Review: Wines of Prosecco, 2020 Releases
Arguably the most accessible of sparkling wines, Prosecco is produced in what is (deep breath) known as Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG zone in northern Italy. This hilly region primarily grows grapes of the glera varietal, though a small amount of other white wine grapes can be used in Prosecco as well. Recently we had…
Review: SoulBoxer Bourbon Old Fashioned, Brandy Old Fashioned, and Manhattan
Milwaukee-based SoulBoxer (aka Soul Boxer) makes a trio of classic recipe, ready-to-drink bottled cocktails. How classic? Two of the three are old fashioneds, one based on brandy (which is apparently a big thing in Wisconsin). The products are available in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota or online. The company doesn’t distill any of its own spirits…
Review: 2018 Apothic “Cab” Cabernet Sauvignon California
Apothic is known for its aggressively flavorful, low-price red blends, and now it’s making its way into varietal wines for the first time, with a 2018 cabernet sauvignon. Alas, the wine is unapproachable from any angle, a ballbuster of a wine that is unctuous with notes of cheap candy, way-overripe berries, and Russell Stover-class milk…
Review: Wines of Mt. Beautiful, 2020 Releases
Mt. Beautiful is one of the most visible, high-end wineries in New Zealand, and to prove its mettle, the operation recently sent a whopping nine bottlings our way — essentially all of its current releases. Let’s dig in. 2019 Mt. Beautiful Rose North Canterbury – Made from pinot noir and pinot gris. Fruit-forward with a…
How to Get a Broken Cork Out of a Bottle
The corks in spirit bottles rarely break, but when they do it’s a catastrophe. Little bits of cork can’t be left floating in your $300 bottle of whiskey for months. The particles will slowly disintegrate over time and will ruin the flavor of the spirit. So, if a cork breaks in a bottle, what do…
Review: 10 Barrel Brewing Snake Run Double IPA
We just checked out some new offerings from Bend, Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing, but we’re already back with a follow-up: a limited edition double IPA called Snake Run. I’m not finding any info on the hops used, but it drinks like the classics: Boldly piney with a strong vein of citrus, hoppy but not dank,…
Review: Crown Royal Salted Caramel
Crown Royal has been churning out flavored expressions in recent years, and this might be its most decadent to date: Crown Royal Canadian whisky blended with salted caramel flavoring. As with other flavored expressions of Crown Royal, the guy in charge of doctoring the whisky has certainly done so with a heavy hand. The nose…
Review: Tenjaku Blended Whisky
The popularity of Japanese whisky continues to grow unbounded, and as prices skyrocket we’re seeing numerous new players jump into the game — generally releasing younger spirits at lower prices (but with prominent Kanji script on the label). The latest of these is Tenjaku, a mystery blend — of both single malt and corn-heavy grain…
