Ruggero di Barda - 2016 susumaniello [Italy]

As I was perusing the wine aisle at Trader Joe's, this stout bottle caught my eye. The shape and size of the bottle suggested to me this might be a fortified wine or some sweet after-dinner libation. Nope, turns out to be an Italian red wine, and an interesting one at that - a Susumaniello from Ruggero di Barda. Despite the the size of the bottle, I am assured by the label it is 750ml. No bamboozles, Trader Joe's!

This wine is from Apulia (or Puglia), the somewhat flat and fertile southern province of Italy better known as the "heel of the boot." While Tuscany is perhaps the most famous Italian region for wine, it's grown all throughout the country. According to GrapeCollective.com, Apulia is actually Italy's most prolific winegrowing region, comprising 17% of all grapes grown in the country!

Apulia. Source: Wikipedia, naturally

And now the grape - another surprise. It's called "Susumaniello", and is not terribly common. In fact, I have neither seen it in a shop nor heard of it before today. According to WineReviewOnline's Rebecca Murphy, the grape was thought to be a Dalmatian transplant - makes sense, since it's not a long trip across the Adriatic Sea - but to find out for certain, they turned to science. Fenetic typing - called "microsatellite marker typing" - is a type of genetic testing that can reveal the heritage and history of grapes. A test performed by Italian scientists determined that Susumaniello is a close genetic match of Sangiovese (along with numerous other grape varieties.) Sangiovese is a grape I've had quite a bit, which is acidic and can be quite tannic, so perhaps today's wine will be on the heavier end.

Let's dive in - the wine pours deep ruby red, a very pretty color. Purple when candled. Not getting much aroma, maybe a bit of sweet alcohol. But not much.

OK, I think we have a winner here. I'm immediately struck by how "full" it is - big, juicy flavors, right off the bat, a bit salty, with some candied fruit notes - really quite delicious. There's some dark fruit in there, too...I'm thinking dried plums, nothing too acidic like cherry. The texture balance is quite interesting here, as well - it's silky smooth, not too dry, and lacks any sort of "bite", such as the kind of tannic sharpness one might with a Nebbiolo or a Montepulciano d'Abbruzo, however at the same time it's not underpowered or jammy or fruit-forward.

This is a perfect example of a "big" wine - a full-bodied, strong wine that's packed with flavors and coats the mouth. I really dig the Port-style notes, especially in terms of mouthfeel and texture. I paired this with my homemade mac n' cheese, which is a mix of Colby Jack and Swiss cheese, reduced in a roux of Kerrygold butter, flour, and whole milk, seasoned with garlic, sriracha, and black pepper added - and topped with baked Black Forest bacon.

I'm really pleased, and the price point - $9.99 at Trader Joe's - simply can't be beat. In my opinion, a very good value and a wine worth trying for certain. I'll definitely keep my cellar stocked with a bottle of this.

Browar Palatum - "Maximus" ale [Poland]

Dzien dobry! I'm filing from Warsaw, Poland today, bringing you an example of fine Polish craft beer. Like much of Europe, Poland has a lot of beer, much of it generic German-style pilsners or malty, sweet brews like Zywiec or Tyskie, so I was really excited to find some unusual craft beers at Same Kraft Multitap, a tiny pub in the heart of Warsaw's Old Town.

Hidden away amongst the old houses, the pub is long and narrow, and to get to the six-seat bar, you have to wind your way past a small seating area and through a tunnel. The bar space is very small, and there's enough room for I would say 10 people to stand and sit comfortably. When I was there, all six seats were occupied by a group of heavy-drinking fellows from somewhere in the UK, but luckily there was a small set of stools off to the side that were unoccupied.

They had seven beers on draft, and a good mix too! Some stouts (way too hot out for that), and a couple of wheat beers. I wanted something unique and interesting, and here's on that looks like it would fit the bill - a 6.20% ABV "tropical chili ale" by Browar Palatum from right here in Warsaw.

