Review: 2019 Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti DOCG
Castiglioni is Frescobaldi’s most affordable Chianti; I’ve seen it on sale for as little as $10, but $15 to $20 tends to be more common. It’s still a DOCG bottling, though, its sangiovese base blended with a small amount of merlot. Frescobaldi’s 2019 Castiglioni Chianti at least looks the part, and the nose finds a…
Recipe: Wintergreen
Looking for a cocktail to warm you during winter and also give you a taste of much-needed summer? I’d recommend the Wintergreen (courtesy of Whiskey Muse). It’s a cross between a Whiskey Ginger, one of my personal favorite cocktails year-round, and a Mojito, another favorite but more for beach vacation weather. The amount of lime…
Review: Balblair 12, 15, 18, and 25 Years Old
Previously known for its practice of releasing vintage-dated rather than age-stated whiskies, Highlands whisky distillery Balblair has revamped its portfolio and fallen in line with just about everyone else, refocusing on traditional (and more easily sustainable) age statement products. The new line includes four single malts, replacing all existing Balblair expressions — though the distillery…
Review: Rhum Clement Cuvee Homere and 15 Years Old (2021)
We’ve been revisiting the agricole rums of Martinique’s Rhum Clement periodically since we first reviewed its lineup in 2008. Today we’re back with two of Clement’s most prized rums, a 15 year old and a fresh look at one of its top-shelf blends, Cuvee Homere. Rhum Clement Cuvée Homère (2021) – It’s been 13 years…
Review: Wines of Marchesi di Gresy, 2020 Releases
Formally known as Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy, you’ll find this Piedmontese Barbaresco-based operation sprawling across four estates across the prestigious Langhe and Monferrato zones. The Marchesi di Grésy estate has been owned by the di Grésy family since 1797. Prior to the 1960s it produced a variety of livestock and other crops in…
Review: Mezcal Don Ramon Joven
Don Ramon’s range of tequilas have been around for a while, aiming for an upmarket image by recruiting ex-James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan as their brand ambassador. It’s notable, then, that in late 2020 they chose to launch Mezcal Don Ramon. Mezcal is usually seen as a more artisanal spirit than tequila, often made in…
Review: 2018 Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
We last encountered this Copper Cane-designed Napa cabernet in its 2014 vintage, but this 2018 is a big departure from where we last left off. Here we find the arrival of a much more beefy, smoky body — an effect of 2018’s massive fire season, perhaps? — filtered through notes of blackcurrants and some rhubarb.…
Review: Basil Hayden’s Bourbon 10 Years Old (2020)
In 2018, Basil Hayden’s dropped its first 10 year old version of its classic bourbon. Since then the bottling has become an annual affair, dropping in the later months of each year. Recently we received a sample of the 2020 release of Basil Hayden’s Bourbon 10 Years Old, the third release of this whiskey from…
