Hugel Gentil '15
France, Alsace
White blend
$18ish
Poundability: 2.5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Pale yellow golden color, light bodied.
Flavors of candied apple, with a nice zestyness. Lemony at tip of tongue while also having a delicious tangy flavor that didn't taste cheap.
Very dry but still containing a bright, vibrant acidity that doesn't overpower at all. Incredibly complex despite a relatively short finish. Acidity brings down poundability along with zestyness but not in a bad way at all. Prime introduction to Alsace wine, would repeat.
Picture pending.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Paul Mas Estate G.S.M. '(?)
France
Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre
$15ish
Poundability: 2.5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Dark ruby color thinning at edge. Medium bodied.
Dried, dark cherries with a dirty earthyness to it, in a good way. Juicy with slight oak influence giving a great round, vanilla taste. A large spiciness is present at back end.
Long mildly complex finish. Different then many French GSM styles which is cool, although not always better. More tannic and acidic then I would like, bringing down overall enjoyment. Not bad by any means, just a minor gripe.
Picture pending.
France
Grenache - Syrah - Mourvedre
$15ish
Poundability: 2.5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Dark ruby color thinning at edge. Medium bodied.
Dried, dark cherries with a dirty earthyness to it, in a good way. Juicy with slight oak influence giving a great round, vanilla taste. A large spiciness is present at back end.
Long mildly complex finish. Different then many French GSM styles which is cool, although not always better. More tannic and acidic then I would like, bringing down overall enjoyment. Not bad by any means, just a minor gripe.
Picture pending.
Callejon Petit Verdot Grand Reserve '08
Argentina, Mendoza
Petit Verdot
$25ish
Poundability: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Deep dark ruby color with a cherry/floral nose. Medium bodied.
Great floral/spice flavors jump out the glass with a strong oak/vanilla influence. Also got tart, bright cherry's with a dirty/earthyness. Hints of green tea, blueberries and smoke as well.
Chewy mouth feel with mild tannin's. Strong acidity. Highly complex - taste changes dramatically from start to finish.
Would definitely repeat. Great example of Argentina becoming a leading producer in great complex wine and not just every day table wine. Everything I've had from Callejon has been incredible.
Picture pending.
Argentina, Mendoza
Petit Verdot
$25ish
Poundability: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Deep dark ruby color with a cherry/floral nose. Medium bodied.
Great floral/spice flavors jump out the glass with a strong oak/vanilla influence. Also got tart, bright cherry's with a dirty/earthyness. Hints of green tea, blueberries and smoke as well.
Chewy mouth feel with mild tannin's. Strong acidity. Highly complex - taste changes dramatically from start to finish.
Would definitely repeat. Great example of Argentina becoming a leading producer in great complex wine and not just every day table wine. Everything I've had from Callejon has been incredible.
Picture pending.
Diamondback Green Machine IPA 6.1% 16 oz
American, Maryland, Baltimore
IPA
$9ish/4pk
Poundability: 2/5
Value: 2.5/5
Overall: 2.5/5
Hazy golden color, opaque with a copper nose.
Not as bitter as I was expecting for an IPA, especially this day and age. Almost more of a pale ale. Little creamy, little shwaggy, but easy drinking enough for a 6% beer. Also had a mild metallic shittyness to it. Bitter, dry, harsh finish brings down poundability.
I like to support all local brewers, Diamondback especially, and with a $9 4pk price tag it's definitely well priced. All in all not a great beer, just serviceable.
Picture pending.
American, Maryland, Baltimore
IPA
$9ish/4pk
Poundability: 2/5
Value: 2.5/5
Overall: 2.5/5
Hazy golden color, opaque with a copper nose.
Not as bitter as I was expecting for an IPA, especially this day and age. Almost more of a pale ale. Little creamy, little shwaggy, but easy drinking enough for a 6% beer. Also had a mild metallic shittyness to it. Bitter, dry, harsh finish brings down poundability.
I like to support all local brewers, Diamondback especially, and with a $9 4pk price tag it's definitely well priced. All in all not a great beer, just serviceable.
Picture pending.
Radeberger Pilsner 4.8% 16 oz
German
Pilsner
$11ish/6pk
Poundability: 4/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Clear, light golden color.
Slightly sweet, smooth taste. Light bodied. Faint metallic hint with a funky finish, but not awful. More American style then some Euro versions tend to be. Not heavy on the malt/barley either, luckily.
For a $11 16oz 6pk I would repeat but not for much more duckets. Has that slightly gross metallic taint that some imported cans tend to have.
Picture Pending
German
Pilsner
$11ish/6pk
Poundability: 4/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Clear, light golden color.
Slightly sweet, smooth taste. Light bodied. Faint metallic hint with a funky finish, but not awful. More American style then some Euro versions tend to be. Not heavy on the malt/barley either, luckily.
