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Staff Favorites
| If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers! |
Reviews
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 8/28/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 8/28/2010 | Send Email
This is the ultimate party and wedding Cremant rose of the year. It's easy on the palate, fun to drink and a great value. Nicely balanced acidity with a hint of minerality. There was even a strawberry flavor dancing in the back of my tongue...What's not to like?
Price:
$14.99
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 8/21/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 8/21/2010 | Send Email
This light and effervescent Cremant is a great party apperitif! A delicate apricot undertone with vibrant acidity, this sparkling goes down fast and easy!
Price:
$14.99
Ariston Aspasie Brut Rosé Champagne
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 8/9/2010 | Send Email
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 8/9/2010 | Send Email
Profound and fun at the same time. Deliciously rich but still delicate, with an explosion of berry fruit. My first choice for a Lobster Bisque, hors d'oeuvre, sushi or to accompany a romantic sunset...
Price:
$42.99
Marie Duffau Napoleon Bas Armagnac (750ml)
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 8/7/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 8/7/2010 | Send Email
I have been hooked to this Armagnac ever since working for K&L. Without going into details, the flavor is complex, spicy and nutty. A great nightcap on cool evenings! The Marie Duffau Napoleon is also the most affortable Armagnac in our line-up.
A must try!
La Petite Marquise Crémant de Loire Brut
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/3/2010 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 8/3/2010 | Send Email
Excellent bubbles for a budget! Lively peach and pear fruit with tiny bubbles and an excellent bead. Well-rounded, delicate, with a fresh, crsipy finish. Excellent as an apertif and with a salad. A price too good to pass up!
Price:
$14.99
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Illya Haase | Review Date: 7/29/2010 | Send Email
By: Illya Haase | Review Date: 7/29/2010 | Send Email
For me, one of the best finds at our recent Champagne tasting! It's off-dry, with beautiful fruit and a nice toasty nose. All this from third generation winemaking family whose holdings consist of 15 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards. The winemaking here is all about elegance and finesse and allowing the terroir to speak for itself and it shows.
Lustau "Los Arcos" Amontillado Jerez
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 7/26/2010 | Send Email
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 7/26/2010 | Send Email
If you’re looking for a good dry Amontillado, you’ve found your bottle here; this is a lot of sherry for the money! The Los Arcos offers expansive and intense flavors on a well balanced frame. Toasted almond and dried fruit aromas are followed by flavors of salty, toasted nuts juxtaposed nicely against a mellow sweetness. The finish is crisp and dry. What it might lack in nuance when compared to some pricier bottlings it more than makes up for in overall harmony and depth of flavor. Lovely stuff.
Incidentally, if you’re making atavistic cocktail recipes such as the Bamboo or the Tuxedo that call for dry sherry, the Los Arcos shows to good effect in them. It doesn’t get lost in the mix the way pretty much any Manzanillas or Finos I’ve used to date seem to.
Egrot Brut Champagne
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 7/24/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 7/24/2010 | Send Email
Great tasting Champagne with good pinot noir flavor. Very well balanced on the palate with nice body.
A little toasty with a taste of rhubarb undertone. Yes I like it!
Price:
$37.99
Lillet Blanc Aperitif Wine (750ml)
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 7/4/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 7/4/2010 | Send Email
Excellent aperitif wine to have, before moving on to the "next" stage. Drink it chilled or on the rock.
The Lillet is also a good substitute to have when I run out of white wine (gasp!). Yes, that even happens to professional drinkers !
St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur (750ml)
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 7/4/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 7/4/2010 | Send Email
The St.Germain Elderflower liqueur is my "secret" ingredient, to the extra layer of flavor and complexity in my cocktails. Not only it is heaven to sip in straight/on the rock, but it complements any vodka, tequila or Champagne perfectly !
This is a must have item in your bar...
Sorelle Bronca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 6/23/2010 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 6/23/2010 | Send Email
This is the best off dry Prosecco in the shop, quite possibly the best Prosecco! Clean and pure with just a hint of spice and the right touch of sweetness. This is the perfect wine for almost every occasion!
Sorelle Bronca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry
By: Jason Marwedel | Review Date: 6/13/2010 | Send Email
By: Jason Marwedel | Review Date: 6/13/2010 | Send Email
Organically grown and estate bottled, the Sorella Branca prosecco is the perfect start to any meal! This delicate and refreshing bubbly displays notes of fresh bartlett pear and aromatic flowers. Enjoy this classic prosecco all year long!
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 6/6/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Lai | Review Date: 6/6/2010 | Send Email
Yes, this is it! A balanced Champagne not too light, nor yeasty. This is an elegant bubbly tasting just right on the palate. For the price, this is clearly a winner! Drink one tonight and keep another bottle on stand-by, for special occasions!
