Bar Review: Izzy’s Steakhouse, San Francisco
Izzy’s may be foremost a steakhouse, but it’s also got a thriving bar operation that includes seasonal cocktails and — surprisingly — one of the best by-the-glass wine programs in San Francisco. You can enjoy your libations here alongside a slab of beef outdoors in its extensive parklet or at the sizeable indoor bar. Both…
Review: R.L. Seale’s Barbados Rum 12 Years Old
R.L. Seale & Co. is a Barbados rum business that dates back to 1926 and which is still in operation by Richard Seale, the fourth generation of the Seale family. Today Seale is best known as the master distiller and master blender of Foursquare Rum Distillery, which the company reopened in 1996. This 12 year…
Review: NV Fiol Prosecco Rose
Bold, bright, and fruity but still dry, Fiol Prosecco Rosé goes with sunshine and friends. I shared the wine with four friends, all with very different palates and preferences, and we unanimously loved it. Notes of raspberry, wild strawberry, a little lemon, and shortbread are all harmonious is this wonderful sparkler. The flavor is bold…
Review: Wines of The Prisoner, 2021 Releases
The Prisoner line of wines continues to expand with the release of a new pinot noir, which joins three other “Prisoner” branded wines — not to mention the plethora of other wines produced by the company under different labels. Today we look at the new pinot, plus the latest releases of everything else from The…
Review: Nixta Licor de Elote
What’s elote? It’s grilled Mexican street corn. What then is licor de elote? Why, it’s a liqueur made from — and intended to taste like — corn. Nixta Licor De Elote comes to us from the folks at Destilería y Bodega Abasolo, the Mexican distillery that makes Abasolo Whisky out of 100% Cacahuazintle corn. Nixta…
Review: 2019 Alessandro di Camporeale Benede Catarratto
I find it so exciting to share wine varietals that I’ve just discovered myself with others. The varietal catarratto, which I was introduced to this summer, is no exception. Catarratto is a white wine grape from Sicily. It is one of the oldest, and leading, grape varieties in the area. It is also probably the…
Review: Glenfiddich Grande Couronne 26 Years Old
The latest Glenfiddich arrived quietly and took me a bit by surprise, the brand dropping a 26 year old whisky aged in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks which was finished for up to two years in “meticulously sourced” French Cognac casks. Grande Couronne, French for “great crown,” is part of the Grand Series,…
Review: Yobo Soju
Yobo Soju is a rarity in an emerging category: Not only is it made in New York’s Finger Lakes area, it is done so by a Korean American mom and lawyer, Carolyn Kim, who wanted to pay homage to her roots with her take on Korea’s national spirit. The spirit is distilled from local Catawba grapes.…
