I had a meeting at one of my favorite Chicago wine bars recently – BIN36 – and I wanted something “outside the box” – not my usual reds or whites or sparklings or rosés. I said “bring me something weird”! Enoch Shully, BIN36’s beverage guru, did not disappoint. He brought me something from his native…
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From the old farm-house (La Vieille Ferme) to your table comes this rose-colored, almost neon pink dry rosé from Jean Pierre and François Perrin (of the “5 generations of winemaking” Famille Perrin) – the La Vieille Ferme Rosé 2013. The nose is farm stand raspberries. Expecting a sweet sip? Nope – dry! Opening up with…
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Yes, another celebrity wine! Everyone from Lady Gaga and Fergie to Drew Barrymore and AC/DC has their own wine these days. Most wine drinkers are a little skeptical of wines that are produced with a celebrity’s name attached to them. And rightfully so when the association is just that – name only. Now it’s Brad…
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You may remember our review of their Signature bourbon? As with that particular expression, this bourbon is also a San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal winner. That means over 30 of the finest palates and spirits experts from all over the globe tasted over 1,400 spirits from 63 countries and gave Old Forester…
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A nice example of an Oregon Pinot Noir, this baby from A To Z Wineworks is a bright brick color in your glass, cherry covered raspberry pie on a sniff and tart cherry on first sip. The tartness mellows to a complex symphony of everything berries: strawberry, raspberry and blackberry – that really stick with…
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The 2011 Block Nine Pinot Noir is a great value for a Pinot Noir under $20. Depending on your locale you might be able to secure it for close to $10. By introduction, Caiden’s Vineyard’s Block Nine is a small production Napa Valley winery that produces only Pinot Noir. It is a niche they have handsomely mastered. The…
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How you set for honey whiskeys / whiskies? Gone through most of them yet? Just about EVERY distiller everywhere has one now, but do yourself a favor and check this one out. This is the familiar John Daniel’s black label Old No. 7 Tennessee whiskey blended with their own unique liqueur infused with 100% Tennessee honey. As…
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The 2012 BioKult Grüner Veltliner, this awesome, certified organic 100% Grüner from Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) is a rather rare example of Austria’s most widely planted grape in that it can be aged for up to three years despite it being 100% organic. It’s a beautiful golden green in your glass and smells like a lime and…
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The 2010 Francois Pinon “Les Trois Argiles” Vouvray is a freaky good 100% Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley’s François Pinon, who sourced the grapes from three different clay-soiled areas of his vineyards. A sniff of the 2010 Les Trois Argiles (French for “the three clays”) gives up sweet spice and bushels of juicy citrus and pear….
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On a recent after work stop-off at BIN36, one of my fave Chicago wine bars nestled in the shadows of Marina City and the House Of Blues, I discovered my go to white wine “flight” (here, a quartet of wine samples) – the “Voluptuous” flight – had indeed flown. I needed a replacement, and fast! I…
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If you’re into whiskey, you probably already know that the bit of liquid that evaporates from the barrel while it was aged is known as the “angel’s share”. Cute, huh? Well here, Jim Beam goes a step further and makes this bourbon by extracting the liquid that was trapped in the wood after it was…
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Named for the Apotheca – where then-pharmacists known as apothecaries not only dispensed tobacco and medicine but also blended and stored wine, Apothic is one of the butt-load of labels owned by the largest family-owned wine company in the world E & J Gallo. This puts the virtual winery Apothic (owning no vineyards or wineries)…
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If you’re new to whiskey, this is a great way to get your feet (and whistle) wet. Just like you can’t really start enjoying wine by jumping right into the big chewy bold spicy reds without developing your palate for a while, likewise don’t think you hate whiskey because you once dove right into the…
Read MoreWhen it comes to bubbly, I love a nice Prosecco. It’s Italy’s answer to Champagne. The difference? Well, both are sparkling wines from Europe that lean towards being drier than sweeter. Both have to be produced in very specific places and using very specific methods. Champagne is sparkling wine made primarily from only three grapes…
Read More2011 was a great vintage for Sauvignon Blanc in California, and Joel “Gott” some of the best. Gott’s winemaker Alisa Jacobson (Korbel, Phelps) blends grapes from Monterey – rich, tropical floral fruit – with Lake County‘s citrus-note fruit and Russian River Valley’s mineral-note fruit, and ferments and ages it unadulterated in 100% stainless. She even…
Read MorePurīste Premium Vodka, created with the purest water and highest quality wheat from high in the Austrian Alps, was the brainchild of two guys that had great palates – Leo Hillinger and the late Alois “Luis” Kracher Jr., two of Austria‘s most successful winemakers. In the age where premium vodkas are being farted out left…
Read MoreThe Jean Marc Lafage côté EST Catalan 2011 is a very nice vin de pays (French country wine) white blend that’s very light yellow in your glass. It has a nose that reminds you of of those sugary orange slices you’d get with your grandma at the candy store! So you prepare yourself to take…
Read MoreThe Epica Sauvignon Blanc 2011 is an immensely refreshing Sauv Blanc from Chile’s Valle Central (Central Valley) from Viña San Pedro, one of Chile’s most prolific suppliers. These guys won the award in 2011 for Wine Enthusiast’s Best New World Winery. Rightfully so – they make some freakishly good wines over there that you’ve probably…
Read MoreFor theFour Roses Small Batch Bourbon, Master Distiller Jim Rutledge mingles four different bourbon recipes to bring you one helluva balanced bourbon that’s great for drinking “neat”, with a splash or as an integral part of your holiday egg nog! The four recipes follow as I thought it was very interesting to include the way…
Read MoreIt’s fun, it’s tasty & coming to Chicago this weekend! Bon Appétit presents Chicago Gourmet is all about food & wine with tons of Chicago’s finest restaurants, chefs, renowned vintners, spirit makers & premium breweries from all over the globe. Go check out live cooking demonstrations, expert seminars, gourmet tastings, and book signings by internationally…
Read MoreWe loved Airfield Estates’ The Bombshell Red – she was truly luscious. And their winery sounds like a blast to visit – it used to be a WWII airfield, and they built the winery to resemble the hangars that used to be there – complete with faux hangar doors and an airfield tower which houses…
Read MoreToast of the Town Chicago is not just a wine tasting! It’s an unforgettable tasting experience! Let’s compare it to the typical wine tasting and you’ll see – it is the most unique event you’ll attend all year! Wine tasting: A gathering of people to taste and compare different wines. Meh. Toast of the Town:…
Read MoreWe want YOU to help us kick it off at the Launch Party and save 50%! Taste Around Town Chicago is back! Think “Restaurant Week” for WINE! May 14th-25th, we want you and your friends to get out to as many participating Chicago restaurants and wine bars as possible and taste these badass wines: California’s…
Read MoreFor 20 years Cristom’s been making some remarkable Pinot Noir in Willamette Valley – all 20 with Pinot Noir guru winemaker Steve Doerner. These babies are all estate-owned and single-vineyard, so sadly they’re usually priced out of this site’s namesake. But on a recent visit to the 312 CEO Tom Gerrie (the “TOM” of “CHRIStine”…
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