The Tasting Panel magazine

March 2012

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4.5 smooches Jérôme Quiot 2008 Châteauneuf- du-Pape Les Combes d'Arnevel, France ($35) Dried herbs—from lavender to freshly torn shrubs, musky, spiced and bittersweet—swim through the nose and into the palate and still exist in my memory. Earthy elegance with a chalky stare melds with coffee beans and tea leaves. 55% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 20% Syrah. 95 DAVID MILLIGAN SELECTIONS 3.5 smooches Tablas Creek Vineyard 2009 Esprit de Beaucastel, Paso Robles ($40) A blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 28% Syrah, 27% Grenache and 5% Counoise, this estate-grown and -bottled blend easily picks up the limestone soil in which it is born in the hills of western Paso. This minerality heightens the intensity of every nuance (earthy white pepper and dense fruit). It earns its rich, meaty stripes of Rhône-dom. 93 VINEYARD BRANDS 4 smooches Peju 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve, Rutherford - Napa Valley ($95) From a small block of 20-year-old vines and aged 28 months in French oak (and a year in bottle) we evidence the silky roundness of this ardent red. The time in oak and bottle softens and polishes the Cab Franc like a perfectly poised young lady at fi nishing school, bound for a bright future. Raspberry jam, blackberry and lavender are dressed in chocolate silk, an outfi t bound for the head of its glass. 94 SPIRITS 4 smooches Cold River Vodka, USA ($36) Blue fl owers and blueberries are a fresh and unique nose for this small-production potato vodka from Maine. A blue velvet–textured palate cushions any edge. It fi nishes with a dash of pepper on that sweet, but invisible, blueberry. 94 MAINE DISTILLERIES BarSmarts Advanced & BarSmarts Wired are educational programs developed exclusively for Pernod Ricard USA by world-renowned BAR LLC partners Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, Steve Olson, F. Paul Pacult, Andy Seymour and David Wondrich. march 2012 / the tasting panel / 43 Voli Espresso Vanilla Fusion, France ($25) Marshmallow notes speak to the vanilla that rib- bons through a gigantic espresso kiss. It's all delicately entwined and the resulting fi nish is a chocolate mocha that spreads, with a length that is truly pleasurable. 92 PALM BAY INTERNATIONAL 4 smooches Zignum Reposado Mezcal, Mexico ($30) 100% green agave espadín is aged two months for this Oaxaca-made reposado mezcal. A distinct cognac nose is a pure form of fl attery, and at second and third nosing, a zingy metal/mineral- ity plays companion to a honeyed, peachy white tea. Densely creamy on the tongue, it pretty much rolls on the palate, undulating with an earthy, tropical core. 94 AMERICAN WINE DISTRIBUTORS INC. Chase Elderfl ower Liqueur, England ($30) Made from pressed elderfl owers and a base of potato vodka, Chase's aromas run deep with pungent melons, sweet, dripping and bursting with nectar. On the palate, pink guava is pursued by a bitter edge that placates the sweet and shadows the undertones of lime syrup. 91 SALO WINES & SPIRITS BarSmart ? You're But are youSmart. BarSmarts Wired is now open all year long to make it more convenient for you to participate. Think you already know everything behind the bar? Test Your Knowledge! 1. What is the classic base of a traditional Manhattan? Bourbon whiskey Scotch whiskey Blended whiskey Rye whiskey 2. You cannot make a proper ______ without orgeat syrup Martini Aviation Mai Tai Zombie 3. A standard barspoon holds what amount of liquid? La Pinta Pomegranate Infused Tequila, Mexico ($39) The Clase Azul silver tequila doesn't just peek through a pomegranate shadow—it rises clear out of the glass, pungent, clean and agave-rich. Tart, juicy and succulent notes of pomegranate bathes the tongue with a pleasant wash of red. TEQUILAS PREMIUM One-eighth ounce One-quarter ounce One-half ounce None of the above Check your answers! Go to barsmarts.com/tastingpanel to find out if you're right and learn more about how you can use BarSmarts Wired to improve your bar knowledge and that of your staff!

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