Review: 2018 Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Chalk Hill’s Sonoma Coast chardonnay is always a great bargain, and the new 2018 vintage is no exception. Bold and aggressive with notes of figs, buttered popcorn, and spiced pears, the wine doesn’t hold back, pouring on notes of vanilla and coconut milk as things build on the palate. Creamy and opulent in its texture,…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon The Prisoner Wine Collaboration
The Bardstown Bourbon Company is slowly making a name for itself with a range of rare whiskey expressions and unusual collaborations, and its latest release fits right in with that legacy: Bourbon finished in wine barrels from The Prisoner Wine Company’s eponymous red blend. Per the company, it’s a “100-proof, nine-year-old Tennessee bourbon [i.e., sourced…
Review: Pyramid Hefeweizen and Apricot Ale
These two brews from Seattle’s Pyramid aren’t new. In fact, they’re two of the brewery’s most popular offerings. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane with a fresh look at two classics from the Pacific Northwest. Pyramid Hefeweizen – Unfiltered and classically bready, this wheaty number finds its lemony core — scented just so with…
Review: High West A Midwinter Nights Dram 7.6
By now most whiskey fans are well familiar with High West’s A Midwinter Nights Dram, which is rye whiskey aged in new American oak and finished in French oak Port barrels. The component whiskey has changed over time, of course. Now it is a blend (unspecified proportions and no ages noted) of two whiskeys: a…
Review: 2018 Hacienda de Arinzano Chardonnay
It’s always fun to explore familiar grapes from unusual locations; Hacienda de Arinzano is 100% chardonnay from the Pago de Arínzano region in northern Spain. Bright gold in the glass, it offers classic chardonnay notes in the form of fresh apples and lemon custard, but it’s cut with an exotic herbal element — anise and…
Review: Fernet-Branca and Branca Menta
It’s hard to believe, but in 13 years of running Drinkhacker, we’ve never reviewed one of our most popular tipples: Fernet-Branca, the iconic ultra-bitter liqueur. Today we finally remedy that with a formal look at the most essential of Fernet brands, and its mint-heavy sibling, Branca Menta. First off, what’s a fernet, and how is…
Review: 2018 Wines of Bread & Butter
Bread & Butter Wines has rolled out its 2018 portfolio, including a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and a Pinot Noir. We reviewed their 2018 Rose previously. The source of their grapes is uncertain, but the company is based in Napa Valley and tout wines that are “easy-going and approachable, complementing everyday occasions all year long.”…
Review: Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey
Misunderstood isn’t too hard to understand: It makes just one product, whiskey flavored with ginger and other spices. The product, subtitled as “Legend One,” is described as “an 80 proof American blended whiskey distilled from Midwest grains, aged in used American oak barrels, and proudly infused & bottled in Kentucky.” To start with, the ginger…
