Tasting Report: 2017 Vintage Port
Vintage Port is on a roll. 2016 marked the first declaration for Vintage Port in five years, and now 2017 has been declared as well, the first back to back declaration for most Port producers in, well, forever. For Symington, which produces Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, and Cockburn’s (among other brands), it’s the first back to…
Review: 2017 Reata Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
This Sonoma Coast chardonnay is a big, meaty wine that’s almost funky at times, offering a palate that features notes that bounce around among crushed graham crackers, honeysuckle flowers, and bacon. Notes of red apples and a squeeze of lemon provide the backbone of the wine, but ultimately a rather intense vanilla character all but…
Review: Roku Japanese Gin
Suntory gets into the gin world with the launch of Roku Japanese Gin, a spirit designed to “embody Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii’s philosophy of monozukuri craftsmanship: a relentless pursuit of perfection, meticulous attention to detail and commitment to quality.” Some details: Roku, which translates as “six” in Japanese, is made with six traditional Japanese botanicals that…
Review: 2017 Lula Cellars Pinot Noir Peterson Vineyard
Anderson Valley-based Lula Cellars is out with its latest pinot noir, sourced from Mendocino’s Peterson Vineyard. For those clone-obsessed, it’s made from a blend of Pommard and Dijon clones 667, 777, and 115, aged in French oak. It’s another dazzler from Lula, showcasing bright, acidic, and fresh cherry fruit, with overtones of nutmeg and licorice candy.…
Review: Compass Box Stranger & Stranger and Flaming Heart 2018
The blending wizards at Compass Box have recently turned out two new products, both wide-ranging blends with not insignificant price tags. Let’s dig in. Compass Box Stranger & Stranger – An especially kooky blend from Glaser and Co., the most bizarro component of this spirit is the use of a small amount of one-year-old grain…
Review: 2017 Cameron Hughes Lot 672 Chardonnay Rogue Valley
Hey, remember Cameron Hughes? This wine negociant made a huge splash in the early years of the century, releasing sourced wines denoted only by bin number, made possible by the huge glut of higher-end wine available in the U.S. And then things went south, because all that excess wine essentially dried up. By 2015, Cameron Hughes…
Review: Bruichladdich Black Art 6.1 and Octomore 9.1 and 9.3
Today we look at a trio of recent offerings from the top of Bruichladdich’s line — the latest release of Black Art and two expressions from the Octomore 9.x series. Details on what’s in each bottle can be found along with the reviews below. Let’s dig in. Bruichladdich Black Art 6.1 26 Years Old –…
Review: 2018 Mud House Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
Mud House’s sauvignon blanc is always a classic expression of the New Zealand style, and this 2018 is no exception. Overloaded with tropical fruit, there’s still ample acidity to cut through the sweetness, which helps some lightly grassy, sometimes almost cinnamony, notes to emerge as the wine lingers on the palate. Fresh and invigorating, it’s…
