Review: Little City Vermouth – Dry and Sweet
Artisan vermouth is on the rise, and this new brand out of New York (Finger Lakes Distilling is the brand’s bottling partner) offers a glimpse of what’s being done. Little City doesn’t offer a lot of information about its production — though check out the huge number of botanicals in each bottling. Thoughts on both…
A Visit to Napa’s Clos du Val
You might have missed it, but something’s been up at Napa’s Clos du Val winery, namely that it’s been moving out of the supermarket and into the high-end. We reviewed some of Clos du Val’s newest releases a few months back, but more recently we visited its revamped, redesigned tasting room on the Silverado Trail.…
Book Review: Dry
Not everyone drinks alcohol. Not everyone who drinks alcohol wants to drink alcohol all the time. Nothing wrong with that, but sipping on club soda with lime is an uncommon bummer that it ought to be illegal. Whether you’re entertaining a teetotaler (or someone underage) or are simply trying to drink less, elevating your alcohol-free…
Review: Woodford Reserve Distillery Series – Barrel Finished Rye
Barrel Finished Rye, another addition to Woodford Reserve’s Distillery Series, briefly hit the distillery’s gift shop shelves this past spring. In the three years since Woodford began the series, this line of one-offs has highlighted some fairly straightforward experiments, like the Double Double Oaked, as well as some more unusual efforts like Frosty Four Wood.…
Review: Wines of Frank Family Vineyards, Late 2018 Releases
Here are three late arrivals from Frank Family Vineyards, including a reprise of its pinot noir, which we previously reviewed. 2016 Frank Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Carneros – A second look at this wine reveals a somewhat more nuanced expression of Carneros Pinot, now showing a more aggressive fruit profile that is complemented more by…
Review: Whiskies of Glen Grant with Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm
Every distillery and every distiller has a story or two, but after 58 years of working at Glen Grant in Scotland’s Speyside, Dennis Malcolm has collected far more than most. Malcolm has seen this small operation — formerly known only for being the source of malt whisky used for blending by Chivas — pass through…
Review: Tequila Avion Silver (2018)
It’s been eight long years since we checked in with Avion, a big player in the post-Patron resurgence of ultrapremium tequila. When the brand recently updated its packaging (which now includes a fancy canister), we figured we were overdue to check in to see if Avion was still at or near the top of the…
Review: La Valdotaine Verney Vermouth and Amaro Dente di Leone
La Valdotaine is an Italian alpine distillery with a rich portfolio of spirits, liqueurs, and fortified wines. While the operation dates back to 1947, the products produced here are only just now available in the U.S., thanks to importer A. Hardy. Just two of La Valdotaine’s products are being made available at this time, a…
