Denis visits the picturesque distillery of Edradour in his quest to bring you the next great whisky cask…. The search for the next great cask for Vine & Table can seem terribly romantic and it is to a degree. Flying to Scotland, eating haggis, and drinking whisky are all great fun. However there is a […]
“Rectified.” For decades this word has been treated as the closest thing the whiskey world has to a curse, and for good reason. Rectified whiskies are a creation of the second half of the 19th century. Producers would add juice, caramel syrup, or other spirits to their whiskies in order to improve flavor. They did […]
Robert Hall Zinfandel is a great summertime red. Besides being robust enough to retain its flavor and character even when chilled, this wine pairs really well with grilled meats. The flavors of black cherry and ground pepper work nicely with everything from ribeye steaks to pork ribs. And at just $18.99 a bottle, a savings […]
Denis visits the picturesque distillery of Edradour in his quest to bring you the next great whisky cask…. How does one prepare oneself for a day spent consuming copious samples of whisky? With a gut-busting full Scottish breakfast. On the menu this morning was a steaming bowl of porridge, followed by rashers (bacon), sausages, black pudding […]
Denis visits the village of Blackford in his quest to bring you the next great whisky cask…. Landing in Edinburgh is always a great feeling; it doesn’t matter if the sun is shining or the clouds are grey and dampness hangs in the air. The sense of familiarity comes flooding back to me once I […]
I just arrived back from Europe on Sunday, a little jet-lagged I must admit! The purpose of my trip was to search for unique whiskies and other spirits for Vine & Table’s single cask program. I’ve found over the years that going directly to the source, whether that be a distillery or an independent bottler, […]
May meant more than lengthening days, blooming flowers, and the Indy 500. May also meant the new vintage of Chateauneuf-du-Pape arrived! There are some real standouts among this year’s offerings, which were all bottled in 2015. Winemakers in the Southern Rhone called 2015 a “power vintage, the vintage as a whole was rated 97/100 by […]
Many great things hail from Austria – Mozart, Freud, Riedel crystal, Sacher torte, Red Bull (who knew??). But Austria has also blessed the world with excellent wines, including Grüner Veltliner. Allram Strass’s 2017 vintage in particular has caught our fancy. Handpicked from a cross-section of Allram’s vineyards, the white grapes that make up this refreshing […]