Tasting - Sexual Chocolate

Sexual Chocolate

Red Blend
Napa Valley
California
2011
$20

This wine has a deep violet color, many legs, and has a medium to low viscosity. Initially, I smell strong notes of cherry, chocolate, oak, raspberry, and sweet floral characteristics. This wine is TART. It has a very dry, chalky mouth feel and taste. It is a bit hot with a high acid content. Although, it has an earthy, round and crisp finish. As it aerates for a while, I start to get some very savory notes in addition to fruit, such as pepper. This wine, although advised against on the bottle for some reason, would benefit well with a few years on the shelf. The tannins and acidity are not well rounded at this point.

Tasting - Bitch Bubbly

Bitch Bubbly
Spain
$6


Translucent, pink, viscous and... bubbly. I taste cherry, peach, apricot and strawberry. Light amount of fizz, dry and sweet with a warm finish and low acidity. The sweetness is less overpowering than what I expected. The 11% ABV cuts through sweetness. It's drinkable, but has a finish resembling cherry cough syrup and has a weak mid palate. Overall, pretty boring.

Tasting - Rowan's Creek Bourbon

Rowan's Creek
Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
Kentucky
$37

Sour Mash Manifesto:
Rowan’s Creek Bourbon, 50.05% abv (100.1 Proof), $35.00, Batch No: QBC No. 12-67
Color: Deep golden/light amber
Nose: Caramel and spicy, floral honey notes up front. A sweet and fruity baked cinnamon apple overshadows the oak influence, which is restrained. Vanilla is present in spades.
Palate: Well spiced – cinnamon and chili heat quickly cut through the caramel, corn and honey sweetness. Vanilla and oak round out the flavors on the palate. A splash of water calms things a bit, bringing on more oak, and even a bit of fruity sweetness.
Finish: Only moderate in length, but with ample caramel and vanilla (a touch of charred oak).
Overall: Rowan’s Creek is an excellent whiskey that hits a lot of the characteristics I look for in a great bourbon. It has the sweetness, spice, a bit of fruit, and enough going on to make things interesting, while still being accessible. The price point is pretty solid as well. There’s a lot of speculation about where KBD sources whiskey for this bottling. I personally don’t think they are traveling very far to get the juice for Rowan’s Creek. Heaven Hill is a long par 5 away from KBD’s headquarters in Bardstown, KY, and Rowan’s Creek has some of that Evan Williams DNA. Give this one a try.
Sour Mash Manifesto Rating: 8.7 (Very Good/Excellent)

My Review:
On the nose, I get toffee, caramel, chocolate, vanilla, butter, shortbread, a hint of smoke and cinnamon. There is also a peppery nose almost like horse radish. There is tons of vanilla and caramel, likely from the oak, almost like a birthday cake! There is also a nutty quality resembling almonds and cashews. Some less prominent notes are chamomile, honey, and smoke. This is a great bourbon and has forever spoiled me!

Tasting - Coastal Estates Pinot Noir

Beaulieu Vineyard, Coastal Estates
Pinot Noir
Napa Valley
California
2011

$10


Youthful, medium ruby color. Quite aromatic, this vintage showcases black cherry, anise, and dried herb aromas reflecting its cool-climate origins and outstanding fruit maturity. On the palate, it is already quite rich in fruit, with medium body, a round velvety texture meshed with balanced acidity and lots of spicy-cherry, cocoa and minerally flavors.


My Review:
This wine has a dark, rich purple color, with a low to medium viscosity. On the nose, I get dark fruit, blackberry, plum, leather, tobacco and oak. It is earthy, with components of blue cheese and mushroom. I also get hints of black pepper, vanilla and spice. On the initial taste, it is dry yet full bodied with a smooth mouth feel. There is a sweet floral characteristic that is a nice break from some of the fruitier reds. This wine is overall very round and complex. I will be getting this one again!

