The Gourmez

Double Black Diamond Martini Firebirds Southpoint, Durham $10 This martini doesn’t have a long list of ingredients, but classic martinis never do, subsisting on quality liquor with a personalized touch of what gets the drinker’s juices flowing whether vermouth, blue-cheese-stuffed olives, or cocktail onions. The Double Black Diamond martini is even simpler than that, just [...]

Bogle Merlot 2009 Graton, CA   This wine strikes me as smooth right away. It’s full of bright fruit, but not tart fruit like so many bottle I drank over the past two months. The main notes are strawberry and a juicy, juicy plum with subtle spice and vanilla.   I enjoy how unobtrusive and [...]

Hiko’s Premium Ka No Izumi Junmai Daigingo Koga Shiga, Japan   This is a fantastic sake. I lost my tasting notes on it right after I tried it, so this is a loose, loose remembrance of the flavors. Normally, I wouldn’t bother writing up a post when that happens, but I wanted to make sure [...]