Reluctant Wine Co. - 2013 "The Convoy" red table wine (California)

Usually, if I'm planning a special dinner, I'll figure out what I'm cooking and then buy an appropriate wine. On the other hand, sometimes I come across a wine that looks really tasty, and I try to build a dinner around it. Today's wine is one such construction - it's comes to me from Reluctant Wine Co. in Arroyo Grande, CA. It's called "The Convoy."

It's a red table wine, which as you may recall from previous posts, basically means any blend of red wine. Single-source wines, that's any wine made 100% from a single kind of grape, would say that on the label. Usually they are called such by their names (ex. you could say you are looking for a "Merlot" which suggests you are looking for a 100% Merlot bottle.) But if it's a blend, according to regulations, you've got to put "red wine" or "table wine" (that naming convention varies depending on country.)

What we've got here today is a mish-mash of the following:

• 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 25% Syrah
• 20% Tempranillo
• 10% Grenache
• 5% Petit Syrah

Everything but the kitchen sink, pretty much. The blend sounds good already, as I'm rather fond of the conventional pairing of Syrah / Grenache. Tempranillo is also nice and bright. I'm surprised they didn't throw in any Cinsaut or Carignan since both traditionally "soften" red wine.

Pours nicely, with a low-profile aroma at first that opens up over time. It's got some alcohol aromas, mixed with bright red fruit (think cherries.) Pretty pleasant if you ask me. As you can see, it candles a solid bright red. 

Remarkably smooth, the jammy flavors come out well. I like the bright fruit flavors, they're nice and strong with no acidic or tannic tastes at all, which is probably a function of the precise blend. The wine finishes nicely with a slight alcohol sting at the end, but nothing objectionable at all. 

In terms of pairing, I whipped up some roasted butterflied pork chops with a rosemary garlic chili rub and lemon papardelle pasta (anointed with cracked black pepper and pork drippings, of course!) It was a nice pairing, the fruitiness of the wine picking up the herb flavors of the rub.

The Convoy ended up being warm, velvety, and very fresh and tasty with no objectionable tastes, and I'll definitely seek it out in the future. I bought it at (where else) Trader Joe's for $11.99, but I do not believe it's a Trader Joe's exclusive house blend.

Tabacleria Drew Estate - ACID "One" (Nicaragua)

I delved into my past archives to find some old unfinished posts - found this short write-up I did a few months ago about an interesting top-shelf cigar I've smoked. It's Drew Estate's ACID One, off their ACID line of infused cigars. It's a 5" x 54 ring gauge torpedo tip. 

Apparently, this cigar is infused with a variety of red wines from all over the globe. The filler and binder are mixed leaves originating chiefly from Nicaragua; these leaves are soaked in sangria before stoving. The wrapper is Cameroonian. 

It's a nice deep brown color, torpedo tip, but is still a bit dry and crackly even after several weeks of intense humidification. Still should be okay, though!

It started out nicely, thankfully, with earthy tobacco tastes with some pronounced sugar notes. It's generally lightly sweet, with some interesting red wine barrel tastes that develop during the body of the cigar, accompanied by some ripe raspberry flavors in there as well. Would pair nicely with a port, I think.The aftertaste is earthy and smoky but still retains a little of that sweetness I got in the body of the smoke.

The ash is almost birch-white, and burnt evently for the first few inches. In a word: refined. The quality of the tobacco, billed as a cut above the rest, is very smooth. The quality certainly shows, and this cigar we smoked down to the end practically. Dan and I both liked it, and we have subsequently bought 5 additional cigars for each of us. It is a bit more expensive than some other Drew offerings, though: you can get 10 of these for $74.01 or a box of 24 for $164.63.

The premise may sound funky and experimental, and it is, but I've been consistently impressed. Each ACID cigar is very mild, and I think if you're looking to try something interesting and top-shelf, try out an ACID One.

Beer Flash: Avery Brewing Co.'s "Collaboration Not Litigation" ale

Saw this on the shelf at Irving Wines and Spirits, and upon suggestion of owner Jesse, I picked it up. It's an 8.9% ABV ale from Avery Brewing Co. The history is kind of interesting - apparently, both Russian River Brewing Co. and Avery have a beer called "Salvation." But, instead of litigating in a courtroom showdown to see who owned the rights to that name, the two beer dudes decided to combine the beers into one delicious ale. I enjoyed it - there was a nice combination of malts and spices. Lighter than I expected. Reminds me of a lighter version of Peak Organic's King Crimson, with all the sweet maltiness retained. Wasn't bad for $9.99 per 220z bomber.

Fremont Brewing Co. - "The Sister" and "The Brother" IPAs

Today's post is a twofer - Fremont Brewing Co. out of Seattle has released two limited-edition imperial IPAs, siblings if you will, "The Brother" and "The Sister." Both are similar in terms of ingredients and brewing styles, and as such, I'm going to do a horizontal tasting, and review them side-by-side.

A "horizontal tasting" is a term used to describe a sampling of two or more kinds of beer or wine for the means of comparing them. A "vertical tasting," on the other hand, is when one reviews two more examples of the same beer or wine across several years. So, for example, you could buy two bottles of wine (a 2014 and a 2015 vintage of the same kind) and review them side-by side, noting the differences and similarity. You can do the same with beer, too - Stone Brewing Co.'s "Vertical Epic" is aged beer that was released once a year on the "repeat days" (ex. 01/01/01, 02/02/02, through 12/12/12.) Each beer is slightly different and meant to be aged. But on the release of the 12/12/12, the last beer released, Stone's brewers opened up all examples for a 12-part vertical tasting. Amazing!

Let's get to our mini-tasting, though. Both beers are imperial IPAs, each clocking in at 8.5% ABV.

