Beverage of the Week (BOW) – Archives

Tongue Dancer Wines is a fantastic, tiny wine brand created by James and Kerry MacPhail. If you are a California Pinot Noir lover you likely know James' previous work with MacPhail Family Wines. In over two decades of work MacPhail built a well-deserved reputation as a Pinot Noir guru. Last year we...
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There are a number of ginger liqueurs in the current market and many of them are quite good. For me there is a place for Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur as it offers the purest ginger flavors among the brands that I rate highly. Further its peppery (gingery) intensity stands up to most every Whisk...
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The Rutte Celery Gin is delightfully unusual with a pronounced celery note. The botanicals used are: juniper, celery, coriander, angelica root, sweet orange peel, and cardamon. Rutte has used celery in their spirits from the very beginning. It's wonderfully aromatic and the celery adds a clever litt...
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This Signature Release, single-barrel Rum is the second in Don Q's series of single-barrel releases. Like the 2005 single-barrel, the 2007 is very limited so get your bottle(s) while you can. I first tasted this Rum from the cask roughly 10 months ago and I was blown away — I still am. This is one...
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So, what the hell is Singani? I'm glad you asked. Singani is a unique Brandy produced in the mountains of Bolivia. It is considered to be the national drink of Bolivia. It is made exclusively with the Muscat of Alexandria grapes that have been grown at an elevation of 5,250 feet or higher. The high...
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Relax, you have found your value Pinot Noir. Nia Pinot Noir has the versatility to work as a cocktail hour wine, as well as pair with a range of dishes at the table. The grapes are primarily sourced from California's Mendocino County. It is made with 100% Pinot Noir and the slightly deeper color is...
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Again, like the last vintage of MT Reserve is a blend of Tannat and Malbec (60% and 40% respectively). However this wine is a co-ferment, not a blend, as the grapes went through fermentation together. This might seem like a distinction without a difference but it is a big difference and I can't help...
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Run Riot is a wine brand with a point of view. They aim to make wines that are big and bold, eschewing all notions of subtlety and simply packing as much flavor and texture possible into a single bottle of wine. These wines will either thrill you or you may find that they are not your cup of tea. Th...
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Saint-Vivant is a great, old-school brand that has grown into one of the most recognized Armagnac brands in the world. While often in the shadow of its famous French Brandy sibling Cognac, Armagnac is actually is the eldest French Brandy with deep traditions. Armagnac is typically more bold than Cog...
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Gautier is a great old Cognac house with a history spanning 10 generations. Gautier's cellars are located in a former mill along the River Osme. This location benefits from a natural humidity that aids in the maturation of these great Cognacs in the casks. Gautier says that the "Gold" in the moniker...
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This very stylish Syrah is made with 100% Syrah. The grapes are sourced from the Full Quiver Vineyard in Oregon's Applegate Valley. These vines represent one of the oldest plantings from a Tablas Creek Syrah selection in Oregon. After harvest the grapes are trodden by foot to gently extract all of t...
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Arranta is Scottish for bold or daring. It is bolder than the classic Speyburn 10 and its 46% abv at bottling reinforces the pleasingly assertive style. The Whisky is aged solely in first fill ex-Bourbon casks that are hand-selected by the distillery manager. The Speyburn Arranta is sold exclusively...
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Gautier is a great old Cognac house with a history spanning 10 generations. Gautier's cellars are located in a former mill along the River Osme. This location benefits from a natural humidity that aids in the maturation of these great Cognacs in the casks. The Gautier VS offers much more than the ty...
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Can a wine exhibit vibrancy and a silky texture all at once? The answer is yes and we found it with the Troon GSM. This delicious wine is made with a blend of Mourvédre 50.6%, Syrah 45.2%, and Grenache 4.2%. The varietals were fermented and barrel aged separately and then brought together in this b...
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Chateau Lassègue's vigneron (winemaker and viticulturist) and co-owner Pierre Seillan has created another masterpiece and it may be my favorite Lassègue to date. There is just so much to love with this wine in this vintage as it demonstrates classic Bordeaux structure with fruit that is seductive...
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