Review: 2014 Left Coast Cellars Blanc de Noir
The wines of Oregon’s Left Coast Cellars are no stranger to these pages, and today we look at the latest vintage of the operations chardonnay-driven sparkler, a Blanc de Noir from the 2014 vintage. Big green apple and lime notes hit up front, followed by lots of acidity, some sesame cookie notes, and an ample…
Review: 2019 Smashberry Chardonnay Paso Robles
For the inaugural release of a white wine in the Smashberry portfolio (which already includes a red and a rosé), the Miller Family Wine Company balanced 95% Chardonnay with 5% Viognier and aged it exclusively in stainless steel. Having spent no time in oak, this wine centers on fruit and offers sweet apple and peach…
Review: The Tweeddale Grain of Truth Single Grain Scotch
If you’re at all familiar with The Tweeddale, it’s likely in reference to its origin story in the late 1800s. The brand was a simple, small scale blended Scotch operation operated by one Richard Day, and it appears to have been fairly successful up until World War II, when the business was shuttered. In 2010…
Recipe: Bitter Tropical Bramble
When Camarena Tequila asked if they could develop a cocktail for us that made use of some of our favorite ingredients, we jumped at the offer. Our request: Figure out a way to blend tequila and amaro. Here’s what Chris Chamberlain, Beverage Development Lead for E&J Gallo Spirits (which owns Camarena) came up with! It’s…
Review: 2019 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina DOCG
Selvapiana’s Chianti Rufina (the smallest subzone in the Chianti region) is 95% Sangiovese with 5% total Canaiolo, Colorino, and Malvasia Nera added. This affordable bottling is a gentle introduction to the style, offering tart cherries and some spice notes, with a lasting, moderately tannic finish. The wine perks up and offers a bit of floral-driven…
Review: Harpoon Big League IPA
Harpoon’s latest beer hardly breaks the new ground that some of its recent offerings have cracked wide open, but it is nonetheless a credible IPA (albeit one which is standing a sea of competition). Designed to be a bolder counterpart to its Rec. League IPA, this hazy, flavored with Cascade, Simcoe, Ekuanot, Citra, and Mosaic…
Review: Booker’s Bourbon “Pigskin Batch” 2020-03 and “Donohoe’s Batch” 2021-01
Our Booker’s Bourbon small batch reviews fell a bit behind last winter; today we look at two recent batches of Booker’s, both of which should be readily available on the market. While similar in age and proof, they’re quite different experiences. Let’s dig in. Booker’s Bourbon “Pigskin Batch” 2020-03 – Aged 6 years, 7 months,…
Review: In Good Taste’s Wild Child Tasting Kit
I have to say, it was a lot of fun receiving my Wild Child tasting flight of wines from In Good Taste. Inside a well-crafted box lay 8 different samples of wine, each 187 ml (roughly 1/4 of a standard bottle). All of the grape varietals were less common varieties. No Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay,…
