Review: Frey Ranch Bourbon
It doesn’t get much more craft than this: Nevada’s Frey Ranch Bourbon is grown, malted, distilled, matured, and bottled all on property, a ranch based in the Lake Tahoe/Sierra Mountains watershed. The whiskey is made from an odd four-grain mash: 66.6% non-GMO corn, 11.4% winter cereal rye, 10% winter wheat, and 12% two-row barley. It’s…
Review: 2019 Seven Hills Sauvignon Blanc and Dry Rose
Here’s a duo of summertime wines from Seven Hills, which can be found in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley. 2019 Seven Hills Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley – Straightforward and pale as a ghost, this Washington sauvignon blanc is innocuous and inoffensive, an exploration of grassy, lightly spicy apples and lemon curd, with a tinge of sauvi-centric…
Review: The Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey
A new Irish whiskey, The Fighting 69th, landed on our shores late in 2019, but the inspiration for this bottle reaches way back in American history. After immigrating from Ireland to New York in the mid-1800s, the men that eventually formed the city’s “69th” had a long history of heroism. Robert E. Lee christened the…
Review: 2019 Domaine de Cala Coteaux Varois en Provence
We’ve given the backstory on Provence-based Domaine de Cala before, so won’t repeat ourselves. Today we dig in to the winery’s entry-level rose, a blend of grenache (48%), cinsault (35%), rolle (6%), syrah (5%), carignan (4%), and grenache blanc (2%). Again, this wine is so pale that it could pass for a white wine. Floral…
Review: White Wines of Alois Lageder, 2020 Releases
Italy’s Alto Adige is a mountainous region that borders Germany, and it’s here where the nation makes some of its most interesting and unusual white wines. Alois Lageder is a longtime icon of this region, where his family has been producing wine since 1823. Recently we had the chance to check out three new whites…
Review: Tequila Partida Single Barrel Reserve Reposado – Medio
Partida Tequila is getting into the single barrel action, launching three different limited-edition reposado bottlings, each designed to “explore the versatility” of the style. Per the company, “Ligero offers notes of fresh agave, maple syrup, toasted oak and caramel; Medio provides flavors of cooked agave, vanilla and butter; and Intenso, dried fruit, nuts and coffee.…
Review: 3 White and Rose Wines from Northern Spain, 2020 Releases
Rioja is iconically known for its red wines, but today we’re looking at three lighter styles from this region and its neighbor, Valdeorras. Grown in a hot climate, these exuberant wines are clearly built for summer sipping. Let’s dig in. 2019 CVNE Monopole – A 100% viura white wine from Rioja. Clean but rather perfumed,…
Review: Slapjack Jackfruit Flavored Vodka
Hey, I know I’ve eaten jackfruit before, but for the life of me I can’t remember what it tastes like. The monstrous green fruit, when cleaned and shredded, has a texture remarkably similar to pulled pork, and you’re most likely to encounter it as a base for vegan barbecue. Slathered in spices and sauce, the…
