Drink the Bottles

Five generations. Historic vineyards. A family committed to preserving Napa Valley. And three wines that tell a remarkable story.  But this story is not only about the wines. Some wineries make exceptional wine.  A select few become part of the history of the place they call home.  Ghost Block Estate Wines belongs to that rare group. When three bottles from Ghost Block arrived at Drink The Bottles—the 2019 BW9 Red Blend , the 2022 Ghost Block Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon , and the 2024 Elizabeth Rose Pinot Noir —I knew I was receiving something special.  But what I didn't expect was the story behind the labels. Because before there was a bottle of wine, there was a family. Before there was a vineyard, there was a commitment to the land.  And before Napa Valley became one of the most celebrated wine regions in the world, families like the Pelissas were quietly planting roots, farming the soil, and helping shape the future of California wine.  The wines are...

Old Hillside Bourbon Company might be one of our favorite new brands (to us) for 2026.  In just six short years, this young company with huge ideas has carved a path not only for their brand, but to honor the legacy of incredible African American jockeys and war heroes.  North Carolina natives and friends founded Old Hillside Bourbon Company and they haven't looked back.  In fact, they're always looking to the future. One thing that likely makes this company so successful in its early stages is the approach they have towards the business.  Courtney Tucker, co-founder and COO, says, "This business is not about us.  We're just playing a part.  This is higher than us."  And that is evident by every bottle that pays homage to what would have been a long-forgotten great American and their stories that need to be preserved.  The company even created a limited release Straight Bourbon Whiskey for Hillside High School (hence the name, Old Hillside) and pr...

  Prosecco isn't Champagne's little cousin any longer.  Wineries in Northern Italy take Prosecco very seriously and it has become increasingly popular worldwide over the past decade.  Today we are looking at two fabulous examples of Prosecco from Guinigi Wines. The Prosecco D.O.C. Treviso is pale golden with micro bubbles and aromas of spring boquet, citrus fruits and sweet peach mid palate.  The finish has an extremely unique star anise flavor that was unexpected but very welcoming.   ABV:  11.0% Winery:  Guinigi Wines Suggested retail price:  $17.00 Drink The Bottles score:  92/100 The Guinigi Prosecco Rosé D.O.C. is less sweet than the previously mentioned wine, but is more aromatic and is more fruit forward on both the nose and the palate.  It is beautifully balanced with ripe peach, spring flowers and oodles of strawberries througout the tasting.  Each sip feels like a brand new wine and is very welcoming against tons of...

  It's always amazing to drink wines that you aren't familiar with, only to find out that they surprise you in a big way.  There are still a significant group of wine enthusiasts who snub their noses at screw top wines, to which we just laugh or shake our heads.  From a winemaker's or vintner's perspective - no cork taint!  Do we need to say more? This is the  2023 Cedar + Salmon Pinot Noir Willamette Valley red wine from 3 Badge Beverage.  Don't peek to the end to see the price yet, because you won't believe it considering this is 100% Willamette Valley juice.   Mulberry color in the glass, this wine left us pleasantly perplexed after some air time in the glass and introduction of oxygen with some nice swirling.  Dried rose petal, plum, and black cherry fragrances appear on the nose, leading an introduction to a myriad of flavors.  We first picked up the traditional Pinot Noir gentle flavors of red raspberry, cherry and dried herbs....

  This is quite possibly the best Brut Rosé we have tasted in a number of years!  It is, without a doubt, outstanding.  If you're looking for a lovely sparkling wine for a celebration or to pair with lighter food, you've just learned what you need to know.  Go buy this wine!   Now, if you want some more detailed inforamtion, keep reading. The  Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour Sparkling Wine is a non-vintage stunner both in appearance and taste, born from estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.   Named in honor of Louis XV's great paramour, Madame de la Pompadour, this sparkling wine makes you feel regal and elegant from when you gently pop the cork until you take your final sip.  Pink and peach in color, micro bubbles prepare you for aromas of fresh, picked-from-the-garden strawberries, joined with sweet buttercream, ripe melon, rose and baking spices.  It is incredibly creamy with homemade biscuits making an...

  If you've visited our website before, you already know that we are big fans of Bells Up Winery of Newberg, Oregon.  Our "wino" crew recently sat down virtually with owner and winemaker Dave Specter to taste through six of his micro-boutique, unique and delicious wines.  The other half of the winery and Dave's boss (and wife) Sara Specter made the arrangements and we were off to a beautiful evening! Like every winery, there is a good story behind this one.  We guess "good" may not be the best way to describe how the winery came to fruition, but it does  have a happy ending.  Dave and Sara began making wine in their basement in 2006.  Dave was a corporate tax attorney who was not enjoying (to put it lightly) his profession and wanted to pursue a passion of not only becoming a winemaker but eventually owning and operating his own winery with Sara.  While visiting the Willamette Valley in 2008 on vacation, they both fell in love with the area and t...

