Review: 2019 Justin Rose Central Coast
This rose is born of mystery grapes — “mostly syrah,” per the winery — but it comes across much like any Central Coast rose wine, full of strawberries and cream, a light layer of spice, and a vanilla custard note on the back end. Citrus and floral notes all dance on the tongue here and…
Review: Wines of Jeff Runquist, 2020 Releases
Jeff Runquist’s name may make him sound like a race car driver, but he’s actually a veteran winemaker who makes his home in California’s Amador County. We recently received a five-pack of wines from the Runquist stable — which comprises 25 red varietals alone — to see what he’s been up to. Thoughts follow. 2018…
Review: Gray Whale Gin
Gray Whale Gin is a Sonoma, California-made spirit designed to celebrate the California gray whale. Per the producer, Golden State Distillery, “the spirit takes the drinker on a gustatory journey up the Pacific coastline along the gray whales’ 12,000-mile migration pattern from Baja California through Mendocino (terminating in the Arctic).” The company donates 1% of…
Review: 2017 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
This pinot noir hails from always-on-the-wine-list-by-the-glass La Crema, though you don’t often see the winery’s Sonoma Coast appellation, a slightly elevated bottling. This 2017 acquits itself fine, offering an appropriately cool climate construction that offers notes of brambly blackberry, blueberry reduction, and cola. The finish has grip, its tannic bite suggesting hints of clove and…
Review: Wines of Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali, 2020 Releases
Tasca d’Almerita’s wines show up here on Drinkhacker fairly regularly, the Sicilian operation dropping a wide range of styles beyond the expected nero d’avola (though they make that, as well). Dating back to 1830 Tasca’s Tenuta Regaleali winery is one of its biggest and most noteworthy, and today we look at four wines from this…
Review: Belfour Rye Whiskeys and Pecan Finished Bourbon
Belfour sounds like a ritzy, old-school name from the deep south, and I was surprised to find that the brand was founded and is operated by Ed Belfour, a legendary Canadian hockey player who’s now making whiskey in Louisville, Kentucky. Belfour and his two children spent years taking classes in whiskeymaking, and rather than source…
Review: Dominio Fournier Ribera del Duero 2016 Crianza and 2014 Reserva
Up next we have a pair of deep reds from Dominio Fournier in Spain’s Ribera del Duero region. Located in Burgos, the Fournier winery was built in 1979 and is made up of 80 hectares, 50 of which are vineyards with an average age of between 30 and 70 years old. The wines, made from…
Review: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Mon Chéri Stout (2019)
We were able to get our hands on several of this year’s Goose Island Bourbon House line (Bourbon Barrel, Wheatwine, and Café de Olla). Our luck continued with their Mon Chéri Stout, a beer described by the brewery as “a love letter” from the brewer to his wife, who apparently really likes cherries. To that…
