Category Archives: Fortified

Sherry and Port: Recommendations for Drinking and Giving

Posted on December 10, 2022 by don

There’s no better time of year than now to drink fortified wines than when the temperatures sink, and the winds blow cold.  It’s the perfect time to sit by the fireplace and open a bottle of Sherry or Port to … Continue reading →

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New Releases of Colonial Styled Madeiras from Vinhos Barbeito & the Rare Wine Co.

Posted on December 7, 2022 by don

Since 1998 Mannie Berk of the Rare Wine Co. has worked with Ricardo Freitas of Vinhos Barbeito to express the styles of Madeira drunk in the US colonial period. Different styles of Madeira became popular in different colonial cities. Cities … Continue reading →

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DE-NADA Tequila from Jalisco

Posted on August 5, 2022 by don

DE-NADA is a new tequila brand created by Adam Millman and Danny Neeson. DE-NADA tequila is made with 100% Blue agave and is unadulterated.  There’s no added sugar, artificial coloring, flavoring or scents.  While the brand and proprietary blend are … Continue reading →

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Contratto: Excellent Vermouths from the Piedmont

Posted on November 24, 2021 by don

Made from 19th century recipes, the Contratto Vermouth and Vermouth-like aperitifs are some of the most appealing we’ve tasted. While often used as a base for cocktails, they’re also delicious by themselves over ice with a twist of citrus. The … Continue reading →

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Chinato and Quinquina from Italy’s Piedmont, South Africa’s Swartlands, and the Columbia Valley

Posted on October 23, 2021 by don

While technically not a Vermouth, Chinato is similar in its infusion of herbs and spices. What’s different is the addition of Cinchona. Cinchona is the dried bark of the South American tree that is a source of quinine and used … Continue reading →

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Ringing in 2021 with Vintage Dated Ports

Posted on December 18, 2020 by don

Ports are perfect for the Holidays, both for drinking by the fire and for giving to special friends. In this article, we report on some of our favorite vintage dated Ports. They include:  Vintage Ports, Single Quinta Vintage Ports, and … Continue reading →

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Vermouth’s Resurgence as Aperitif: Dry and White Vermouths from Europe and America

Posted on December 7, 2020 by don

Vermouth is enjoying growing popularity, including a number of American producers of attractively packaged, premium bottlings.  As shown in the graph below, sales in the US are on a strong upward trend (a 21% increase in US Vermouth imports in 2018 … Continue reading →

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Copalli Rum from Heirloom Clones Organically Grown on a Single Estate in Belize

Posted on August 12, 2020 by don

We usually only review wines, but Copalli makes its rum using many of the attributes of super premium wine—estate grown, organically cultivated, special clones pressed soon after harvest, carefully processed using state of the art techniques, and aged in oak … Continue reading →

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De Krans: Outstanding Port-Style Wines from Calitzdorp

Posted on March 13, 2020 by don

Sweet wines in South Africa have a long and storied history beginning in the 17th century with the planting of the first vitis vinifera in the Western Cape. Huegenot immigrants, religious refugees from France, played a critical role in establishing … Continue reading →

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Hawk and Horse Selections from Lake County

Posted on August 26, 2019 by don

Hawk and Horse is a family-owned and operated, certified biodynamic vineyard located in the Mayacamas Mountain range of the Red Hills AVA of Lake County.  Red Hills is one of the six sub-appellations of Lake County. The 18 acre, mostly … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Dessert Wine, Fortified, Petite Sirah, Red Wine, Uncategorized, Wine Type | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hawk and Horse Selections from Lake County