As you can see, they look almost identical. Both pour a hazy orange, almost caramel, with tan-colored foam on each. Only The Brother had any lacing on the glass after the foam dissipated.

With The Brother, there's an unusual amount of sediment in the can and in the glass. A quick call to Fremont's brewhouse confirms that sediment in this beer is not expected or normal. Hmmm. Sediment is not usually a bad sign; there's often a small amount of particulates in the bottom of craft beers. But there seemed to be an inordinate amount in here, which could mean several things. But that never stopped old Jimmy!

I ended up trying The Sister first (by way of coin toss.) It's very hoppy from the start, with a sweet floral feeling to it that's really nice. There's definitely a bitter edge, especially in the aftertaste, with a little bubble of carbonation. Still delicious though.

The Brother is actually noticeably different from The Sister. Whereas The Sister is mostly strong, floral, slightly bitter flavors, The Brother ends up being deeper with a hint of fruit and hops. The Brother reminds me of the Dogfish Head 120 in terms of color and flavor, although the alcohol is half of the 120. It finishes well, and looks like the amount of sediment didn't really affect the beer one way or another.

In all, an interesting horizontal tasting. Some imperial IPAs have massive hoppy flavors and some are a little more bitter, and it was cool to see two similar styles of IPAs compared side-by-side. I bet these would be great on draft, as well.

 

Nat Sherman - Metropolitan Banker robusto gordo (Dominican Republic)

Here's another cigar review for you all - it's called the "Metropolitan Banker," another entry in the Nat Sherman line of fine cigars. This is the other half of a two-cigar combo that my brother got me for my birthday, the first of which you may recall I reviewed this past summer. This one measures 5" long by 70 ring gauge, or just over an inch in diameter. It's quite the cigar.

I like the color of the leaf - it's a Connecticut shade tobacco wrapper. The format is not something I usually have - as you can see, it's a rather big cigar that would demand at least an hour or and hour +15 to truly enjoy. Here's a nickel for scale:

The first light was a bit tough - it seemed to be pretty tightly-wrapped and didn't light or draw terribly well. But, I eventually got it going, and as you can see, it has a dirty grey ash. The cigar burned evenly for the most part after that.

 I was a little underwhelmed by the taste, but came to appreciate it as time went on. According to various online cigar merchants who sell it, it's billed as a "medium-/full-bodied" cigar with a "creamy" flavor. I'm not entirely sure I agree with that - the cigar is generally straightforward in taste, with a primarily grassy taste that is very mild.

The first part reminds me of a halfway point between a Thompson Tusker and a Cuvee Blanc, the latter of which has a distinct mineral taste missing in the Metropolitan Banker. The second half is drier and harsher but still has that Thompson Tusker feel. The flavor profile turned to medium, not mild, but still grassy with a strong taste of straw on tongue after smoking. It's not creamy,  as described, but grassy. And unlike the Cuvee Blanc, the Met Banker has no mineral tastes.

Despite the issues with the draw, it's a smoke I'd try again. I always enjoy having premium cigars, and Nat Shermans are certainly worth trying. The format was a lot of fun, and perhaps this cigar would have benefited from more time in the humidor.

Beer Flash: Tampa Bay Brewing Co.'s "Old Elephant Foot" IPA

Today's beer is one of several various Tampa beers sent to me by good friend and fellow beer lover Matt LeVarge. I used to hang out with Matt in middle school, spending afternoons in his basement listening to Sublime and watching South Park. Fast forward 15 years, he's moved to Tampa and I to Washington, DC, and now we're trading beers from thousands of miles away. Go figure.

Here we have the "Old Elephant Foot" from Tampa Bay Brewing Co. It pours yellow-ish, super foamy and bright, with a nice wheaty aroma. It not as hoppy as it could be, but I'm totally OK with that. It's got a very citrusy taste, but interestingly enough, not in the usual floral hops-kind of way. It's citrusy in a orange juice way. It tastes like orange juice and beer mixed, which isn't bad at all.  It's billed as a "West Coast IPA" but I doubt that. They should call it a "Florida IPA" - fresh, juicy, and hoppy with just the right about of citrus flavor. Good stuff!

Lagunitas Brewing Co. - "Hairy Eyeball" ale

Today's beer is from Petaluma-based Lagunitas Brewing Company. I've long been a fan of Lagunitas, with having reviewed the crown jewel of their line, the Cappuccino Stout, last year. I picked up this beer at Costco, where it was being sold for the low low price if $4.99 (normally $9.99 at Whole Foods.) I guess that's wholesale pricing for ya.

It'sa 9.4% ABV American strong ale billed as a "roasty, toasty, malty, hangover-halting beer." Well, I don't know if I'd be drinking anything other than water for a hangover, but that's beside the point. Let's try the Hairy Eyeball.

Pours a gorgeous reddish-brown, and puffs up to a buff-colored head. It's also very aromatic - strong scents of alcohol, vanilla, and maple. I'm really digging it.

The head subsides into the cool amoeba-pattern which lasts a few minutes. It appears reddish-brown in the glass, with lots of little carbonation bubbles in there. Candled, it's root beer color.

I was pleasantly surprised at the taste. It was smooth, almost milky, with almost no hops to speak of and a strong caramel taste that reminded me a lot of Peak Organic's "King Crimson." I'm disappointed the vanilla doesn't carry over, but in total, there's a three-way mixture of delicious flavors that I can discern; top-quality malts, dark fruit tastes, and caramel. The taste is somewhat surprising, but not in a bad way. I wasn't expecting the vibrancy of flavors. It's very pleasing, smooth mouthfeel, and very approachable. So, yeah, great stuff. I'll definitely be buying this to have on hand!