For a $11 16oz 6pk I would repeat but not for much more duckets. Has that slightly gross metallic taint that some imported cans tend to have.
Picture Pending
Monday, February 20, 2017
Dom. de Chevilly Quincy '15
France, Quincy, Loire
Sauvignon Blanc
$18ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Pale yellow color with a honey nose. Light bodied.
Flavors of honey, butter but not in that Cali chard' oak bomb way. Light mineral/stone with a hint of grass - but not in a New Zealandy way. Light lemon/lime, pear and tropical fruit notes.
Great acidity - lives up to Loire valleys "vibrant acidity" reputation that I've read about. Awesome complexity with a very long finish. Crisp. Due to the high acidity (not a knock), brings down poundability but still a great wine. Would repeat.
Picture pending
France, Quincy, Loire
Sauvignon Blanc
$18ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Pale yellow color with a honey nose. Light bodied.
Flavors of honey, butter but not in that Cali chard' oak bomb way. Light mineral/stone with a hint of grass - but not in a New Zealandy way. Light lemon/lime, pear and tropical fruit notes.
Great acidity - lives up to Loire valleys "vibrant acidity" reputation that I've read about. Awesome complexity with a very long finish. Crisp. Due to the high acidity (not a knock), brings down poundability but still a great wine. Would repeat.
Picture pending
Four Roses Lmd. Ed. Small Batch 2016 Barrel Strength 55.6% abv.
Kentucky
Bourbon
$100ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
Light amber color. Strong aromas of almonds and cherries.
Flavor of spice box, almonds, cedar and cherries. Hints of butter scotch, green apples and molasses. Slightly smokey with a tongue coating sensation.
Long, complex finish. Strong alcohol sensation at start but quickly mellows, as blaze bourbons should.
Drinks way smoother then 55.6% would suggest. Four Roses continues to crush the whiskey game, especially the small batch series. Been a fan of them for awhile, so admittedly a little biased, but the Ld. Ed. Small Batches continue to be the shit.
Picture pending.
Kentucky
Bourbon
$100ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
Light amber color. Strong aromas of almonds and cherries.
Flavor of spice box, almonds, cedar and cherries. Hints of butter scotch, green apples and molasses. Slightly smokey with a tongue coating sensation.
Long, complex finish. Strong alcohol sensation at start but quickly mellows, as blaze bourbons should.
Drinks way smoother then 55.6% would suggest. Four Roses continues to crush the whiskey game, especially the small batch series. Been a fan of them for awhile, so admittedly a little biased, but the Ld. Ed. Small Batches continue to be the shit.
Picture pending.
Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas '12
California
Bordeaux blend
$25ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Light ruby color with a candied red fruit nose. Medium bodied.
Leathery, light spices, candied fruits with a little floral and earthiness.
Leathery mouthfeel, very smooth and easy drinking. Soft with a great acid/tannin balance.
Overall thought it was good, just slightly underwhelming. Smooth, easy drinking; nicely integrated. Not a Cali "fruit bomb" which has recently become the norm', unfortunately. Has some nice subtlety and complexity just doesn't wow me like some previous Tablas' have.
Picture pending.
California
Bordeaux blend
$25ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Light ruby color with a candied red fruit nose. Medium bodied.
Leathery, light spices, candied fruits with a little floral and earthiness.
Leathery mouthfeel, very smooth and easy drinking. Soft with a great acid/tannin balance.
Overall thought it was good, just slightly underwhelming. Smooth, easy drinking; nicely integrated. Not a Cali "fruit bomb" which has recently become the norm', unfortunately. Has some nice subtlety and complexity just doesn't wow me like some previous Tablas' have.
Picture pending.
Alto Moncayo Garnacha '11
Spain
Garnacha
$20ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Dark purple color with a deep ripe cherry/cassis nose. Light/medium bodied.
Dark, tart ripe fruits; possible red plums. Cassis bomb, but not in a shitty way. Got some vanilla from the oak influence. Light spice with a nice mild leathery taste. Gets ever more dark ripe fruits developing as it stays open.
Light tannin with mild acidity, great balance between thee two. Extremely long complex finish - really get a whirlwind of taste over an easily 60 second finish. Ever so slight alcoholic burn at finish, but hardly a complaint. For 15.5% alcohol it doesn't taste to hot and soupy like some shitty high alcohol wines can taste. Bought a few years ago so glad I had it now, could be just starting to fade/dull with age.
Picture pending.
Spain
Garnacha
$20ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Dark purple color with a deep ripe cherry/cassis nose. Light/medium bodied.
Dark, tart ripe fruits; possible red plums. Cassis bomb, but not in a shitty way. Got some vanilla from the oak influence. Light spice with a nice mild leathery taste. Gets ever more dark ripe fruits developing as it stays open.
