Top Rated

The “Top Rated” category contains our favorite products, all reviewed with an A or A+ rating. If you’re looking for the best of the best, this is the place to be. You can filter your search to find only the top rated reviews in certain product categories by using our Advanced Search feature.

Review: Chivas Regal 25 Years Old

By Christopher Null | October 27, 2007 |

Chivas Regal is one of the old reliable names of blended scotches. You probably cringe when you see, oh, Cutty Sark on the bar at a private event, right? But Chivas, yeah, that’s a name you can can behind for a shot or two. This month, Chivas Brothers rolls out an ultra-high-end 25-year-old blend, inspired…

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Review: Kilo Kai Spiced Rum

By Christopher Null | October 26, 2007 |

When it comes to spiced rum, most people (including myself) pretty much know one brand: Good old Captain Morgan. Nothing wrong with that. The Cap’n takes boring old Bacardi and infuses it with a vague taste of the tropics and the nostalgia of, er, spice traders, pirates, and saucy wenches. The problem is that Captain…

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Review: 2004 Robert Rue Vineyard Zinfandel Wood Road Reserve

By Christopher Null | October 8, 2007 |

I have never been a huge fan of the in-yo-face jamminess of Zinfandel, but once in a while, a really lush Zin, one that balances that fruitiness with spice (or something else) really catches me by the palate. Robert Rue is a small producer that won tons of raves for its 2004 Wood Road bottling.…

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Review: 2005 Willowbrook Pinot Noir Kastania Vineyard

By Christopher Null | September 25, 2007 |

Willowbrook is a relatively new producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, and if this bottling is any judge, it’s certainly one to watch. Right out of the gate this Pinot comes on strong. If you’re looking for a lighter, Beaujolais-style Pinot, you’ve come to the wrong place. This Kastania Vineyard (in the southern part…

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Review: Pacifico Clara

By Christopher Null | September 10, 2007 |

Why would anyone drink a Corona when Pacifico is readily available? The reason you put a lime in Corona (and I’m not above drinking one in a pinch) is to mask the faint taste of muskiness. The reason you put a lime in Pacifico is to improve on what’s already just about perfect. Now I’m…

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Review: 2005 Caymus Conundrum

By Christopher Null | September 9, 2007 |

It’s been years since I’ve tried Caymus’s flagship white wine, Conundrum. But when I encountered on the short wine list at San Francisco’s Ducca ($50, about double retail), I thought it might be perfect to go with our northern Italian meal. It was an excellent decision indeed. My last encounters with Conundrum were the 1995…

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