Review: Wines of Flora Springs Napa Valley Collection, 2018 Releases
Our recent coverage notwithstanding, summertime doesn’t mean you can only drink whites and reds. Sometimes, a feast is in order, and with it, a bold red wine, like one of these two offerings from Flora Springs, both from the 2015 vintage. And hey, because it is summer, let’s look at two whites as well. All wines…
A Visit to Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery
Should a whisky fan make the lengthy trek across the Pacific in search of the secrets of Japanese distilling, one would be wise to start at the source. That’s what I did anyway, on a recent pilgrimage to Yamazaki, the first whisky distillery in Japan, which was built in 1923 and is still going strong…
Book Review: Tasting Cider
Erin James really loves cider, and based on this book, she appears to know more about the category than anyone else on earth. This boldly colorful guide walks readers through this vastly complicated — and rapidly growing — category, starting with a history of cider and a digest of how it is made, including a…
Review: Calwise Big Sur Gin
Calwise Spirits is a new distillery in Paso Robles, which is becoming quite the hotbed of craft distillation. The brainchild of Aaron Bergh, who at 25 is one of the youngest master distillers in the world, Calwise has launched with a trio of spirits: two rums and this, “a native California coastal herb-infused gin” called…
Recipe: The Third Man
The Third Man is the brainchild of Nashville’s Henrietta Red, and it starts with the classic combination of Campari and grapefruit juice. Originally designed as a vehicle for Belle Meade Bourbon, it works great with any bourbon you can lay your hands on. I recommend using a bonded whiskey (or something of higher proof), and…
Wine Touring on Russian River Valley’s Olivet Road
Going to the Russian River Valley? Want to find a place to visit several family-owned wineries, be surrounded by lush vineyards, and not have to drive or walk too far to get to each? I offer my day on Olivet Road as a template, a lovely stretch of “Wine Heaven” road between Windsor and Santa Rosa,…
Book Review: Drink Like a Bartender
Ever been concerned that a bartender would “judge you… hard” for what you’re drinking? (If so, leave the bar.) Good news: Here’s a book to help you with your barstool etiquette. Boston-based writers Thea Engst and Lauren Vigdor fill this trifle of a book with bon mots from the drinking world. The book doesn’t really…
Review: Old Pulteney 25 Years Old
Old Pulteney, one of the most northerly distilleries on the Scottish mainland, is keeping true to its name with the recent release of a 25 year expression; yet another extra-aged release that follows on the heels of last year’s outstanding 35 year old. The whisky spent 22 years in ex-bourbon casks and the final three…
