Review: Weller Special Reserve (2020)
In recent years, William Larue Weller has become the most coveted bottle in the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, easily seeing markups of five times its MSRP and even more than that on the secondary market. That breathless hysteria has now trickled all the way down to the most readily available bottle in the Weller…
Review: Volatus 2016 “Bloody Well Right” Tannat and 2018 CAVU
Here’s a pair of wines from Paso Robles’ Volatus. If some of the names sound familiar, it’s because co-owner Victoria Schmitt’s father was Supertramp’s drummer. On to the wines. 2016 Volatus “Bloody Well Right” Tannat Paso Robles – 100% tannat — unusual, to say the least. The wine is a hefty beast, pushy with earth, eucalyptus,…
Review: Jefferson’s Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask-Finished Bourbon
Not long ago, we revisited Jefferson’s Reserve. Well, today we’re reviewing a wine-finished version of that very same bourbon. Jefferson’s Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask Finish is the same blend of three different well-aged rye bourbons finished for an extra year in French oak casks that previously held the acclaimed Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon from…
Review: Moscow Muled Copper Mugs
The copper Moscow mule mug is arguably the most iconic piece of barware there is, but are all copper mugs equal? According to Moscow Muled, an artisan mug-maker, copper can be problematic: “Copper is a heavy metal that reacts with acidic fluids such as cocktail ingredients. If you use a copper mug that is not…
Review: Tullibardine The Murray 2007
Tullibardine first released The Murray in 2017 as part of its new Marquess Collection, the distillery’s high-end, limited edition lineup. Now there’s a new Murray on the block, distilled in 2007 and bottled at 12 years old, just like the inaugural release. It’s also aged completely in first-fill bourbon casks, making it a nearly identical…
Review: Sparkling Wines of Domaine Carneros, 2020 Releases
Domaine Carneros’ latest sparkling wines have hit the market. We received a three-pack of the winery’s most noteworthy new bottlings. Thoughts on each of these expressions follow. 2016 Domaine Carneros Ultra Brut – The minimal dosage on this rare expression hits just 0.5 grams of sugar/liter, making it an absolutely bone dry experience. Notes of…
Review: D. George Benham’s Vodka (2020)
Three years ago, Sonoma’s Graton Distilling released a kitschy “vodka-flavored vodka” as its entry into the category. The product never saw national release, however, and recently Graton relaunched its vodka, billing it without the “Vodka Vodka” name. The product has not just been rebranded, it’s also been reformulated — though it is still a blend…
Tasting Report: 2018 Burgundy from Bouchard Pere & Fils and William Fevre
Last year’s look at the upcoming Burgundy release revealed some amazing wines hitting the market, and the 2018 vintage again appears to be solid — though perhaps not quite the delight of ’17. Recently we visited with Bouchard Pere & Fils and William Fevre — the jewels of the Henriot Burgundy empire — to taste…
