Featured Skurnik Unfiltered
David Hirsch and his daughter Jasmine, are very close friends to the Skurnik family. We’ve worked with them ever since they started bottling a small quantity of wine from their exquisite vineyard on the “true” Sonoma Coast in the mid-90s. However, we first became acquainted with what that vineyard was capable because we represented Williams-Selyem, … Read More
It was the evening of Friday, May 27th, 2016, and for the 5th straight day, rain was pouring down on the vineyards of Burgundy. After a devastating frost in April that dropped the potential volume of the vintage by at least 50%, the remaining vines were now drowning. Cyprien Arlaud, of Domaine Arlaud in Morey … Read More
We’re obsessed with mezcal these days. (It seems like an awful lot of people are.) In our growing passion for the category, we’ve developed a love just as deep for the raw ingredient of the spirit: the agave plant. And we’re not alone. Throughout the history of Mexico, particularly in Oaxaca, maguey has been critical … Read More
Chiara Boschis: rock star, rebel, feminist, pioneer, entrepreneur, iconoclast—these are just a few terms that come to mind when considering this prestigious Barolo producer. Chiara was born into wine; her ancestors founded the Giacomo Borgogno estate in Barolo in 1761 and her family stewarded that winery until its sale in 2008. She and her brothers … Read More
In a world where Jurassic limestone is no longer sufficient to distinguish the climats of Burgundy (Bajocian or Bathonian, please?); in a world where German aficionados speak in hushed reverence of cadasters and Prussian taxes; in a world where the cartography of Napa and Piemonte and who knows where else is carried out practically by … Read More
There are many confusing categories under the broad “spirits” umbrella: amari versus bitter, bourbon versus whisk(e)y, rum versus rhum… the list goes on. One category, however, particularly garners much debate: liqueur. The category is confusing, with good reason. There are several distinctly different types: crème liqueurs, cream liqueurs, amari (bitter after-dinner drinks) and aperitifs (pre-dinner … Read More
When most people first get into sake and are trying to make sense of grades and styles, a lot of drinkers land on the sturdy and well-structured kimoto styles. Older and more labor-intensive than the current standard for making fine sake, kimoto sake tends to have a bigger presence and impact, lovely creamy texture, and … Read More