Beer Releases - Palate Press

1 min read

Lonerider Spirits is a new company from the same people who created Lonerider Brewing, inRaleigh, North Carolina. The Sherry Finish Cask Bourbon is their first release. They didn’t distill the spirit - it comes from Indiana (likely MGP, given the mash bill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% barley). It clocks

Character without Attitude: 2016 Matchbook Estate-Bottled Petite Sirah

Becky Sue Epstein

Wine Reviews

1 min read

So this French Canadian family moves from Quebec to California’s Central Valley over 150 years ago, in search of better land to farm. Fast forward to the 1970s when two brothers (descendants) come home from college and start a new family farm. They began growing wine grapes there in 1981,

Book Review: Ritz & Escoffier – The Hotelier, The Chef & The Rise of the Leisure Class

Gary Thomas

Features

4 min read

The word “ritzy” has come to mean “high living,” and it came into the language from the name of the man who made his life mission to market luxury. In doing so, Swiss-born hotelier César Ritz achieved immortality in the late 19th century. He accomplished his goal of luxurious hospitality

NV Piper Sonoma Select Cuvée Brut

Becky Sue Epstein

Wine Reviews

1 min read

While it’s always best to drink non-vintage sparkling wines within a year or two of release, I have a feeling this bottle was lost on a store shelf somewhere before I bought it – but it turned out to be wonderful. While recognizably slightly more aged than I expected, the

Somm + Chef + Sweet Wine = More Fun. And A Cocktail

Becky Sue Epstein

Features

2 min read

On my way to this past fall's StarChefs Congress in New York, I walked from the subway with a chef who'd flown in from Cozumel; he excitedly told me about a great Sauternes presentation he'd seen at StarChefs the day before. Not what I was expecting, but that set the

What We’re Drinking – Cobrafire Blance d’Armagnac

David Honig

Wine Reviews

1 min read

A white, unaged Armagnac from PM Spirits and Domaine d'Esperance, the fruit simply explodes on the palate. The nose is all grape and raisin, without a hint that it's over 102 proof. Grapes and raisins fill the palate, fruity and sweet, with white pepper and the lightest touch of cardamom.

What We’re Drinking – Domaine d’Esperance 2000 Bas-Armagnac

David Honig

Wine Reviews

1 min read

This is a single vintage, single varietal Armagnac, aged 13 years. It has a beautiful caramel color. The nose offer honey, poached pear, and white florals, like distant magnolia. The palate is complex, with a whole cabinet of spices including cinnamon, clove, cardamom and pepper, a touch of honey, pears,

What We’re Drinking – Mic.Drop.2 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

David Honig

Wine Reviews

1 min read

Mic.Drop.2 is the second bourbon from Nicolas Palazzi, who I described as a magician after the first edition. The second round is a 13-year old single barrel that yielded a paltry 140 bottles, and every one of them is gone. But read on, and see what we missed (I got

Wine

Red Sparkling Wine—and Yes, it’s a Thing. From Italy. Starting with Lambrusco

Wines of…Did You Say Calabria? Food-Friendly and Planet-Friendly Librandi Wines from Southern Italy

Why You Should Know More About California’s Wente Vineyards

Random

2009 Patrice Colin Vieilles Vignes

Spirits

Palio Wins San Francisco Dining after 35 Years

Wohlfert Distilling Craft Spirits Ride on Prohibition Heritage

Why Low-Alcoholic Wine May Be Increasing & An Adult Beverage Option; Even No-Alc can be Tasty

Random

Getting to grips with grappa

Travel

Why You Should Know More About California’s Wente Vineyards

Sampling Wine and History at a Medieval Estate in Tuscany: Castello di Meleto

SOUL OF A LION

Random

Portland Wine and Spirits Abound

Hospitality

SOUL OF A LION

Palio Wins San Francisco Dining after 35 Years

Classic Chinese Fine Dining at Z&Y Peking Duck

Random

The Bounty of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood

Lone rider Sherry Cask Finish Bourbon

Character without Attitude: 2016 Matchbook Estate-Bottled Petite Sirah

Book Review: Ritz & Escoffier – The Hotelier, The Chef & The Rise of the Leisure Class

NV Piper Sonoma Select Cuvée Brut

Somm + Chef + Sweet Wine = More Fun. And A Cocktail

What We’re Drinking – Cobrafire Blance d’Armagnac

What We’re Drinking – Domaine d’Esperance 2000 Bas-Armagnac

What We’re Drinking – Mic.Drop.2 Straight Bourbon Whiskey