2014: Favorite Spirits & Drink-Related Items

What were some of my favorite spirits and drink-related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2014. I have already posted my Favorite Wine lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Spirits and Drink Related Items. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. This is the first year that this category has been given its own post because I have tasted and reviewed a far greater amount of spirits, cocktails and other drinks this year. For more spirits and drink related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Favorite Spirits & Cocktail Event: Last month, Thirst Boston 2014  was held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, a four day event dedicated to the diversity of spirits, cocktails and other drinks. There was myriad of interesting and informative seminars, tasting rooms, several parties and much more. The event was well organized, and everything seemed to run smoothly. It was educational and fun, with lots of great drinks available. This is the second year of the event, and I highly recommend you check out next year's Thirst Boston.

Favorite Cocktail Supply Shop: Located near Davis Square in Somerville, The Boston Shaker offers everything you need to create cocktails, except for the alcohol. Plenty of spirit & cocktail books, a wide range of bitters, shakers, stirrers, glasses, and so much more. They also run cocktail classes, book signings and other fun and informative events. It is an excellent place to purchase gifts for the holiday season for your cocktail loving family and friends.

Favorite Bourbon: The Hillrock Estate Distillery, in the Hudson Valley, New York, produces a Solera Aged Bourbon from corn grow on their estate. From my first sniff of this Bourbon, I was mesmerized. It possessed such an alluring nose, a complex blend of smells, and you would be tempted to simply sit with a glass and enjoy the aromas without even tasting it. However, the taste won't disappoint either, providing a complex melange of flavors, including caramel, vanilla, nuttiness, butterscotch, toffee, and plenty of spicy notes, There seemed to be be mere wisps of clove and cinnamon, mostly noticeable on the lengthy finish. This was a well balanced Bourbon, impressive in its complexity and quality.

Favorite Rye Whiskey: I received a bottle of Colonel E.H.Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye from my good friend, Fred Minnick, a well-known whiskey writer. I was surprised by this rye as I was expecting something with a bold spicy profile, and instead it was far more elegant and subtle. The taste was complex, silky smooth and filled with an intriguing melange of flavors. There were delicious savory spice notes, but also some sweet vanilla and caramel, complemented with hints of mocha and dried fruit. It was seductive on my palate, and the lingering finish left me craving more. A superb sipping whiskey,

Favorite Local Rye Whiskey: Made in a small distillery in Belmont, Massachusetts, the Damnation Alley Distillery Rye was an impressive whiskey, made from 72% rye, and the rest barley. The whiskey was aged for less than six months in a small barrel. It was smooth and spicy, more savory in taste, with a lingering and pleasing finish.

Favorite Highland Scotch Single Malt: The Aberlour A'bunadh is a cask strength whiskey that is aged in Oloroso casks. It is bottled only twice a year and made in a more traditional manner, which presented a compelling profile. It possessed a creamy mouth feel, with plenty of spice, dried fruit notes, caramel and a little sweetness. Lots of complexity, smooth and with a very lengthy finish. Simply delicious.

Favorite Lowlands Scotch Single Malt: The Auchentoshan Three Wood was matured in three different barrels, including American Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and Pedro Ximenez Sherry. With a darker hue, you get more sherry notes on the nose, including brown sugar and raisins. The taste is rich and complex, with delicious flavors of caramel, dried fruits, baking spices, and nutty accents. It has some sweetness to it, but plenty of savory flavors too. With a lingering finish, this single malt intrigued and delighted me.

Favorite Islay Scotch Single Malt: The Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest is aged in bourbon and sherry barrels, spending its final three years in Oloroso Sherry barrels, and that is why it has a dark amber color. This whiskey was smooth and complex, a delectable melange of smoke, baking spices, chocolate, dried fruit, vanilla and hints of nuttiness. The smokiness was around mild, but pervaded every taste, gently caressing your palate. The lingering finish seemed to go on and on, satisfying long after each sip. A superb Scotch that earns my highest recommendation.

Favorite Blended Scotch Whiskey: The Monkey Shoulder is a "triple malt," a blended Scotch whiskey, made from three different, Speyside single malts, from Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie. Each single malt is aged separately and then they are blended together, and aged for an additional three to six months. This is a mellow and easy drinking blended whiskey, with pleasing flavors of caramel, vanilla and mild spice notes. This can be enjoyed on its own, of mixed into a variety of cocktails.

Favorite Irish Whiskey: Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey is made from three varieties of grain, is triple distilled, and blends three types, pot still, malt and grain. It is aged in used bourbon and sherry casks. Though it is light and elegant, it has an certain intensity with flavors of citrus, spice, vanilla, and salted almonds. Easy drinking, this would be an excellent introductory whiskey.

Favorite Asian Whiskey: Kavalan Distillery, the only whiskey distillery in Taiwan, is producing an amazing portfolio of single malt whiskies. I loved the Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask Whisky, a single malt aged in Oloroso sherry casks. With a dark brown color, the same as an aged Oloroso, is provides an intriguing nose of dried fruit, nuts and spice. On the palate, it will remind you, in part, of aged Oloroso, with vanilla, nutty notes, spices, caramel, honey and raisins. It is fairly silky, with lots of complexity, and a very lengthy finish that never seems to stop. This is a whiskey you'll want to slowly savor over the course of an evening, reveling in its complex profile.

Favorite U.S. Single Malt Whiskey: Westland Distillery, located in Washington, is making serious whiskey, and is far larger than the typical craft distillery. Though it is still relatively new, their whiskies are impressive, and they will only continue to improve over time. The Westland Peated Whiskey, which even isn't on the market yet, is a whiskey you need to seek out soon when it becomes available. This Peated Whiskey reminded me of barbecued dirt, a smoky and earthy mix which I found especially compelling. The flavors were well balanced, and the smokiness didn't overpower the whiskey. It was silky smooth and delicious, with a complex blend of intriguing flavors, including vanilla, caramel, salted nuts, and subtle red fruit flavors. There were hints of chocolate, coffee and citrus, and the aroma alone delighted me. It was tempting to simply smell it and not even drink it, though I would love savoring a bottle with friends over a long fall afternoon.

Favorite Rum: From Puerto Rico, the Don Q Gran Anejo is a blend of rums aged 3-20 years and Solera rums aged up to 20 years. It possesses a complex melange of flavors and aromas, which will tantalize your palate. Silky smooth, it possesses a lingering and satisfying finish. It even possesses some Sherry-like qualities, which may also be a reason I enjoyed it so much. A high quality rum which I think is best on its own, slowly sipped with friends.

Runner-Up Favorite Rum: From Barbados, the Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum is distilled in both a column and pot still, and then aged in ex-whiskey casks and later finished in deep, charred ex-bourbon casks. Some of the rum used in the final blend may have been aged for up to seven years. The Black Barrel has a dark, amber color, like a fine whiskey, and if you tasted it blind, it would remind you far more of a rye whiskey than a rum. On the taste, there is a deep spice taste, caramel notes and a mild hint of vanilla. Layers of complexity, a lengthy finish (which has a touch of cinnamon), and a smooth, compelling taste.

Favorite Mezcal: Los Amantes Reposado remains my favorite Mezcal. Aged for about 6 months in American oak, it possesses a complex melange of flavors (including some citrus), pleasant smokiness and subtle accents of fruit. It is silky smooth, an excellent sipping spirit on its own on its own. It may remind you a little of an Islay Scotch due to its smoky accents.