Price:
$37.99
2009 Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/19/2010 | Send Email
By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 5/19/2010 | Send Email
K&L's Notes: **1/2+ Blackish color. A touch closed on the nose. Layers of fruit on the palate. Black cherry, mouthcoating wine. Opens with air. Should be great, but very expensive. Ralph: The grapey black-crimson fruit is a bit rounder than usual, and with a bit more silkiness. Still very precise and focused, with just the right amount of tannin. A classic!
Knob Creek 9 Year Old Small Batch 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) (New Label)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/7/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/7/2010 | Send Email
What a deal! This excellent 9 year old Bourbon is an extra aged selection from the Jim Beam distillery. The Knob Creek is a whiskey of authority, and has the richness one would expect of an extra aged bourbon. It is not at all heavy however, and I love to drink it on the rocks with a couple Luxardo Maraschino cherries now that the weather is getting warmer. It is also very good neat, or for that matter, in a sour. I have to guess that it is the scale of production at Beam that allows them to sell it for such a fair price!
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries (400g)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/7/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/7/2010 | Send Email
When I bought these for myself, I joked with my colleagues here at K&L that I must either be a fool or a gourmet... $16 Cherries! That is crazy! Well, I have discovered that like white truffle oil and very old condimento balsamico, the Luxardo cherries are worth it. First of all, they are very small, but have more cherry flavor individually than a whole fistful of the normal "red" maraschinos. Just one or two and a smidgen of the syrup in the bottle make a big impression on a cocktail. The 360 gram jar lasts a long time, even if you dip into it as often as Cinnamon and I do. My favorite use for them is to simply pop a couple into a bourbon on the rocks... Yum!
Price:
$19.99
Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/7/2010 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/7/2010 | Send Email
This Bourbon was worth the investment of time and effort that the folks at Heaven Hill distillery put into it. Of the many (I am scared to count!) nice Bourbon's that I have open at home, it has become my favorite after dinner drink. They use wheat in the recipe for this Bourbon rather than rye as the flavor grain, and it has a mellow, smooth character that is typical of wheat. The Elijah has plenty of complexity and has not dried out and "gone to wood" like many older Bourbon's can. It is a full and rich 18 year old, with flavors of vanilla and cinnamon complementing the ample texture. I am sure I will need to buy another bottle soon!
2005 Verdignan, Haut-Médoc
By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 4/28/2010 | Send Email
By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 4/28/2010 | Send Email
So the wines from Verdignan have become popular with customers for price to quality. The 2005 is a bit tight so needs some decanting. Dark fruit on the nose and palate is surrounded by toasty oak aromas. Decant and have with dinner or cellar for a few more years.
Ariston Aspasie "Brut Prestige" Champagne
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 3/31/2010 | Send Email
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 3/31/2010 | Send Email
This shows the power and intensity of the great 2002 vintage in Champagne. Rich, yeasty, stone fruit inflected nose leads to a ripe, yet balanced palate - a fun wine for drinking.
Highland Park 18 Year Old Isle of Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 3/30/2010 | Send Email
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 3/30/2010 | Send Email
The nose gives up nutty, toffee, honeyed heather and baked bread aromas with a subdued smokiness. The smoke comes out more distinctly on the palate, balanced by full, sweet flavors of honey, caramel and spiced baked apple. This is a spirit that seems wild at first encounter, but is really surprisingly gentle at heart, with a sweet generous nature lurking behind the not entirely slick exterior. I should also note that the finish reverberates for a goodly span.
Ruinart Brut Rosé Champagne (375ml)
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 2/12/2010 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 2/12/2010 | Send Email
Okay, I haven't written up a Chamapagne for a long time now, so I'm going to indulge myself. Ruinart has been around since 1729 and makes some of the best Blanc de Blanc and Rosé on the market. The Rosé is a wonderful example of a clean, somewhat delicate, classic style Rosé. Wonderful raspberry, strawberry notes with great depth, acidity and minerality. Well worth the money. Personally, I enjoy it by itself or with a mild, creamy cheese. No need to mask any of the flavors coming from this beauty.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 2/9/2010 | Send Email
By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 2/9/2010 | Send Email
This may be the best deal in Champagne that K&L offers. 100% Chardonnay. 100% Grand Cru fruit from some of the best vineyards in the Côte des Blancs. Don't write this wine off because you didn't pay more for it! This is an outstanding Champagne at an unbelievable price. It will delight you with its rich, creamy texture. Ripe pear and chalky mineral notes give way to toasty, fresh baked apple tart on the mid palate. The wine finishes with a crisp, zingy citrus note of Meyer lemon. Enjoy this wine alone, as a refreshing aperitif or together with chilled, cracked Dungeness crab.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
By: Patty Torrel | Review Date: 1/30/2010 | Send Email
By: Patty Torrel | Review Date: 1/30/2010 | Send Email
Traditional notes of wheat toast, brioche, freshly cut apples and apple skins rise from the glass on lively, persistent bubbles. The palate is beautifully balanced with baked apple, a dusting of brown sugar, and citrus rind all rounded out with a touch of toastiness. A great value in Champagne.
