Stories from Drink Up!

  1. Buoncristiani 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

    Drink Up! &bull Sep 15, 2006

    Wow. This is real, real, real good wine. It smells great -- I get deep, luxurious currant and roses, plus a bit of sweet new oak. There's a throatiness that's really cool, like you made wine from Kathleen Turner's voice Full Story »

  2. Calix Cellars 2004 Syrah Masked Man Vineyard Napa Valley

    Drink Up! &bull Sep 10, 2006

    I picked up a bottle of this in Napa last week. I enjoyed the Calix Cellars Parmalee-Hill Vineyard syrah a couple years ago at Butterfly Restaurant in San Francisco, and wanted to see if I would enjoy this one as Full Story »

  3. Cos d'Estournel 2001 St. Estephe, France

    Drink Up! &bull Jul 26, 2006

    I'm quickly going through my half-case of this wine. It's pretty good, and I think I'll have polished off my stash before the wine even hits its stride. It has very nice aromas of graphite and leather, with rich fruit Full Story »

  4. Karl Lawrence 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

    Drink Up! &bull Jul 16, 2006

    Karl Lawrence is a perennial favorite of mine. The '02 is no exception. Deep, saturated color. Rich aromas of cedar, cherries and red fruit (maybe cranberry?), a little tobacco, burnt toast, new oak. Excellent tannin structure that grips without overpowering. Full Story »

  5. Five Vintners 2002 Syrah Napa Valley

    Drink Up! &bull Apr 18, 2006

    This is a wonderful medium-bodied wine, and at about $16, a steal for the price. A dusty, herbal, gamey, blueberry licorice nose gives way to more dark berry fruit and thick smoked meat and some oak on the palate. Smooth Full Story »

  6. DeWaal 2003 Pinotage Stellenbosch South Africa

    Drink Up! &bull Jan 25, 2006

    Another fun little find at Hidden Vine. An intriguing nose of coffee grounds, tar/asphalt and burnt caramel. The flavors echoed the tar and asphalt, as well as black tea, earth, smoked meat and a chunky ragged quality. South African wines Full Story »

  7. Sean Thackery 2003 Andromeda Pinot Noir Devil's Gulch Ranch

    Drink Up! &bull Jan 25, 2006

    I was relaxing with a late-night glass of wine at Hidden Vine last weekend when I was joined at the bar by two gentlemen from a well-known local restaurant, Fleur de Lys, and a friend of theirs from Michael Mina. Full Story »

  8. Distillery 209 Gin (yes, gin!)

    Drink Up! &bull Nov 18, 2005

    I had a bad gin experience in college and have avoided the stuff ever since. But this brand is bringing me back in a big way. A friend of mine works for Distillery 209, which is a new gin brand Full Story »

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