Eve's Wine 101

The Best Whiskeys in Texas from the Texas Whiskey Festival!

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AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) – Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas Bourbon, Rye, and Malt Whiskey. With a panel of judges, we conduct the competition with a method known as blind judging. The brands and specific whiskeys they are tasting are unknown to the judges. “Our panel of judges smell and taste their way through each whiskey, rating the aroma, taste complexity, and finish,” says Co-Founder Jake Clements.

Bourbon: Grain to Glass

  • Still Austin Whiskey Co. – Cask Strength Straight Bourbon
  • Shire Distilling Co. – Cask Strength Percheron Bourbon
  • Ironroot Republic Distilling – Harbinger 115 Straight Bourbon

Bourbon: Aged and Bottled in Texas

  • Iron Wolf Ranch and Distillery – 6 year Single Barrel Bourbon
  • Oak & Eden – Bourbon & Vine
  • Luckenbach Road Whiskey – Straight Bourbon

Rye Whiskey: Grain to Glass

  • Tahwahkaro Distilling – Texas Rye Malt Whiskey
  • Maverick Whiskey – Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Devils River Whiskey – Straight Rye Whiskey

Rye Whiskey: Aged and Bottled in Texas

  • William Price Distilling – Straight Rye finished in bourbon barrels
  • Oak & Eden – Rye & Rumba
  • Old Humble Distilling Company – Double Oak Straight Rye

Malt Whiskey: Grain to Glass

  • Andalusia Whiskey Co. – Stryker Smoked Single Malt
  • Acre Distilling Co. – Texas Single Malt
  • Spirit of Texas Brewing and Distilling – Pfluger Single Malt Whiskey

Other Whiskeys: includes whiskeys aged in used barrels, blended whiskey, and light whiskey.

  • Austin Craft Spirits – Austin 85 Light Whiskey
  • Maverick Whiskey – Straight Triticale Whiskey
  • Dripping Springs Distilling – Republic Whiskey

“These are their winners, but remember the best whiskey is the one you like,” says Co-Founder Jake Clements. Festival attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite distillery to decide on the people’s choice award.

You can taste the best Texas whiskeys and many more. It doesn’t matter if you are an avid whiskey drinker or think you might like whiskey this is an opportunity for you to try new whiskeys and meet the people that make them. You will get to choose from 70+ whiskeys made by the 34 distilleries participating.

It is a night of sampling new whiskey, meeting friends, and enjoying food, cigars, and music. Get your tickets HERE!

Thank you to the Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co for hosting us. A big thank you to our talented judges.

  • Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is a whiskey writer and the owner/editor in chief of The Whiskey Wash, an award winning whiskey lifestyle website.
  • Mark Shilling is the CEO at SUSTO Mezcal and Partner at Big Thirst.
  • Big Thirst represents some Texas brands, but Mark does not work on production of any brands in the whiskey category.
  • Lance Kotal, Friend of the Festival, Tejas level and a big fan of whiskey.

About the Texas Whiskey Festival
The festival’s mission is simple: To help promote and enhance the brands of the many great distilleries throughout Texas. We want to promote and educate whiskey lovers about the whiskeys produced in our great state. We’re doing it all while having fun, drinking great whiskey, and building memorable experiences. As an organization, we know that Texas has some of the best distilleries and whiskeys globally. The Texas Whiskey Festival is an opportunity to showcase that. For more information, please visit https://txwhiskeyfest.com.

WoodCraft Bourbon Blender is Taking Craft Bourbon Back to Its Roots

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Cincinnati, Ohio – The innovators at WoodCraft Bourbon Blender have created a system that brings the custom bourbon of the 1800s to all bourbon lovers today.  This has translated into a new way of consuming bourbon by giving patrons what they want; their own personal single barrel bourbon by the glass or bottle.

Initial consumer and industry reaction has been so positive that the team is now franchising WoodCraft Bourbon Blender.  The first WoodCraft Bourbon Blender franchise, Barrels & Billets, opened its doors in Louisville, on the famous Whiskey Row, on February 23rd.

