August 16, 2018
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.... UNFILTERED
Arlaud’s 2016 Vintage: A Triumph in Times of Trouble
August 14, 2018
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... RESPECT TO THE MAESTROS: Agave, Community and Socioeconomics in Mezcal
August 9, 2018
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... E. Pira – Chiara Boschis: Now A Family Affair!
August 7, 2018
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... Spanish Single Vineyards: Ready to Mingle
August 3, 2018
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... The Bitter and the Sweet Side of Liqueurs: A Long-Lived Tipple
July 31, 2018
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... Millennia of Innovation: How Nara Has Been Revolutionizing Sake Since 700 AD
July 19, 2018
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... “An Emotional Footprint”: Sara Pérez, René Barbier and Venus La Universal
July 12, 2018
As the children of two of the pioneers of the Priorat D.O., Sara Pérez and René Barbier IV grew up as neighbors, looking on as their fathers, Josep Lluis Pérez of Mas Martinet and René Barbier III of Clos Mogador,... I’m Not A Player – I Just Slush A Lot
July 10, 2018
Last summer, in our post “Boozy Popsicles and Blended Drinks”, we explored options for beating the heat with a variety of ice-cold cocktails. Now, as the season’s inaugural beads of sweat form on our brows, we thought it appropriate to... Save Some Booze for the Sauce
June 26, 2018
For better or worse (mostly better), fermentation and the consumption of potable alcohol is one of the human race’s defining characteristics. Since its discovery, alcohol has been used in, and enjoyed alongside, food for its organoleptic and intoxicating properties. Throughout...