Cachaça (call it ka-SHA-saa), like rhum agricole, is a mystery to most Americans. Sure, most of us have enjoyed a caipirinha at some point, but aside from that classic warm-weather cocktail we don’t see it around much. The time has come, then, for an introduction to this quintessential Brazilian spirit. …
Corn whiskey is one of the great spirits of North America. But for a long time it was more or less exclusively associated with moonshine and not really available to the vast majority of modern-day consumers. That has all changed recently and the category is currently exploding. Stillhouse is a …
Brice Jones produces some of the most remarkable Pinot Noir in America right now. But his Emeritus wines aren’t the entirety of the story. Indeed, Jones has been at the center of so much of California’s wine evolution. Brian Freedman spoke with him on the phone and it quickly became …
The mountain-sized rugby masters from RC Toulonnais would not take no for an answer, but I wasn’t about to give in, despite the fact that they were approximately twice my size and, well, professional rugby players. It was well after midnight, I had a wakeup call in a little more …
Brut NV Champagne can and often does sell for a lot of money—Krug Grande Cuvee, for example, commands approximately $150 in most markets, and typically more than double that on the wine lists of restaurants smart enough to offer it. The solera system employed in Sherry production is built on …
Shimmering, inky purple-black in color, with aromas of melted black licorice, dark cherry liqueur, kirsch, blackberry liqueur, balsamic reduction, a hint of meat, spice, and maduro cigar. This is rich, deep and dense. On the palate, it’s silky and sweetly fruited, with nice acid balancing out flavors of blackberry, blueberry, …
In just a few short years, Japanese whisky has gone from niche product to major player in the American spirits market. And these days, it seems poised not just for increased market share, but also for wider acceptance and admiration: Bottlings from Japan are finding their way into bar programs …
The Alchemist Heady Topper Double IPA 98 points. It’s not often that you are instructed to drink beer from a can—I mean this literally: this can is adorned with a request to not pour the nectar into a glass if possible, and to simply enjoy it from the metal vessel itself. …
Boulevard Brewing Co. Smokestack Series Saison-Brett 2014 96 points. Ambrosial and earthy: mushroom aromas dance with lemon, crab apple, and hard apricot. On the palate, this is crisp and perfectly tart, with a finish that speaks again of mushrooms, damp forest, a bit of barnyard, and a lovely sense of yeastiness, …
93 Points. A sweet-souled and instantly appealing aromatic profile that makes your mouth water with whiffs of sweet-spicy tobacco, cherry and cherry skin, chocolate, and licorice. These aromas turn to a palate that’s fine-grained yet still grippy, with ripe sweet fruit, espresso grounds, cocoa powder, plum and dark cherry, and …
I’ve often told friends, clients, and professional associates that one day, if I’m lucky, and if I work really hard, I just may scratch the surface of Italian-wine expertise. I say this because there is just so much to learn about the wines of Italy that I’m not sure many …
Nothing rings in the new year with quite as much flair as Champagne. From classic Brut NV to more age-worthy vintage bottlings, Champagne offers enough range and food-pairability to work with whatever your New Years Eve menu is going to be…even if there’s no food at all. Here are five …