Favorite Flavored Vodka: Though I am not generally a fan of flavored vodkas, I sometimes make an exception for those made more naturally. The Grand Ten Distilling Fire Puncher Black Vodka fits that bill, a collaboration with Grand Ten and Taza Chocolate. Starting with a chipotle pepper infused vodka, they add some Taza nubs and shells, and age it in an ex-bourbon barrel. With an alluring aroma, this is like a mole sauce in a bottle, a spicy chocolate mix that has a natural taste, not like the artificial flavored vodkas out there. An excellent cocktail mixer.

Favorite Local Grappa: The Hudson-Chatham Winery, in New York, produces two Grappas made from Baco Noir. Essentially, this is a distilled spirit using grape skins, and the grappa is produced for the winery by the local Harvest Spirits. The basic Grappa was aromatic and pleasant, with cherry and red berry flavors but the Grappa Reserve was my favorite. It sees some oak aging and was smoother, with delightful red fruit flavors enhanced by spice notes. It would be a pleasant digestif after a nice dinner.

Favorite Liqueur: The Ancho Reyes Ancho Chile Liquer, made in Mexico, relies on the signature crop of Puebla, the chile poblano. When this chile is dried, it is known as the ancho chile. This liqueur is lightly sweet with a spicy hot kick which will tingle your mouth but won't burn it. There are some other mild flavor notes beneath the spice, including some fruit and herbs. There are no artificial tastes in this liqueur. It is a very interesting liqueur which would be excellent in the right cocktail to add some heat.

Favorite Distillery Visit: My visit to the Hillrock Estate Distillery was informative and exciting, getting to see a distillery that is attempting to make their products as local as possible, a farm to glass operation. From their fields of corn, rye and barley, to their own malt house, owner Jeff Baker infected us with his passion for local spirits. It helped that their products, including a Solera Aged Bourbon, a Peated Single Malt and a Rye Whiskey were all delicious. If you visit the Hudson Valley, you must make sure to visit this distillery.

Favorite Restaurant Simple Cocktail: The classic Manhattan is simple, a mix of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. At the Blue Ox in Lynn, they elevate this simple cocktail as a  Barrel-Aged Manhattan, which is aged in oak for about two months. Barrel-aged cocktails are a new trend, and I found this Manhattan to be smooth and complex, with an added depth to it which is probably attributable to its aging. It is the type of well-balanced cocktail which I would have been satisfied drinking all night.

Favorite Restaurant Innovative Cocktail: At Fish Restaurant in Marlborough, I enjoyed the Spanish Armada, made from Torres Gran Reserva 10 year old Brandy, Fig Puree and Lustau East India Sherry. It had a prominent dried fruit and fig flavor, with some nutty elements. It was nicely balanced, without being too sweet, and it would also be easy to sit and drink a few of these over the course of an evening.

Favorite Cocktails: At Thirst Boston, there were an ample amount of cocktails for sampling and two of them especially caught my interest. The Chipotle Carrot Bloody Mary, with a slice of bacon as a garnish, had a tasty and intriguing blend of spice and carrot, and some smokiness from the bacon. A perfect accompaniment to breakfast or brunch. The Brass Gorilla was created by Christina Klein of Sonny's Restaurant & Lounge in Portland, Maine. This cocktail is made from Absolut Vanilla Vodka, orange juice, Galliano, pineapple syrup, and Fernet Whipped Cream and reminded me of an old-fashioned creamsicle, creamy and sweet (but not overly so) with a slight herbal tinge. If you want something sweet, this would please your palate.

Favorite Local Cider: Based in Salem, Massachusetts, the relatively new cidery, Far From The Tree, is making hard cider in a very old fashioned style, using primarily local ingredients such as apples and maple syrup from Central Massachusetts. Their ciders are clean, crisp and bone dry, with rich apple flavors, like a taste of autumn. The Roots is made only from pressed apples and maple syrup and is tasty on its own, and would also pair well with a variety of foods. The Rind is made with Saison yeast, coriander & orange rind, where the apple flavors are enhanced by citrus and spice notes. If you are a cider lover, you need to check out these delicious ciders.

Favorite Non-Local Hard Cider: From Virginia, the Potter's Craft Cider Farmhouse Dry is also an old style hard cider, reflecting the American farmhouse ciders. They use local, cider apples and tank aged the cider for 3-6 months What grabbed my attention was the complexity of this cider, the melange of aromas and flavors that I found within this bottle. Crisp and dry, it possessed bright fruit flavors of not only apple but also touches of pear, melon and even pineapple. A refreshing effervescence, a subtle tartness, a mild earthiness and a lengthy, pleasing finish.

Favorite Beer Drink: I'm not generally a fan of beer, but every once in awhile, a beer product garners my attention. At Bronwyn Restaurant, I tried the Stickum Uerige, a fascinating beer eau-de-vie, also known as "beer brandy" or "bierschnaps." Bronwyn carries three of their products, the Stickum Uerige Original, Stickum Uerige Château d’Yquem Barrel, and Stickum Uerige Plus Port Wine Oak Barrel. My preference was the Port Wine, which had almost no beer flavor, but plenty of concentration, depth and complexity. It does show Port wine characteristics, but you also realize that it is more than Port. There is enough acidity to balance the sweetness, and this may be my new favorite method of drinking beer.

Favorite Health Food Drink: I never would have thought I would have found a delicious health drink at the Seafood Expo. However, the Berry Kelp Smoothie impressed me. Made from bananas, frozen berries, mint leaves, kelp, and nondairy milk, it possessed a strong berry and fruity flavor, and you would never have known it contained kelp. This is a great and tasty way to get all those health benefits of kelp, and even veggie haters would love this smoothie. Kelp is gluten free and low in calories, carbohydrates and fat. It also is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron, as well as one of the few foods with the nutrient iodine, which is essential for hormone balance.

Favorite Most Unusual Drink: At the same Seafood Expo, I savored an Uni Shooter, a shot glass filled with uni, ginger beer, and wasabi. It made for an intriguing shot, with the ginger flavors enhancing the natural briny flavors of the uni, and with a spicy kick from the wasabi. These shooters proved very popular with the attendees, and there was a long line when they were offered.

What were some of your favorite spirits and drink related items this year?

2014: Favorite Wine-Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2014. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Ten Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine-Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Favorite Wines Analysis: In my three prior Top Ten Wine lists, I mentioned a total of 42 wines, which included wines from 12 different countries. At the top was France, with 10 wines, four of them from the Alsace region. In second place was Portugal with 8 wines and third place went to Spain with 7 wines. About 60% of my picks came from just these three countries. Uruguay made a strong showing with 5 wines, and the Hudson Valley of New York had 3 wines on the lists. Chile, with two wines on the list, was the only other country with multiple listings. The rest of the lists included wines from Argentina, Austria, California, Croatia, Italy, Lebanon, and South Africa,

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Consumers always want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap, mass-produced commercial wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight three such stores which continue to do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree & Needham, Wine Connextion in North Andover, and Rapid Liquors in Stoneham. Shop at any of those stores and you won't be disappointed.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a small list of wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls
Winestone in Chestnut Hill
Vintages: Adventures in Wine in Belmont
Wine-Sense in Andover
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge
Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose (where I also work part-time)

Favorite Wine Magazine: For the sixth year in a row, Decanter, a British wine magazine, continues to impress me with its extensive coverage, including many less common wine regions, often ignored or marginalized in other wine publications. Plus it has an amusing wine cartoon in every issue. This is a magazine that consistently delivers fascinating articles and I always look forward to each issue. If you are not reading it, you should be.

