Book Review: Sake Confidential
To say that sake is a poorly understood beverage in the U.S. is an understatement. Never mind understanding the various grades and styles of sake, how to drink it (hot or cold?), and what kind of food to drink it with, there’s the not-so-little matter that most imported sakes don’t have anything written in English…
Review: Infuse Vodkas – Peach and Orange Clove
We encountered Infuse Vodkas about a year ago, reviewing four members of this unique flavored vodka lineup, each featuring solid botanicals suspended inside the bottle. Today we check out the remaining two vodkas in the lineup — though, unfortunately, they are not my overwhelming favorites of the bunch. Again, all Infuse Vodkas are flavored not…
Review: 2012 Avignonesi Rosso di Montipulciano DOC
This fresh Rosso di Montipulciano offers a gentle approach, offering perfumy floral notes atop simple red berries on the nose. The body dips from there into more simple cherry and raspberry character, melding acid with tannin in a balanced body, with some subtle notes of tea leaf and dried herbs. The finish is short, but…
Review: 2012 Rutherford Hill Chardonnay Napa Valley
This Napa Chardonnay is classically styled, with a bit of a twist. The buttery vanilla notes are relatively restrained. In their place you’ll find notes of lemon curd, clover honey, whipped cream, and light lavender that bubble up to the surface, particularly evident as the wine warms up a bit. Refreshing on the finish, but…
Review: Redhook Winterhook #30
Seattle-based Redhook Brewery has been around for 30 years now, and its 30th expression of its seasonal Winterhook brew is now on the market. Redhook tweaks the recipe for Winterhook every year, and this year it comes forward with a burly, slightly smoky winter ale. Decked with molasses from the get-go, this malt-heavy beer offers notes of…
Review: Hush Spiced Apple Moonshine
Hush is a new brand that now encompasses a half dozen flavors of moonshine, hailing from the realm of North Charleston, South Carolina. These are corn-based products (grain neutral spirits) that undergo a secret, “patented refining process called TerrePure” before bottling. (Technically it can’t be both secret and patented, but this is flavored moonshine, so…
Review: Snow Leopard Vodka
This vodka hails from Poland, where it is six-times distilled from spelt. The beast on the label isn’t just for show: 15 percent of all profits are given directly to snow leopard conservation projects through the Snow Leopard Trust. I immediately enjoyed this vodka right from the start. The nose is crisp and fresh, bracing with…
Review: 2013 Terlato Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio Russian River Valley
Fragrant on the nose with peach and apricot notes lead to a buttery body more reminiscent of Chardonnay than Pinot Grigio. The palate is long, lush, and loaded with vanilla and caramel flan, before exiting on a crisper, baked-apple finish. This isn’t a complicated wine, but guests at your next dinner party aren’t likely to…
