Anyone familiar with the stories of Hardy Rodenstock and Rudy Kurniawan knows that wine counterfeiters are the lowest of the low: not only do they engage in fraud and theft, but they make us look foolish in the process. But what if someone were producing fakes for their own consumption only? Does that change the equation? In the world of distilled spirits, there are people who are duplicating the taste of rare items such as Pappy Van Winkle and Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, and the distillers themselves harbor a grudging admiration for them. You can do it too: Read on.

Barbarbesco has always been overshadowed by Barolo, and the entire category has been dominated by the gigantic presence of Angelo Gaja. Fewer wine lovers are familiar with Marchesi di Gresy, but they should be. His wines embody the delicacy, grace and power of Nebbiolo at its best. We recently had the opportunity to revisit them.

Never have more than five drinks on a first date. If you’re sent to prison in New Jersey, bring a copy of The Wine Spectator with you, because it’s banned behind bars. Most restaurateurs would kill for Michelin stars, but Sebastien Bras just gave three of them back. These and other stories are covered in Glass Half Full, our weekly roundup of the most interesting food, wine and spirits items on the web.

Here are the recent posts:

Can't Afford Pappy Van Winkle? Make Your Own

The Wines of Marchesi di Gresy

Glass Half Full: 2/2/2018