Review: 2013 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast
Smith & Hook is a Central Coast producer that focuses exclusively on Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are sourced from four Central Coast appellations: Arroyo Seco, San Antonio Valley, Hames Valley, and Paso Robles. As Cab goes, the 2013 offers easy approachability, though it’s short on complexity. Early notes of cocoa powder, vanilla, and blackberry give way to some light…
Review: Barrell Bourbon Batch 5 and Barrell Whiskey Batch 1
Turns out Barrell Bourbon, first released in 2014, wasn’t a one-off. To date the company has released six small batch Bourbon offerings, all of which are significantly different from one another. As a trend goes, they’re getting older — significantly so, considering Batch 1 was a mere five year old baby. The last two releases have…
Review: 2013 Concannon Vineyard Chardonnay Monterey County
Livermore-based Concannon moves a tad upmarket with this Monterey County bottling of chardonnay from the 2013 vintage. Immediate notes of burnt butter and baking spice are prominent, with a bit of tropical character on the back end. The body is somewhat flabby, with a caramel note on the finish followed by a light astringency. It…
Review: Fizzics Beer Tap
The Fizzics Beer Tap is not a complicated idea: It’s basically a svelte pump that takes beer out of one container and spits it into your glass. Basically a keg tap, only you don’t need a keg. It can pour from a bottle, can, growler, or even a pitcher or another glass. Just pop it…
Book Review: Cookies & Beer
Cookies and beer? Yes, beer. And cookies! Jonathan Bender says they go great together, and who are we to argue? The title aside, this slim cookbook is really all about the cookies. Bender offers suggestions for pairing beer with each of the sweet treats he teaches you to make (including key sidebars, like pairing beers…
Review: Michter’s Single Barrel Bourbon 20 Years Old 2015
Michter’s 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon is an amply enchanting whiskey. What then if we double up and go for 20? Michter’s 20 Year Old is one of those ultra-cult whiskeys right up there with Pappy Van Winkle, with a list price of $600. $1200 is the best you’re likely to do, and $1800 isn’t…
Review: 2012 Calista Pinot Noir The Coast Range
Calista’s latest Pinot hails from the “Coast Range,” which comprises three distinct regions: Sonoma, Mendocino, and Monterey counties. All of which are great places for pinot noir! Engaging notes of cola and tea start things off, then layered cherry, vanilla, and red berry notes take over. The finish is lightly bittersweet and complex, just a…
Review: Monkey Spiced Rum
It must happen to all of us. Zane Lamprey got so tired of drinking spirits that he figured he should just make his own. The result of that ennui with the drinking world is Monkey Rum (named for Lamprey’s stuffed monkey that is omnipresent on his televised boozing adventures), which is available in both Spiced…
