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2005 Palari Faro -Tom's Wine of the Year!

The methods I use to determine my "Wine of the Year" have nothing to do with point scores or detailed comparisons of every wine I've tasted over the last 12 months. No, my metrics are much more simple and visceral! Previously I've used the "Gulp-ability Factor" a

Chateau Chalon, Vin Jaune and Cotes du Jura

"The charm of the Jura and its wines come from the sense that time has grown genuinely mossy and amnesiac here. Small vineyards, old vines, curious grape varieties seen and tasted nowhere else, vinification methods that would be regarded as obtuse or mad by the oenological conformists who pas

2004 and 2005 Macle Cotes du Jura - Joe and Stephen's Wine(s) of the Year!

You should be both alarmed and invigorated by the fact that the bottle(s) Joe and I picked as our "Wines of the Year" are unquestionably some of the strangest, most curious and unforgettable wines you will ever put in your mouth, period.

No, you probably d

The 2008 Crush Wines of the Year

When national publications name their "Wines of the Year," they are limited by many factors - the biggest of which is the wine's availability. It doesn't make sense for them to drive the public into a frenzy over a bottle of wine that is hardly available.

As a small independent reta

Moric Blaufrankisch: Austria vs. Burgundy

"Elegant Blaufrankisch" Sort of a jarring combination of words, isn't it? Austria's Blaufrankisch grape and the wines that it makes can fall under a number of descriptors. They can be broad and powerful, juicy, rustic and rugged. The best of them can be lots of fun to drink, but "elegant" is a word that would be used sparingly in regard to many of these wines.

The Greatest Monprivato?

"...Barolo Monprivato in particular remains a steal relative to other world-class wines. Monprivato is one of the handful of Italian wines that can hold its own with the best being made anywhere in the world."
- Wine Advocate

Mauro Mascarello's Monprivato is one of the

Rebel with a Riesling: Value of a Vintage?

Germany is full of world-famous terroirs. Palmberg-Terrassen may not be world-famous, but it is one of the most soulful vineyards in Germany and in 2007 produced an incredible value of a Riesling. Consider the following details:

- This vineyard is full of 50- to 80-year-old ungrafted vines

Tuthilltown Spirits - A Shot of Kentucky in New York State

In the tiny town of Gardiner, nestled deep inside New York's picturesque Hudson Valley, the Tuthilltown Spirits distillery has captured the attention of the whiskey world. Tuthilltown is the first and only distillery to produce whiskey in New York State since Prohibition, but their production is

The Spirit of Fall: Modern Spirits Pumpkin Pie Vodka

The leaves changing color and falling from the trees; the first cold night when you can see your breath; the first occasion to dust off your winter coat. This time of year comes with no shortage of heraldic moments.

Now the spirits world has its answer to these non-potable harbingers of col

Bodega Chacra

It takes an incredible amount of courage, vision, and conviction to extend yourself and your reputation beyond the safe and revered confines of what you know. When you are Piero Incisa della Rochetta and your family produces Sassicaia, one of the world's most famous red wines, this becomes even m

2000 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva

This is a SINGING(!) duo of Cavallotto Barolo Riservas with the crackling purity of a summer thunderstorm: One Bricco Boschis San Giuseppe Riserva and one Vignolo Riserva.

The 2000

Back up the Truck! 2006 Veranda Pinot Noir

The 2006 Veranda Pinot Noir is without a doubt the best Pinot Noir under $20 I've tasted since we opened our doors almost four years ago. Frankly, this bottle may have the present-day world title.

This is Pinot with a mouthful of juicy cherry and raspberry fruit darkened an

1996 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

If you are passionate about Champagne, I urge you to read this article in its entirety.

As with 2005 in Burgundy, 1996 in Champagne was one of those rare years that brought even the most elite to new, unprecedented heights. In my 20 years of collecting Champagne, I do not think I've

Van Volxem Dinner - Random Thoughts and Tasting Notes

Joe and I were pretty excited to host a dinner last Sunday at Hearth in NYC starring none other than Van Volxem's owner: Roman Niewodniczanski. Pretty much everything you've heard about him is true. He is very tall and he is very opinionated. He's not shy. And he's also making some of the most se

Didier Dagueneau Dies at Age 52

Didier Dagueneau was one of the most formidable and talented winemakers in France. He died on Wednesday, September 17th in the morning, after the ultralight plane he was piloting apparently stalled soon after takeoff. He was 52 years old.

With really only Edmond Vatan as his inspiration, he

Back-Vintage Egon Muller Special!

Egon Muller is the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti of Germany as John Gilman suggests in his great article on the estate (reproduced in full below). These wines are extremely difficult to find and we are offering a limited selection at the lowest prices in the nation! The Scharzhofb

2005 De Montille

For Etienne de Montille, 2005 is without a doubt his finest effort. The 2005 collection easily puts him in the Pantheon with the masters of Burgundy. In this majestic vintage, I believe that Etienne's stable represents the best quality-to-price ratio of any producer's lineup, a

2007 German Vintage Report: Purity, Depth and Concentration Manifest

Just about everything you need to know about the 2007 German vintage, incorporating notes from Rudi Wiest, Therry Theise, Lars Carlberg of the Mosel Wine Merchant, Gernot Kollmann of Weingut Knebel and John Gilman of the newsletter A View from the Cellar.

The Newest Member of Crush! Only a few days old...

We are thrilled to announce that Crush's Managing Partner Bobby Schagrin and his wife Bernie welcomed a baby boy into their family early Tuesday morning. Mother, baby and father are all doing great. We'll post more details soon!

2006 Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py

Beaujolais has long been the secret haunt of wine geeks, value hunters and even collectors who want fresh, complex, food-friendly reds at very reasonable prices.

There's an honesty and transparency to good Beaujolais that makes it both invigorating and thoughtful. G

Preparing Absinthe

Preparing and Drinking Absinthe
Preparing absinthe is a complex ritual befitting the spirit's mythic lore.

This is a process in which, with every painstaking step, the anticipation builds to a crescendo culminating, finally, in actual consumption. In this way serving a

Absinthe Revival!!

Everyone was seeing green (but not in a hallucinogenic way) at Crush's first-ever absinthe tasting last Thursday night.

Over 200 people came out to participate and we thank you all for your curiosity, good spirit and support. The representatives pouring were wonderful and t

Absinthe Cocktails!

Absinthe is a wonderful aperitif when diluted with water though, for you mixologists out there, absinthe can also be used in the construction of any number of historical cocktails like the Sazerac, or Ernest Hemingway's favorite cocktail - Death in the Afternoon!

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