This exciting new bourbon experience where guests can blend, create and bottle their very own bourbon will complement Louisville’s thriving bourbon tourism industry by offering guests a fun and unique way to participate in the blending of their own personal bourbon.  Guests will blend with six award-winning WoodCraft bourbons which include a 200 Year Oak, European Oak, American Oak, Cherry Wood, Maple Wood, and Smoked Oak. During the experience, guests will learn the art of bourbon blending before the blending process begins. Once the blending experience is complete, guests can have their recipe bottled onsite.

The franchisee is the  Hillerich family – famous for their Louisville Slugger baseball bats.  They have a link to whiskey as the original family immigrant, J. Frederick, was a barrel maker.  They also have showcased years of expertise with consumer experiences such as their famous Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.

“Some may be wondering why a sports and attraction company is getting into the bourbon business, but Barrels & Billets is actually a continuation of H&B’s long history of creating uniquely Louisville experiences for our fans and guests,” said John Hillerich, President & CEO of Hillerich & Bradsby Co.

Co-founders Doug Hall and Joe Girgash created the WoodCraft finishing system to offer everyone the ability to have their own custom bourbon.  Despite the chaos of Covid, they’ve worked through massive regulatory and production issues to make it possible for everyone to have their own bourbon again – one drink or one bottle at a time for a reasonable price. As Doug says, “Owning your own custom bourbon distillery is a ton of fun.  That said, you need to have patience as the process for regulatory approval is painful.”

It took three long years to turn this dream into a reality. Doug leveraged the invention skills from his other company, The Eureka! Ranch, and worked through the many challenges including those outlined below.

  • Working through state and federal rules and regulations
  • Teaching customers how to create their own custom bourbon recipes
  • Creating a way for the custom bourbon to have reliability so that it can be repurchased at later dates
  • Discovering a cost-effective system for creating individual bottles for the custom bourbon

The process is simple. Consumers can create their custom bourbon three ways:

  1. Enjoy a one hour blending experience, while learning about the art and science of master bourbon blending
  2. Work with a 2 minute Artificial Intelligence Bourbon Wizard
  3. Buy a custom Bourbon Blending Kit to do at home guided by an internet accessible video.

However, it doesn’t end here. Doug and Joe are constantly working on next steps.

They will continue to expand the franchising of the free-standing WoodCraft Bourbon Blending Machines in stores, as well as fractional franchising in over 20,000 distilleries, breweries, and wineries.  With a low investment, and small space requirement – franchisees can soon offer custom bourbon experiences and bourbon bottles to their clients.

They are also developing a way for a version of the blending machine to be available in bars and restaurants.  Additionally, they are building on their initial success of Dexter Bourbon and Noble Oak Bourbon and working to develop limited edition releases for franchisees to sell.  And, Doug, as a Canadian-American, is in talks to take the franchising of custom bourbon to Canada, and ultimately, around the world.

WoodCraft Bourbon Blending Franchising is currently not available in all states.  In keeping with Federal and State laws there is a disclosure process that must be followed.  To learn more, please visit www.BourbonFranchise.com

Carter Creek Winery Racks Up 12 Awards at TXIWC

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JOHNSON CITY, Texas – Carter Creek Winery, located in the heart of Texas Hill Country and owned by the Carter Family, accepted 12 awards at one of the largest wine competitions in Texas – the 5th Annual Texas International Wine Competition (TXIWC). The mission of this yearly competition is to highlight Texas as a prominent viticulture and wine-making region while also raising funds for charitable donations for local community organizations.

Entries from six countries and over 11 U.S. states were blind tasted and judged by panels of three or more industry qualified judges – master sommeliers, masters of wine, certified wine educators, enologists, wine writers, professors, beverage directors, buyers and other influencers – all chosen for their vast experience and well-trained palates.

“We are most pleased that 12 of our Texas High Plains wines from Carter Creek Family Winery won distinguished recognition at TXIWC and especially proud our Plateau Red was awarded Best of Class Texas Red,” said Jeff Carter, president of Carter Hospitality, operating company of Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa. “We too, like the organizers of this competition, are passionate about bringing recognition to Texas viticulture and supporting local community causes,” Carter added.

