Plenty of blackcurrant with dark chocolate and coffee character. It’s full-bodied, yet the tannins are succulent and rather weightless, giving a velvety texture at the end. So delicious now. Hard to wait. In fact, not necessary. Drink or hold.
In an increasingly complex and ever-changing wine world, I have a soft spot for those who just keep things steady and simple. The Bottex family is literally the only vigneron family I know who make one single wine, have always made only one single wine, have no plans to expand, and make their one single wine ridiculously, deliciously well. No changes to the label nor to what’s inside the bottle, in at least the few decades I’ve been drinking it. No need to chase any fads when you’ve got something impeccable you can be proud of. This is a universally loved pink bubbly delight of candied strawberries and roses, always true and always exquisite. Icing on the cake is that it’s affordable, too.
—Chris Santini (Kermit Lynch)
Samuel Smith Old Brewery(Tadcaster) Nut Brown Ale Brewed with well water (the original well at the Old Brewery, sunk in 1758, is still in use, with the hard well water being drawn from 85 feet underground); best barley malt, yeast and aromatic hops; fer...