Review: Tanteo Flavored Tequilas (2009)
Thanks to new Mexican legislation, flavored tequilas continue to arrive, and Tanteo has two of the most intriguing concoctions we’ve seen yet (plus one already-familiar infusion). All 100% agave, these three tequilas add natural flavors to an 80 proof base, with curious results. All appear to use unaged blanco tequila as the starting point: Though…
Recipe: The P.B.L.T.
This is an insane amount of work for a drink (and it’s barely a drink), but I absolutely love the presentation. This recipe for a reinvented (and alcoholic) BLT sandwich comes from Gina Chersevani. P.B.L.T. 1 oz Plymouth gin 1 cube of lettuce water 1 cube of tomato water Spray vinegar on one side of…
Review: LiV Vodka
Who knew they grew potatoes on Long Island? Who knew they made vodka out of them? Crazy, yet here we are, with LiV Vodka — aka Long Island Vodka, 80 proof, all potato-based, and bottled in French glass. The flavor is unique. While it lacks a discernible nose, it’s got a huge rush of flavor…
Tasting Report: Napa/Sonoma Wineries, 2009
Finally getting organized following four long (yet too short) days in Napa and Sonoma, with wine galore to talk about. We didn’t make it to as many wineries as we normally would have — an inner ear infection and two typically angsty children kept our winery-touring plans less ambitious than we might otherwise have undertaken,…
Review: Oro de Oaxaca Mezcal
Nothing about Oro de Oaxaca Mezcal screams “premium.” It’s got a cheap bottle (with plastic cap), primary-color logo, and mystery bag of “chile” attached to the neck (more on that in a moment)… and of course it’s also got a worm sunken to the bottom of the bottle. Ignore all that and tuck into a…
Review: 2005 Dievole Chianti Classico Riserva Novecento
Quite a surprise from this Chianti Classico, super-priced at 50 bucks a bottle but rather staid in the glass. Dievole imbues this Tuscan wine with a dusty, chalky texture, and it’s extremely young on the palate. Decanting helps, bringing out flavors of roasted meat, red peppers, fig, and tobacco — but the finish is too…
Review: Casa Noble Tequila, Complete Lineup (2009)
If nothing else, Casa Noble wins a prize for its gorgeous bottle design. Good thing for us: The company’s tequila — 100% blue agave, triple distilled to 80 proof, and (save the blanco) aged in French oak barrels. All are worth your consideration — all equally good in their own ways. Casa Noble Crystal (Blanco)…
Review: 2006 Bonny Doon Cardinal Zin
Straight outta Livermore, the quirky wine nuts at Bonny Doon have turned their eyes to zinfandel, with this “Cardinal Zin” (get it? GET IT!?) now hitting the market. Grapes are sourced from “Beastly Old Vines” in the Oakley area (the far outer suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area; the wine bears only a “California”…