Veteran master winemaker Jon McPherson, who oversees production of Carter Creek’s award-winning wines, points out the winery’s vineyards in Texas Hill Country produce varietals that are especially unique because of the combination of an extremely warm growing season and an early harvest delivering softer, earth driven wines. McPherson likes to talk about the qualities of Best of Class Texas Red winner, Plateau Red, which is a blend of tempranillo, grenache, touriga nacional and tinta cao, showing a very exotic fruit aroma of spiced black cherries and raspberries. He says that Plateau Red is a rich, full-bodied wine due to 18 months of barrel aging and pleases the palate with bold lingering fruit flavors.

The 12 Carter Creek Winery, Texas High Plains award winners include the Best of Class Texas Red, one double gold, two gold and eight silver medals. Award winning wines include:

  • Best of Class Texas Red Wine Blend: Plateau Red, 2016
  • Double Gold Red Wine Blend: Maverick, 2018
  • Gold Medal White Wine Blend: Gloriosa, 2017
  • Gold Medal Red Wine Blend: Maverick, 2017
  • Silver Medal Sparkling White: Brut, NV
  • Silver Medal Dessert, Port: Dominum Tinto, NV
  • Silver Medal Other Flavored Grape Wine: Sangria, NV
  • Silver Medal Sparkling Fruit: Sparkling Peach, NV
  • Silver Medal Red: Tempranillo, 2016
  • Silver Medal White Blend: Plateau White, 2017
  • Silver Medal White Blend: Viognier Roussanne, 2017
  • Silver Medal White Blend: Viognier Roussanne, 2018

Producing award-winning wines since 2016, Carter Creek Winery’s production facilities are in Johnson City along Old Hwy 290 in Texas Hill Country, complementing Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa. Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa features 78 luxury villas, tasting rooms, a restaurant, its own onsite microbrewery creating small batch craft beers and an outdoor event center. It is a counterpart to Temecula, California’s award-winning South Coast Winery Resort & Spa and Carter Estate Winery and Resort.

 About Carter Hospitality Group

Established in 2011, Carter Hospitality Group, LLC. is a family-owned hospitality company with four hotels and resorts as well as three wineries across the United States. Based in Orange County, California, the company manages and owns a portfolio of luxury properties including South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Temecula, California; Carter Estate Winery and Resort, Temecula California; and Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa, Texas Hill Country. Carter Hospitality Group additionally serves as the owner-franchisee for Red Lion Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista South, Orlando Florida. For more information, visit www.carterhospitality.com.

VESPERA RESORT ON PISMO BEACH INTRODUCES VESPERA VINTNER’S CLUB

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PISMO BEACH, Calif. – New for 2022, Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach introduces Vespera Vintner’s Club, which includes partnerships with some of the Central Coast region’s most exceptional winemakers – offering activities dedicated to local vintner’s wines including monthly wine dinners, complimentary Saturday tastings at Somerset Grill bar, monthly featured wines served by the glass and specially designed wine packages for overnight guests.

The monthly collaborative dinners, curated by Chef Frank Barajas, will be served in Somerset Grill’s private Barrel Room. Barajas and his team will meet with each winemaker to create multi-course dinners for these one-of-a-kind events showcasing Somerset Grill’s regionally inspired, classic seaside “Oceanside Americana” cuisine with the freshest ingredients from Central Coast California and beyond. Each featured winery will have a winemaker or other influential member at the dinner to interact with guests and share their pairing knowledge.

Discounts for monthly featured wines are available for wine club members who stay at Vespera, and Vespera Vintner’s Club offers special packages for wine dinner and tastings for overnight guests, as well as discounts when visiting partner wineries. Packages are as follows:

For package reservations, visit vesperapismobeach.com/accommodations/packages.

The schedule of the first seven monthly wine dinners in Vespera Resort’s Barrel Room through July follows:

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery Wine Dinner

Wednesday, January 19 at 6 p.m.

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery will present premium estate wines that showcase the distinctive qualities of the Arroyo Grande Valley.

Daou Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, February 8 at 6 p.m.

Daou Vineyards produces its exquisite cabernet sauvignon on unrivaled terroir of Daou Mountain in Paso Robles.

Claiborne & Churchill Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, March 8 at 6 p.m.

Claiborne & Churchill Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery in San Luis Obispo, the heart of Edna Valley, known for using traditional European winemaking techniques.

