Review: 2013 Bodegas Terras Gauda Abadia de San Campio and O Rosal
Today we look at two white wines (both Albarino-based) from Spain’s Terras Gauda winery, based in the Rias Baixas region. You may have to look closely for the parent name, but both are bottled under the Bodegas Terras Gauda umbrella. Here’s a look at two very good — and quite different — white wines. 2013…
Review: McAfee’s Benchmark Peach Liqueur
This has been sitting on the shelf of a local store for a bit and at a price of $13, I thought it was worth dropping the coin to give it a spin. Benchmark Peach is marketed as an offshoot of the venerable Benchmark whiskey brand, but it’s not a flavored whiskey: It’s a liqueur.…
Review: 2012 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon California
How good can an “everyday” Cabernet Sauvignon that costs 12 bucks possibly be? Not bad at all, actually. Avalon, courtesy of Purple Wine Co., is a very straightforward wine, but it avoids the problems of being overly sweetened and overly alcoholic (at 13.8% abv). Instead what we get is a slightly peppery, slightly chocolatey wine…
Review: Deschutes Brewery Twilight Summer Ale (2014)
We last encountered Deschutes’ summer seasonal way back in 2010. Time for an update! This warm-weather sipper toes the line between malty and hoppy, using Amarillo hops to bolster what might otherwise become a bit muddy on the palate. Up front the American Blonde-style ale offers some light notes of roasted apples and hazelnut, eventually…
Review: Tomatin 12, 14, 15, and 18 Years Old, and 1988 Vintage
Highlands-based Tomatin offers a classic experience of Scotland in a glass — even though it is actually owned by Japan’s Takara Shuzo company. Tomatin is shaking up the brand of late, introducing a new 14 Year Old expression and a 1988 Vintage expression to the core line (while the latter lasts, I presume), while discontinuing both the…
Review: Our/Berlin Vodka
What happens when one of the biggest vodka producers in the world decides to go hyperlocal? Our/Vodka, that’s what. Absolut’s audacious Our/Vodka project, 3 1/2 years in the making, began rolling out earlier this year: The idea, to produce a number of “glocal” renditions of the iconic spirit. It works like this. Absolut selects a city, where…
Review: New England Distilling Gunpowder Rye
Based in Portland, Maine, craft distillery New England Distilling is likely the easternmost distilling operation in the United States (correct me if I’m wrong). It’s a producer of several spirits, including this increasingly popular and available rye. We’ve got more NED reviews in the works, but meanwhile take a gander at Gunpowder, reportedly “inspired by” a…
Review: 2012 Pacific Rim Riesling and Vin de Glaciere
Based in Washington’s Columbia Valley, Pacific Rim is obsessively focused on Riesling. In fact, that’s all they make, in nearly a dozen varieties. Today we look at two of the winery’s single vineyard bottlings, both made from organic grapes. 2012 Pacific Rim Riesling Organic – Not your typical, high-acid, new world Riesling! Initially quite sweet, this honeyed…
