Robert Lublin
Cenote tequila is a bit of a mystery. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “cenote” is a “deep sinkhole in limestone with a pool at the bottom that is found especially in Yucatán.” The Cenote brand, according to their website, uses the name to invoke “the beauty of the Yucatán Peninsula and the spectacular underground…
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This Italian sparkling wine made with 100% durrella grapes is crafted in the “metodo classico,” which is the Italian term for Méthode Champenoise, in which secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle. It spent 36 months on the lees and has zero dosage, which means it has no residual sugar. Quite distinctive, let’s pour a…
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We recently tried Espanita’s core lineup of tequilas, which are made with 100% blue agave from the Jalisco Highlands. Today we are trying their limited release Reposado Double Barrel, which was rested in American oak before being finished in a second set of fresh, first-fill ex-bourbon barrels for up to four extra months. Let’s give…
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Desolas Mezcal is made from 100% Salmiana agave, sometimes called the “green giant” for its larger size, and which sometimes needs as much as 25 years to reach its prime. In addition to using a particular agave, Desolas is also distinctive among mezcals for its minimal smokiness, which results from the use of above ground…
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Over the last year or so, we have reviewed several primitivos from the Puglia region of Italy, and today we try one more, this one made with grapes drawn exclusively from Lizzano, in the Tarantine Ionian arch. The bottle is attractive, showcasing art by Dino Sambiasi. Let’s dive right in. This is a bold wine…
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Celaya Tequila is the brainchild of brothers and former NFL Pro Bowlers Matt and Ryan Kalil who tell of their great great grandfather Jose Celaya who, the story goes, was famous in the 1800s for the tequila he distilled in Sonora, Mexico. Since the old recipe no longer exists and the Kalil siblings are not…
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Made with 100% glera grapes from the Prosecco region of northern Italy, this sparkling wine is technically a Prosecco, but whereas most Proseccos get their bubbles by undergoing secondary fermentation in a steel vat before being bottled (the Charmat method), this wine never undergoes secondary fermentation at all. Instead, it is bottled while primary fermentation…
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Made by Master Distiller Stella Anguiano and fronted by pop star Rita Ora, Próspero Tequila first became available in 2019. Female distillers, particularly of tequila, are rare, but Stella Anguiano has paid her dues. She has been making tequila for over 30 years, including working at the Orendain family distillery for 20 years. Próspero tequila…
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Etude Winery, based in Napa, built its reputation producing a range of fine Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Sauvignons, but they recently branched out to produce their first sparkling wine. Made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes drawn exclusively from the Grace Benoist Ranch vineyards in Carneros, this sparkler pours pale straw in color. The nose…
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The original Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey is best known for the New Mexico-based distiller’s use of mesquite to dry the barley, which imparts a bold, distinctively American smokiness to the final product. Today we are trying something quite different from Colkegan, an unsmoked American single malt. As with the earlier release, this whiskey was also…
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