Italian Value Wines — Deep Value Wines — for Thanksgiving from Bolla
Thanksgiving on a budget? Six wines from Bolla arrived for our consideration for a spot on your Thanksgiving table, including one infamous classic. Thoughts (and a special video) follow. NV Maschio Prosecco Brut – Surprisingly bland for Prosecco, very light fruit on the nose, and lesser fruit character on the body — predominantly sour apple,…
Blind Wine Tasting with Karl Wente, 2012 Releases
This was a fun little event — an honest to God blind tasting, courtesy of Karl Wente, of the Wente winemaking family, who wanted to see if we could suss out four of his wines… with minimal clues. The only thing he’d let on: That all four of these wines were blended to some degree,…
Review: Loca Linda Wines of Argentina, 2012 Releases
Loca Linda is a new brand of Argentine wines that come to us from semi-professional nomad/wine guru Brian Smith. The focus with these wines is on two unassuming bottles that each hold a full liter (“uno liter”) of wine — yet contain just 30 grams of additional glass vs. the typical 750ml bottle. The wines…
Review: Col. E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon
The Col. Taylor juggernaut continues rolling from Buffalo Trace. For this sixth expression, Taylor plays it comparably simple and unchallenging: a small batch bourbon, made from batching seven-year old barrels from the hallowed sixth floor of Buffalo Trace’s brick warehouse. Like the other Col. Taylor bottlings, it’s bottled in bond at 100 proof. Heavy and…
Review: Montelobos Mezcal Joven – Espadin
Crafted in Oaxaca from 100% agave espadin, this lightly overproof, unaged mezcal is a classic example of the spirit from head to toe. The nose of Montelobos is intensely smoky, with a barbecue-like sweetness underpinning the char. On the tongue, it follows through on this promise. A rush of fresh barbecue smoke, followed by intense…
Review: Emeril’s Wine Samplers from TastingRoom.com, 2012 Releases
Emeril Lagasse is now lending his name and palate to TastingRoom.com, which offers sets of six 1.7-ounce micro-bottles of mixed wines, selected by the chef. Two samplers, each mixed selections of mostly-California wines, are available. Thoughts on both of them follow. Emeril’s Everyday Sampler ($33) 2011 Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley – Musty,…
Review: South Sea Rum
Rum from Australia? Why not? It’s plenty hot and there’s even Aussie sugar. South Sea rum, lauched earlier this year, is made from first-press Queensland sugar cane which is twice-distilled, once in a pot still and once in a column. It’s finished in a mix of new and used American oak barrels for a minimum…
Review: PunZone Vodka, Lemoncino, and Originale Liqueur
PunZone (accent on the e) is a new Italian brand that produces vodka and a pair of spirits, all organically. The vodka is actually the newest part of the equation. The liqueurs are old family recipes — blends of vodka, sangria, and fruit essences. We tasted all three spirits. Thoughts follow. PunZone Organic Vodka –…