Wolff Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.

Located in downtown San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley, Wolff Vineyards is ecologically friendly, certified sustainable and California Central Coast inspired.

Chamisal Vineyards Wine Dinner

Tuesday, May 3 at 6 p.m.

Chamisal Vineyards in San Luis Obispo specializes in chardonnay and pinot noir with its wines distinctively influenced by its soil types and proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

Hope Family Wines Dinner

Tuesday, June 7 at 6 p.m.

The Hope Family vineyards are in the Paso Robles region, and they have been producing high quality red wines for 30 years from the cool, rich, calcareous loam of the Templeton gap.

Qupé Wine Dinner

Dates To Be Determined

Since 1982, Qupé has been producing American Rhône varietals from the coastal regions of the Central Coast that are representative of its dedication to character, quality, balance and terroir.

Wine dinners are $129 plus tax and gratuity each and limited to 16 guests. Reservations are recommended by emailing Jaclyn.Dawson@vesperapismobeach.com or calling (805) 773-1011.

 Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach

147 Stimson Avenue

Pismo Beach, California 93449

(805) 773-1011

www.vesperapismobeach.com

About Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach

Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach, opened in late 2019, is an upscale beachfront resort on California’s Central Coast located in Pismo Beach along the city’s boardwalk and within walking distance to downtown Pismo Beach. The oceanfront resort offers 124 appointed guestrooms, most with private balconies overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the hotel’s signature restaurant, Somerset Grill, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vespera Resort can accommodate events including business meetings and weddings, and the resort has a state-of-the-art fitness facility, onsite pool and lawn with firepits overlooking the Pacific Ocean. More information can be found at www.vesperapismobeach.com, Instagram, and Facebook.

Limavady Named Best Irish Whiskey

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LIMAVADY, NORTHERN IRELAND (PRWEB)  – Limavady Single Barrel Whiskey, a game-changer in the Irish whiskey category, is pleased to announce top honors awarded by the spirit industry’s leading competitions. One of Ireland’s oldest whiskeys dating back to 1750, Limavady made a remarkable comeback earlier this year, and is now celebrating four Gold Medals from the Beverage Testing Institute, Whiskies of the World, The Drinks Business Awards and John Barleycorn Awards, as well as being named “#1 Irish Single Malt” by the Beverage Testing Institute and 2021’s “Best Irish Whiskey” by John Barleycorn. Limavady will be expanding across the United States and launching in key international markets in 2022.

Darryl McNally, Master Distiller

In 2021, Limavady launched in Northern Ireland, California, Florida, Washington, Arizona and Colorado. In 2022, Limavady will expand its presence in the United States, with the brand launching in Texas, Illinois, Georgia, and Maryland in February, as well as abroad, with the addition of Australia and the UK this Spring. It can be found in premium bars, restaurants, and retailers with a SRP of $49.99 per 700ml bottle.

“We are honored to have won several of the industry’s top awards, bringing an immense amount of pride to me and the Limavady team. We look forward to expanding the brand’s availability across the United States and internationally,’ says Darryl McNally, Master Distiller and Founder, Limavady Irish Whiskey. “The foundation for Limavady has been reestablished and I couldn’t be happier with all the momentum behind it, both in the US – one of the world’s most exciting markets for Irish whiskey – and back at home in Northern Ireland.”

About Limavady Single Barrel Irish Whiskey

Limavady Single Barrel Irish Whiskey, one of Ireland’s oldest whiskeys dating back to 1750, is reborn and breaking new ground for the fast-growing Irish Whiskey category. Darryl McNally, international recognized Master Distiller, and descendant of the Limavady Distillery’s 18th century operators is leading the revival in partnership with WhistlePig Whiskey, declaring a new era of Irish Whiskey with Single Malt quality and Single Barrel distinctiveness. For additional information please visit http://www.limavady.com and follow @limavadyirishwhiskey on Instagram, @limavadywhiskey on Twitter.

Garagiste Wine Festival Returns to Solvang: February 25th and 26th

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SOLVANG, CALIF. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival returns to Solvang February 25th and 26th, 2022, offering rare access to the best small-production winemakers from the Santa Barbara County area. Tickets are currently on sale here.

