Bordeaux Review: 2010 Chateau de Viaud-Lalande & 2012 Chateau du Bois Chantant
When’s the last time you ordered a bottle of Bordeaux with dinner? The folks in France’s ancient wine region realize the answer to this is probably never for most people, so they’re out to change things and freshen up their image. Today’s Bordeaux (motto: “It’s not that expensive!”) is embracing fruit and lower-cost wines. Sure, Mouton and…
Review: 2013 Mirabeau en Provence “Classic” and “Pure” Rose Wines
This Provence-based rose wine producer is making its first appearance on U.S. shores with two pink wines, the traditional “Classic” (which does not actually say “Classic” on the label) and the more modern “Pure” (label). “Different but the same,” these two wines are made in the same basic style, but incorporate slightly different grape varietals…
Review: Trianon Tequila, Complete Lineup
Trianon is a 100% agave tequila hailing from the Lowlands, available in the usual three expressions. All are 80 proof, and we review all three below. Trianon Tequila Blanco – Sedate and seductive on the nose, the agave here seems dialed way back, and a touch sweet based on the honeyed aroma. The body plays down…
Review: Samuel Adams Kosmic Mother Funk Grand Cru
Keep your eyes open for the KMF: Samuel Adams’ limited edition grand cru beer, formally known as Kosmic Mother Funk. An aged Belgian style ale, it spends a full year in Hungarian oak casks, and here’s why: The inspiration for Kosmic Mother Funk is Belgian beer styles and brewing techniques including blending, aging and conditioning…
Review: The Last Drop 1950 Fine Aged Cognac
The Last Drop is a company with an amazingly fun story: It sources its spirits from shuttered, abandoned, or “lost” distilleries. When you buy the company’s product, that’s it. They’re gone and no one is going to make them again. That’s a powerful promise of rarity. The Last Drop says it “found these casks in a tiny…
Review: CapaBubbles Sparkling Wine Cap
CapaBunga makes a pretty cool rubberized still wine stopper. It would therefore make sense that the company would want to do the same thing for sparkling wines, which are frequently resealed after opening and saved for another day. The problem of course is that you can’t just jam a cork into the neck. The gas…
Review: 2012 Vineyard 29 Cru Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Distinctly smoky on the nose, this second-label wine from Vineyard 29 offers a body that pushes plenty of currants, blueberries, and gooseberries, with a healthy slug of wood, ash, and fresh leather to back it up. This sweet-meets-savory character is so full of body it can be almost overwhelming. Give it time, let it aerate…
Drinkhacker 2014 Wine Cheat Sheet / Vintage Chart
Another year, another Drinkhacker cheat sheet — our eighth annual version of the popular chart designed to help you tell a good vintage of wine from a crummy one. Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold it up (into thirds), and stow it away in your wallet or purse. Next time a wine list…
