Review: Wines of Primus, 2020 Releases
Here’s a look at a trio of new releases (all bottled in late 2020) from Chile-based Veramonte’s Primus label, which is almost always a solid way to get an above-average wine at an affordable price. 2017 Primus The Blend Apalta – A busy blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, carménère, petit verdot, and cabernet franc. The…
Review: George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey Single Barrel 15 Years Old
George Dickel is clearly sitting on sizable stocks of well-aged whiskey. The release of their Bottled in Bond in 2019 (first a 13 year and recently a more modest 11 year) and the ever-growing list of brands relying on older, sourced Tennessee whiskey have suggested as much, but now we have this, a new single…
Review: Castle & Key London Dry Gin (Autumn 2020 Recipe)
Alas, here’s another seasonal product that slipped through the cracks, but we’re finally getting to it. The good news is this limited edition gin from Castle & Key should still be available for purchase should our tasting notes move you to make a buy. Here’s the backstory: In 2019, Castle & Key launched the first…
Review: Kooper Family The Prodigal Son Bourbon
Dripping Springs, Texas-based Kooper Family has been slowly ramping up its product line since we first encountered them 5 years ago. Our latest find is this bourbon, a 4 year old sourced from Kentucky (though no mashbill info is available). Like most/all of Kooper’s releases, the whiskey was largely aged in central Texas and it…
Review: 2018 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches
We recently reviewed this wine as part of a Sonoma-Cutrer cheese pairing, but here we go again with fresh eyes (and a seemingly lower price tag). This Russian River chardonnay arrives with a seeming intent to fulfill all expectations of the Sonoma-born wine: a nose that melds lemon curd and pear elements, leading the way…
Review: El Sativo Single Estate Tequila Blanco
El Sativo is an organic, “single estate” Lowlands tequila that claims to “set itself apart by utilizing a special distillation method that naturally highlights the agave plant’s precious resources known to have mood lifting and energy boosting attributes.” OK. Every bottle sold gives back to ocean conservancy charities. It’s available only as a blanco, and…
Recipe: Dry County Cocktail
You may have missed the news last fall that Jack Daniel’s (specifically the Old No. 7 expression) was named the #1 selling whiskey in the world. Not just American whiskey. All whiskey. Period. So, way-to-go America! Of course, the great US of A is not without its quirks, one of which is that Jack can’t…
Review: Cameron Hughes 2018 Lot 704 Pinot Noir and NV Lot 738 Prosecco
A pair of new wines from the always-innovating negociants at Cameron Hughes. 2018 Cameron Hughes Lot 704 Pinot Noir Carneros Napa Valley – A bit closed off, this wine doesn’t immediately connote Carneros, with a palate that runs to roasted meats and black fruits over the brighter red fruits more typical of this region. Some…