Price:
$37.99
Dudognon "Reserve" Grand Champagne Cognac (750ml)
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 1/18/2010 | Send Email
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 1/18/2010 | Send Email
Soft, silky smooth and voluptuous, refined and delicate, this Cognac is sheer pleasure. The flavors are a pleasing accord of pear, apple, warm spice and caramel. If you're thinking sidecars and such, you probably want to go for the Deret VSOP. The Dudognon's charms are pretty much obliterated in cocktails. This is hardly a defect. I'd wager you won't want to mix it with anything once you've tried it. The one exception I found to this was when one-quarter to one-half ounce was added to a Champagne cocktail. That makes for a sensational drink.
High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey (750ml)
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 1/13/2010 | Send Email
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 1/13/2010 | Send Email
A great rye whiskey with plenty of spice and backbone. Its oak aging and bourbon percentage give a lush, rich core, but this is a whiskey for the serious rye enthusiasts from one of Utah's first distilleries!
Dudognon "Reserve" Grand Champagne Cognac (750ml)
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 1/11/2010 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 1/11/2010 | Send Email
This is one of my favorite Cognacs. The reason is that it has everything that I think a good Cognac should have. The Dudognon Reserve is soft, elegant and packed full of delicate flavors. The finish just lingers and goes on and on, showing that this is a high quality spirit.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne (375ml)
By: Patty Torrel | Review Date: 12/31/2009 | Send Email
By: Patty Torrel | Review Date: 12/31/2009 | Send Email
Traditional notes of wheat toast, brioche, freshly cut apples and apple skins rise from the glass on lively, persistent bubbles. The palate is beautifully balanced with baked apple, a dusting of brown sugar, and citrus rind all rounded out with a touch of toastiness. A great value in Champagne.
Price:
$19.99
Ariston Aspasie Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 12/29/2009 | Send Email
By: Steve Bearden | Review Date: 12/29/2009 | Send Email
Chardonnay from Brouillet makes a richer, creamier style of Blanc de Blanc than other areas of Champagne. This is an easy to like style that is perfect for less formal occasions like New Year's eve toasts and quiet sipping during parties. This generous, rich bubbly is an amazing deal to direct buy pricing.
Price:
$44.99
Ledaig 10 Year Old Isle of Mull Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 12/27/2009 | Send Email
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 12/27/2009 | Send Email
I was a Scotch drinker in my 20s, but for some reason that I can't remember, I stopped drinking them. After being around David Girard for awhile, he became sort of a "mentor" to me, and I am having a lot of fun being reintroduced to the world of Scotch. The Ledaig has been, so far, one my my favorites, with a very balanced amount of peat (which I love), and a quite intriguing whiff of white flowers, leather and lots of spices. I will keep you posted about this exciting journey with other reviews.
Price:
$69.99
Hayman's Old Tom Gin (750ml)
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 11/28/2009 | Send Email
By: Mahon McGrath | Review Date: 11/28/2009 | Send Email
Once upon a time, the cocktail that became THE cocktail, the Martini, was a lot less dry. And before that, even, its progenitors, the first gin & vermouth based drinks, the Turf Club-Martinez-Martini family, were made with Italian vermouth and a lightly sweetened style of gin called Old Tom. When the John Collins crossed over from England, it was eventually re-christened a Tom Collins, in part because it was generally made with Old Tom gin. The spirit got around. Of course, up until very recent times, there was no good substitute for this category of gin. Old Tom had long since sunk into oblivion - and for that matter, up until recently, no one had much missed it. With the current efflorescence of classic cocktails, however, all that changed and Hayman's is a welcome addition for those who want to drink in a bit of history. Resurrected from a family recipe from the time of the spirits heyday, Hayman's is a delightful and authentic version of an Old Tom gin. This is a less aggressive style of gin than a London Dry; while juniper is in the foreground it quickly yields to a more generally perfumed nose, with a softer, rounder, gentler taste and mouthfeel. The sweetness here is not on the order of a liqueur, more like off-dry. The fascinating thing is how many of the antique cocktail recipes that call for an Old Tom gin are good as drinks in their own right and not merely of interest as retrospective curiosities. If you haven't yet tried this, the recipe given above is not a bad place to start, though I'd say go with a twist of lemon peel, as opposed to a slice. And, if you've got this far and you don't already own books by Ted "Dr Cocktail" Haigh or David Wondrich, they are good resources for further recipes and elucidation.
