Alcohol

A cold dark lager like this is the beer poured at the end of the day, the deep amber color and rich malt taste of a proper Czech brew. Star of Pils...

This is the dark red wine poured alongside grilled lamb on the Dalmatian coast, glass after glass as the evening runs long. Terra Madre's Plavac Ma...

Vina Istria Malvazija Istarska 2016 — a Croatian dry white from the indigenous Malvazija Istarska grape, vintage 2016. Golden hue, delicate floral ...

A dram of Islay whisky is the quiet ritual reserved for the end of a long day, poured slow and sipped even slower. Kilchoman's Machir Bay is a sing...

A small glass of cognac poured after a long family dinner marks the end of the evening the same way in a lot of European households. This is Mon-Ro...

Maksuzija Loza Grape Brandy — a Bosnian grape rakija in the larger family-table format. Clean, warming, and traditional; loza built for sharing acr...

Divna Diluted Šljivovica — a Bosnian plum rakija bottled at a softer drinking strength than full-proof šljivovica. Smooth, approachable, and tradit...

A cold lager next to the grill is as automatic as the smoke itself at any backyard gathering back home. Zlatý Bažant brews this premium lager to th...

Family gatherings back home often opened with a bottle of Vranac poured for everyone at the table. Plantaže makes this Crnogorski Vranac, a Montene...

Assenovgrad Mavrud Reserve 2019 — Bulgaria's flagship indigenous red, grown on the Thracian Plain around the town that gave the grape its modern ho...

Stobi Vranec Classic — North Macedonia's flagship indigenous red, made from the Vranec grape that gives Balkan tables their everyday dark wine. Vib...

A bottle of rakija always sat on the shelf back home, poured out the moment a guest walked through the door. Crnogorski Prvijenac is a fine grape b...

A shot of tequila poured at a backyard party is a newer tradition a lot of families picked up living here in California. This is Honorable Tequila ...

Every proper celebration back home had a sweet bottle opened for the toasts, glasses filled and passed hand to hand around the table. This bottle i...

Elbrauer Das Bock — a German strong lager in the centuries-old bock tradition. Rich malt character, deeper alcohol warmth than table lager, and the...

Chmielne was the beer workers reached for after a shift back in People's Poland, a name that still carries that old PRL nostalgia. This bottle is b...

Vila Vina Prokupac 2017 — a dry Serbian red from the country's most distinctive indigenous grape, Prokupac. Earthy mineral character with red-fruit...

Prokupac was the old family grape, poured whenever someone wanted to remind you Serbia had its own reds long before Merlot showed up. Rubin's 2021 ...

Muscat Ottonel was the sweet-edged white that showed up whenever there was cause for a toast. Rubin's 2023 Muscat Ottonel is a dry white wine from ...

This was the crisp white poured at name-day lunches when the table called for something light before the meat course. Rubin's 2022 Sauvignon Blanc ...

The label always came out for name days and slava, poured slow while the table filled with food. Rubin's 2021 Pinot Noir is a quality dry red wine ...

Sunday lunch back home always had a bottle open before the ćevapi hit the table, this Rubin Merlot poured the same way for family and guests alike....

Car Lazar on the table means a Serbian Sunday dinner is underway. Rubin AD bottles this semi-dry red as Car Lazar, a Serbian wine, in a 750ml (25.4...

Rubin Carica Milica — a Serbian semi-dry red named for Empress Milica, wife of Prince Lazar who fell at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. Delicate swee...