What's in your glass tonight?

[CDrew]

So new here, but have a highly recommended wine for those of you with a Costco membership.

In the wine section, the less expensive section is Mas Donis. "old vines". It's under $7 and great. Like "go buy a case" great and enjoy. It's a Spanish Grenache/Syrah/Merlot blend but surprisingly good for $6.xx.

Having it tonight with a Lamb rack also from Costco.

 

[geek]

So new here, but have a highly recommended wine for those of you with a Costco membership.

In the wine section, the less expensive section is Mas Donis. "old vines". It's under $7 and great. Like "go buy a case" great and enjoy. It's a Spanish Grenache/Syrah/Merlot blend but surprisingly good for $6.xx.

Having it tonight with a Lamb rack also from Costco.

Can you post a pic.

 

[geek]

This is a wine I was confused on what it was but then I think it’s a blend of Carmenere and Cab Sav from Chile, I think.

It is tasting quite delicious [emoji39]

 

[CDrew]

Here's a pic. You'll enjoy this wine and the price. It's excellent and affordable. Much better than it should be for under $7.

 

[Boatboy24]

Lent Cheat Day went in a direction I didn't expect. Old friends were over and I was thrown for a loop when my friend's wife mentioned she now pretty much just drinks Chardonnay or lite beer. This is a large departure from the last time we got together. But it is what it is. I had a Viognier, Rose, Vermentino and Cucumber Melon Sauvignon Blanc chilled (that I knew of), so I prepared to try and find something. Diving deep, I found a magnum of the 2013 MM Aussie Chardonnay in the fridge - the last of its kind in my cellar. I cautiously opened it to find a great, crisp, chardonnay - completely different than my memory provided. It used to be big, silky and oaky. Anyway, word got around and it turned out to be a big hit - none of it left. Everyone that tried it raved about it.

 

[ceeaton]

Bottled (did I say I hate bottling beer) a batch of porter a couple of weeks ago. Cooled one down tonight to sample it's progress (ie. did it carbonate yet). Pretty well carbonated, though hard to tell if there is residual sugar left with all the dark malt used in the batch, it was a stab at Catamount Porter clone (base malt plus 120L Crystal malt, Chocolate malt, Black malt). Still tasting some bitterness from the dark malts. The whole idea of a porter is balance, between the malt sweetness, bitterness and mouthfeel, as well as the hop bitterness and alcohol contribution. Tough equation to balance out, but this one has a chance if I can leave my mitts off of it for a while. Plan on taking some when we open our cabin up in about a month. Maybe @bkisel is a fan of darker beers and can an impartial judge. I'll liquor him up first with a bottle or two of wine to get a favorable judgement!

 

[geek]

Me liking this a lot... [emoji4]

 

[bkisel]

Bottled (did I say I hate bottling beer) a batch of porter a couple of weeks ago. Cooled one down tonight to sample it's progress (ie. did it carbonate yet). Pretty well carbonated, though hard to tell if there is residual sugar left with all the dark malt used in the batch, it was a stab at Catamount Porter clone (base malt plus 120L Crystal malt, Chocolate malt, Black malt). Still tasting some bitterness from the dark malts. The whole idea of a porter is balance, between the malt sweetness, bitterness and mouthfeel, as well as the hop bitterness and alcohol contribution. Tough equation to balance out, but this one has a chance if I can leave my mitts off of it for a while. Plan on taking some when we open our cabin up in about a month. Maybe @bkisel is a fan of darker beers and can an impartial judge. I'll liquor him up first with a bottle or two of wine to get a favorable judgement!

View attachment 47324

Yes, I really do enjoy, for whatever reason, dark beers. Is there some commonality with dark beer vs. light beer that could explain this?

I grew up in NYC when the drinking age was 18 and was able get into a few bars and pubs when I was 16. I think it was one of the Irish pubs in Astoria Queens where I was first introduced to dark beer.

I don't drink much beer nowadays and find it curious that I can sit by myself and enjoy a glass of wine but can only enjoy beer drinking when around other folks who are drinking beer at the time.

 

[bkisel]

Me liking this a lot... [emoji4]

View attachment 47325

Varis, Is that a new label of yours? Did you design it? I like it!

 

[geek]

Varis, Is that a new label of yours? Did you design it? I like it!

