Specialty Wine Reviews
Chateau Ste. Michelle White Riesling Ice Wine 2003
Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine 2003
Spirits and Specialty Wines
Among the definitions for Spirits in Webster's New World College Dictionary you will find "strong alcoholic liquor produced by distillation". That category would include rum, gin, vodka, tequila, whiskey, scotch, cognac, bourbon, brandy and a myriad of various flavored liqueurs and cordials.
For a novice buyer, walking into a large spirits or liquor store can be
a little daunting. There are so many alcoholic beverages to choose from
that making a wise selection gets a little confusing. I don't drink much,
but even for me, it's a little like a kid walking into a candy store.
So...just give me one of everything!
There are premium brands like Ketel One, Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Belvedere, Tangueray, Glenlivet, and Courvoisier to name just a few. If you're looking to buy a premium brand liquor, you can also expect to pay a premium for that luxury. Then there are the less expensive brands. These may include some regional brands as well as some nationally recognized brands. You can usually tell a premium liquor by the price tag. When deciding which brand to buy, you should consider several factors: What will it be used for? Drinking straight or mixing? What can you reasonably afford? Who will you be serving it to...close friends or someone you're trying to impress? Is it something you want to savor or guzzle? Of course, if you're looking for a cheap drunk, just reach for whatever is on the bottom shelf. But be prepared to pay a much bigger price in the morning when you wake up with a whopper of a hangover!
"Specialty wine" is a more ambiguous term. It may be used to describe a special type of wine like port, sherry, ice wine, or sake. In addition, sometimes vintners will label a particular wine a "specialty" wine. This is very often a limited edition wine or a premium wine. For example, if you check out Chateau Julien Winery online you will find under the specialty wine category: NV Julien Port, NV Carmel Cream Sherry, 2004 Gewurztraminer, 2004 Sangiovese Rosato, 2001 Sangiovese and 2003 Pinot Grigio listed. Another thing to consider is the source of the term. Is it a winery or a retailer? To a less savvy retailer, "specialty" wine may be another word for "expensive" wine. So, whenever you see the term "specialty wine" used, make no assumptions and do a little more investigating