KD1191

As is my general motto regarding seemingly innocuous tweaks: Feel free to do so with yours, but ask before doing so with mine. Personally, when in the mood for a spicier Collins, I'm inclined to reach for the rye.

It seemed to be artificially scarce during the initial release, and rumors were that it would only be available at bars. Within a month or so, it was available just about everywhere. Drink Up NY still has it in stock.

I use Heaven Hill Bonded Gold Label for anything where the alcohol is going to cook off, and Weller for anything where it won't.

Contemplated a mini-vertical or horizontal tasting of Littorai Chardonnays...recently acquired the 2000 & 2001 Charles Heintz as well as the 2004 Thieriot & Mays Canyon. Went with the vertical, as I think the '04s can probably hold on a bit longer, while the others aren't going to get any better. The 2000 is a rich golden color. Aroma of toffee, passion fruit, honeydew melon. Medium fruit, medium-plus acidity. After 14 years the oak is basically fully integrated, and I can feel very little tannin. It's full bodied, with citrus on the entry, mostly lime zest, evolving into butterscotch/crème brûlée. A faint hint of toasted oak, and some salinity on the long finish. The 2001 is slightly lighter gold, yellow around the edges. There is more of the ocean in the nose, along with cantaloupe, apple. Medium fruit, medium acidity. The oak is a bit more prevalent, but still quite restrained. Also full bodied, but not quite as rich. There is more minerality on the palate, as well as flavors of sweet decay, truffle, and a greater salinity, maybe even a touch of olive.

If I get to supply the mop bucket, could be swayed to go up to nine.

Green, being higher proof and lower sugar, is certainly going to have a greater appeal among the (typically) Fernet and Barrel-proof spirit-loving cocktail cognoscenti. That said, I have it on good authority that the monks typically take theirs mixed, around 2:1 green to yellow. If that's not exactly picking a favorite child, it's at least signaling a belief that one has greater potential.

Because, there's probably not a bar with the ingredients to make it where they wouldn't assume you were asking for this [frequently rated the best beer in the world].

It's a good trick. Mike Ryan at Sable made me a Ramos with a candle in it for my birthday a couple years back. He melted and flattened out the base so it was wide enough that it would stand up in the foam.

I made the unfortunately named Pliny the Elder, which I only realized after the fact was perhaps in line with it being Negroni Week. In a Julep cup, muddle 1 tsp of sugar and 2 mint leaves in 1 oz Campari. (I did more of a emphatic stir, as I hate the particular strand of bitterness that comes from abusing mint.) Add 1 oz Punt e Mes, 1 oz Genever (Anchor Genevieve), and 1/2 oz St. George's Absinthe. Stir and fill with crushed ice (I swizzled a bit to get the frost up, then topped with more crushed ice) and garnish with two large mint sprigs. So, a semi-Improved Genever Negroni, served in the style of a Julep? It was tasty, if a bit mind-bending for a school night.

I enjoyed a couple glasses on its own, and then finished the bottle with an exceptionally spicy dry chicken curry. The diesel doesn't carry over to the flavor, thankfully, and either I become somewhat desensitized to it as I go along, or it lessens as the wine warms a bit. I was shocked to find this on the shelf at $13 a bottle...bought the store out of their available stock.

2008 Zinck Riesling, which has come to us from the unnervingly charming village of Eguisheim in Alsace, France. Run a Google image search if you doubt me. In person, it's so quaint it hurts. I'm told '08 was an exceptional year for Alsatian Rieslings, and this one did not disappoint. The acidity was intense, which may be one of the reasons this is still drinking so well past the maker's recommended maximum of 5 years in the cellar. The diesel/petrol nose that I find to be a hallmark of bone dry Rieslings of the area was quite prominent. This may be off-putting to some, but I loved filling the gas tank as a kid, before vapor recovery. There was plenty of lemon and lime zestiness on the palate. Very glad I have a few more bottles, and won't be in too terrible of a rush to drink them.

That must be $25 for a 750 of the old make. The new release is in 1L bottles...so, you'd pay $34, assuming they price it at a similar rate. Then, factor in the NYC markup and $40 sounds about right.

Last night, it was the 2012 Holdredge Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This is the second bottle I've opened from a mixed case of John's pinots that we picked up on our swing through Sonoma last month. The first, a bottle of 'The True' Sonoma Coast, was spectacular. I served it to my winemaker father-in-law who just kept saying, "So well made..." after every sip. The flavors on this one were quintessential RRV, but I probably won't open another for a couple more years, it has the structure & tannin to age well beyond the expectations set by its $35 price tag, and I look forward to seeing it evolve.

You can, of course, come out the other side...where you spend all your time worrying about getting that horn full of manure buried and not enough about the things that actually matter, but I personally haven't see anyone going to that extreme.

Not because they will be "mentally connected to the grapes", but by being out in the vineyard more frequently/regularly, and in a mindset where they are focused on or at least more likely/able to notice what's happening because of the rather strict and somewhat out of the ordinary nature of the various "treatments". Basically if the only measurable net benefit of all the hocus pocus is that they pay more attention to what's going on out in the vineyard, it's likely to lead to better results.

Recently visited a few highly respected vineyards that are big proponents of biodynamic farming, and while I don't buy in to the hippie-ish side of things (burying a cow horn full of manure by the light of a full moon), I believe that anything that gets the winemaker out into the field and focused on their vines on a more regular basis is a good thing. It doesn't much matter if the specific biodynamic practices have any discernible positive effect, so long as they don't have a measurably negative one, because a more mindful, connected winemaker will, all things being equal, produce a better product.

I'm relatively certain I've seen Caña Brava in New Jersey, but if not...

Will check out Grain Street...nothing wrong with day drinking on vacation, and I've been called a giant by at least one rude waiter (though, I'd be on the small side for an NFL lineman). Thanks.

Thanks, it had been on my radar on a previous trip, but I'd forgotten about it. Looks great.

Picon Biere liqueur (the orange label) is likely to be available in better-stocked shops around Geneva...I would imagine you'd be less likely to find it in more predominately German-speaking areas.

Cool, best of luck with the new project! PR has been called the anti-speakeasy. Open space, plenty of light...lively, but not crowded. Unique drinks are typically the order, but they certainly have classics down & you can typically find a classic backbone in even the stranger offerings.

You can probably get pretty close...not many folks drink SoCo for the flavor. You might want to add a dash of something with a bit of orange flavor, as well (Cointreau, Triple Sec, etc.). Alternately, pick up a bottle of Sweet Lucy.

Will be in London for a couple nights next month (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings)...not so much interested in what spirits to drag back with me (headed to France & Spain after, and likely to end up with checked bags full of wine & rare Chartreuse), but hoping for some recommendations on places to imbibe. My experience with London's high-end cocktail scene is either stodgy hotel bars (Savoy, etc.) or more odd, clubby spots (Callooh Callay, Nightjar) that can sometimes be a bit more style over substance. I guess you could say I'm looking for the Pouring Ribbons of London...someplace with top notch drinks in a more relaxed atmosphere. Any suggestions?

This would seem to be another important data point in the earlier Martini discussion. There are certain drinks for which frothiness is anathema, among them the Martini & the Manhattan.

Please don't bruise the gin. But, seriously, what makes you say that? Is it not cold enough, or did you not get enough dilution? Both could be remedied by stirring longer. If it's just the former, try chilling your mixing/serving glass and/or your ingredients.