Reviews of wines and beers and etc that I've tried - just my personal notes

Sunday, December 16, 2007

King Shag Sauvignon Blanc

$6 (i think) from tj's

2007 marlborough, new zealand

very simple sauvignon blanc. clear, crisp, good levels of acidity -- not too interesting though. just your normal run of the mill sauvignon blanc. would buy again if just want something with dinner... but its not complex enough to truly enjoy a glass of by itself

Takara Plum Wine

6.99 from Cork & Bottle

Yum! Just the right hint of sweetness, nice level of plum flavouring. Very versatile -- can be served straight, chilled, on the rocks. kind of dangerous, b/c even with 12% alc, can be downed like fruit juice.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Blue Point Toasted Lager

Yum! Had a great toasted taste, one of those few beers that manage to feel good during the colder months without being too hearty/heavy/dark. The toasted flavor might get old after a couple, but the first bottle is mighty good.

Blue Point Blueberry Ale

i'm normally not too fond of flavored beers, but this one struck a good balance. essentially, it was just blueberry scented with the slightest hint of it in the actual taste itself. it was a light, pleasant ale overall.
the seasonal marketing is a little off though -- i think its a winter beer that goes down too much like a summer beer

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Dv. Beckermann Piesporter Michelsberg Spätlese 2006

Spätleses are generally a bit too sweet for me.

$5(?) at TJ's

too sweet to go with dinner i think. maybe if you have really spicy thai food. like, set your roof on fire. it's nice as a glass after dinner though.

not a very complex taste -- would be a perfect wine for first time wine drinkers though; fruity, no alcohol aroma (no aroma at all... which is the part most first timers complain about), crisp and a lingering refreshing taste. probably wouldn't buy it for myself though... i could just drink fruit juice if i felt like it.

german wines need better labeling --;

Monday, November 26, 2007

Santa Julia Syrah Rosé

What: Syrah
Where: Mendoza, Argentina

$9 on FD


Yums! Got a very interesting and different flavor for a rose. it's amazingly not very light at all. *very* fruity, kind of silky, but would have hard time pairing with food. good all year round by itself though

Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon

$3 at TJ's

not terrible, not great, tastes kind of generic and got a bit of an unhappy bite to it.

Black Mountain Pinot Noir

$5 or something at TJ's

very good basic pinot noir! nothing amazingly special, but very functional; good balanced flavor, goes down smoothly (a mite on the flat side but nothing terrible to complain about), great table wine

Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc

$2.99 from Trader Joe's

pretty much only good when you're making a shrimp scampi and you want a dry wine to both throw into the dish and drink on the side while you're making it. its not terrible, but its not great either

Il Borgo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

What: Montepulciano
Where: Abruzzo, Italy

$9 from FD

um, it's ok. nothing too special. a little too s. also, the wine looks really purple. maybe it's just me though b/c it comes in a purple packaging. no idea what the varietal is.

JP Selection Tinto

$8 on FD
http://www.freshdirect.com/product.jsp?productId=wine_bc_jpstinto&catId=win_juicy&trk=cpage

What:
Periquita
Where: Terras do Sado, Portugal

I really like this =X. It's a perfect light red. Juicy, just like the label, goes down smoothly and easily.

UFO Hefeweizen

Harpoon Brewery in Boston

Delicious hefeweizen! Good memories of this and a b-rated horror movie from new zealand.
My idea of a pretty perfect hefeweizen -- delicious, hearty.

Sierra Nevada Porter

I <3 this. Goes down like a hearty meal, flavorful and filling. I prefer over normal Sierra Nevada, but unfortunately, it's a seasonal.

about $10-12ish at Gristede's?

Kenwood Estates Sauvignon Blanc

$10 at Ralph's in SD

Gross. Flat, sweet, just bad. Don't do it.

Chateau Lafayette Reneau Northern White

$6.49 at marketview

wow. this was the suck. can't really describe how many levels of suck this was

Chateau Lafayette Reneau Seyval-Chardonnay

$5.49 at marketviewliquor.com
$8 at Freshdirect (i think they stopped stocking it tho (sadness!!))

Soft, fruity, just the hint of sweet -- quite an interesting flavor really, not very complex but a good table wine.

Unfortunately everything else from this winery that I tried absolutely sucked. =(

Darting Pinot Noir

$25.99 at 2nd & 71st (wine? drink?)
only german red in the place, happened to be malte's friend's family's winery

yums! crisp for a pinot noir (sparky/carbonated feeling), different and very tasty