Tasting the Wines of Fontanafredda, 2020 Releases
Fontanafredda is one of the most iconic producers of Barolo wine, its history dating back to 1858 (complete with a rather juicy story that involves the King of Italy, his underage mistress, and a gift of vineyard land). Fontanafredda has changed hands on multiple occasions, and as of 2009 it is again locally owned by…
Review: Pyramid Brewing Snow Cap Ale (2020)
We last reviewed Snow Cap back in 2007 (!), and it’s finally time for a fresh spin with this classic “winter warmer,” which has breweries in Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Quite malty and burly with notes of well-roasted chocolate malt, Snow Cap offers a chewy, almost chunky body with notes of well-done wheat toast and…
Review: Cathead Pecan Flavored Vodka
The folks at Cathead (nee Bottletree Beverage Company) don’t just make bourbon and gin, they also make vodka — both straight and flavored. Today we look at the company’s most unique flavored vodka expression: Pecan. Let’s give it a try. The nose is initially mild and lightly astringent with classic vodka notes, but it quickly…
Review: Portland Brewing Portland Lager
You know how some high-end restaurants will take something mundane, like a hot dog or a meatball, then deconstruct it and put it all back together again so that it approximates the original, only with ultra-luxe ingredients? Here’s the beer equivalent of that, a microbrew knockoff of classic American lagers (a la Budweiser). Portland (Oregon)…
Review: Highclere Castle Gin
Highclere Castle is a brand new gin line that hit the scene only a few months ago. Its striking purple bottle with an incredibly familiar castle etched into the front immediately begets curiosity. Where did this spirit come from? Here’s the official backstory: Home to the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, this exquisite country…
Review: Maraska Slivovitz 10 Years Old and Orahovac Green Walnut Liqueur
Maraska isn’t just the distiller of my favorite brand of Maraschino liqueur, it also makes a variety of other fruit brandies and nut liqueurs in its homeland of Croatia. Today we look at two of them, both traditional offerings but new entries into its catalog, a Slivovitz plum brandy and a green walnut liqueur. Let’s…
Review: Los Vecinos del Campo Mezcal Ensamble No 1 and Tobala
Los Vecinos Mezcal hit the scene last year with a killer expression made from espadin agave, produced by its independent co-op (of sorts) comprised of 10 mezcaleros. Now it’s back with two new mezcals, a blend called Ensamble and an expression made of 100% tobala mezcal. Let’s give them both a try. Los Vecinos del…
Review: NV Champagne Henriot Blancs de Blancs
Henriot’s flagship Champagne is 100% chardonnay, and it’s a fantastic expression of Blanc de Blancs, lightly nutty with a fresh punch of lemon, apple, and almond. Clean and refreshing, with a moderate to heavy level of fizz, it’s never heavy, with a lingering brioche character that hangs around forever. A- / $55 / champagne-henriot.com [BUY…
