Review: 2017 Archery Summit Vireton Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

This Oregon pinot gris is whole-cluster pressed, which really brings out the wine’s substantial and exotic fruit elements. Boldly floral with notes of orange blossoms, the flowery notes nicely complement elements of red apple and melon — before a curious tropical character emerges. Archery Summit’s tasting notes peg this as guava, and they’re dead on…

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Review: Wonderland Blend of Straight Whiskeys

Wonderland Distilling can be found in Muskegon, Michigan, and recently it dropped its very first product, a Blend of Straight Whiskeys. Not much is known about the source of these whiskeys — they appear to be distilled on site, and at the very least are distilled in Michigan — but we do know what’s in…

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Review: Dow’s Tawny Port 10 Years Old and 20 Years Old (2020)

It’s only been a year since we looked at Dow’s two entry-level Tawny Port releases, one a 10 year old and one a 20 year old. We just got fresh bottles of each, so let’s take a spin back into these expressions to see what, if anything, has changed. Dow’s Tawny Port 10 Years Old…

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Review: Teremana Tequila – Blanco and Reposado

2020 has seen a raft of celebrity-branded wines and spirits, but none is arguably bigger than Teremana, which is backed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Teremana is a pot-distilled spirit made with 100% Highlands agave. It’s currently available in blanco and reposado expressions; no anejo at this time. We received both for review. Let’s drink…

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Review: 2018 Scheid Family Wines VDR

VDR stands for Very Dark Red, and the name is no lie. This Monterey County-born blend, dominated by Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot, is an opaque enigma in the glass, described unapologetically as “one-of-a-kind, over-the-top, and full-bodied.” There’s no exaggeration on any of those fronts. This intense monster hits the palate with a rush of…

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Review: 2017 Seven Hills Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon SHW Founding Vineyard

Here’s a look at two hearty, winter-friendly reds from Washington’s Seven Hills Winery. 2017 Seven Hills Merlot Walla Walla Valley – A tad on the bitter side but otherwise approachable, this merlot is a bit more austere than expected, with a relatively unripe plum core, notes of blackberry, and dried flowers. The finish dries up…

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Review: Cincoro Tequila Anejo

We told you the story of Michael Jordan’s (and others’) Cincoro Tequila a few months ago — but at the time we only reviewed the blanco and reposado expressions. Now we’ve got the anejo, which we’re ready to dig in to. Aged 24 to 28 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels. The bottle is still a…

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Review: Drinks by the Dram Whisky Collection 2020 Advent Calendar

One whisky a day pulled from an Advent calendar during December? Well that’s one way to make the holidays go by more quickly, if that’s your jam. You’ll find lots of these kits to choose from during the season, with offerings generally ranging from 12 to 25 small whisky samples designed to be parsed out…

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