February 8, 2018
The Ribeiro: would this rose by any other word smell as sweet– or even sweeter? I’m half convinced that a jazzier name alone could have worked wonders for this underappreciated denominación. As it stands, this fairly generic “Riverbank” (the literal... UNFILTERED
Flavor For Every Palate: A Skurnik Wines Tasting
February 1, 2018
Thank you all so much for joining us for our first tasting of 2018! Thirty of our German and Austrian friends gave us a first look at the 2017 vintage and a chance to revisit the excellent 2016ers. We hope... Aussie Spotlight: Ben Haines – Victoria
January 18, 2018
Aussie Spotlight on Skurnik Unfiltered is back, this time featuring Victoria-based winemaker and viticulturist Ben Haines! Check out our first installment on Moorooduc Estate from the Mornington Peninsula here. Ben Haines is a winemaker who has learned from his work... Nishiyama Shuzo: Poet of the Sake World
January 11, 2018
Founded by the Nishiyama family in 1849, the sake brewery Nishiyama Shuzo is located in the heart of Hyogo Prefecture, one of the finest sake regions in the country. While sake from Hyogo is most famously associated with a cluster... Introducing Mullineux: True Expression of Swartland Terroir
January 8, 2018
“The Swartland is a beautiful and wild place. The landscape is a series of rolling hills with a few significant outcrops of rock that form the Paardeberg, Kasteelberg, and Piketberg mountains. It is not an easy place to establish vines,... Bubbles & Booze: A New Year’s Cocktail Primer
December 29, 2017
New Year’s Eve parties are an eternal puzzle, full of charming potential and celebratory whimsy, but also rife with the worst pitfalls of any deeply anticipated celebration – times, like, a million. Every year it seems that for each successful... BUON NATALE 2017: Christmas Traditions from Our Italian Winemakers’ Table to Yours!
December 20, 2017
The holidays are a special time of year for us all. Whether it’s dining with family around a big table, sharing the evening with friends over bubbles and all around jubilation, or simply taking the opportunity to kick up your... Don’t Call It a Cognac: Brandy’s Been Here for Years
December 19, 2017
In May of 2016, Punch magazine published an article by Robert Simonson in which he documented his search for the ultimate sleeper of classic cocktails, the Sidecar—a deceivingly simple brandy daisy from the early 1900’s. He posited a number of... Introducing Mayacamas: 128 Years, Singular & Resilient
December 7, 2017
“Mayacamas Vineyards is one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon producers in the history of California. For those who long for great red wines that cellar with conviction and evolve in the course of time into brilliantly complex and compelling wines,... Nog, Punch & Glögg: Helpful Holiday Tipples
November 20, 2017
‘Tis the season for entertaining! Holiday parties, soirees with friends, family traditions; essentially any excuse to get together out of the cold and warm up with drinks and celebration. All these parties and events — while fun – do have...