windsor Vineyards 2019 Chardonnay and NV Brut Rose
Founded by wine legend Rodney Strong, you’ll find Windsor Vineyards in the town of, well, Windsor, a sleepy adjunct to nearby Healdsburg. Windsor is probably best known for the personalized labels it can apply to bottles — the wines we review below were both branded with the Drinkhacker name — which can get pretty impressive…
Review: Heritage Distilling Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey
This is certainly not the first, nor will it likely be the last chocolate flavored whiskey to arrive on the market, but Heritage Distilling’s Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey is the most recent. Starting with Heritage’s own high-corn bourbon recipe and then flavored with chocolate and cane sugar, it aims to satisfy the sweet tooth of…
Review: Elmer T. Lee 100 Year Tribute Single Barrel Bourbon
Former Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee passed away in 2013. In 2019, to commemorate what would have been the legendary bourbon-maker’s 100th birthday, Buffalo Trace released this special single barrel, dubbed the ‘100 Year Tribute.’ Elmer was a radar bombardier in WWII, flying combat missions in B-29s over Japan for the Army Air…
Review: Wines of de Negoce, Fall 2021 Releases
Cameron Hughes is no stranger to this site or to the wine world. His reputation as a negociant is well-earned, consistently delivering quality bottles of wine under his own label at sensible, affordable price points. His latest endeavor, de Négoce (pronounced “day nuh-go-shay”), takes things up a level and makes things a bit more interesting…
Review: Mount Gay Master Blender Selection – Andean Oak Casks
Now an annual release in its fourth iteration, the 2021 installment of Mount Gay’s Master Blender Selection is a truly unique offering. It starts with twice-pot-distilled rum that spends 14 years in standard bourbon casks before going into a virgin casks made from oak sourced from the Andes mountains. Branker’s innovation began once she had…