‘Southern Exposure,’ which follows on the heels of a sold-out Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles last November, will again be held at Solvang’s historic Mission-style Veterans’ Memorial Hall. The event features a wide diversity of grape varieties vinified into over 150 different wines and unique blends, offering wine lovers one-of-a-kind opportunities to taste a range of the year’s most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines all under one roof.

“We are thrilled to return to Solvang after a three year absence. While the pandemic may have prevented us from gathering, it did not prevent these extraordinary winemakers from crafting their fantastic wines, and we cannot wait to showcase them next month in-person to our very appreciative and enthusiastic attendees,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Douglas Minnick.

The Garagiste Festival, which premiered in Paso Robles in 2011, is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste*’ winemakers, and was named “Best of the Fests” by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US by USA Today. It expanded to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2013 to highlight the wines of Santa Barbara County and surrounding AVAs, as well as small production wineries from across California. It has been a consistent sell-out ever since.

This year’s Garagiste Festival ‘Southern Exposure’ includes its Friday night signature “No Repeats, Rare & Reserve” event, and Saturday’s Grand Tasting, which includes a Silent Auction filled with first-rate wine packages that benefit The Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“Solvang has always been a very welcoming place for our attendees, and the stunningly beautiful surrounding area is fertile ground for some of the Central Coast’s most exciting winemakers,” continued Minnick. “The atmosphere at Southern Exposure is always lively, fun, and relaxed — true to our no-snobs allowed tradition, and the perfect way to make new wine discoveries, all while taking the time to fully savor and appreciate these fabulous wines.”

Minnick noted that in an effort to promote a more open flow and greater social distancing within the venue, for this year, there will be no VIP Seminar as in the past, with that space used to include as many wineries as possible, while still giving everyone safe and ample space to share their wines.

THE GARAGISTE FESTIVAL SOUTHERN EXPOSURE 2022 LINE UP (all events held at Veteran’s Memorial Hall)

No Repeats Rare & Reserve Tasting, Friday February 25th — 6:30-9:00pm

This intimate event with winemakers showcases limited samples of Reserve, Club Only, Library and Pre-Release bottles, as well as some barrel samples A taco buffet is included from Ibarra Catering & Eatery.

The Main Event – The Grand Tasting – Saturday, February 26th – 2:00 – 5:00pm

The festival’s Grand Tasting showcases 30 local winemakers. Complimentary cheese and charcuterie, as well as food samples from local artisan vendors will be included; but, for bigger appetites, The Ibarra Catering Truck will be on hand to provide bigger bites for purchase.

Early Access tickets are also available, providing one and a half hours of unlimited access prior to the main event from 12:30-2:00pm.

The non-profit Garagiste Festival supports the Garagiste Festival Scholarships at the Wine and Viticulture Department at Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo.

The 30+ winemakers scheduled to pour at the Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure include:

Ann Albert Wines, Bolt To Wines, Camins 2 Dreams*, Cavaletti Vineyards, Crazy Woman Cellars*, Dana V. Wines, Demeter Family Cellars, Diablo Paso, DreamCote Wines, Dusty Nabor Wines, El Lugar Wines, Entourage Wines, Familia Hicks, Imagine Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Lions Peak Winery, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, Montemar Winery, Purple Dragon Cellars, Quench & Temper, RF Fine Wines, Seagrape Wine Co,, Seven Oxen Estate Wines, Silver Wines, Steinbeck Vineyards, Sweetzer Cellars, and Sycamore Ranch Winery.
*New to the festival.

Covid Update: The Garagiste Festival has adapted its protocols to foster a safe environment that will not detract from the festival’s signature attendee camaraderie and one-on-one interaction with the winemakers (winemakers, not tasting room personnel, always pour at The Garagiste Festival). This includes using more space and greater table distancing, as well as adherence to the current county mandates. For more information and updates on festival Covid protocols, click here.

