Rueda Review: 2010 Shaya Habis Verdejo and 2013 Jose Pariente Verdejo

Fret not if you’re unfamiliar with Rueda. This region, directly to the west of Spain’s Ribera del Duero, is the home to a white wine that is beginning to find favor overseas. Long a favorite in its homeland, Rueda wines are made primarily from the verdejo grape (viura and sauvignon blanc are also grown here, as…

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Review: 2011 Matchbook Tempranillo Dunnigan Hills

Here’s a surprisingly lovely little wine from JL Giguiere’s Matchbook brand, made from Tempranillo in Yolo County, grown in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The restrained nose features notes of tanned leather, stonework, touches of smoke, and dried fruits. On the palate, things are more fruit-forward: dark cherries, plums, tobacco, and cranberry notes lead to a well-rounded,…

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Review: The Balvenie 25 Years Old Single Barrel and Tun 1509, Batch 1

Lucky day: Not one, but two new bottlings from a perennial favorite: The Balvenie. Actually, the distillery has recently released three different whiskies, the third being The Balvenie Fifty, Cask 4567, a 50 year old expression that runs $38,000 a bottle. We did not manage to nab a bottle of this lattermost one, but no…

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Review: Privateer Silver Reserve Rum

As I’ve noted before here, rum has a long history of being distilled in America, and now it’s on the upswing again thanks to craft distillers and the easy availability of high-quality sugar products. Privateer is made by Andrew Cabot, a distant descendant of the Revolutionary-era Andrew Cabot, who was a rum-maker in his own…

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Review: 2011 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG

This 100% Sangiovese wine from the Montepulciano region is a beautiful introduction to both the grape and the region. Bright cherry notes mingle with a touch of raspberry, plus touches of vanilla, flinty stone, coffee bean, and some cinnamon on the finish. Over time, hints of chocolate emerge — give it some air. Lush without…

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Review: 2013 Complicated Pinot Noir Sonoma County

A dustier expression of Pinot, this Sonoma County bottling offers notes of black cherry, orange peel, and currants, but is undercut by some rougher, lumberyard notes that leave a distinctly drying character on the palate. This is distinctly at odds with some of the sweeter elements in the wine — these become quite thick on…

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Review: Jardesca Blanco California Aperitiva

Drinkhacker pal Duggan McDonnell — of Encanto Pisco fame — is up to some new tricks. His latest project: Jardesca, a lightly fortified, aromatic wine. Esseentially part of the vermouth/Lillet category, Jardesca is a blend of sweet and dry wines plus a double-distilled eau de vie that is infused with 10 different botanicals. The big…

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Review: Tequila Herradura Coleccion de la Casa Scotch Cask Finished Reposado, Reserva 2014

It’s another round with Herradura’s Coleccion de la Casa limited edition line of reposado tequilas — each one aged first in a standard Bourbon barrel, then finished in another type of specialty cask. (See also the first two releases in this annual series: Port and Cognac finished tequila.) This year, Herradura turns to former Scotch…

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