Tasting- B Nektar Apple Pi

Week 2

Name: B. Nektar Apple Pi

Variety: Mead

Region: Ferndale, Michigan

Country: United States

Year: 2014

Price: $14

Food? I started drinking it, then popped some popcorn. They did NOT pair well. So I finished the popcorn and then continued to drink.

Description from Meadery: The holidays are over, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some delicious pie. Ours is made from fresh apple cider, honey, and pie spices. Perfect after dinner sipper.

My Review: This was my first mead, and it was divine. The mead tastes so much like apple pie- the cinnamon notes are strong and balanced well with the honey of the mead. It tasted more complex once it warmed up. I would love to drink more of this, if only it wasn't so expensive!

Tasting- Five Rivers Merlot

Week 1

Name: Five Rivers Merlot

Variety: Red Table Wine

Region: Monterey, California

Country: United States

Year: 2011

Price: $18, on sale for $8

Review: Ripe cherry and blackberry fruit stars in this easy-drinking wine, with oak providing toasty sweetness. It’s an everyday, cheeseburger-friendly Merlot.

My Review: This wine was super approachable. I liked the berry notes and could definitely detect the cherry. This is a wine I'd keep around!

Tasting- Lil One

Week 1

Name: Lil One

Variety: American Strong Ale

Region: Freeport, Maine

Country: United States

Bottled on: January 2, 2015

Price: $8

Food? Yes, a hamburger with mayonaise and sriracha.

Description from Maine Beer Company: Some may call this a malty double IPA, some a hoppy barley wine. We prefer that it not be classified. We think of it, simply, as our strong winter ale. Intense hop aromatics and flavor (think pine, candied orange) blended with just enough malt sweetness to balance out the palate.

My Review: I'm always a fan of Maine Beer Company, and Lil One did not disappoint. The malts and hops paired perfectly together, and the beer had a nice hop finish that lingered on. I finished the burger before I started the beer, and the first few sips were definitely influenced by the lingering sriracha spiciness. But once my palate had cleared, the well balanced taste of Lil One made my day. I will definitely be drinking this one again!

Tasting- Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Week 1

Name: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Variety: Fruity Red Wine

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Year: 2014

Price: $14, on sale for $4

Food? No

Review from the Vintage Cellar: Balanced and lightly creamy, offering pretty flavors of plum sauce and raspberry coulis threaded with hints of ground spice. Elegant, with a floral finish.

My Review: This beer has a wonderfully silky and full mouthfeel. Both the smell and taste are dominated by berries. I enjoyed getting to taste it!

Tasting- Rubus Rosado Prieto Picudo

Week 1

Name: Rubus Rosado Prieto Picudo

Variety: Rose

Region: Arlanza

Country: Spain

Year: 2013

Price: $14, on sale for $4

Food? No

Review from the Vintage Cellar: Bright clean strawberry rose color.　In the nose it is intense and fresh, with strawberry aromas and slight citric hints. In the mouth it is fresh, strong and tasty, emphasizing a delightful tingle due to its carbonic residuals. The name Prieto Picudo means "tight & pointy" (more or less). This is due to the tightly formed bunches and the slightly oval/pointy shape of the grapes. The bunch shape is reminiscent of Tempranillo; the berries are thick skinned, and dark blue-black in color. Prieto Picudo is well adapted to the difficult growing conditions in Castilla y León province - not a lot of rain, very cold winters and scorching hot summers. The vines tend to relatively low yields, with lots of color, concentration and good acidity. Also, it's the same grape as Alfrocheiro Preto in Portugal. Alfrocheiro is an important variety in Dão region of Portugal.

My Review: I don't have much experience with Roses, but I was impressed with this one. The nose had a strong scent of berries which was complimented by a sparkling mouthfeel. The taste was slightly tart, which I enjoyed. 

Tasting- Lagosta Vinho Verde

Week 1

Name: Lagosta Vinho Verde

Variety: White blend

Region: Minho

Country: Portugal

Year: 2013

Price: $5-$12

Food? No

Review from The Vintage Cellar: Fresh and juicy, with fresh-cut apple and gooseberry flavors that feature notes of citrus and light spice on the finish. The name “Lagosta” means “lobster,” and this would be a great seafood accompaniment.

My Review: This wine has a fruity nose, but the taste caught me off guard. I detected a lot of acidity and a hint of a metallic taste, perhaps the wine was aged in stainless steel barrels. The bright smell did not convey into the taste of the wine, I would pass on it if it were offered to me again.

Hello Wine, this is Kitty

My parents introduced me to wine when I was a child. They never shared it with me, but they did train me and my brother how to properly pour a glass of wine. At dinner, my parents would ask for a refill, and one of the children would pop up, grab the bottle, and play somelier for the half a minute it took to pour the glass and present the bottle to the adults. They smiled and laughed at their little trained wine minions, but I always thought it was fun. After refilling both dad's and mom's glass, I returned the bottle of wine to its resting place- a dish with the following sentence inscribed:

"A dinner without wine is like a day without sunshine"

I didn't drink much until I turned 21, but I loved trying new wines and beers. In the two years since, I've become a beer drinker- my boyfriend and I make frequent trips to breweries in North Carolina and Virginia and plan our road trips around the big craft beer gods, like Russian River and Firestone Walker. While he has taken to the craft beer movement, I have always fostered a love in my heart for a good glass of wine. And while studying abroad in Europe, I drank more wine than beer. It was typically house wine, nothing special. During a day trip in San Gimignano, however, my friends and I partook in a small wine tasting. Trying new wines (and beers) is my favorite part about alcohol culture- tasting the product that craftsmen have worked on and slaved over until perfection was achieved.

 

Tasting reds and whites in Italy

I enjoy both red wines and white wines, particularly rich, earthy reds and dry whites. Sweet wines and dessert wines, however, make me gag. Tastings are my favorite way to try new wines, but I also enjoy pairing a cheap box of chardonnay with my couch and Netflix. During this course, I hope to learn more about the common types of wine, how to differentiate flavor profiles during tastings, and learn about the subtleties that differentiate similar styles made in different parts of the world. In short, I want to know the nuances that make wine so diverse.

So, let's raise a glass to never having days without sunshine or wine!