Light tannin with mild acidity, great balance between thee two. Extremely long complex finish - really get a whirlwind of taste over an easily 60 second finish. Ever so slight alcoholic burn at finish, but hardly a complaint. For 15.5% alcohol it doesn't taste to hot and soupy like some shitty high alcohol wines can taste. Bought a few years ago so glad I had it now, could be just starting to fade/dull with age.
Picture pending.
Veglio Dolcetto D'Alba '15
Italy, Piedmont
Dolcetto
$14ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Dark purple color, thinning at edge. Light/medium body with a nose of bramble.
Slightly grape juicy, not in a shitty way. Much more fruity then was expecting. Floral, dirt/earth with a slight chocolate finish.
Relatively light bodied, not very complex not complex. Easy drinking quaffer.
Overall I liked it as an easy drinking table wine. Nothing crazy going on, just easy drinking with or without food. Italy often gets a rep as a strictly food wine but there's a lot of quality, inexpensive, fruity, everyday pounde's available. Case in point.
Picture pending
Italy, Piedmont
Dolcetto
$14ish
Poundability: 3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Dark purple color, thinning at edge. Light/medium body with a nose of bramble.
Slightly grape juicy, not in a shitty way. Much more fruity then was expecting. Floral, dirt/earth with a slight chocolate finish.
Relatively light bodied, not very complex not complex. Easy drinking quaffer.
Overall I liked it as an easy drinking table wine. Nothing crazy going on, just easy drinking with or without food. Italy often gets a rep as a strictly food wine but there's a lot of quality, inexpensive, fruity, everyday pounde's available. Case in point.
Picture pending
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Heavy Seas/Union Olde Ale 8.5%
Baltimoe, MD
Ale (?)
$10ish (?)
Poundability: 2.3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Dark brown with a chocolate nose.
Flavors of vanilla, smoke (rauch-esque), light chocolate, molasses and I got a hint of banana (got a few raised eyebrows on that one, f 'em). Definitely light bodied and easy drinking for an 8.5% beer, alcohol isn't very detectable. Low carbonation, but by no means English/flaty.
This style in general doesn't lead itself to high poundability, but the light body makes it much smoother. In the past some of these Heavy Seas collab's have.....underwhelmed at best. Could be my bias toward Union (big fan) but this is one of the better joint efforts they've done. Hopefully more interesting ones like this is in the works.
Picture pending
Baltimoe, MD
Ale (?)
$10ish (?)
Poundability: 2.3/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Dark brown with a chocolate nose.
Flavors of vanilla, smoke (rauch-esque), light chocolate, molasses and I got a hint of banana (got a few raised eyebrows on that one, f 'em). Definitely light bodied and easy drinking for an 8.5% beer, alcohol isn't very detectable. Low carbonation, but by no means English/flaty.
This style in general doesn't lead itself to high poundability, but the light body makes it much smoother. In the past some of these Heavy Seas collab's have.....underwhelmed at best. Could be my bias toward Union (big fan) but this is one of the better joint efforts they've done. Hopefully more interesting ones like this is in the works.
Picture pending
Vajra Lange Rosso '14
Italy
Piedmont
$15ish
Poundability: 2.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Light maroon color, very clear with a floral/spicy nose, light bodied.
Had a very nice fruity, almost plummy nature that went along with the floral spiciness. Almost had a zesty, rustic nature to it. Could definitely notice the oak influence but not in a shitty way, not trying to cover any faults. Leathery feeling on tongue but not overdone/sandpaper.
Great mouth gripping acidity, perfect food wine. Although all that acid makes it tough to drink on its own, bringing down poundability. Long finish - taste lingers in mouth for easily 60 seconds.
For the price I really enjoyed it. Had pulled pork with lunch and beef stew for dinner (bad AND bougie) and it held up great with both. One of those wines that drinks like it should cost much more. Would definitely repeat. Anything from the Piedmont region is a perfect fit with most food, especially rich ones.
Picture pending.
Italy
Piedmont
$15ish
Poundability: 2.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Light maroon color, very clear with a floral/spicy nose, light bodied.
Had a very nice fruity, almost plummy nature that went along with the floral spiciness. Almost had a zesty, rustic nature to it. Could definitely notice the oak influence but not in a shitty way, not trying to cover any faults. Leathery feeling on tongue but not overdone/sandpaper.
Great mouth gripping acidity, perfect food wine. Although all that acid makes it tough to drink on its own, bringing down poundability. Long finish - taste lingers in mouth for easily 60 seconds.
For the price I really enjoyed it. Had pulled pork with lunch and beef stew for dinner (bad AND bougie) and it held up great with both. One of those wines that drinks like it should cost much more. Would definitely repeat. Anything from the Piedmont region is a perfect fit with most food, especially rich ones.
Picture pending.
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