Tasting the Tannats of Uruguay, Spring 2024 Releases
In a choice review last month, we had the opportunity and good fortune to enjoy a Tannat emanating from the vineyards of California’s Paso Robles region. By lucky coincidence, this happened to dovetail nicely into a simultaneously scheduled webinar with Master Sommelier, wine educator, and all-around amicable fellow Peter Granoff, who presented an overview of…
Review: Bulleit American Single Malt Whiskey
While plenty of smaller, craft brands have been flooding the market with American Single Malt (ASM) whiskey over the last few years, the big boys of American whiskey have been releasing their own expressions at a comparative trickle. Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s hopped on the ASM train last year, and now Bulleit has joined…
Review: Tincup Bourbon Fourteener Release No. 2
Tincup’s Fourteener series (a 14 year old Colorado bourbon) got its start at the end of 2022, and as promised it’s back with a second edition, Release No. 2, which is bottled in honor of Quandary Peak, one of the 58 mountains in Colorado known as Fourteeners, due to their height topping 14,000 feet. For…
Review: 2021 Rombauer Zinfandel California
It’s always a pleasure to try a new vintage from Rombauer, and this year’s Zinfandel release is typical for the winery in that it is, again, atypical for a California Zin. The nose hits with big notes of plum, mocha, cola, and just a trace of tobacco. The palate is a bit different: mocha with…
Review: Old Pepper Bourbon, Rye, and James E. Pepper Bourbon (2024)
Like many American whiskey brands of late, the Old Pepper/James E. Pepper brand has gone through all kinds of changes since we first encountered it in 2013. At the time, the brand was a relaunch of an ancient label that hadn’t been produced since 1958 (or 1961, depending on who you trust), taking advantage of…
Review: Wines of Ancient Peaks, Early 2024 Releases
More wines from Paso Robles-based Ancient Peaks, which we’ve covered at length over the years. Here’s a look at the latest batch of releases, including our first encounter with the Ancient Peaks Pearl label. 2022 Ancient Peaks Chardonnay Santa Margarita Ranch – Creamy vanilla and lemon curd meld nicely against a lightly acidic backbone that…
Review: Heaven Hill Heritage Collection Bourbon 18 Years Old (2024)
Heaven Hill’s inaugural Heritage Collection release in 2022 was such a standout that it earned a spot on our Top 10 Whiskeys of the year list. The 2023 follow-up — a 20-year-old corn whiskey — didn’t quite impress the same way, but its unique composition was a bit of an oddity that at least…
Review: New Belgium Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale (2023)
As was the case with the 2022 release, New Belgium’s 2023 Oakspire bottling is barrel aged in Four Roses casks, a decidedly minimal departure compared to previous years’ shifts. However, per the brand: This year’s edition of Oakspire has been brewed through a proprietary infusion method to extract the rich flavors from the bourbon-soaked charred…