Favorite Wine Book: A comprehensive book about Spanish Rioja, The Wine Region of Rioja by Ana Fabiano, is an excellent resource. It possesses great photography, is easy to read, and provides lots of insight into the wine makers of Rioja. My favorite sidebar of the book was "Voice of the Vintners" which provides quotes from about 30 different wineries on Tempranillo. There is such poetry in those quotes, and they provide a fascinating insight into Rioja. If you read those two pages alone, I think you would actually have a nice grasp of Rioja.

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Book: An excellent introduction to the wondrous world of Sherry, I highly recommend Sherry: A Modern Guide to the Wine World's Best-Kept Secret, with Cocktails and Recipes by Talia Baiocchi. It is an easily understood exploration of everything from how Sherry is produced to a listing of Bodegas and recommended Sherries. There are also plenty of Sherry cocktail recipes and some food recipes as well. I love Sherry and it is great to see others advocating for it as well.

Favorite Wine Dinner: For the second year in a row, an Alsatian wine dinner was selected for this category. Compelling wines, superb food, and great people all combined to create an exceptional experience at Puritan & Co. As usual, the fine wines of Alsace impressed, showing diversity, complexity and value. In addition, three wines from this dinner were mentioned in my Favorite Wine lists. I'd never been to Puritan before, and the food more than satisfied. I'm eager to return to try more dishes from their menu.

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Dinner: At Alden & Harlow, I dined with Cristóbal Undurraga Marimón, co-owner and winemaker at Viña Koyle, a Chilean winery. Superb food, excellent wines, and plenty of stimulating conversation. It was also my first time at Alden & Harlow, and it too was impressive, from the Chicken Fried Rabbit to the delectable Lamb. Two of the Viña Koyle wines ended up on my Favorite Wine lists.

Favorite Private Wine Dinner: My vacation in Las Vegas this past summer, with several good friends, was excellent, and we ate and drank quite well. Our dinner at Sage was exceptional, with compelling food and wines, two of which ended up on my Favorite Wine lists. The wine list had plenty of intriguing choices, and the mark-up actually was fairly reasonable. The Sommelier knew his wines well, and the group of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Favorite Wine Lunch: Taberna de Haro has the best Spanish wine list in the Boston, as well as the largest Sherry list. They make excellent Spanish cuisine as well, and this all combined for a special lunch showcasing the amazing Sherries of Alexander Jules, all three which ended up on my Favorite Wine lists. Sitting outside, we savored the Sherries and tapas while enjoying pleasant and interesting conversation. It almost felt like we were transported to the streets of Barcelona.

Favorite Large-Scale High-End Tasting: The Vintner's Reserve Lounge at the Boston Wine Expo presented an impressive selection of high-end wines, with plenty of tasty food. It was a major improvement over the last few Vintner's Reserve Lounges that I had attended. There were about 100 wines available for tasting, and it was a more leisurely tasting, without the large crowds that attend the Grand Tasting. Some of the wines from this event ended up on my Favorite Wine lists this year.

Favorite Large-Scale Tasting: The Mohegan Sun WineFest is a large, consumer wine event, which also showcases beer and spirits. In addition, there is plenty of food available at the event, to cleanse your palate and fill your belly. Its location, within a major casino, is also a plus, giving you plenty to do after the tasting is over. Several wines from this event have ended up on my Favorite Wine lists this year, which happens nearly every year.

Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: The Wines of Uruguay was such a delicious and informative event, a chance to try nearly 80 wines from 16 different wineries. Uruguay is an upcoming region which has previously been drinking most of their own wine. As their exports increase, you'll see their wines more and more on local shelves, and that is a very good thing. Sparkling, whites, reds and more. Lots of diversity, at all price points, and their signature grape, Tannat, is producing some amazing wines.

Runner-Ups of Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: The Austrians Like Them Young and Wines of Portugal tastings were also very worthy events. The Austrian wine event presented some nice comparison tastings of red wines made from indigenous grapes such as Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. The Portugal tasting presented about 200 wines, of all types, and offered a great overview of the wonders of Portuguese wine, from Vinho Verde to Port. Both events have wines on my Favorite Wine lists.

Favorite Twitter Wine Tasting: At a Twitter wine tasting, people from all over the world drink the same wines and then discuss them at the same time on Twitter. I have been participating in these tastings for years, and they can be lots of fun. The Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae presented four delicious Crémant sparkling wines, and plenty of interesting conversation on Twitter. Alsatian Crémant may not be on your radar but it should, offering excellent taste at a very good value.

Most Unique Wine Tasting: While in the Hudson Valley, at one of the grand tastings, I got to sample the wines from Pazdar Winery, which included two chocolate wines! Previously, the chocolate wines I have tasted have seemed artificial and overly sweet. However, these were actually tasty and interesting wines, with real chocolate and a restrained sweetness. These aren't your normal type of wine, but they are well made and would appeal to many people.

Favorite Private Wine Tasting: My good friend Adam, of Wine Zag, hosts a monthly blind tasting event which is always fun and interesting. A group of 15-18 people are assembled, and we taste through about twelve wines, usually with some type of theme. From Champagne to Southern Italian reds, the themes range wide and the wines themselves range in price and style. The attendees include wine newcomers and more knowledgeable tasters, but there is a lack of pretension and the casual atmosphere is one of fun and discovery. This is the third year in a row this tasting has garnered this honor.

Favorite Wine Trip, Domestic: This year's TasteCamp was held in the Hudson Valley of New York. It was informative and fun, and I discovered plenty of interesting wines and spirits. The region is beautiful and it was great to visit this developing wine region, which also possesses a rich and vibrant history. TasteCamp always does a good job of showcasing different wine regions, and this year was no different. Wines and spirits from this trip have ended up on my Favorite lists.

Favorite Winery Visit: While in the Hudson Valley region, our visit to the Hudson-Chatham Winery was a major highlight. Carlo Devito, owner of the winery, was an excellent host, leading us through a tasting of their wines, giving a tour of their solera, and feeding us lunch, including plenty of sliders. We saw Carlo's passion, and also saw the potential of hybrid grapes, such as Baco Noir. If you visit this region, you must stop at this winery.

Changes To Local Wine Laws: Last year, I wrote about two major legal issues, concerning wine, that took the spotlight in Massachusetts. Those issues involved shipping wine and removing the cap on liquor licenses. This year, positive progress was made on both issues, and hopefully that means additional positive changes will occur in 2015. First, in Rant: More Liquor Licenses Coming, I discussed how more liquor licenses were coming to Boston, and I hope these new licenses breathe life into certain neighborhoods. Second, in Rant: Caveats of Direct Wine Shipping, I explained how the new law allowing U.S. wineries to ship to Massachusetts is good news in some respects, but that there is still much more than needs to be done. Things are better this year for Massachusetts wine lovers, but let us hope it continues to improve.

My Wine Honor: In November, I received a great honor, being inducted as a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine. The rank of Cavaleiro (Knight) is given to those who “have made a significant contribution to the understanding and prestige of Port Wine.” Only 13 people were inducted as Cavaleiros at the ceremony, and there are about 1300 worldwide. I took an oath to defend the honor of Port wine, so you can look forward to more articles about Port in 2015.

What were some of your favorite wine-related items this year?

2014: Top Ten Wines Over $15

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

Welcome to my second Top Ten Wine List. Yesterday, I posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, which I hope you enjoyed and found useful. Now it is time for my Top Ten Wines Over $15, though these wines also cost less than $50. In actuality, I have listed twelve wines, pairing three similar ones together from the same importer.

