Pinot Noir remains the ultimate litmus test for many winemakers. Celebrated for its translucent color and haunting aromatic complexity, this “heartbreak grape” demands precision in the vineyard and a gentle hand in the cellar. While its true home is the slopes of Burgundy, some of the world’s most compelling expressions are being defined by a conversation between the wines of its birthplace and the Pinot Noir vines in soils beyond
Four Roses Distillery is launching the Experimental Series, a line of limited-edition whiskeys aimed at innovating within its tried-and-true, 10-recipe format. The line’s first release, Experimental Series No. 001, will be available at the Four Roses Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Ky., beginning July 30 with a suggested retail price of $55 for each 375-milliliter bottle, according to a press release. Experimental Series No. 001 is a 104-proof blend of
Fighting like cats and dogs is one of the oldest sayings in the book. Dating back to the 1600s, it refers to the natural tendencies of the animal kingdom. Both species have very specific personalities and are strong predators in the areas they inhabit, but our lore always pits them against each other. Maybe I am knee-deep in this battle because I have a senior cat and a recently adopted
Tempranillo is a sneaky little grape. Throughout Spain, you’ll find it going incognito under many different names in different regions: Cencibel in Castilla-La Mancha; Tinto Fino and Tinta del País in Ribera del Duero; Tinta de Toro in Toro; and so many more. But nowhere is it more popular than its birthplace: Rioja. Wine has been made in Rioja for centuries, but the creation of the Haro train station in
When it comes to wine-drinking occasions, it’s hard to beat the allure of peak summer sipping. From backyard barbecues and pool days to picnics in the park, nothing pairs with summertime fun quite like quaffable bottles of crisp whites, refreshing rosés, and zippy skin-contact wines. Each year, a different style seems to capture our attention and end up in just about every beach bag and cooler you can find. Take
Willett Distillery is expanding its bourbon and rye production to a second Kentucky location after nearly 90 years at its flagship Bardstown facility. The company announced the new distillery, situated in Springfield, Ky., today. The Springfield facility, just 18 miles from Bardstown, spans 150 acres and is slated to offer 35 full-time jobs, according to a press release. In addition to the distillery, the new location features barrel-aging warehouses. Willett
As a spirits writer and reviewer, samples arrive at my (home) office nearly every single day. Some are exciting. Some aren’t great. Many are just part of the job. And you never quite know until you open the box. However, when a massive, hulking box recently arrived from Bardstown, Ky., the return address listed as Heaven Hill Distillery, I knew I was about to encounter something great. Perhaps the new,
Many industries have felt the effects of the second Trump administration’s ongoing tariff war, and American whiskey is no exception. Last year, global American whiskey exports plummeted by 19 percent, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). That drop was largely a result of the industry having front-loaded exports to European Union markets in 2024 in anticipation of retaliatory tariffs and of Canada’s province-wide boycott of
Ordering an Old Fashioned in 2026 is no cause for commotion. You ask for the drink, specify the liquor, and watch the bartender mix it up with just sugar, bitters, and booze. But that wasn’t always the case. While the Old Fashioned is often recognized as one of the world’s first cocktails, behind the drink as we know it today lies a succession of preceding concoctions beginning over 200 years
Many winemakers around the world aspire to make world-class wines. Yet the wines that are regarded as such have never been more expensive or difficult to source. So, can you make great wine if you almost never get to drink it? Today on the “VinePair Podcast,” Adam, Joanna, and Zach debate whether winemakers can understand the capability of their product if they don’t know what the absolute pinnacle of the