Review: 2017 La Crema Pinot Noir Monterey
La Crema is always reliable for a straightforward but unsurprising bottle of pinot noir, and this Monterey-sourced bottling offers few twists for the drinker. Notes of cola on the nose are counterbalanced by a fairly meaty, often doughy body, where notes of black pepper interplay with a core of raspberry, cherry, and some rhubarb. Easygoing…
The Best Dry Vermouth Roundup – 16 Bottles Tasted, 1 Winner
In keeping with some of our recent roundups — you now know what the best banana liqueur in the world is — I figured I’d take on another big staple in the cocktail world: dry vermouth. The catch? There are way more vermouths on the market than there are banana liqueurs, and before I knew…
Review: 3 Cognacs from Flaviar, 2020 Releases
My latest trio of tasters from Flaviar’s new quarterly subscription club takes us into the world of Cognac, featuring a trilogy from France’s most noteworthy brandy-producing region — none of which we’ve ever covered here before. Let’s dig in! Maison Surrenne Cognac VSOP – This is a collaboration between California’s Germain-Robin and Cognac’s largest remaining…
Review: 2019 Sonoma-Cutrer Rose of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Sonoma-Cutrer’s Russian River Rose is an early 2019 vintage arrival, and (as always) it’s a solid way to greet the nascent spring. Bold with strawberries and floral notes, the wine’s fruit eventually fades, showcasing a certain vanilla-fueled cookie character that recalls Nilla Wafers and, later on, tapioca pudding. Ample acidity on the back end gives…
Reviews: Virago Four Port Rum, Port Cask-Finished Rum, and Modern Gin
Virago Spirits is a very young craft distillery, opening just two years ago in the hip Scott’s Addition neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. The distillery was started by three brothers, Barry, Brad, and Bart Haneberg (seriously), with a focus seemingly on anything but whiskey, which is rare for a craft distillery but not exactly unwise given…
Review: Little Beast Maiden West IPA and Folkvangr Dark Norwegian-Style Ale
You’ll find Little Beast Brewing in Portland, Oregon, and while the brewery is slavishly focused on farmhouse ales, sours, and other European styles, two new seasonals may be more accessible to the common man. We tried them both, from 16 oz cans. Little Beast Maiden West IPA – A stylistic shift for Little Beast, here they’ve…
Review: Ardbeg Blaaack
The name will throw a wrench into SEO efforts. Is it Black? Blaack? Blaaack? Blaaaack? The answer is three As, Blaaack, which is just enough As to connote a bleating sheep and no more. Here’s what Ardbeg Blaaack actually is: Ardbeg Blaaack is the feisty Limited Edition bottled in celebration of the Ardbeg Committee’s 20th…
Review: 2019 Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
A straightforward California sauvignon blanc, this wine combines grassy and peach-forward notes against a backdrop that’s quite heavy with acidity. Brisk with lemon peel on the finish, there’s a hint of camphor here that gives the wine an almost antiseptic, vaguely medicinal quality. A fairly straightforward but well-crafted wine, it’s best with food, preferably something…