Like the prior list, this list includes wines that not only did I enjoy, but which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out, for some particular reason, above the other wines at this price point that I have tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I highly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers will also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws.

1)  NV Vermut LaCuesta ($20)
At the Mohegan Sun WineFest, one of my favorite wines of the entire event was this impressive Spanish Vermouth. Tempranillo is the base of this fortified wine, and it presented with an intriguing herbal taste with only mild bitter elements and hints of sweetness. I tasted some of it on its own, as well as in a glass with ice, and in both instances, it was impressive. It is well balanced, and would be delicious on its own or in a cocktail. Highly recommended.

2) 2010 Inspiracion Valdemar Tempranillo Blanco ($30)
Made from 100% Tempranillo Blanco, a mutation of Tempranillo and only discovered relatively recently, this Spanish wine was aged on the lees in first year French oak. With a dark gold color, this wine had aromas and flavors of tropical fruits, accompanied by hints of honey, herbs and a touch of citrus. It possessed a very intriguing taste, good acidity and a long,pleasing finish. It is a wine to slowly sip and savor, though it pairs well with food too. A stunner of a wine.

3) Alexander Jules Sherries ($45)
Alexander Jules, kind of a negociant company, seeks out special Spanish sherry barrels, creating fascinating blends. I tasted their first three sherries, the Fino 22/85, Manzanilla 17/71, and Amontillado 6/26. All three were stunning examples, presenting plenty of complex and delicious flavors. These are Sherries to slowly enjoy each delectable taste, relishing the wonders found within each glass. I placed these three together because they are all special, share similar characteristics, and showcase the palate of the company's owner, Alexander Russan. These are the best sherries I have tasted all year.

4) Quinta de Santa Eufemia 10 Year Old White Port ($30)
A blend of Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Moscatel Galego, and Rabigato, this aged White Port, a rare category, has a beautiful amber color. It possesses an alluring nose of floral and herbal notes, and on the palate the taste is complex and intriguing, a bit of an oxidative style. It has a tough of honeyed sweetness though it finishes dry, and the finish lingers long in your mouth. It is surely a Port to slowly savor, enjoying the multitude of flavors that pass over your palate.

5) 2008 José Maria da Fonseca Domini Plus ($40)
A blend of 65% Touriga Franca, 20% Tinta Roriz, & 15% Touriga Nacional, this Portuguese red wine spends about 12 months in new French oak. It possesses plenty of complexity and flavor, creating an elegant and enticing wine, that is still powerful yet restrained. This is a perfectly balanced wine, one to slowly sip and savor, thinking on everything to be found within your glass. It is an amazing wine, well worth the price, and which might cost twice as much in any other wine region.

6) 2011 Moric Blaufränkisch Reserve ($45)
This is am Austrian wine which stunned me with its complex pleasures. Each sip seemed to bring out different elements, from its blend of red and black fruits, to its strong minerality. There are intriguing notes of spice, herbs and even chocolate. The tannins are moderate but not overwhelming, and the wine lingers for quite a long time on your palate. One glass won't be enough for you, and this is a wine to impress your friends. Highly recommended.

7) Dopff et Irion NV Crémant D'Alsace Brut Rosé ($17)
This Alsatian Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir and I likened it to a dish of strawberries and cream. Though dry and crisp, there was a rich creaminess to the wine, with plenty of delicious red fruit flavors, including plenty of strawberry. Complex and with a lingering finish, I found this to be a compelling wine, as well as an excellent value for the price.

8) 2012 Vina Koyle Gran Reserva Carmenere ($16.99)
This Chilean wine is a blend of 86.5% Carmenere, 8% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petite Verdot. With a nose of black fruit and spice, I found this to be an elegant wine, with a delicious melange of black fruit, spice, minerality and hints of tobacco. It was silky smooth, with a long, satisfying finish. At this price, it is a good value for its complexity and quality.

9) 2013 Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines ($18.95)
Made from 60 year old vines, this wine is made in Hudson Valley, New York, and was complex and intriguing, presenting a delicious melange of flavors, including ripe plum, blueberry, black cherry, vanilla and baking spices. It possessed a silky feel, was well balanced and had a lingering and pleasing finish. It may be a hybrid grape, but that shouldn't deter you from enjoying the high quality of this compelling wine.

10) 2012 Fausse Piste "Garde Manger" Syrah ($25)
A blend of Syrah from five vineyards in the Columbia Valley, there might be a tiny percentage of Viognier too. From your first sniff of the aromas of this wine, you'll probably be hooked. It possesses an alluring nose, a complex blend of appealing aromas, including lush fruit and a prominent earthiness. It brought to my mind wines from the Rhône. The taste of this wine lived up to the promise of its nose, and initially you'll be impressed by the depth of flavor within this wine, the complex melange of flavors that will flood your mouth, seducing your palate. Black fruit, spice, earthiness, minerality, and even more can be found within each sip. Silky tannins lead to a lengthy and satisfying finish. Everything is in balance in this wine, and it is absolutely compelling.

This is always my toughest list to compile because there are numerous other excellent wines which I could have added. I had to ponder long over which wines to actually select for the main list, meaning that I had to eliminate other worthy wines. To give some credit to those other worthy wines, for the second year in a row, I am adding an Honorable Mention list, to reference those other wines which nearly made my Top Ten list.

Honorable Mention
2011 Planeta Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Dorilli DOCG ($32.99)
2009 Cedro Do Noval ($22)
2013 Prieuré de Montézargues Tavel Rosé ($20)
NV Willm Cremant d'Alsace Blanc de Noirs Brut ($16)

2013 Millbrook Winery Tocai Friulano Proprietors Special Reserve ($16)

2012 Artesana Tannat ($16) 

2011 Sipp Mack Pinot Gris ($20) 

2008 Whitecliff Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($23.95)
2011 Raul Perez Vico ($48) 

2009 Amat Single Vineyard Tannat ($30)

Spain occupies the most spots on my Top Ten list, with three spots and five wines. Potugal, with two spots, is the only other region which occupied multiple spots. The other regions represented include Austria, Alsace, Chile, California and New York. The list is also broken down into 1 Sparkling Wine, 1 White, 5 Reds and 5 Fortified Wines. If you look at the Honorable Mentions, you'll find wines from Italy, Portugal, France, Alsace, New York, Uruguay, and Spain.

I have plenty of other recommendations for wines at this price point on my blog. There are top notch wines from countries all over the world, made from an incredibly diverse selection of grapes and you can still find plenty of values too. My advice is that you seek out wines outside of your comfort zone. Explore the multitude of diversity in the wonderful world of wine. Taste and try anything new, unique or potentially interesting.  I am sure your search will lead to new favorites.

If you have some of your own recommendations for wines that are over $15 but under $50, please add them to the comments.

Thirst Boston 2014: World of Whisk(e)y Bar & Cocktail Cherries

“Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”
--Ernest Hemingway

As I mentioned previously, on Saturday and Sunday, Thirst Boston held two Sponsored Bars on each day, running from 9am-6pm. Essentially, you could taste some spirits neat or in one of a few different cocktails. And you weren't limited to a single taste. You could easily taste all of the different cocktails they were offering. I've already mentioned three of the Sponsored Bars, and now I'm going to discuss the fourth one, the World of Whisk(e)y Bar, which presented six whiskies and one intriguing liqueur from the portfolio of William Grant & Sons.

A "Triple Malt" whiskey, said to be the "naughty nephew" of Scotch, this is Monkey Shoulder. When men used to work long hours in the malt house, regularly turning the malt, they sometimes acquired a condition, known as "monkey shoulder," where one of their arms hung down longer than the other. With the use of more commercial malt, this condition is much less common, but the term was chosen for this whiskey, to pay homage to those old malt men. Monkey Shoulder has been in the U.S. for about three years.