Beyond what is listed above, not much about the beer was said on the draft placard, so it was a bit of a surprise.

The chili flavor is noticeable, but like any good pepper beer, it's not nuclear. The flavor is remarkably full - deeper and stronger than what was expected - and has an almost sugary taste...I'd venture to draw some similarities between hazy New England IPAs. Some juicy hops adds a body to the beer without bittering, and the pepper hangs on a bit after the beer is swallowed. Most importantly, it's remarkably light in terms of body. Full in flavor, but doesn't weigh you down like a triple IPA might. It's been very hot out - and Poland (like much of Europe) has a casual relationship with air conditioning, so a lighter, flavorful beer is just what the doctor ordered. 

In terms of value for the money, this - and much everything else in Poland - is super affordable due to the favorable exchange rate. For .3 liters of beer (about 11 ounces) it cost 10 zloty, so $2.80. Very, very affordable for draft beer at a pub. In DC, you'd expect this to cost four times as much. So definitely a good deal! I have been trying numerous craft beers around Warsaw this week, so hopefully the success of this one is indicative of the rest of Polish craft beer offerings.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - "Dragons and Yumyums" pale ale

Warmer weather means super fresh, juicy beer, and today's beer is no exception. A special spring release by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, this 6.50% American pale ale is called "Dragons and Yumyums", and as it turns out, this beer is a collaboration with the musical group The Flaming Lips. This may be the first beer with its own theme song - check out the bizarre, yet catchy, "The Story of Yum Yum and Dragon"!

Now, I should say I'm generally wary of Dogfish Head's stuff, not because it's bad, but because it's expensive. They have some of the most consistently expensive beer on the shelves, and while some of their stuff is definitely worth getting, I found some of their pricey offerings leaving much to be desired. Today's beer has generated a lot of buzz around the shop, though, so I decided to give it a go. As per usual, Martin O. and I split the six pack, which made it more affordable to try.

This beer is billed as a "lip smackingly tropical pale ale", and judging by the ingredients, I can see why. It's made with dragonfruit, passionfruit, yumberries, black carrot juice, and pear juice - sounds pretty great, right? I admit I'm really not sure what most of these ingredients are. I've never heard of dragonfruit, or yumberries, or black carrots, so I really am not sure what to expect. It's pretty moderate in terms of alcohol, with very low bitterness (25 IBUs), so par for the course for a pale ale. Let's give it a shot.

Pours pretty swiftly, as expected for a light pale ale. It looks remarkably like a rosé, bubbles and all. There's not too much aroma, oddly, for a beer that's supposed to be an explosion of tropical goodness.

So yeah, pretty much what I expected - a soft, juicy pale ale with good fruit flavors throughout. There's a definite citrus flavor in there, like a dark fruit juice, which could be the passionfruit. I don't know what dragonfruit or yumberry tastes like, so I can't tell if there's any in there. Sugar is pretty low. The beer is a little tart, and has a very pronounced burst of flaked what on the finish. Wow! That's really cool. Nice nod to German style beers.

Overall, a super fresh, light, and juicy ale and great for those who want a lighter drink - especially on a hot day. I can see myself having a couple of these out back, some summer's day, waiting for the grill to heat up.

Next we come to the dreaded cost-benefit discussion....it was $15.99 for six 12oz bottles, which in light of what I just had, is a bit steep. The beer was light and tasty, but I can't justify spending that much money on it when there are other options out there for half as much. Now, D'Vines has this beer on growler fill, and is on sale for $9.00 for a 64oz pour. That, I feel, is much closer to the appropriate price point for this beer.

Three Stars Brewing Co. - "Habeas Corpses" stock ale

Have you ever heard of a beer being aged in gin barrels? Me neither, but I came across one earlier in the year and definitely want to discuss it. It's called the "Habeas Corpses", and is from Washington, D.C.-based Three Stars Brewing Co. It's a stock ale aged in gin barrels, clocking in at a staggering 15.40% ABV. This monster has been chilling - literally, and figuratively - the back cooler at D'Vines, and I finally got around to bringing it home.

