This Petite Sirah has a spectacular nose of brown sugar, blueberry, baked plum, and dark chocolate. The palate is very smooth, unfurling layers of dark plum, blueberry, graham cracker crust, and cinnamon. Only available in limited quantities, don’t pass up a chance to try this before it’s gone.

FBWorld Panel Score: 93

Fresh aromas of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry rise from a glass coupled with highlights of springtime flowers. A sip carries cooling flavors of black raspberry, cherry, cranberry, and a hint of spice on a soft floral background. A nicely balanced Rosé, it’ll really hit the spot as we move towards the warmer months.

FBWorld Panel Score: 88

1 1/2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 oz peach liquor
1 oz blue curacao
1 oz Orange juice (or to taste)

Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker.
Shake with ice, strain and serve.
Decorate with an orange.

1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 pint green mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 tps pure mint extract
4 tbsp dark rum
Mint sprigs, for garnish (if desired)

Put milk, ice cream, extract and rum into a blender.
Blend on high until smooth, about 15 seconds.
Pour into 2 chilled glasses.
Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Fully committed to the experiment, three of us consumed eight bottles of wine together. The next morning, none of us felt good. (You’re shocked; I’m sure.) Headache, drowsiness, lack of appetite, and a bit of nausea were symptoms we all shared. Shortly after prying ourselves out of bed, each of us consumed a Rockstar Recovery. They were slightly syrupy, but still fairly light and refreshing with a cooling lemon flavor, which made them easy to drink, even in our humbled states.

The Results

Maybe it was a mental thing, but each of us felt slightly more like ourselves immediately after drinking a can. Within an hour, our headaches weren’t quite so sharp, and we were showing some evidence of being able to function like a human. Breakfast was even eaten with any digestive issues. While the improvement was noticeable, these recovery drinks are not a magical cure. We were all fairly low energy for most of the day, and no one felt completely rejuvenated. However, given the degree of overindulgence, it could have been a far more painful Sunday. The Rockstar Recoverys made our misery far more bearable.

The Final Verdict

All three of us would recommend trying Rockstar Recovery. You can’t expect to feel 100% better, but your level of suffering will be reduced. Drinking one (or maybe even two) the next morning can make you feel a bit more alive and could be vital in making it through a day of work. Drinking a can before bed might help you sleep better and could reduce some of the early morning agony. We didn’t test this theory, though, because we thought about it after the fact. Even if the time frame doesn’t make a great deal of difference, we’d still recommend anyone who isn’t actually Irish get a few cans for Wednesday and, more importantly, Thursday morning.

Blackberry, raspberry, and cherry mingle with floral elements on the nose, alongside robust notes of clove and chocolate. On the palate, raspberry, blackberry, clove, and dark chocolate merge seamlessly into rich, smooth finish. Only produced in small quantities, try this gem before it’s gone.

FBWorld Panel Score: 92

Pronounced aromas of green olive and herbs mingle with softer scents of blackberry, plum, coffee, toasty oak, and pepper. Jammy blackberry and cherry flow into notes of mocha, cigar box, and of hint of jalapeno on the palate. Juicy tannins make it a ideal companion for hearty beef dishes.

FBWorld Panel Score: 88

This Syrah has an attractive nose of blackberry, blueberry, tobacco, coffee, and chocolate, along with a hint of leather. Nicely structured tannins carry layered flavors of blackberry, raspberry, extra dark chocolate, and sandalwood that combine with hints of game, smoke, and a few soft floral notes. Enjoy a bottle now with your favorite lamb dish, or lay it down for a few years and let it develop.

FBWorld Panel Score: 89

From a freshly open bottle, the nose is quite bright and citrusy. Given time to mellow, the crisp citrus aromas fade into notes of pineapple, melon, and orange with some lively floral highlights. The palate is round and crisp as floral elements merge with melon, peach, pineapple, and tangerine. The finish comes with a rush of minerals.

FBWorld Panel Score: 86

Wine Rack at Clos Du Bois

Easy to talk to, here is our interview:

Steve, How did you Get Into the Business?

A wine enthusiast friend of mine, (Steve Greenburg) decided to start a wine storage system, so I helped him with some amateurish carpentry.

What is your Approach to Design?

Utility. I can’t emphasize that word enough. It’s got to be something that does the job and that works well. I spent 15 years in the aero space business, and was a very fancy buyer for rocket space stuff. My last purchase was a 25 rocket engine for the delta2 launch vehicle.

What should a Consumer look for in a Good Wine Rack?

Primarily – again – utility. It has to work. If it’s pretty and it doesn’t work, it ain’t no good. A good example, there’s a restaurant in Las Vegas in a big hotel. There is a 3 star chef, – my 50 rack wine cellar is two stories down. Upstairs at the entrance, there is a display of a pre existing wine rack made out of quarter inch steel or aluminum. It’s beautiful, with a coat of black and gray crackle paint. Only one problem. It doesn’t work. If you are not careful, the wine bottle will drop through and fall down.

Here’s another example. In Berkeley at Chez Panisse, there is a rack where the bottle fits in tightly. Part of the rack is covered with paper because the edges of the metal are made out of sharp steel. Stick your hand in, peel off a layer of skin.

What is your Favorite Wine Rack Project that You Did?

One recent project for a home, was black anodized rack in an all black wine cellar. It’s one of my favorites because it had high style, and function. It was not my largest project, it was my favorite.

I do have a couple of other favorites, though.

When they reopened the Renaissance Towers in Detroit, the restaurant was on the 72^nd floor. Everything had to get into the freight elevator or it doesn’t go up. It was a logistical issue, requiring extreme attention to detail. So master sommelier Madeline Triffon queried four other sommeliers for recommendations, and two of them recommended me. I made the racks in a very timely fashion and the broken down racks fit in the elevator to be assembled on the 72^nd floor. It was visible to the eye in the restaurant, and I must admit I am quite proud of it.

Another favorite is the one that is currently the picture on my business card. It’s the Fleur de Lys restaurant in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay. It’s hard to pick a favorite. I get to work in a lot of great hotels, like Aria in Las Vegas, Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Thomas Keller’s Per Se and French Laundry, and Charlie Palmer’s home and Dry Creek Restaurant in Healdsburg.

What has changed the most about the Wine Rack Making Business?

Along with the expansion in the interest in wine, requirement for wine racks has resulted in a tremendous increase in the request for wine racks.

Do you have a favorite wine?

I am around wine experts all the time. And I get to sip new wines – and some very extraordinary wines – all the time. My favorite is Chateau Haut-Brion.

Wow! What do you know about that estate?

The estate of Château Haut Brion developed out of the Maison Noble d’Aubrion, which in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries was the property of the Pontac family. It was the Pontacs who planted the vineyard and first exported their wine. 

What is the Most Exclusive Location you have ever built a Wine Rack In?

Steve laughed. I just got an order in for a single rack for a coop in New York City that sold two years ago for $37 million dollars. It’s a 1 foot by 6 feet deep and its 10 inches high. It may be the most exclusive, but it’s probably one of the smallest I have built.

How long does it take to build a Typical Wine Rack?

It’s all built to order, but a typical turn around time with no custom finish would be a week and a half to two weeks for a common size, such as 2 x 6 x 20 feet high. Add two weeks to that for anodized finish.

Wine Rack at Clos Du Bois

Do you do Private Consultation?

Private consultation? yes. Anytime. And it doesn’t matter how large or how small your project is. We think that small projects should get the same service as large customers do.

By Ellen Walsh, Editor