Triple Malt is not an official designation, and refers to the fact that this is a blended Scotch whiskey, made from three different, Speyside single malts, from Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie. Each single malt is aged separately and then they are blended together, and aged for an additional three to six months. With a 43% ABV, this is a mellow and easy drinking blended whiskey, with pleasing flavors of caramel, vanilla and mild spice notes. This can be enjoyed on its own, of mixed into a variety of cocktails. Recommended.

The Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch 12 Year Old is from the distillery that is supposed to have exported he first single malt from Scotland to the U.S. in 1963. To commemorate that occasion, they recently produced a special "1963" bottling. The distillery was founded by William Grant in 1887. This Single Malt was matured in American bourbon and Spanish sherry casks for at least 12 years. It has a pleasing aroma of spice, vanilla and hints of pear/ On the palate, it is light and elegant, with tasty flavors of vanilla, pear, butterscotch and spicy accents. There is some nice complexity in its taste and it possesses a lingering finish. Another recommended whiskey.

The Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey extends back to 1829, to the town of Tullamore, and the "DEW" derives from the initials of an early owner, Daniel E Williams. They just built a new distiillery which opened in September 2014. This whiskey is made from three varieties of grain, is triple distilled, and blends three types, pot still, malt and grain. It is aged in used bourbon and sherry casks. Though it is light and elegant, it has a more intense flavor than the Glenfiddich, with flavors of citrus, spice, vanilla, and salted almonds. Also recommended.

Tuthilltown Distillery, located in the Hudson Valley of New York, was established in 2005, and produces a number of different spirits, including vodka, gin, whiskey and cassis liqueur. They source about 90% of their ingredients from within ten miles of their distillery, celebrating the local. Three of their whiskies were available for tasting

The Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey is a blend of 80% corn and 20% malted barley, and 50% of the corn is an heirloom variety though all of the corn is from New York. It is aged in small American oak barrels. It is mild and lightly sweet, with restrained notes of vanilla and spice. The Hudson Single Malt Whiskey is made from 100% whole-ground malted barley and pot-distillled in small batches. It is then aged for about 4 years in American oak. It is easy drinking and relatively smooth, with typical whiskey flavors. My favorite of the three was the Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey, which is made from 95% rye. It is spicy and intriguing, with a subtle melange of other flavors, with hints of fruit and caramel. It is intense and complex, a tasty rye which I strongly recommend.

The Ancho Reyes Ancho Chile Liquer, from Mexico, relies on the signature crop of Puebla, the chile poblano. When this chile is dried, it is known as the ancho chile. This liqueur is lightly sweet with a spicy hot kick which will tingle your mouth but won't burn it. There are some other mild flavor notes beneath the spice, including some fruit and herbs. There are no artificial tastes in this liqueur. It is a very interesting liqueur which would be excellent in the right cocktail to add some heat. Recommended.

While in a room near the Boston Shaker, there was a tasting of Barker &; Mills Bourbon Vanilla Cocktail Cherries. I spent a little time speaking with one of the owners, Barker,who told me that their company had been around for four years. He is a cocktail enthusiast and couldn't find cocktail cherries that appealed to him, so he decided to experiment and create his own. His family is from Iowa, and has a farming background, which helped lead him to trying to create his own cocktail cherries.

He uses sweet cherries,most from Washington and Michigan, and he buys them from local purveyors. As he only uses cherries in season, then there is only a short time each year that he can make these cherries. Barker pits all the cherries by hand, and in fact, essentially does everything by hand, and uses Evan & Williams Black Label Bourbon;. He makes about 35 cases each year, and a 9 oz. jar sells for $16. Due to the huge demand for this cherries,he is selling them this year through a lottery system. The cherries are tasty, not overly sweet, with pleasant flavors of vanilla and hints of bourbon. The bourbon flavor is mild, and wouldn't affect the taste of a cocktail too much.

In the future, he may expand, though it might mean he won't be able to do everything by hand. He also is interested in creating his own cocktail onions.

TasteCamp At Hudson Valley: Hudson-Chatham Winery

In organizing TasteCamp in the Hudson Valley, Lenn Thompson had assistance from Carlo Devito (pictured above), an author, publisher, writer, winery owner and probably more. He and his wife, Dominique, own the Hudson-Chatham Winery, located in Ghent, and it was the first winery in the Colombia County. One of our TasteCamp visits was to his winery, where he served us lunch, sampled us through many of his wines, and ran a tasting of wines, ciders, and cassis from other local wineries and cideries

I've met Carlo before on other wine trips, and found him to be personable, jovial, self-deprecating, passionate about wine, and hard working. When you consider everything that he does, you might wonder when he finds time to sleep. For example, he has authored over 15 books, writes the blogs East Coast Wineries and Hudson River Valley Wineries, and operates Warren Street Books, And he still finds time to operate and promote his winery, a winery that has garnered attention from the national media.

Carlo and his wife purchased the 14 acre property in 2006, and planted about 1000 vines of mostly hybrids. In 2007, they opened their winery and would subsequently plant more vines, so that they now have about 5 acres of vineyards, mostly hybrids. They hired Steve Casscles as their winemaker, and expanded the winery in 2012, increasing production and storage capacity, and now produce about 4000 cases annually. Besides table wines, they also make Port-style wines, Sherry-style wines, Cassis and Grappa. Carlo has a diverse palate, and wants to emulate some of the wines he loves in the best way he can in the Hudson Valley.

On the day of our visit, they were pressing grapes. As you can see, this is a very hands-on, artisan operation.

Carlo loves Spanish Sherry and has a dream of making a Sherry-like wine that will taste like amazing aged Sherry. He created his own Solera, in a small building behind the tasting room. Using mainly 25 year old, Italian chestnut barrels, he is trying to make a three stage solera, drawing no more than 1/3 from a barrel each time he takes any wine. At this time, the wine is an average age of four years, though he wants the Solera to last for many more years, even though his children might be the ones that ultimately benefit from it. He knows that his dream will take many years to accomplish but that doesn't discourage him.

The building where the Solera is stored lacks air conditioning or heat. He wants the weather to affect the wine, to let it do its worst. So far, that hasn't hurt the wine in the least. Carlo isn't seeking to emulate any specific style of Sherry, though he has previously bottled a Cream-Sherry style wine. His primary goal is consistency, to make a product that is essentially similar each year, though it might gain in complexity with time. Unfortunately, he didn't have any of his Cream Sherry available for me to taste. Carlo also wants to make Port-style wines, generally in a Tawny style. I got to taste a barrel sample and it showed promise. Carlo has very ambitious, long-term plans,

Carlo led us through a tasting of more than a dozen of his wines and spirits. His wines are about 70% dry reds, and all are produced from New York state grapes, with 85% being made from Hudson Valley grapes. All of their wines are also single vineyard, hand made, and hand pressed, Their tasting room was busy on the day we were there, and the guests seemed to be enjoying the wines very much, and buying a number of bottles. It was good to see that his wines were so well received.

Carlo believes they are making some of the best red wines in New York, especially soft, approachable reds at very good value. Carlo also told me an interesting story which provided me a clear insight into his goals for his winery. He was once asked by someone, "What is it you are trying to do here?" As he is a a big sports fans, and has written much about sports, he replied, "This I the only way I know how to say this. If we were a sports team, my goal would be to make the playoffs every year and to win a championship or multiple championships. I'm not in it for any other reasons than that. I want us to be among the best of them every year." As I said, he is very ambitious.

