I was surfing aimlessly through Facebook, just like any other day, when a particular image caught my eye... for, well, obvious reasons, once you see it below. It appeared to be called "porcaccia," which, although I was unfamiliar with the word (and Facebook was unable to translate correctly), must have,
Today's martini started with North Shore Distiller's Gin No. 6. It's a lovely gin, a bit off-dry, with juniper that gives way to Valencia orange and honeysuckle. We went through 9 different vermouths, and a few more combinations, before hitting on the preferred recipe to match this gin. North Shore
I went to Valpolicella to learn about the region's most expensive, highly regarded wine: Amarone. Made from dried grapes, this wine is hotter than ever and the Italian press now gathers annually to taste new Amarone releases. I tagged along, hoping to discover what I have been missing. Instead, I
The world seems to be shaking on its axis as it watches the new administration take a wrecking ball to the US. Not to mention forest fires destroying large tracts of the Chilean vineyard surface, and the rise of worrying post-Brexit extremism and racism all across Europe. And we narrowly missed
Monday. The toughest day of the week. So we're going to top them off for a while with martinis, Monday Martinis. What is a Monday Martini? First, of all, it's a martini. That means it is made with gin and vermouth. There won't be any stories about perfect moonbeams, or
The nose shows black currant and eucalyptus. Loads of complexity show on the palate, with black currant, mint, and eucalyptus joined by tobacco leaf and high-toned red fruit. Tannins are dusty and acids surprisingly bright. The finish falls off a bit quickly, but everything about this says buy some
The color is a lovely translucent pink. Sweet strawberry cream shows on the nose. The palate offers nice complexity, leading with off-dry strawberry and adding zippy lemon zest and sweeter berries on the mid-palate. Lemons lingers on the finish. Drink with smoked salmon and crème fraîche. Recommended. 88 points. DBH
This is a nice big, round mouthful of Washington Cabernet. Dark aromas of freshly turned earth and black cherries waft up from the glass. Dark black fruits lead on the palate, with black cherry and mulberry, with a bit of tar. Tannins are round and firm, balanced by good acidity.