2006 Les Crêtes Torrette Vigne Les Toules (Aymavilles, Valle d'Aoste (DOC))What a delightful wine this is, or rather was, as it was "disappeared" rapidly! 12.5% abv will do that, but oh so tasty. 70% Petite Rouge, 30% "miscellaneous." Organically produced. The terrain is moraine - had to look that up - "unconsolidated glacial debris", sandy slopes facing every direction, at an altitude of 500 to 650 meters. Guyot trained vines, manually harvested, about 4 tons per acre yield. 8 days fermentation in INOX, followed by 8 months aging in steel before bottling. Production is at a pretty good clip, 40,000 bottles.
Crystalline black cherry colour. Bright and fresh nose, cranberries, with both citrus and cream notes, with a definite loamy undercurrent. The nose carries onto the palate, light to mid-weight, almost frizzy acidity upfront, with a definite fade, settling smartly, juicy yet dry, finishing softly. Sour cherry and mineral driven, not very complex, but easy drinking and [poof], it was gone! $21, methinks this a repeat purchase.
Clear reddish brown, moderately carbonated. Unsurprisingly, prominent but mild aromas and flavours of peppercorns. I didn't find it particularly "hot" or "spicy", like chile beers often are. Despite the mildness, and the rather "one-noted-ness", I still found this appealing... would have been nice with a peppery Stroganov...
Thin, quickly evaporating head on this. Smells like dark chocolate mocha almond ice cream... Ben and Jerry's, baby! Creamy, smooth, delicious coffee flavour, nutty, light sour coffee bean notes, mild bitters. A subtle sweetness, more Spanish roast than French or Italian. Really captures the coffee essence. Not a heavy or thick brew, less unctuous and viscous than I was expecting, the alcohol is well disguised. In my opinion, the best beer of the lot, I would certainly buy/drink this again!
An orangey-reddish-brown hue to match the label. Certainly has an herbal note to the nose, but not that herb. Also chocolate and malt. Medium-full-bodied - lightly creamy, but not very viscous, slate, grassiness, a pleasant bitter hoppiness/herbality on the finish. Again, not anything particularly hempish.
This is somewhere in between whatever it purports to be. Unlike any wheat beer I've ever had, it seems to want to be a gueuze, and yet, it isn't. Strawberry tomato in color, the nose is exotically floral, tropical fruit, especially papaya, and yes, hibiscus - recalls karkady (كَركَديه),the sweet hibiscus tea we've been fans of ever since visiting Egypt ten years back. I think the Jamaican's sorrel drink is more spiced than the karkady. Anyways... on the palate, this hibiscus-beer is completely dry, smoky, nutty and mild, with a mild melon and hibiscus flavour, but no real tang or sourness. It's very very different. Giving me ideas... I'm thinking hibiscus shandy next summer...
A red ale, with a very hoppy nose, pine undertones, and suggestive of brett. Mild but persistent bitterness, nice minerality, subtle fruitiness and a touch of malty caramel. On the whole, a rather pleasant beer.
45 inches of snow in Philadelphia, from late last Friday night through to the early morning hours of Thursday. Not too shabby, though in these southern states, they do nearly go paralytic. I will now demonstrate how to cope
First, you grab some friends and head out of the house. You need the exercise. Yes, you. Neither the shovelling nor the whingeing count.
Some say that the reason why Icelanders manage to keep their cheer through their dark and cold winters is all the fish oil in their diets. For us, happiness is two bottles of sake.
Not letting anything come between me and my barbecue is important. I do wish the ice on these tongs would melt though. Chorizo anyone?
Now, when great heaps of snow continue to dump on your head, just keep applying sake. In this case, Nihonkai from Niigata, our little tribute to Kawabata's novel, which was also set in Niigata.
But first, I recommend building a snowdome in which to drink it in.
Mad Max (and myself), live from the Sake-Thunderdome. I'm thinking I need to build an extension.
Last week I saw a wine which reminded me of one of my first major wine encounters. The wine was the 2007 Paul Anheuser Kreuznacher Mönchberg Scheurebe - not a wine I've had before actually, and in the end, not particularly good - oh, it had Scheurebe's characteristic black-fruitedness and grapefruit, but the palate was just too soft and flabby. It was the Kreuznacher that drew me in
André Clouet Cuvée 1911, the 13th release, bottle #1451, disgorged June 30, 2008. A blend of 1995 (25%), 1996 (50%), and 1997 (25%), 150% Champagne goodness
Good times in the countryside.
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