I was impressed with many of their reds. The 2013 Pinot Noir is the first vintage they have made of this wine, and it uses grapes from the Hudson Valley. It spends almost four weeks on the skins and is aged in French oak for about nine months. With a light red color, this wine is light in body too, with pleasant cherry and raspberry flavors and a hint of spice. Easy drinking and tasty. The 2012 Chelois is an intriguing wine, made from a hybrid grape, and saw about nine months in oak. With a little spritz, the wine presented an intriguing blend of black fruit flavors, nice acidity, spicy undertones and nicely integrated tannins.

The 2011 Empire Reserve is a unique blend of three grapes from 3 different regions of New York, including Hudson Valley Baco Noir, Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc and Long Island Merlot. It spends at least two years in oak. Smooth and easy drinking, it had a delicious and complex blend of red and black fruits, a spicy backbone and herbal notes. Good structure and acidity, it had a moderately long finish, and I'd enjoy a bottle with pork or beef. It's not a pure Hudson Valley wine, but was tasty and interesting anyways.

At the heart of the winery is their Baco Noir, another hybrid grape, and these wines have garnered lots of attention. Forget your preconceptions and prejudices about hybrids creating lesser wines compared to vinifera. If you tasted these wines blind, you would never suspect they were hybrids. These are well-crafted wines of character, possessed of excellent taste, and you really owe it to yourself to check them out.

The 2013 Baco Noir Cascades Middle Hope is from 45 year old vines, and the wine was aged for about 9 months in French oak. It possessed pleasant cherry and raspberry flavors, with an underlying spice, especially on the finish. Easy drinking, with mild tannins. The 2013 Baco Noir Reserve, Casscles Vineyard possesses more intense fruit flavors, and more ripe plum and black cherry flavors, with spicy accents throughout the taste. It was smooth, with nice acidity and a lengthy finish. Very tasty. The 2013 Baco Noir Block 3 North Creek Vineyard has a similar flavor profile as the Reserve, except that the spice notes and tannins are stronger in this wine.

My favorite of the Baco Noies was the 2013 Baco Noir Old Vines, which is made from 60 year old vines. It was complex and intriguing, presenting a delicious melange of flavors, including ripe plum, blueberry, black cherry, vanilla and baking spices. It possessed a silky feel, was well balanced and had a lingering and pleasing finish. This elegant and alluring wine is something to slowly sip with friends, savoring its complexity and quality. I bought a few bottles of this wine, and highly recommend it.

Even some of their Grappa is made from their Baco Noir! Essentially, this is a distilled spirit using grape skins, and they have the grappa produced by Harvest Spirits. The basic Grappa was aromatic and pleasant, with cherry and red berry flavors. The Grappa Reserve, which sees some oak, was even better, with a smoother taste, and the red fruit flavors enhanced by spice notes. This would be a pleasant digestive after a nice dinner.

In the "sports league" of New York wines, Hudson-Chatham Winery is definitely a worthy contender.

TasteCamp At Hudson Valley: Worthy Wines

The primary objective of TasteCamp is to explore the wines of a region, though the event has evolved to include beers, spirits and food. As such, we had the opportunity to taste numerous wines produced in the Hudson Valley region, during winery visits and grand tastings. At these events, the wineries are usually limited in how many wines they can showcase, so they generally offer us what they believe to be the best of what they produce. We thus see the potential of the region, understanding that not all of the wines in this region will reach the quality of what we taste.

As I mentioned previously, overall, the Hudson Valley wine region is not as developed as that of Long Island or the Finger Lakes. It is still seeking its identity, trying to determine which grapes grow best and expanding their vineyards. Their wine making experience continues to develop and evolve, as each harvest allows them to learn more and more. Despite its lengthy wine making history,it is still a relatively new region in a number of respects. Some very good wines are being produced in the Hudson Valley, and I believe more and more quality wines will be made in the near future

A significant number of wines we tasted were produced from grapes not grown in the Hudson Valley. The grapes were usually sourced from Long Island or the Finger Lakes, and the wines were labeled as "New York State." The harsh winters of the Hudson Valley cause difficulties in growing a number of grapes, and wineries are still learning which grapes will succeed. Some hybrid grapes,which are cold resistant, do well. As for vinifera, the hardy Cabernet Franc also does well in the region, and several of my favorite wines from TasteCamp were made from Cabernet Franc.

I enjoyed some of the wines made from non-Hudson Valley grapes, indicative of the skill of the wine makers, but I generally prefer wines made from grapes of the local region. There is plenty of passion in the Hudson Valley, and a deep thirst to produce excellent wine. It will be fascinating to revisit this region in five years, to see how it has grown and developed, and what changes have occurred.

Our first winery visit was to Millbrook Winery, which is owned by John Dyson, a former State Commissioner of Agriculture who helped to pass the Farm Winery Bill in 1976. In 1979, he initially purchased the estate just to save it as an agricultural property but he later decided to plant grapes, experimenting with about 30-40 varieties. John also owns wineries in California (William Selyem and Vista Verde) and Italy (Villa Pillo).

The Millbrook estate consists of about 130 acres, with about 38 planted with vineyards, and their first vintage was in 1985. Their grapes include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc (planted since 1979), Tocai Friiulano (planted since the 1980s), Riesling, Traminette, Gamay and more. They have good drainage with their pea gravel soil and their primary challenge is the weather, as rain moisture can cause fungus and mildew. This year, they are only about 1 to 1.5 weeks behind on their usual harvest time. They had just picked their Tocai Friulano the week before TasteCamp.

They produce 10K-14K cases annually and their top seller is their Chardonnay. In the 1980s and early 1990s, they had Riesling plantings and chose only to make a Dry Riesling. It didn't sell well as customers wanted sweet Rieslings at that time so they removed the Riesling vines. They recently started replanting the Riesling, trying to sell Dry Riesling again, and this time it has done very well. Pinot Noir is tough for them to grow and they rarely have a good year. They also have a problem as deer love to eat the Pinot grapes. On the other hand, Tocai Friulano is very prolific and they usually must cut it back. They are the only grower of Tocai in the Hudson Valley.

Their winemaker, John Graziano (pictured above) has been making wines for Millbrook since the beginning,

They make both estate wines as well as "New York State" wines, with fruit from Long Island and the Finger Lakes. They are trying to build their brand in Connecticut and Massachusetts, though it is not an easy task.

We got to taste four of their estate wines, including three whites and a red. The 2013 Tocai Friulano Proprietors Special Reserve, which sees no oak, was crisp and delicious with pleasant flavors of exotic fruit, like lychee, and herbs. It was one of my favorite white wines of TasteCamp, and I bought a couple bottles to take home. The 2013 Dry Riesling Proprietors Special Reserve was aromatic and dry, with a satisfying blend of melon, citrus and floral notes.  The 2012 Chardonnay Proprietors Special Reserve , which sees no oak, was crisp and clean with flavors of green apple, nutty notes and an underlying minerality. The 2012 Cabernet Franc Proprietors Special Reserve was herbal and spicy, with pleasant black fruit flavors and moderate tannins.