Zubrowka Bison Grass Polish Vodka (750ml)
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
A delicious vodka - the slight flavoring from the blade of bison grass that floats inside works to accentuate the bready and full qualities of the spirit instead of overpowering them. This is a wonderful sipping vodka (and it works perfect in vodka sours as well).
Zubrowka Bison Grass Polish Vodka (750ml)
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 11/9/2009 | Send Email
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 11/9/2009 | Send Email
I enjoyed the London reminiscences by my colleague Susan Thornett about this wonderful vodka, and I too confess a special relationship with Zubrowka going back several decades, when I was first offered a bracing shot of this harmonic-bisonic elixir by a friendly Polish waiter in then East Berlin who, sadly trapped behind the Iron Curtain some years before Solidarnösc, desperately wanted to improve his English skills. Maybe it was the effects of the vodka, but before the evening ended I promised to "secure" him a dictionary from the West even though it was strictly against the policy of the rather coercive East German authorities at the time. Well, anyway, I succeeded, and thanks in part to Zubrowka, the Wall finally came down and democracy was finally restored to freedom-loving East Berliners. And today I'm really glad we can offer this rare vodka to our astute customers, as its singularly subtle and unique flavors of yellow straw, camomile tea and dried coconut promises to both stimulate conversation, energize the appetite and yes, liberate the spirit! Na zdrowie! (To health!)
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 11/2/2009 | Send Email
By: Jeffrey Jones | Review Date: 11/2/2009 | Send Email
What a great producer Franck Bonville is! This excellence shows in the Brut Selection Blanc de Blanc. When one opens the bottle and pours some of this Champagne into a glass, beautiful aromas are the first teasing impression. The Champagne is dry and crisp with clean delicate flavors. Great alone or with lighter foods.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 10/20/2009 | Send Email
By: Jacques Moreira | Review Date: 10/20/2009 | Send Email
If there is such a thing as a Champagne for everyday use, well this has to be it. Not because of the price, but for its quality and poise. Very crispy, citrousy end elegant. Perfect for hors d'oeuvres, seafood, egg dishes, guacamole, goat cheeses, and "fantastic" with caviar!
Jean-Louis Denois "Tradition" Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 10/14/2009 | Send Email
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 10/14/2009 | Send Email
Easily our best sparkling wine under $20, this is as close one gets to real Champagne without paying $30. Denois is a brilliant producer, and it shows in the Tradition: a crisp, focused, slightly yeasty, entirely beautiful Southern French sparkler.
Marie Duffau Hors D'Age Bas Armagnac (750ml)
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 8/7/2009 | Send Email
By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 8/7/2009 | Send Email
This brandy is never out of my house - it's a delicious spirit at a great price. Duffau Armagnacs are almost rich enough to pass for Cognacs, with a lush, round texture and less spice than many Armagnacs. The age on the Hors d'Age shows well through its rich flavors, which are delicate but delicious.
Ariston Aspasie Brut Rosé Champagne
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/13/2009 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/13/2009 | Send Email
This wine is always our answer to the Billecart Salmon, which by the way sells for more than twice as much. This is all about the red Ariston fruit and their champagnes are permanent staff picks. Cherry notes from the pinot noir, crisp and vibrant acidity and brioche flavors swirl together with delicate bubbles. Anyone care for some?
Price:
$42.99
Sorelle Bronca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 7/11/2009 | Send Email
By: John Majeski | Review Date: 7/11/2009 | Send Email
This delightful Prosecco is a strong contender for best in class among its growing legions of fans, delivering dependably delicious flavors of sliced apples, citrus blossoms and almonds in a pure and sparkling persona. Showcasing both freshness and mineral vibrancy, it should complement most summer fare from salads to appetizers, and would be the perfect match for a basket of lightly-fried calamari.
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 7/9/2009 | Send Email
By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 7/9/2009 | Send Email
It is hard to miss this wine with its great packaging, but more importantly it is the juice between the bubbles. Ever since I started working for K & L, first bottle I took home was this wine!, I have been a big fan. Broad rich on the palate with a great bead. The flavors lean towards white Burgundy, what's not to like?
