Tasting Report: Return to Temecula Valley, Late 2020 Releases
Early in the days of Covid-19, we took a virtual trip to Temecula in southern California to experience the wines of this emerging region. Now we’re back with another look at a half-dozen wines from the valley. Thoughts follow. 2019 Carter Estate South Coast Estate Fume – A lightly oaked blend of sauvignon blanc (77%)…
Review: Weed Cellars Bourbon
No one will argue that Weed Oak Cellars Straight Bourbon Whiskey doesn’t have an unusual, even provocative name. There’s no weed in Weed’s products (which include spirits, beer, and wine), but the name is intentional. Per the company: “Weed Cellars has not only created a new category within the alcohol industry, we’ve found a way…
Review: Five Drinks Canned Cocktails
Five Drinks Co. (aka F!ve Drinks) is part of Bend, Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing, and it produces a range of ready-to-drink cocktails, all made from real ingredients and packaged in tiny 200ml silver cans. We received a set of four of its nine offerings (a variety of seasonals and collaborations produced with the famed bar…
Review: Evan Williams Egg Nog
Don’t want to whip up eggnog from scratch? I don’t blame you: Going with something already bottled is so much simpler, less messy, and, arguably, safer to consume, since it’s been pasteurized. Evan Williams’ Original Southern Egg Nog involves a monster of a recipe, including real cream plus the addition of Kentucky straight bourbon, blended…
Review: Logía Pisco Puro Quebranta
For roughly a decade, there has been talk of a Pisco revival as this distinctive grape distillate made in Peru and Chile has slowly become more available in the U.S. Recently, Piscologica introduced a Pisco certificate course that focuses on Peruvian Pisco, to educate discriminating drinkers about this appellation of origin spirit. We have detailed…
Review: Juan Lobo Tequila Reposado
I don’t know who country singer Jon Wolfe is, but I’m impressed by his new tequila, Juan Lobo, at least the reposado expression of it, which we recently received for review. While the name of the tequila doesn’t exactly connote quality, it turns out that “Juan Lobo” is Wolfe’s alter-ego/nickname, so I suppose it will…
Review: 2017 Quintessa Rutherford Red Wine
Technically billed as Quintessa’s “Red Wine” on the label, this is a blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% merlot, 3% carmenere, and 1% petit verdot — so, basically, cabernet. And what a lush cabernet it is: big with currants and chocolates both milk and dark, rum raisin syrup, a light balsamic character, and loads of…
Review: Puni Italian Malt Whiskies
We’ve brought you coverage of whiskey from Sweden, Germany, even Finland. Now we’re getting our first taste of whiskey from another unusual location: Italy, which is hardly a country known for producing the spirit. Turns out Puni has been being produced here by the Ebensperger family in the Alpine town of Glorenza, Italy for 10…