Lee Medoff, founder and head distiller at Bull Run Distilling Company in Portland, Oregon, is setting the Pacific Northwest on fire with his distinctive spirits.  While being a professional distiller since 1998, he started Bull Run Distillery in 2010 after setting his sights on creating a pure malt Oregon whiskey.  The distillery currently produces a barrel strength bourbon, vodka, gin and a nice selection of whiskeys.  Today we look at the  Bull Run Distilling Pinot Noir Finished American Whiskey  aged 15 years.   The age statemen from Bull Run on the Pinot Noir finished whiskey varies, depending on the batch.  But we tasted the 15 year offering that includes an additional 8 month of finished aging in Pinot Noir casks.  The initial mash bill of 99% corn and 1% malted barley spends the first part of its life in former bourbon casks.  We are fans of finished bourbons (especially in red wine casks) so we were excited to taste and provide o...

  We could keep this short and sweet by stating, "We really like this", but that's not our style.  Today we tasted the  Westward Single Malt Whiskey Pinot Noir Cask from Oregon and if you're a finished whiskey fan, read on! Whether or not you're familiar with Westward Whiskey, you need to pay attention to their history and their philosophies.  This award-winning distillery has been around for 20 years, back when craft distilling wasn't "a thing" and they helped pave the way for the now more than 2200 craft brands in the US.  Head distiller Miles Munroe approaches each offering with critical care, always conscious of the footprint that the northwest United States will leave on each bottle. This single malt whiskey is finished in French Oak Pinot Noir barrels, after first starting off the aging process in American Oak.  For finished whiskey enthusiasts, this one is hitting on all cylinders.  You start with a cherry pie, sweet tobacco, leather and vani...

  Don't worry wine snobs.  Not all great wines have corks.  The  2018 Youngberg Hill Natasha Pinot Noir is a screwtop but there is nothing screwy about this wine!  Blueberry compote, leather bound book, wet stone and barn dust are prevalent on the nose.  You really get lost in the aromas of this juice and we found our noses in the glass repeatedly!  Berry cobbler, mocha and ripe plum dance on the palate with a firm but not overbearing acidity.  Medium and memorable finish puts this wine in a "must buy" Oregon Pinot category.  It's quite lovely! ABV:  14.0% McMinnville, OR Production:  600 cases Suggested retail price:  $65.00 Drink The Bottles score:  92/100

  Rounding out our tastings of samples from Bells Up Winery is their 2020 Jupiter Pinot Noir.  This comes from an estate vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains.  Three words.... It is fantastic.  Too often we have been slightly underwhelmed by Pinot, often getting the "same old" dusty, overly sweet rose petal vibe.  But not with this.  This Pinot Noir is built differently and if this is testament to the Chehalem Mountains AVA, then we can't wait to visit some day.  Cherry pie, tobacco leaf, graphite and forest floor on the nose.  Solid medium purple color makes an introduction to rhubarb, cherry pomegranate and a subtle hint of pepper, leading to a finish that leaves you yearning for more.  This wine should be in your cellar and with such a low production, you'd better act fast.  This is drinking wonderfully now and should for another 5-7 years. ABV:  13.5% Chehalem Mountains, OR Production:  94 cases Suggested retail price:  ...

  Kicking off our series of Oregon wines, we started with this inviting Rosé that is as gorgeous in the glass as it is on the tongue.  The  2021 Bells Up Winery Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir first captures the eye with the stunning reddish hue, darker than many other Pinot Noir rosé on the market.  It was intriguing and immediately mouth-watering.  We tasted this wine both on its own merit and with food (which is unusual for us, but we had to prove a point to ourselves).  With ample time in the glass, we began swirling and collecting pleasant, but not overpowering, aromas of strawberry and pomegranate.  The fruit is more noticeable on the palate and the acid is in check and doesn't even begin to overpower this easy-drinking wine.  The finish is subtle and enjoyable.  While we don't always taste wines with food, there was something here that was urging us to do so. We tasted this with a variety of salty cheeses and the pairing was absolut...

  The 2018 Davis Bynum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is an absolutely lovely and fragrant wine.  The color is absolutely stunning and the aromas of fresh strawberry field, tea and oak draw you in immediately.  In the mouth you are quickly greeted by fresh and juicy strawberries, damp earth joined with silky tannin.  This wine could easily be an everyday drinker for the Pinot Noir fanatic.   ABV:  14.5%  Sonoma County, CA Suggested retail price:  $25.00 Drink The Bottles  score:  89/100