Robert Lublin
The weather is turning warmer and that means it’s time to start pouring the rosé (although some of us enjoy it year-round). Perhaps the premier source of rosés in the world is Côtes de Provence in southern France. Today we are trying two rosés from Château Minuty in Provence, made by brothers François and Jean-Etienne…
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We recently tried three white wines from CK Mondavi, and today we dive deeper into their current offerings, reviewing two Chardonnays and two Cabernet Sauvignons. CK Mondavi consistently produces very affordable wines, and today we find out whether these four are bargain bottles worth seeking out. 2021 CK Mondavi Chardonnay – Golden straw colored, this…
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We have entered a new and exciting phase of ready-to-drink cocktails. Beyond making cocktails easy, convenient, and more transportable, producers are increasingly dedicating themselves to making quality products. Enter Barrelsmith, with the three cocktails we are trying today. Each is made with high quality ingredients and then aged in oak for an undisclosed amount of…
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Minke Irish Gin is made at the Clonakilty Distillery in county Cork, Ireland, and we’ve tried their whiskey before. This gin is made with botanicals that grow wild near the distillery, including one called rock samphire, but the full list of botanicals has not been made available. Most notably, the gin’s base spirit is whey…
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Over the last few years, a number of new mezcals have come to the USA in response to exploding interest in the smoky agave distillate. Gracias a Dios, Spanish for “Thank God,” is a joven (unaged) mezcal made by Oscar Hernández. It is made with 100% espadín agave grown in Matatlán, Oaxaca. It deserves note…
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Astral is a new 100% Blue Weber agave tequila from the lowland region of Jalisco, Mexico. Currently, only a blanco, unaged tequila is available. The distillery’s website explains how it is made, all very familiar stuff: Our production process is steeped in tradition and features a unique milling process using a tahona, a stone wheel…
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Producer Jim Beam has introduced a range of new Basil Hayden products in recent years, including creative approaches to bourbon and rye, and now it is offering something completely different by creating a bourbon with a distinctly smoky character. Unusually, it isn’t made with peat. They explain the unique process for creating a very subtle…
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It’s been twelve years since we last reviewed Banfi’s delightful dessert wine Rosa Regali Sparkling Red, and it deserves another visit, particularly since it is joined this year by a new Sparkling White. Both are lightly fizzy, sweet dessert wines and both show particularly low abv: 7%. Let’s see how the Sparkling Red compares to…
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We’ve reviewed Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskeys before, but their new Bottled-in-Bond represents their first offering that was distilled, aged, and bottled at their Baltimore home. This release is a 5-year-old single malt that was double copper pot still distilled and aged in #4 char virgin American Oak barrels. Let’s give it a…
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Suyo Pisco No. 1 is a new Peruvian pisco made entirely from Quebranta grapes drawn from the Mala Valley. Its claim of “single origin” isn’t absolutely clear since the grapes are purchased from a variety of vineyards, but they all seem to be drawn from this one district in Lima, Peru. The brand was introduced…
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