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure schedule details, go to: http://www.garagistefestival.com/

Tickets are limited for Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure. Garagiste Festivals always sell out in advance. To buy tickets, go to: https://www.my805tix.com/e/garagiste-solvang

For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include:

Visit SYV, Glenn Burdette, G3, ETS Laboratories, The Hamlet Inn, Farm Credit West, Laffort USA, Bank of Marin, Digital Dogma, The Hamlet Inn, mWEBB Communications, and WIVI.

For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

*Garagiste (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

The Texas Whiskey Festival and Remington Family Distillers are excited to release a bourbon barrel aged Caffe Del Fuego

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AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) – The Texas Whiskey Festival and Remington Family Distillers are excited to announce the release of the Ironroot Republic Distilling bourbon barrel-aged Caffe Del Fuego collaboration.

Tejas, the Spanish spelling of the ancient Caddo word for “friend” or “ally,” is a collaboration between the festival and various Texas distillers to create unique offerings that showcase their methods and character. Each bottling will be a limited release available only through the respective distiller.

The Ironroot Republic Distilling bourbon-barrel-aged Caffe Del Fuego is the second release in the Tejas collaboration series. Caffe Del Fuego is coffee liquor done right. “As lifelong whiskey drinkers we have always loved how it pairs with our product. That’s why we were super excited by this project. By aging Caffe Del Fuego for a year in Ironroot bourbon barrels we were able to create a special release that really captures the best of two great spirits. Our rich coffee taste, their smooth, smoky accents, and the deep caramel and vanilla flavors from both come together into something truly noteworthy. I can’t wait for our fans to have the opportunity to enjoy this,” said Mark Remington Koelsch, President and Founder of Remington Family Distillers.

The bottling totaled just under 500 – 750ml bottles. It will be available…exclusively through the tasting room at Remington Family Distillers. “I love that three companies came together to create this fantastic product,” says Jake Clements, Co-Founder of the Texas Whiskey Festival.

“The collaboration is still going; the empty barrels are now back at Ironroot for the second part of our collaboration.”

Tejas came to embody the character of the weathered and resilient settlers who saw the wide-open west as their destiny. This series pays homage to their intrepid resolve by bringing together our favorite Texas distilleries in a spirit of friendship that exemplifies the pride we take in proclaiming, “We are Tejas!”

For more information about the Texas Whiskey Festival visit http://www.txwhiskeyfest.com and for more information about Remington Family Distillers visit https://www.rfdistillers.com.

About the Texas Whiskey Festival
The mission of the festival is simple: To help promote and enhance the brands of the many great distilleries throughout Texas. Along with promotion, we want to educate whiskey lovers about the many top-of-the-line whiskeys being produced in our great state – and we’re doing it all while having fun, drinking great whiskey, and building memorable experiences. As an organization, we know that Texas has some of the best distilleries and whiskeys in the world. The Texas Whiskey Festival is an opportunity to showcase that. For more information, please visit https://txwhiskeyfest.com.

About Remington Family Distillers
Founded by cousins Peter Knight Remington and Mark Remington Koelsch in 2014. Located in Austin, TX, Remington Family Distillers with a passion for superior quality spirits, Remington Family Distillers is the culmination of a whole bunch of paperwork hoops to jump through and a desire to create and produce premium liquor with you in mind.

Perlises Pick: Monochrome

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After months of no winery visits, we finally got out and about. But, something about us had changed. While we still love red wine A LOT, we have been drinking mostly whites during our stay at home and espousing our newfound “healthier diet and lighter wine to go with it” lifestyle to anyone who will listen.

It was now time to put our money where are our mouths are.

Meet Monochrome.

We first tasted Monochrome at the 2018 Garagiste Festival in Santa Monica. At that time, Michael wrote: I’m just going to say it: “It takes balls to make only white wine in red wine country. Since I was focusing primarily on reds I almost skipped it. Fortunately, Karen insisted I try the wines.

As usual…um, always…she was right. Especially loved the 2016 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Marsanne as well as the 2016 blend of Marsanne and Chardonnay. They are pouring in Paso’s Tin City now and I highly recommend you check them out. We intend to.”

Three years later [!], we finally did.

If there was any doubt, Michael comments above were meant as a compliment, not an insult. Paso Robles is known for its big red wines and many (but certainly not all) of the white wines have the reputation of being viewed as an afterthought for that member of a tasting group that just “doesn’t like reds.”

