CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. — The 2025 growing season in Monterey County can best be described as a Goldilocks vintage, not too hot, not too cold, but perfectly balanced. With only a handful of brief warm spells, this year recalls cooler, classically elegant vintages such as 1998, 1999, 2010, and 2011, years celebrated for their finesse and…
The winter preceding 2025 was mild and dry in the Carpathian Basin. Budbreak began in mid-April, in line with the multi-year average. However, by late April some wine regions (e.g. Central Hungary) experienced sub-zero temperatures, resulting in varying degrees of spring frost damage. Overall, 2025 was slightly cooler than average, with dry conditions in eastern…
After tasting some delicious white wines, we were ready for what the Dry Valley AVA is best known for – Zinfandel! Tasting room manager Eddie presented these tastes in a side-by-side format. We started with the 2023 Briar Zinfandel and the 2023 Sullivan Zinfandel, also from the Dry Creek Valley. The Briar has 9% Petite…
This past summer I was in Portugal for the second time. During both visits I searched out wines from the Alentejo DOC to drink as they are always winners for me. Fancy my thrill at being offered two wines from the area to review when we got home. I ran a news release from the…
The new release marks the first in the #1 single malt Scotch whisky’s1 new ‘Beyond Speyside’ series NEW YORK, /PRNewswire/ — The Glenlivet, the definitive Speyside single malt Scotch, is reimagining its iconic 12 Year Old single malt with the launch of ‘Beyond Speyside,’ a new series featuring whiskies inspired by destinations from around the world. The…
When we first began going to the Dry Creek Valley about a decade ago, the very first winery in the area we visited was Mazzocco Sonoma and its winemaker Antoine Favero was the first winemaker we met in the region. The only problem with this being our first stop is that the bar was now…
AIKO Brands & AETHER Brand Group Join Forces to Bring Prestige Mezcal Nationwide ATLANTA, /PRNewswire/ — Corte Vetusto, the world’s most highly awarded mezcal brand, is proud to announce its U.S. national expansion through a strategic national distribution partnership with AIKO Brands, a recognized leader in scaling premium and luxury brands across North America. Since its acquisition by AETHER…
The 2025 Single Rickhouse release, its fourth iteration, captures the influence of Camp Nelson E’s cooler conditions to shape its flavor profile LAWRENCEBURG, Ky., /PRNewswire/ — Award-winning Russell’s Reserve introduces Single Rickhouse 2025 – Camp Nelson E, the highly anticipated fourth addition to its acclaimed Single Rickhouse Collection. The Collection explores whiskey “terroir”, and how the exact location…
The EU-funded campaign brought the richness of European wines and fresh fruits to one of the most influential beverage education events in the United States NEW YORK, /PRNewswire/ — The Charming Taste of Europe, a campaign co-funded by the European Union, celebrates the heritage and quality of European wines and fresh fruits, introducing North American audiences to exquisite products…
I thought I must have reviewed Dry Creek Vineyard wines before, but a search of our website proved me wrong. Imagine my thrill then of not only getting to sample their latest 2024 Chenin Blanc, a top seller, but also their new limited-production 2023 Sparkling Chenin Blanc that was just recently released. The new release…