Yes sir.

 

[ceeaton]

I don't drink much beer nowadays and find it curious that I can sit by myself and enjoy a glass of wine but can only enjoy beer drinking when around other folks who are drinking beer at the time.

I'm sure you could twist my brothers arms to open up a beer or two if you come visit the cabin this Spring. The earlier you visit, the earlier we can start!

 

[Ajmassa]

A CC Argentinian Malbec. Fermented in Wisconsin. Courtesy of Mr Sour_Grapes. Mrs AJ loves it and so do I. Don’t know how old it is- but no kit taste at all. Dry with big flavor, long finish yet still an easy drinker. Well done.

 

[sour_grapes]

A CC Argentinian Malbec. Fermented in Wisconsin. Courtesy of Mr Sour_Grapes. Mrs AJ loves it and so do I. Don’t know how old it is- but no kit taste at all. Dry with big flavor, long finish yet still an easy drinker. Well done.

Great to hear, AJ.

This batch is 40 mos. old, and I think it is up there with the best kits I have made (credit to CC, not to me!).

My notes say "Used ICV-D254 and 3.5 g Nutriferm yeast energizer, plus 9.5 g FT Rouge tannin in primary. Put oak chips (30 g French heavy, 30 g French medium) in weighted cheesecloth bag. SG was 1.082 before adding pack, and 1.092 about 12 hrs after adding grape pack. Added 20 oz sugar, and brought SG to 1.106 (oops, too far?) Added 3.2 g Nutriferm advance at SG=1.106, and 4.3 g at SG=~1.060. Added 100 g (!) Hungarian Med. Toast cubes (came with kit) in secondary and bulk aging. No additional tannins."

 

[geek]

Not sure how to describe this wine.
A year old this month.

I think I can smell a bit of honeydew and maybe pear, cannot make up my mind on the taste.

 

[Boatboy24]

Not sure how to describe this wine.
A year old this month.

I think I can smell a bit of honeydew and maybe pear, cannot make up my mind on the taste.

View attachment 47358

Mine's in secondary now.

 

[geek]

Mine's in secondary now.

You're falling behind....big time...lol

 

[ceeaton]

Drinking a Red Rock Pinot Noir. Nothing special, but it was free, from a wine and cheese "basket' my wife won over the holidays. Went well with some older music I was listening to, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor and some older Eagles...

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow...

 

[JamesGrape]

Opened a 2011 Luca Malbec tonite. First time I tried a Malbec. Decanted it for one hour. It got better by the second hour. I checked the tasting notes on Vivino and I would largely agree although I admit I’m not a big red wine kinda guy - and really not very experienced with wine in general. On opening it had a strong alcohol smell almost like a cognac, with a beautiful black cherry aroma that was mostly smothered by the alcohol smell. I took a sip on opening and it had the above and a strong spice/peppery finish that created a burn on the sides of my tounge. About two half-glasses spread over an hour complimented our steak dinner and was all I wanted. For me it’s not what I want to drink to finish a bottle - it’s too powerful to me to be refreshing - but the amount I had was a good food compliment - and I enjoyed studying how it opened up with time.

When I took a sip on opening - I noted that it’s raw alcohol nose was much like the Shiraz kit I have clearing. I thought my Shiraz wasn’t clearing since no light will pass through the carboy. But this Malbec would barely pass light through a wine glass so I feel better about the Shiraz now . And I’m glad I now know at least a little what Malbec is about. I might make some, and I would drink it again with a strong red meat dish - but decanting 2 hours in advance, and nursing a single glass through the meal would be my style. I’d like to study it more, too - since I didn’t detect a lot of complexity - which it likely had,

Cheers

 

[geek]

Anyone tried the Vermentino lately?
I think this wine is getting there and has improved.

 

[cmason1957]

Tonight my wife said to get a bottle from downstairs, so up come a Wineexpert Bravado. These are starting to turn out really nice. I don't have my notes here, but they are probably about a year old. Next up was a Mocha Chambourcin Pretty we made that is about 18 months old now. Chambourcin wine fortified to about 20% Abv with brandy, then added some coffee and chocolate infusion. Big nose with hints of chocolate, taste has lots of coffee notes. I think another great on this and it will have mellowed a bunch. Not bad now and I'm a little bit tipsy.