We later drove to the Robibero Family Vineyards for a Grand Tasting of Hudson Valley wines. The Robibero family purchased the 42 acre estate in 2003, and there was already a working winery on the land. In 2007, that winery decided to move, and the Robibero family decided to produce their own wine. They only have a one-acre vineyard on their land, though they are preparing to plant more vineyards soon. Their annual production is about 2000 cases and most of their wines are labeled as  "New York State," though they hope to create estate wines in the future.\

Their 2013 Arctic Riesling uses grapes from the Finger Lakes. "Arctic Riesling" is the name of the clone and create a nontraditional Riesling,and if you taste it, you might find it tough to identify as a Riesling. Aged for 8 months in neutral oak, it is dry and crisp with delicious fruit flavors of pear and pineapple, Though it doesn't use Hudson Valley fruit, it was an interesting wine worthy of note.

The Brimstone Hill Vineyard, which was founded in 1969, currently has 14 acres of vineyards and grows about 20 varieties. Their 2012 Cabernet Franc was impressive, with an alluring aroma and a tasty blend of black fruits and spice, with an earthy accent. It had a lengthy and pleasing finish, well integrated tannins and plenty of complexity.

The Benmarl Winery is located on the site of a vineyard that dates back to the 18th century. In 1957, the Miller family bought the property, renamed it Benmarl, and planted more grapes. In 2006, the Spaccarelli family bought Benmar, replanting abandoned vineyards and refurbishing the winery. Their 2012 Benmarl Cabernet Franc was big and bold, with plenty of spice, a rustic earthiness and ripe plum flavors. Cabernet Franc certainly seems to do very well in the Hudson Valley.

Whitecliff Vineyard is one of the largest estates in the Hudson Valley, with 70 acres of vineyards growing over 20 grape varieties. They try to make more European style wines. The 2008 Cabernet Franc was a compelling wine, with elegance and complexity. Well integrated tannins, an intriguing melange of flavors, and a lingering finish. This wine, as it is six years old, provides a little indication of the potential of aging. This was one of the best wines I tasted all weekend during TasteCamp.

The Victory View Vineyard was established in 2008 and released their first wines in August 2013. The 2012 Lafayette is made from Marechal Foch, and had a delicious taste of spice, blueberry, and ripe cherry with some leather on the finish. A very easy drinking wine, and an excellent example of this hybrid grape.

Brookview Station Winery, located at Goold Orchards, a 3rd generation farm, was established in 2006. Their 2011 Frontenac is a light and easy drinking wine, with plenty of juicy red fruit and ripe plum, and spicy notes on the finish. Quite tasty.

Some of the most unusual wines at TasteCamp were from Pazdar Winery, and though some attendees may disagree, I think the winery deserves recognition for their creations. They create fruit wines, chocolate wines, sweet wines, hot pepper wines and more. In some ways, they are doing what craft beer producers have been doing for years. Though it might seem easy to dismiss them, you really need to taste some of what they make. These are wines made with natural flavors, from cocoa he grinds himself to habaneros from his garden. They lack any artificial taste, which plagues similar products from other producers.

The Eden's Pleasure is supposed to have been the first commercially produced chocolate wine in the world; It is a blend of white wine and natural flavors, and has an alluring nose of strong cocoa. On the palate, it has a tasty chocolate flavor, with hints of banana, and surprised me with its quality. Frankly, it is the best chocolate wine I think I've ever tasted, and I'm sure it would appeal to many consumers.
The Chocolata Amor is made from red wine, chocolate and spice, and is based on an ancient Aztec recipe. It takes like Mexican Hot chocolate with its spices and hints of red berries. Another interesting chocolate wine. The Hot Sin is a sweet dessert wine with s spicy kick and strong cinnamon notes.

TasteCamp At Hudson Valley: Cider

"In early eighteenth-century New England, the most popular alcoholic drink, in terms of volume, was locally produced cider. Throughout much of this period, cider served as a currency. It was used to pay salaries and product prices could be quoted in barrels of cider."
--Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol by Iain Gately

When Europeans settled in America, apples were one of the first crops they introduced to the country. It is believed that the first cultivated apple trees were planted in the region which would eventually become Boston, as early as 1623. Apple trees spread through the colonies and by 1647, apples were grafted onto wild native rootstocks. A significant proportion of those apples ended up being made into hard cider. By 1775, about 10% of the farms in New England owned and operated their own cider mills.

Until Prohibition, the Hudson Valley region was the unofficial headquarters for hard apple cider. However, Prohibition wrought significant changes to the orchards of the Hudson. As cider apples are usually very sour and not great for eating, many farmers chose to replant their orchards with eating apples. Once Prohibition ended, not much changed and recently, from 2002 to 2007, the number of apple orchards in the Hudson decreased by about 25%. However, change is in the air once again and this time the change is beneficial for hard cider.

As you may know, the state fruit of New York is the apple, and it is also the second largest producer of apples in the country, with Washington occupying first place. Michigan, Pennsylvania and California take the next three spots. New York though grows more varieties of apples than any other state.

In the last few years, the Hudson Valley region has seen a resurgence of apple cideries. In 2001, there were only about five cideries in the region and that number has now grown to 23. This was helped by a new law, passed in 2013, that allowed farms to operate cideries, offering them tax breaks and other economic benefits. With the growing popularity of hard cider across the country, Hudson is poised to benefit from this growing trend.

During TasteCamp, we had the opportunity to sample hard ciders from numerous cideries, and overall I was pleased with what I tasted. They generally were produced from New York apples, not juice, and most tended to be more dry than sweet. There was also some intriguing experimentation being done by some of the cideries, a willingness to expand what cider could be.

The first Hudson Valley hard cider I tasted during Taste Camp was the Dry Hard Cider (750ml/$11.99) from Bad Seed Cider, located in Highland, New York. Founded in 2011, the cidery was started by Albert, a 6th generation apple farmer, and Devin, a brewer and fermenter. Their apples are from Wilklows Orchards, a 60 acre estate located close to the cidery. For their cider, they use 100% fresh pressed apples, with a Winesap apple as the base and a mix of other varieties added into the base. It is made in small batches and is unfiltered. The Dry Hard Cider, with a 6.3% ABV, is very dry, with dominant apple flavors, and a light effervescence. It is refreshing and tasty, the type of dry cider I prefer. They also make a Belgian Abbey Cider and Bourbon Barrel Reserve, though I didn't get a chance to taste them.

The origins of this cider are a bit vague, and online searches have uncovered some different information. The Peconic Bat Winery, located on Long Island, created The Standard Cider Company to produce their True Believer Hard Cider brand. I've seen reports that they have sourced their apples from Long Island, the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley. It seems the latest info may be that they are now sourcing from the Hudson, creating their True Believer from a blend of five eating apples, including Cameo, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji and Granny Smith. They do not apparently use any cider apples.

The True Believer, with a 7% ABV, is lightly sweet with fruity apple flavors, a medium effervescence, and some spice notes, especially on the finish. It lacks the tartness you often find in cider made with cider apples. The True Companion, also with a 7% ABV, is made with natural ginger, and that ginger aroma and taste is very strong, with fruity apple notes beneath the ginger. If you love ginger, this cider would appeal to you.

The Applewood Winery was founded in 1993, but siince the 1950s,the farm had substantial apple orchards, and they now produce both wine and hard cider. They make three different types of hard cider, under the Naked Flock label, including the Original, Draft and Pumpkin. About 2.74 pounds of apples go into every bottle of their cider. I only tasted their Draft, which is made to be a drier style, with Belgian Trappist Ale yeast and organic Maple syrup. The cider was generally dry and crisp, with only a hint of sweetness, and a rich apple taste and a fuller body. There was also a few spicy accents in the cider, almost fleeting flavors. An interesting and satisfying taste.

