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An Intro to Shochu: Japan’s Terroir-Driven Spirit

An Intro to Shochu: Japan’s Terroir-Driven Spirit
Duck into just about any local izakaya pub in Japan, wind through a tight squeeze of boisterous diners, clusters of friends and coworkers reenergizing themselves after a long work day with skewers of grilled yakitori, potato croquettes and platters of...

Back to the Future of Soave (and Valpolicella)!

Back to the Future of Soave (and Valpolicella)!
What if we told you that we have a wine in stock that’s made entirely with grapes from organically-farmed 120+-year-old prephylloxera vines planted in volcanic soil, and that it’s widely considered one of Italy’s best wines year in and year...

American Winemaker Video Series: David and Jasmine Hirsch

American Winemaker Video Series: David and Jasmine Hirsch
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....

E. Pira – Chiara Boschis: Now A Family Affair!

E. Pira – Chiara Boschis: Now A Family Affair!
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

Spanish Single Vineyards: Ready to Mingle
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

The Bitter and the Sweet Side of Liqueurs: A Long-Lived Tipple
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...