Tasting the Wines of Washington’s Columbia Winery with Winemaker Sean Hails, 2014 Releases
Though we’re only a few hundred miles away, here in California we honestly don’t see many wines from Washington state. And yet, after California, Washington has the 2nd largest number of wineries in the country. Columbia is one of them. Not to be confused with Columbia Crest, Columbia recently became part of the Gallo empire,…
Review: 3 Wines from Four Vines, 2014 Releases
Three new releases from our friends at Four Vines. Thoughts follow. 2012 Four Vines Naked Unoaked Chardonnay Santa Barbara – Unoaked as promised, which leaves this SoCal Chard buttery without being stuffed full of wood and sawdust notes. The body’s bigger than most unoaked Chardonnays I’ve experienced of late, which is a nice balance to the…
Review: Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur
Rivulet isn’t exactly a boozy praline in a glass, but it’s gettin’ there. As an enthusiast of all things Cajun, I mean that as a compiment. Made from barrel-aged brandy, pecans, and other secret ingredients (sugar, methinks!), Rivulet offers a rich, toasty pecan nose with undercurrents of cinnamon, cloves, and brown sugar. The body is…
Review: Willett Family Estate Straight Rye Whiskey 2 Years Old
With Willett’s renaissance running high, people have been waiting with anticipation for the first 100% rye offering from master distiller Drew Kulsveen’s new operations at the distillery. Thankfully, patience has paid off and the whiskey was worth the wait. This small batch rye is like a rookie baseball player stepping up to the plate and hitting a…
A Deep Dive Into Robert Mondavi’s To Kalon Vineyard with Winemaker Nova Cadamatre
New to the Robert Mondavi winemaking team is Nova Cadamatre, who hosted a few dozen writers recently to an exploration of various Robert Mondavi Cabernet releases, all of which hail in total or in part from the famed To Kalon Vineyard, which is adjacent to the Mondavi winery facility. Cadamatre guided us through seven wines…
Review: Deschutes Brewery – Doppel Dinkel Bock, Foray IPA 2014, Black Butte XXVI
Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery keeps pumping out new, seasonal and special edition beers, with these three dropping in time for some last days of summer sipping. All are are available in 22 oz. bottles. Thoughts follow. Deschutes Brewery Conflux Series No. 3 Doppel Dinkel Bock – This double bock is made with a “generous amount”…
Review: Journeyman Distillery Whiskeys: Silver Cross, Ravenswood Rye, and Featherbone Bourbon
With over a dozen spirits on offer, Three Oaks, Michigan-based Journeyman Distillery has a specific focus on craft whiskeys, bottling six expressions of the stuff in its permanent lineup. Here we review three — all young and punchy, and all worth sampling at least once. Thoughts follow. Journeyman Distillery Silver Cross Whiskey – Made from a mash…
Review: Master’s Selection London Dry Gin
You don’t have to make London Dry Gin in London, England. Turns out you don’t have to make it in Great Britain at all. Case in point: Master’s Selection London Dry Gin, which is made in Barcelona, Spain by a family-owned distillery that dates back to 1835. Process-wise Master’s is a bit unique: Grain alcohol is redistilled in a…
