Review: 2011 Uproot Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Last week we reviewed the initial releases from boutique winery Uproot, a pair of Sauvignon Blancs. Now the company is expanding with the de rigueur Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa-sourced and priced for collecting. Thoughts: It’s seductive, with red berry notes on the nose. Very light tannin, with some sweetness evident even before the first sip. On…
Tasting Report: Wines of Domaine Carneros, 2014
Visiting the grand chateau of Domaine Carneros in the region between Napa and Sonoma is always a treat, and a recent jaunt wine-ward brought us back to the spectacular views of Domaine’s north-facing patio. We sampled a variety of both sparkling and still wines. Brief thoughts on everything tasted — all of which is currently…
Review: NV Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour Brut Rose Napa Valley
Named for Madame de la Pompadour, Louis XV’s lover, this new brut rose from Domaine Carneros is 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay. This is a more powerful sparkler than I’m accustomed to from Domaine Carneros, offering a complex collection of aromas that range from yeasty notes to strawberry to smoked bacon to balsa wood.…
Review: 79 Caramel Spirit
79 is the atomic number for gold. It’s also the proof level for the spirit that bears the numerical name of 79. Perhaps, it’s also a veiled reference to its owner, rapper Rich Dollaz. The spirit begins by distilling a mash from Idaho wheat and then flavoring it with caramel and vanilla. Bearing a whole gaggle of…
Review: Diageo Orphan Barrel Project Rhetoric Bourbon 20 Years Old
For the third whiskey from its controversial Orphan Barrel Project, Diageo has chosen another odd name (though perhaps not as odd as Old Blowhard): Rhetoric. Rhetoric has a number of meanings, but the most notable is “language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or…
Review: Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon
Officially known only as “Four Roses Bourbon,” Yellow Label — called thusly for reasons you can surely fit together on your own — is the company’s entry level product. It’s also one of its most venerable. “Yellow Label” bottlings have been on the market since probably the 1930s and 1940s. (The distillery has seen massive…
Review: Piccini 2009 Brunello and 2008 Brunello Riserva
Two new Brunello releases from Piccini, a huge Tuscan producer that still manages to carve out time for these rarities, 100% sangiovese wines from the Montalcino region, aged at least 2 years in oak. Some thoughts follow. 2009 Piccini Villa al Cortile Brunello di Montalcino DOCG – A beautiful wine, showing a complex collection of…
Review: Ribera del Duero Wines from Garcia Figuero and Protos, 2014 Releases
Spanish wines are known for being released well-aged, with some Rioja reservas spending 8 to 10 years in barrel and bottle before hitting the market… and sometimes longer. But not all Spanish wines are aged for such a long time. In fact, the Ribera del Duero has two lesser-known classifications, in addition to the older crianza…