Tasting - Chateau Ste Michelle Sauv Blanc

Chateau Ste Michelle
Sauvignon Blanc
Columbia Valley
California
2012
$11

This wine has a very light yellow color and a rather low viscosity. On the nose, I get tropical fruit and an ammonia-like scent, almost like cat pee.. There is a slight frizzante on the palate which gives it a nice feel. This is a very complex wine, emphasizing floral notes, grapefruit, passion fruit and pineapple. Fruit bomb! I also get a good amount of crisp sour apple, most likely due to the stainless steel fermentation. It is a little hot on the finish, but very fruity, creamy, yet crisp and pleasantly dry.

Tasting - Parkers Estate Syrah

Parkers Estate Riverside Crossing
Syrah
North Coast
California
2011
$8-$10
This wine has an extremely dark color, almost black. It's got a funky smell.. in a good way! I get fungus, mushroom and dirt, but also some plum, smoke, cedar and pine. On the first taste I get very strong notes of black pepper and spice. The oak is subtle and contributes flavors such as vanilla. On the second sniff, I get herb-roasted duck and a nuttiness similar to cashew butter. The flavor is round and smooth, spicy and savory. This has a full-bodied flavor, but does not last on the finish. Overall, this is a very unique and complex wine. Given the savory spice and pepper notes, this wine would pair well with steak.

Tasting - Mirassou Riesling

Mirrassou
Riesling
California
2012
$10

• By Richard Jennings
  6/26/201387 points

  (Mirassou Vineyards Riesling California) Light yellow color with SO2 bubbles initially; appealing, tart peach, tart pear nose; juicy, ripe peach, ripe pear palate with good acidity; medium finish (12% alcohol; SRP $12; good value; sample provided by winery)

My Review:

This Riesling has a very light golden color, with a medium to high viscosity. On the nose, I get a slight earthiness, fresh cut grass, and very pleasant pineapple and papaya. On the first taste, I get a lot of honey and a hint of citrus, with a full and creamy texture. It is hot on the finish with a hint of tropical fruit. Overall this wine is sweet, yet light and crisp but is not very forward on the fruit. My family tried the wine and picked up on other flavors such as straw and lemon peel. The consensus was that it is overall a very drinkable and smooth wine, without much complexity.

Tasting - Blackstone Pinot Noir

Blackstone
Pinot Noir
California
2012
$9
This wine has a deep violet color with a medium to high viscosity. On the nose I get cherries, plum, minerals, spice, vanilla, oak and leather. It is dry with very bold flavors. The taste is sharp and peppery, with a medium body. It is slightly hot and not very well rounded. The pepper lingers on the palate and ends with toasted honey and clove. When paired with various chocolates, I found that it is not suited for dessert paired, but rather more savory dishes.

Tasting - Bella Sera Chianti

Bella Sera
Chianti
Italy
2012$8
A little hot on the nose, it is a savory, earthy wine. Flavors that come to mind are light fruit, leather, mineral, and wet rock. It has a very light body and rather weak finish. Lacking in forward fruit flavors, it is dry and a little hot, but not over powering, the flavors still come through. It has a very low viscosity, thin body and high acid. I get hint of toasted butter and herbs on an overall clean finish. This would pair well with a pasta dish, as it would match the acidity of a red sauce and hold up without overpowering it. The acidity and alcohol in the wine could also cut through the fattiness of a white sauce. Overall, the wine is a bit weak by itself.

Tasting - Burgans Albarino

Burgans Albarino
Albarino
Salnes Valley
Spain
2012
$7

90 Points | International Wine Cellar , September/October 2012

Pale gold.  Powerful scents of pineapple, mango and white flowers, with a chalky overtone.  Supple and round in the mouth, offering juicy tropical fruit flavors and a bracing note of lemon zest.  The floral note comes back on the long, broad finish.

My Review:

It has a very pleasant nose, with hints of citrus and apricot, although a fairly high acidity. It has a very light color with a medium viscosity. On the first taste, it is very yeasty, grassy and acidic. It has a somewhat buttery mouth feel. The acid is too forward in this wine and does not have a good balance of sugar and alcohol and is pretty lacking in flavor. It is somewhat refreshing and cleanses the palate. This wine is overall lacking in body and flavor and has a very weak finish with nothing on the mid palate. After a few more sips, I begin to taste hints of fruit. The finish seems to build with every sip, most prominently with hints of peach, pear, and apricot.