Review: Liquore Strega
Strega has been eking its way back into the cocktailverse in recent years, though it’s still on the obscure side of things in the U.S. Strega — “the witch,” in Italian — hails from the city of Benevento, where legend has it witches used the liqueur “to disguise themselves as beautiful maidens and mix a…
Review: Chalk Hill 2018 Estate Sauvignon Blanc and 2016 Estate Red
Sonoma’s iconic Chalk Hill Winery recently dropped two new releases, both from the Chalk Hill AVA from which the winery draws it’s name. We’re happy to delve into here following our delightful, recent tour and lunch on the property. Let’s give them a whirl! 2018 Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc Chalk Hill AVA – This…
Tasting the Wines of Fontanafredda, 2020 Releases
Fontanafredda is one of the most iconic producers of Barolo wine, its history dating back to 1858 (complete with a rather juicy story that involves the King of Italy, his underage mistress, and a gift of vineyard land). Fontanafredda has changed hands on multiple occasions, and as of 2009 it is again locally owned by…
Review: Pyramid Brewing Snow Cap Ale (2020)
We last reviewed Snow Cap back in 2007 (!), and it’s finally time for a fresh spin with this classic “winter warmer,” which has breweries in Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Quite malty and burly with notes of well-roasted chocolate malt, Snow Cap offers a chewy, almost chunky body with notes of well-done wheat toast and…
Review: Cathead Pecan Flavored Vodka
The folks at Cathead (nee Bottletree Beverage Company) don’t just make bourbon and gin, they also make vodka — both straight and flavored. Today we look at the company’s most unique flavored vodka expression: Pecan. Let’s give it a try. The nose is initially mild and lightly astringent with classic vodka notes, but it quickly…
Review: Portland Brewing Portland Lager
You know how some high-end restaurants will take something mundane, like a hot dog or a meatball, then deconstruct it and put it all back together again so that it approximates the original, only with ultra-luxe ingredients? Here’s the beer equivalent of that, a microbrew knockoff of classic American lagers (a la Budweiser). Portland (Oregon)…
Review: Highclere Castle Gin
Highclere Castle is a brand new gin line that hit the scene only a few months ago. Its striking purple bottle with an incredibly familiar castle etched into the front immediately begets curiosity. Where did this spirit come from? Here’s the official backstory: Home to the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, this exquisite country…
Review: Maraska Slivovitz 10 Years Old and Orahovac Green Walnut Liqueur
Maraska isn’t just the distiller of my favorite brand of Maraschino liqueur, it also makes a variety of other fruit brandies and nut liqueurs in its homeland of Croatia. Today we look at two of them, both traditional offerings but new entries into its catalog, a Slivovitz plum brandy and a green walnut liqueur. Let’s…