Dave McGee is changing that, one wine-drinker at a time. He founded Monochrome in 2016 after a rich and varied career in industries such as radar design, stealth technology and neuroradiology. He completed the online UC Davis winemaking program and helped with the winemaking at Villa Creek and Alta Colina before making the jump to starting his winery, focusing entirely on white wine.

Taking a contrarian approach to the rest of the region, Dave and consulting winemaker Riley Hubbard focus on making only “white wines with depth, layers and complexity…” Sourcing grapes from Santa Barbara County on the south to Santa Cruz on the north (the three-hour-by-truck rule), they break each variety into small batches and use different fermentation and aging techniques for each, resulting in wines that really live up to the expression of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

Some notes on the wines we tasted:

2019 “Neither Here Nor There” is a blend of 56% Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley and 44% Sauvignon Blanc from the McGinley Vineyard in Happy Canyon. We picked up lemon notes and long finish. This wine has a really solid backbone.

2018 “Analog In A Digital Age” is 74% Marsanne from Camp 4 Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley, 17% Chenin Blanc from G2 Vineyard in the Willow Creek district of Paso Robles and 9% Viognier from Shokrian Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. The wine spent nine months in amphora. There was a really nice minerality on the finish.

2018 “Sense Of Out Of Place” – this blend of 53% Sauvignon Blanc from McGinley Vineyard and 47% Chardonnay from Donnachadh Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills has a medium to long finish and pretty citrus/tangerine notes on the nose.

2018 “Wall Of Sound” is 68% Roussanne from Zaca Mesa Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley and 32% Viognier from Shokrian Vineyard. This is a very rich classic Rhone blend.

2017 “Blasphemy” is an unusual blend of 80% Chardonnay from Donnachadh Vineyard and 20% Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Vineyard. It has a rich golden corn color, and is bright and rich, with a perceived sweetness [as it is 100% dry].

2019 “X-3” – the blend is 49% Roussanne from Zaca Mesa Vineyard, 37% Viognier from Plum Orchard Tree Lane Vineyard in Paso’s Templeton Gap and 14% Grenache Blanc from the G2 Vineyard. Some of this classic Rhone blend goes through the “death and resurrection” method wherein the juice is hyper oxidized and then allowed to come back to life. The wine has a very full mouth feel with citrus lemon notes and a medium to long finish

2020 “Barrel Distortion” – 94% Albarino from Plum Orchard Lane Vineyard, 6% Gewurtzraminer from Paraiso Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands. Very bright with smooth buttery notes.

You may have noticed an overriding theme here. These are serious, complex wines. A lot of thought and care went into making them and the approach to drinking them should follow suit. Monochrome is raising the bar for what white wines can be. Check them out in Paso Robles’s Tin City.

Monochrome

www.monochromewines.com

3075 Blue Rock Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Michael and Karen Perlis have been pursuing their passion for wine for more than 30 years. They have had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show them the way and after a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as they possibly could, they had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Michael and Karen do their best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers.

New Deal Distillery’s Old Tom Gin wins Best of the Northwest

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PORTLAND, ORE. (PRWEB) – New Deal Distillery’s Old Tom Gin wins Platinum in Sip Magazine’s 2021 Best of Northwest Barrel Aged Gin category. Distilled with over 20 botanicals and barrel-rested in French oak, this amber colored gin bridges Portland’s craft distilling scene and Oregon’s winemaking tradition.

New Deal’s founder, head distiller, and self-proclaimed “young Tom”, Tom Burkleaux tinkered and experimented with this gin recipe for years before finally making it a part of New Deal’s permanent line of spirits this past May. Embracing their proximity to the Willamette Valley, this final rendition of Old Tom Gin is aged in Oregon wine barrels and slightly sweetened in the traditional style, creating a warm, toasty, and highly sippable spirit. Burkleaux explains that “while Old Tom is not a new style of gin, it is a style that’s continually evolving. Old Tom is a large and diverse category that has historically encompassed both barrel aged and sweetened gins, and we set out to combine the two.”