Price:
$39.99
Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth (1L)
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 7/9/2009 | Send Email
By: Greg St. Clair | Review Date: 7/9/2009 | Send Email
If you have never tasted this product you must. If you think you know what vermouth is think again; this will absolutely blow you away. Inordiately complex, so full of spice, balanced...it is really good. Try it on the rocks with a twist and a splash, straight up or in a Manhattan.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 7/6/2009 | Send Email
By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 7/6/2009 | Send Email
Very easy to like - soft textured, citrus and cream flavors. Plump, round and delicious. For someone who usually goes for a bit lean and austere, I'm always surprised I like this as much as I do. It's just delicious stuff.
Maraska Maraschino Liqueur (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/5/2009 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 7/5/2009 | Send Email
This is a great little product coming out of Croatia that several in-the-know mixologists insist on having. Specifically, it posseses a touch more sweetness than its Italian counterpart, Luxardo (also extremely delicious), so you can afford to leave out some sugar in your Aviation or other Maraschino cocktail.
Price:
$29.99
Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur (750ml)
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/1/2009 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/1/2009 | Send Email
I've heard from a few bartenders that the sign of a quality bar is a bottle of Luxardo sitting on the shelf behind it. It is considered a signal that the bartenders there are committed to using quality ingredients in their libations. It is the only maraschino liqueur that you should ever use and is the ultimate addition to a plate of fresh fruit.
Arette Artesanal Blanco Suave Tequila (750ml)
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/1/2009 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 7/1/2009 | Send Email
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, and, now that I'm the spirits buyer, maybe my opinion will hold more weight: Arette makes the best tequila that we carry! The blanco is so elegant and ripe with pure agave flowers, unfettered from any contact with an oak barrel. There are some purists who believe that blanco is the only real tequila, and to them I say, the Arette blanco is tequila in its truest form.
Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond 100 Proof Kentucky Rye Whiskey (750ml)
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 5/26/2009 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 5/26/2009 | Send Email
This is my whiskey of choice when making a Manhattan. The Rittenhouse is spicy, bold, rich, inexpensive, and delicious. I like a kick with my cocktails and I hate to mix expensive booze. I could sip the Rittenhouse, but at 100 proof, it's perfect over ice, or with sweet vermouth and a maraschino cherry.
Marolo "Milla" Camomile Grappa Liqueur (375ml)
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 5/20/2009 | Send Email
By: David Driscoll | Review Date: 5/20/2009 | Send Email
I was soooooooooooooo skeptical when our Italian expert Mike Parres told me to buy a bottle of this delicious grappa. "Camomile in my grappa? Come on!" I said to him. However, this stuff is exquisite. It's thick, coating, and heavenly with pure notes of fresh camomile gently blended into the more subtle grappa flavors. If you love grappa, you'll love this. If you hate grappa, you'll still love this.
Price:
$34.99
Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond 100 Proof Kentucky Rye Whiskey (750ml)
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 5/20/2009 | Send Email
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 5/20/2009 | Send Email
Adding a couple of ice cubes to this 100 proof spirit really tames the beast, bringing out the sweetness and rye-bread aromatics. A wonderful digestif after dinner - with a very reasonable price tag.
Ardbeg "Uigeadail" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/1/2009 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 5/1/2009 | Send Email
I love Ardbeg, and the Uigeadail is one of the most special expressions that I have had from this great Islay distillery. No other distillery makes a malt quite as peaty as Ardbeg, and this one has an additional twist: sherry wood aging. The sherry wood gives another dimension of richness and weight to this typically light and piercing single malt. I have a bottle at home, and I love it for a cold night by the fire - but Alex Brisoux (the Redwood City store manager) swears by it with oysters! That is a combination that is hard for me to imagine, but I don't doubt a professional like Alex on a topic as serious as pairings!
Coniston Brewing Company "Bluebird Bitter" England (500ml)
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/17/2009 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/17/2009 | Send Email
This hoppy bitter deserves the accolades it has received; which include the Campaign for Real Ale's "Ale of the Year" in 2008. Bright, refreshing bitterness, balanced by high quality but extraordinarily restrained maltiness and very low alcohol make this a true session beer - perfect for occasions when having a few more than one. This will be in my cellar (they suggest 58 degree serving temperature) from now on!
Price:
$7.99
Ariston Aspasie "Brut Prestige" Champagne
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 4/9/2009 | Send Email
By: Cindy Westby | Review Date: 4/9/2009 | Send Email
Fun fact about Ariston: their winemaker Paul-Vincent uses the best juice from his younger vines for the Vintage champagne...and the best juice from his older vines for the'Aspasie'! I popped a bottle last night and was instantly transported to Brouillet. Mature old vine flavor, dry and classy! Drink it cool but not ice-cold to capture all the flavors...