Review: 2017 Zenato Valpolicella Superiore DOC
Zenato has been producing wine in Italy’s Veneto region since 1960. Today we look at its Valpolicella Classico, a classic, dry (unlike its more exotic Amarone) blend of 80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, and 10% Oseleta grapes, all varieties native to the Valpolicella region. The winery suggests enjoying this affordable bottling with a slight chill on…
Review: Coit Spirits Canned Cocktails – Paradisio and North Beach
Sonoma, California-based Coit Spirits has taken its gin empire and added a quartet of canned cocktails to the mix, all made with its own gin (though it’s unclear which one). The lightly carbonated cocktails, three of which are named after San Francisco neighborhoods, come in single-serve 5 oz. cans, designed to be poured over ice…
Review: A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon Batch #1
We’ve long been impressed with the bourbons rolling out of Virginia’s A. Smith Bowman distillery. While new, hyper-rare limited edition releases under the Abraham Bowman label come around roughly once a year, there hasn’t been any change to the lineup of their core portfolio since the addition of Port Finish in 2017. Now the distillery…
Review: Veramonte Organic Wines – 2020 Sauvignon Blanc and 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile’s Veramonte is no stranger to these pages. Recently the brand overhauled its packaging and refocused its emphasis on its commitment to 100% organic farming. Today we look at the latest releases of both its organic sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon bottlings — both of which are decidedly bargain priced. 2020 Veramonte Organic Sauvignon Blanc…
Review: NV Zardetto Prosecco Brut DOC
Zardetto is based “in the heart of the Prosecco territory,” between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, where it’s been producing sparkling wine for more than 40 years. This nonvintage Brut bottling has a moderate to high level of carbonation; the expected fruit flavors of fig and ripe banana are well-represented on the palate. Creamy as it develops…
Review: X by Glenmorangie
The Glenmorangie train keeps rolling right through this summer, with this our final destination: the latest addition to Glenmorangie’s core lineup — X by Glenmorangie. It was created in partnership with barkeeps, and is a reduced-proof version Glenmorangie designed for use as a clutch ingredient in cocktails. This concept might not sit well with pearl-clutching…
Review: 2019 Piquitos Moscato
Piquitos are little kisses, and that’s an apt description for this frizzante moscato from Valencia on the Mediterranean Coast. Bold with fruity peach and apricot notes, this low-alcohol bottling is kept on its feet thanks to a healthy level of fizz, which allows some of the more floral and slightly grassy elements to show. There’s…
Review: Mahon Gin (2021)
Chris first reviewed Mahón Gin back in 2015, just as it started to finally hit American shores. A new packaging upgrade inspired me to revisit this one to see if anything has changed in six years. Admittedly, the packaging isn’t terribly different. The bottle itself, green glass with a unique jug handle, is still the…
