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

Friday, August 22, 2008

Brooklyn Brewery Pilsner

$10.99/6pk @ FD
5.1% abv

very clean, fresh scent
wow! what a tasty pilsner -- goes down smoothly, just the right amount of carbonation, and a great low hop/malt aftertaste

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2006

$10.99 @ USQ (30% off = $7.69)

red blend of Syrah, Mourvédre, Viognier.
strong leathery red-wine scent
bright garnet red in glass, very pretty
jammy, fruity, yet still light and juicy. goes down easy. sweet initially, leathery tannins in middle/end
takes kinda like the sebeka pinotage (also fromw estern cape i think?)

its quite good, but balance still kind of weird to me

Monday, August 18, 2008

Astica Torrontes 2006

$5.99/FD/USQ
Cuyo, Argentina
13% abv

very clean honeydew scent -- sweet/honeysuckle
tastes kind of like ethanol. fine cooking wine -- dry
unpleasant lighter fluid burn... smells alot better than it tastes. *sigh*

Chateau Tellagh Medea 2004

90% with 10% cab sauv
12.5% abv from algeria

dry, yet very full-flavoured tasty. great dashi aftertaste

$22 @ queen of sheba restaurant
$5.99 @ grand wl in astoria
Black Varieties: 40% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 15% Carignan, 10% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

really liked it alot!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Guinness Extra Stout

$10/FD
4% abv

its really kind of bitter -- tried making a balck and tan w/it and old sam adams -- either the sam adams was way too old, or i have to use draught style guinness.
didn't liek this as much as draught guinness

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Stag's Leap 2006 Sauvignon Blanc

$20 or so
w/bacon scallops pasta at j/a's place

delicioso! scent came off kind of weird, like vomit. but lovely crisp taste, with a strong aftertaste -- without food, somewhat like ume from asian food. complex and delicious

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Selbach-Oster 2004 Riesling Auslese

8% abv
sweet semi-dessert type wine

ztinger sonneustir riesling auslese

rotlay

mosel-saar-ruwer

its ok. had with fondue -- cost $40! definitely nothing terrible special. *very* summer fruity scent, slight sweetness on the tongue, not cloying.

Pierre Sparr Alsace Riesling 2006

$9.99 @ TJ's
dry aromatic riesling
12.5% abv

french riesling -- really quite good. fruity aromatic, but dry on the tastebuds. also works wonderfully in fondue

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Trader Joe's French Market Sauvignon Blanc 2006

vin de pays doc
$4.99 @ trader joe's
12% abv

reallyc heap! tj's house brand importad from france

not much of grassy scent (bien!) sweet candied apple scent? very lovely smooth sauvignon blanc. dry, hints of fruit, long lasting in back of mouth -- i could use this for cooking and drinking easily!

as a side note, kind of weird in fondue -- a little sharp

Terra Sparkling Malbec 2007

$9.99 from astor
ags: Red, Argentina, Mendoza

its quite drinkable. maybe the only time i've ever liked a malbec??

Cardeal Dao Red Wine 2005

$6.99 on FD
REGION: Portugal › Dão
GRAPE: Rufete (40%), Touriga Nacional (40%), Bastardo (20%)
IMPORTER: Admiral
ALCOHOL: 13%

wow. totally rubbed me the wrong way. its a semi-drinkable table wine, but i really would never want to grab a bottle.

Hofbrau Maibock

6.8%
FD

very good! amazingly tasty, crisp, good yaer-round beer (i think its summer seasonal tho)

brewed in... kentucky?