So, why is it called Old Tom Gin? In 18th century England, before London Dry Gin stole the show, Old Tom was the gin of choice. It was so popular that several prohibitive laws were enacted to curb its consumption but this only drove the gin scene underground. Since gin was nearly outlawed, pubs secretly selling this ‘mothers ruin’ would alert interested parties to its availability by putting a wooden plaque of a tomcat outside their building. After a coin was deposited through a slot in the wall, the bartender would slyly pour a shot through a pipe out to the patron. Some say it’s this reference to the old tomcat plaque that gives Old Tom Gin its name. However, like much of the history of spirits and cocktails, the exact answers are not known. There are other theories, some having to do with a tomcat falling into a vat of gin or an older distiller named Tom.

What is known for sure is that aging a spirit in wooden barrels affects its overall flavor profile — the gin can take on barrel characteristics like vanilla, clove, oak and smoke. For this reason, Old Tom Gin is often popular with whiskey fans as the gin takes on some of the same notes of barrel aged whiskey and can be enjoyed similarly when served on ice or simply sipped neat. Curious to try this fascinating (and award winning) spirit? New Deal’s Old Tom Gin can now be shipped right to your door in 40+ states: https://shop.newdealdistillery.com/product/new-deal-old-tom-gin/

More about New Deal Distillery:
New Deal Distillery has been making high quality, craft-distilled spirits, inspired by the DIY culture of Portland, Oregon since 2004. All of their artisan spirits are made in small batches with Bull Run water and natural and organic ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible. For more information visit newdealdistillery.com or email info@newdealdistillery.com.

The Texas Whiskey Festival Collaborates with Modisett and Sons Distillery on a Brandy Finished Single Malt

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AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) – The Texas Whiskey Festival and Modisett & Sons announce the release of a collaboration whiskey, Single Malt finished in used brandy barrels.

Tejas, the Spanish spelling of the ancient Caddo word for “friend” or “ally”, is a collaboration between the festival and various Texas distillers to create unique offerings that showcase their methods and character. Each bottling will be a limited release available only through the respective distiller.

Tom Roy from Modisett & Sons is a 18 month old single malt aged one year in used barrels, then finished six months in used brandy barrels. Named after the dad in the father son duo this single malt uses a unique barley called Golden Vienna Pilsner that is packed with incredible flavor. The brandy barrels are former homes to an orange muscat brandy from Andalusia Whiskey Co. The combination creates a flavor profile best described as orange creamsicle pie.

“I love the history of this project,” said Texas Whiskey Festival Co-Founds and creative director for the Tejas series Jake Clements. “Before the barrels aged the brandy they held the first ever Bottled in Bond Whiskey released in Texas.”

This is a limited release available in 375ml bottles. It will be available exclusively through Modisett & Sons tasting room. “It was incredible to see how the flavors changed in a short amount of time,” said Modisett & Sons Co-Founder Tom Roy Modisett. “It created flavors I fell in love with.”

Tejas came to embody the character of the weathered and resilient settlers who saw the wide-open west as their destiny. This series pays homage to their intrepid resolve by bringing together our favorite Texas distilleries in a spirit of friendship that exemplifies the pride we take in proclaiming, “We are Tejas!”

For more information about the Texas Whiskey Festival visit http://www.txwhiskeyfest.com and for more information about Modisett & Sons visit http://www.modisettandsons.com

About the Texas Whiskey Festival
The mission of the festival is simple: To help promote and enhance the brands of the many great distilleries throughout Texas. Along with promotion, we want to educate whiskey lovers about the many top-of-the-line whiskeys being produced in our great state – and we’re doing it all while having fun, drinking great whiskey, and building memorable experiences. As an organization, we know that Texas has some of the best distilleries and whiskeys in the world. The Texas Whiskey Festival is an opportunity to showcase that. For more information, please visit https://txwhiskeyfest.com.

About Modisett & Sons
What started as a father and son bucket list golf trip to the Old Course at St. Andrews ignited a passion and love for scotch. Modisett & Sons strives to bring the classic qualities of scotch to Texas by following traditional Scottish distillation methods. In order to ensure the highest quality we utilize Scottish copper pot stills and premium malted barley. Being aged in second run American Oak barrels in the capricious Texas climate sets Modisett & Sons apart from all other Single Malt Whiskies.