Chilled sour beers are divine on hot summer evenings. Had a Stone Imperial Russian Stout from 2014 hiding in my cellar. I thought I had it last Christmas but it appears I was wrong. I was expecting terrible things, because I was told it doesn't age well. I had the 2015 during Christmas this year and wasn't a fan.
On the 2014:
Very mellow, the booziness wasn't there.
Incredibly creamy on the tongue.
Very low fizz, almost flat.
Sweet and rich, with just a hint of bitterness post swallow.
Aroma of honey, licorice and dark chocolate.
No coffee flavors present in 2014's batch unlike 2015, almost decadent sweet chocolate.
Paired it with 85% cacao chocolate that had been sitting out to room temperature.
No head seen, a mere ring around the serving glass.
Bloody ****ing incredible. I shared it with my wife as it was too much to drink alone. We'd had a large meal earlier.
Moving on to the last few days. Opened a bottle of Sandeman Tawny Port 10 yr. No real notes, it's your standard port. Smooth, bit boozy if you don't let it breathe, sweet enough, goes well with desserts. Don't think it's worth its price point. Had 2 Beck's yesterday, don't judge. Sometimes a commercial beer, no matter how terrible, is worth it.
Andre Tremblay Chablis, '12. A French style chardonnay (no heavy oak). Delicious, acidic, fresh fruit flavors, gorgeous note.
Cipher Pistile Rose, semi-sweet almost dry, heavy berry notes, very good chilled cold and served in cold stemware.
Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon, really surprised this came from the Mondavi family. Very jammy, hints of sweetness in the after flavor, no spiciness. This was very drinkable.
Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Magnum, can't go wrong with this cheap cava. It's delicious, it's bright, acidic, carries enough dryness, it is quality for its price point. This was had with guests. This is one of my favorite cheap sparklings having discovered it in 2010 and buying cases of it. The bottle is beautiful and incredibly heavy when empty.
Tierra Del Fuego Pinot Noir Gran Reserva 2012, spicy, bitter on the front and end, little fruit flavor, very dry. I'm sure their cabs are better but I can't imagine how this is loved by so many people. Awful waste for $18 - I want to believe my bottle improperly stored or something of that nature. A decanting of 3 hours made it more palatable, but by then what fruit was there wore off.
And bought a case of 12 Amalaya Malbec Blends.
I bought the Amalaya before Thanksgiving this year and it sat in the cellar, gathering dust. We drank this three weeks ago, I think. I didn't have high hopes for it. I bought my bottle from Trader Joe's, and never noticed the "blend" part until three weeks ago. It's a screw bottle, which doesn't mean anything these days. I wasn't expecting much, but my god was I impressed. Very soft out of the bottle, good stone fruit flavors, hint of sweetness and a very smooth finish. We had it with roast vegetables, no meat. I don't often have a wine that I keep going back to for more. I called around and managed to find a wine store who could order a case for me as TJ's didn't carry it anymore. I bought the bottle for around $14, retail is a bit more, and the case cost me about $12 a bottle for 12. It's quite obvious by my previous ravings about my undying love for Malbecs that I'm going to keep this treat to ourselves. I may end up buying several more cases if I can convince the store to order more for me and put a deposit down. The bottles are good for the next 3-4 years, though I'm sure they won't last a year or two in my hands.
These days I walk into a wine store and close my eyes, point my finger somewhere and pick something up. I find this allows me to try something new. I've only gotten a few awful wines since I began doing this in early 2013.
