Review: 2015 Luce della Vite Lucente
Tuscany’s Luce della Vite is well known for its high-end super-Tuscan blend, but its “second wine,” Lucente, merits just as much attention. For the 2015 release, a surprising note of vanilla runs through the wine, with a semi-sweet core of cherry, blackberry, and blueberry character. A spicy element pokes its head up from time to time,…
Drinkhacker Asks: Limestone Branch Distillery’s Steve Beam
Recently, we kicked off our Drinkhacker Asks series with Jimmy Russell, one of the most recognizable names in the spirits world. While we’ll continue to interview big names in the industry, we also want to introduce you to some of the less well-known figures, as it’s our experience that often these folks have some of…
Review: Coravin Aerator
The Coravin system is one of the biggest advances in wine dispensing, solving the problem of how to drink a glass or two of wine from a pricy bottle without having the rest of it spoil. But what if it’s a wine that needs aeration? Dealing with the Coravin is a two-handed process, so you…
Review: 1792 Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Sazerac’s 1792 Distillery can’t be stopped, with its latest bourbon expression, the seventh in a series of limited releases. (If you’ve been following our coverage of 1792’s special editions and wondering what happened to #6, it was a special edition to commemorate the 225th anniversary of Kentucky’s statehood and was only available in very limited…
Review: 2014 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles
Justin’s 2014 Isosceles is a blend of 73% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc, and 12% merlot. (See also my initial spot review from our Paso Robles trip.) While this is one of Justin’s most revered expressions, this is a wine that’s simply not ready to drink today and will undoubtedly benefit from time in bottle. (My…
Review: Yuzuri Yuzu Liqueur
Yuzu is the “it citrus” of our time. Today we look at a new liqueur from Japan’s Soh Spirits — makers of Kikori Whiskey — which is made from freshly harvested yuzu, rice and mountain water from Kumamoto, on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Some production details: At the soul of Yuzuri is the yuzu fruit,…
Review: NV Vilarnau Cava Brut Reserva and Rose Brut Reserva
Barcelona is the home of cava, Spain’s native sparkling wine. It’s a category on the rise, thanks to its fruit-forward profile and approachable pricing, designed for those who might otherwise consider Prosecco but want something a little more lively. Who’s Vilarnau? Vilarnau is a small, artisanal, hand crafted cava house from outside of Barcelona,…
Chateau Montelena’s Dream Tasting: A Retrospective of Five Decades of Wine
Chateau Montelena broke ground in 1972, and the winery has remained a stalwart of northern California wine country ever since. Best known for winning the white wine portion of the Judgment of Paris in 1976, today Montelena continues to churn out top-notch chardonnay and, more notably, cabernet sauvignon sourced from its Calistoga estate. For no…
