Review: 2013 Charles & Charles Chardonnay Washington State
Rather watery, this Columbia Valley-sourced wine offers vague apple notes and a modest slug of wood that punches a bit of vanilla into what is an otherwise workmanlike wine. Touches of lemon and nougat add a bit of curiosity as the wine develops in the glass, but the bitter edges on the finish reveal some character flaws…
Review: 2012 Terrazas Torrontes Reserva
This new torrontes from Argentina’s Terrazas de los Andes offers tropical character right from the start, with just a hint of bitter hops on the nose. That herbal character builds on the body — particularly as the wine warms a bit — bringing the spirit to a nicely balanced whole that infuses floral aromatics with peaches,…
Review: Wines of Joel Gott, 2012 Vintage
To paraphrase Ayn Rand: Who is Joel Gott? A fixture in California wine country, Gott is a longtime retailer, winemaker, and burger purveyor in the thoroughfares of Napa, where his Gott’s Roadside is a must-stop dining experience (also in the San Francisco Ferry Building). With his partners at Trinchero, Gott now has his own label — affordable…
Book Review: Cocktails for Book Lovers
Meals inspired by literary works and their authors are popular among home chefs. Now author Tessa Smith McGovern is bringing the notion to cocktails. Cocktails for Book Lovers is a slim volume of 50 original and classic recipes, each paired with an author and a book they’ve written. Some of these are natural matches — Hemingway…
Review: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2014 Edition
Old Forester’s annual release of Birthday Bourbon — a celebration of the birthday of George Garvin Brown, founder of Brown-Forman — may not have the level of breathless anticipation surrounding it that, say, the year’s Antique Collection or Parker’s Heritage whiskey does. But I’ll say one thing for it: It’s always a well-crafted, worthwhile spirit. This…
Review: Kennedy Irish Whiskey “Spirit Drink” Complete Lineup
Irish whiskey is all the rage right now — it’s the fastest growing spirit category there is — and there’s a mad rush going on in Ireland to build stills, increase production, and otherwise squeeze every dollar out of this market before everyone moves on to something else, probably rum. Kennedy is a new launch…
Review: Uisce Beatha Irish Whiskey
It’s a brave product marketer who chooses “Uisce Beatha” for his new whiskey’s official name. But Uisce Beatha is a name that’s steeped in history. The term is Gaelic for “water of life.” Uisce (pronounced ISH-kah) is of course where the word “whiskey” originated. Uisce Beatha — “Real Irish Whiskey” — is the latest launch…
Review: Wild Turkey American Honey Sting
Is the honey-flavored whiskey thing coming to an end? Now, Wild Turkey is releasing a limited edition flavored flavored whiskey: American Honey Sting, a crazy expression of the classic American Honey that is spiked with the infamous ghost pepper, the hottest chili pepper in the world. No relation to this guy. Honey-flavored whiskies have rapidly…
