Ever Elusive Product Reviews (March, 2025)!

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Somehow, I actually found time to give the once-over to a handful of wine-related samples that I cannot safely digest!

Here are some thoughts on a small batch of product samples that have been sent to 1WD HQ recently.

The Wines of California (The Classic Wine Library) by Elaine Chukan Brown, $45

This is as thoughtful, erudite, and well-considered a tome on Califrornia wine as you’d expect from someone like Elaine, and much care has been taken to represent the newer guard of California winemaking, its major players, and how the area collectively got to this point in its winegrowing evolution. Personally, I especially enjoyed how Elaine explores the history of the region and how she represents its importance. This is a fine addition to the Classic Wine Library‘s classy lineup of overview books.

The Story of Prosecco Superiore by Susan H. Gordon, $120

Probably the strangest, most demanding book you would ever read about Prosecco. Actually, it might be one of the strangest, most demanding books you would ever read about wine, period. Susan does a deep dive into an often under-presented subsection of Prosecco production, its culture, and its true terroir (and I mean that in just every possible aspect of the word). This is the book for the knowledgeable wine lover who thinks that they’ve read everything about the subject (spoiler alert: you haven’t, yet). And yes, it’s worth it even at the lofty academic pricing.

Mikasa Stemware (various prices)

These guys sent me about enough stemware samples to open up my own bar, some of which I am still not sure I know the intended purpose of just yet (how much do they think that I drink, anyway?!?). I can, however, attest to the usefulness of their wine and spirits selections, all of which (for me) performed admirably, accurately transferring the aromas and flavors of the wines that I poured into them, and standing up to my (fairly rigorous) daily use and cleaning in the dishwasher. A good choice for on premise, even if that premise is actually just your kitchen.

Titan Leak-Proof Welded Cooler, $175

One of the more oddball product sample that’s been sent my way in quite some time, the 36-can capacity cooler from Arctic Zone’s Titan lineup is a serious, serious MF-ing cooler. When properly sealed, you can get a few full-size wine bottles into it, and when also properly packed with ice it will keep those bottles cool. For days. Literally, days. When you close and open this thing, you can hear the air audibly sighing into/out of it. It’s built like a tank, too; and if I was ever tasked with delivering wines to troops fighting in a tank, this is the cooler I would be using to do it.

Cheers!