Some of the most interesting ciders were produced by Aaron Burr Cider, located in Wurtsboro, New York. Their small farm dates back to the 19th century and Aaron Burr was once the executor of their land, which is part of the reason for their name. They grow only cider apples, and use only foraged fruit, making them very different from the other cideries. They also wanted to replicate the ciders from the past, what they were like when cider was the most dominant drink of the region, and that is another reason they chose a name from the past for their brand.. In 2013, they produced about 9 different ciders, and most of them will age well, generally from 2-5 years.

The 2013 Homestead Cider: Neversink Highlands is produced from unsprayed wild and abandoned apples and crab apples from various east Sullivan County locations. It has a 7.6% ABV, and is very dry and crisp, with an intriguing and complex blend of flavors, from tart apple to some earthy notes. It possesses plenty of effervescence, and has a lengthy finish adding some dark spice notes. Highly recommended.

The 2013 Homestead Cider: Shawagunk Ridge is produced from unsprayed wild apples from various Bloomingburg/ Otisville area homesteads. It has a 7.6% ABV, and is semi-dry with nice acidity,and once again, a complex blend of flavors including tart apple but also some minerality.,On the finish, there were some pleasing herbal notes. This is a very good cider but I personally preferred the Neversink flavor profile.

The 2013 Homestead Perry is made from true perry pears from unsprayed wild trees along the upper Neversink River, Dry, with mild tannins and restrained pear flavors, this was a more elegant cider with a mild effervescence. On the finish, there were some floral and honey notes. An interesting taste, and I was glad to see at least one Perry during TasteCamp.

The most unusual cider was probably the 2013 Appinette, which is a blend of 70% apples (Idared, Russets and Spy) and 30% Traminette grapes. On the nose, it had Muscat aromas and it tasted to me like an apple-flavored, sparkling Gewurztraminer. Though that sounds strange, I actually found it interesting and likable. It straddles the line between cider and wine, but if you want to taste something different, though still tasty, give this a try.

The Hudson-Chatham Winery makes Olde Orchard Sparkling Apple Wine, which cannot be labeled as a hard cider as it has a 10.7% ABV. However, it drinks like a cider, with a very dry and crisp taste, tart apple flavors, a mild effervescence, and some subtle herbal notes. A very pleasing taste, it pairs well with food and would be a refreshing drink on a summer day.

TasteCamp At Hudson Valley: Spirits

After our TasteCamp tour and tasting at the Hillrock Estate Distillery, there was also a small tasting of spirits from a number of other Hudson Valley distilleries. Due to time constraints, I wasn't able to taste samples from all of the attending distilleries. I'm going to highlight some of the products I tasted, though know that there are numerous other worthy spirits being produced in the Hudson Valley. As the craft distillery movement grows, you'll likely see more and more distilleries open in this region.

I should note that those with a Farm Distillery License in New York must use at least 71% New York ingredients in their spirits, making them very much a local product. Other states with similar farm or craft distillery licenses also may require a significant portion of the ingredients come from the home state, though the percentage varies. For example,Washington only requires 51% of the ingredients to be from within the state.

Golden Harvest Farms is a third generation farm, located in Valatie, New York, that has 200 acres of apple orchards and grows a variety of other fruits and vegetables too. They started Harvest Spirits to produce a variety of local spirits using their excess fruit. Spirits were a product that they could create that had a lengthy shelf life, unlike cider or donuts. They are still a small operation, producing about seven different spirits that total about 1500 cases annually. Overall, they are making some intriguing fruit-based spirits, with clean, natural flavors.

Their Core Vodka is made from apples! They distill hard cider three times, using about 60 pounds of apple per 750ml bottle, and do not add any sugar or other additives. It definitely tasted like apple vodka, with a clean, natural and dry taste. It was intriguing, and I could see using it in cocktails. It would be much better than some artificially flavored apple vodka. They also make a Black Raspberry Vodka, which is their most expensive spirit at $35 because fresh blackberries are so expensive. The raspberries are macerated in their Core Vodka and then redistilled with a bit of raspberry juice added. The raspberry flavor stood out strongly, with more subtle apple notes beneath.

The Cornelius Applejack, maybe the first made in New York, is produced from distilling their hard cider, pressed in an antique apple press, twice in small batches. Applejack was a popular drink during the Colonial period, with a much stronger alcohol content than hard cider. The Cornelius tries to replicate this historic spirit, and it has an alcohol content of 40%, was aged for 2 years in 50 gallon ex-bourbon casks and then finished in 15 gallon quarter casks. Accompanying its dominant apple taste, there are notes of vanilla, caramel, and mild spice, with a smooth, lengthy finish. Very tasty and intriguing.

The Cornelius Peach Flavored Brandy is a kind of "Peach Jack," produced from peaches soaked in their Applejack. After a time, it is strained and aged in the barrel for about three years. I enjoyed the rich peach flavor with the apple accents, complemented by some vanilla and spices hints, especially on the finish. The Rare Pear Brandy, made from Bosc & Bartlett pears, is distilled twice and aged for 2 years in charred American oak. It was dry and floral, with strong peach flavors, spicy accents and a smooth taste.

The Cornelius Cherry Flavored Brandy is a kind of "Cherry Jack," produced from Bing cherries in their Applejack. After a time, it is strained and aged for a year in quarter casks. The cherry flavors were clean and sweet, and the apple notes were more prominent than in the Peach Brandy. There were some subtle spice notes along with a vanilla streak.

The Millbrook Distillery saw its origins when the Coughlin family purchased the Rolling Hills Farm in Stanfordville, New York. Together, Paul Coughlin and Gerald Valenti founded the distillery, using the corn and grains from the farm as well as natural spring water to produce whiskey. Their first product is the Dutchess Private Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey (about $40), which is made with a mashbill with 21%-25% rye. It had a pleasant bourbon taste, plenty of caramel, vanilla, spice and hints of citrus, with a nice sweetness to it. A smooth, easy drinking bourbon. In the near future, the distillery will also release a Barrel Strength Whiskey and a Founder's Rye Whiskey.

One of the newest distilleries in the Hudson Valley is Denning's Point Distillery, owned by Karl Johnson who opened an urban facility in Beacon, New York. They use Hudson Valley grains, and malt from the Finger Lakes region, to produce their spirits. Their Viskill Vodka is made from 100% wheat, and has a light, clean and smooth taste with a small bite on the finish. The Beacon Whiskey, made from a 100% corn mashbill, was sweet, with some caramel and vanilla notes. Their initial products show some potential, so I am intrigued to see how this new distillery develops.

The Harvest Homestead Farm, a 400 acre farm located a mile from the town center of Pine Plains, New York, has been in the family of Alex Adams for about 80 years. On the farm, a secret distillery was found, which once was a bootlegging operation for the infamous Dutch Schultz. The distillery operation had been shut down in 1932 when it was raided by federal agents. Six years ago,Alex Adams and his friend Ariel Schlein decided to start their own distillery, though a legal one, and founded Dutch's Spirits.

The Sugar Wash Moonshine was inspired by the "white lightning" once produced by Dutch Schultz. It is a 100% Cane Neutral Spirit produced in small batches from pure Demerara sugar. It is a silky smooth spirit with a mild sweetness, and subtle flavor of herbs, vanilla and butterscotch. An interesting spirit, and they also served some in a cocktail with apple cider and bitters, and that really worked well. I could see this spirit being a nice addition to your home bar. Their Peach Brandy, made from peaches from the Finger Lakes, is made in a traditional 19th century style. It is aged in toasted American oak, and presents a pleasant brandy taste, with dominant peach flavors enhanced with some spice and caramel notes.