A stock ale is another term for an "old ale", which belongs in the very malt-forward family of English beers that includes barleywines. According to Craft Beer and Brewing magazine, the stock ale style is several hundred years old and lacks a precise definition; the article I read does suppose that they were likely quite strong, as a result of the first high-gravity runs of a parti-gyle brew, and were likely matured for months in casks, picking up flavors from the wood. The result was a malty, strong, and somewhat acidic beer.

My manager at D'Vines, Haroun, also works at Three Stars, so he was able to give some cool background context to the beer. According to him, this beer is a take on Three Star's "Madness", a 12.50% ABV ale, which was aged for 24 months in ginavit barrels from local spirit producer New Columbia Distillery to become the Habeas Corpses. Ginavit - like aquavit, maybe - is New Columbia's fall/winter gin which is rested in apple brandy barrels. So the order of operations for this was: the apple brandy came out of the barrels, gin went in and became ginavit, the ginavit came out, and the Madness went in to become the Habeas Corpses. By the brewers' reckoning, the two years spent in the barrels added roughly 3.0% ABV to the base beer, bringing the 12.50% ABV in the Madness to 15.40%.

Haroun says inspiration for the beer came from natural discussions with New Columbia; after years of collaborating. "We didn't just sit down and say, 'hey, let's make a gin-aged dark beer!', he says; they just they had an extra gin barrel kicking around figured they'd see if they can make a beer with it.

Speaking of - on to the beer.

Pours reddish brown from the 22oz bottle, coming out brick red. Some light brown head is generated, but not a lot, and it turns to white after a few moments.

Expectedly, it projects aromas of wood-aged barleywine. Nice.

Oh, yeah - awesome. It presents some juniper / gin flavors up front - within the first millisecond of tasting, practically. That goes away pretty quickly, and gives way to that syrupy, boozy, woody flavor that I love so much in quads and barleywines. That, too, is short-lived, and the rest of the ale is like an imperial brown ale, with a few twists: mostly the lingering saltiness and herbalness on the finish, definitely reminiscent of an herbal, junipered gin. Aftertaste is warming and woody.

A lot to unpack here, but mostly, I'm impressed at how the flavors come together. It's surprisingly mellow and even throughout, and that herbal astringency strangely complements the wood flavors. Not to mention the fact that it's stronger than most wines, yet does not "bulldoze" the tongue with those flavors. Frankly, this is how a "big beer" should be done - not overpowering flavors, not oily roasted notes or boozy waves, but a solid refined flavors with noticeable individual flavor "components." I really enjoyed this and wish it was available still. It's well worth the $14.99 per bottle.

Decadent Ales - "Creamsicle" double IPA

Lately I've seen a surprising amount of lactose beers on the shelf at the store; just like the gose and sour beer craze of 2014, it seems that lactose is the next biggest thing.  To recap: a lot of beers these days are made using lactose (milk sugar), which gives the beers a soft and silky mouthfeel. While lactose is not uncommon in stouts (i.e. milk stouts), what's surprising is that I'm seeing a lot of IPAs made with lactose! Some of them are packed with crazy ingredients like marshmallows, or chocolate chips, or mangoes, or Earl Grey tea; fellow D'Vines clerk Martin O. calls this style "dessert IPAs."

Hot on the heels of my "Girl Grey" review, here's another beer made with lactose - this time, made by Decadent Ales, a craft brewery in Mamaroneck, NY. Here we have the "Creamsicle", an 8.40% ABV lactose double IPA made with Madagascar vanilla, orange zest, and marshmallows. Just liked you'd expect a creamsicle. The hop bill is 100% Citra, which by the way is my favorite strain of hops. Mosaic is good too but I think Citra is my favorite.

I've never had anything from Decadent Ales before, so I'm not sure what to expect. But it better be good - a four-pack of  tallboys costs $20, so definitely on the higher end of affordability. Martin and I split it, however, so $10 for two each is much more doable.

So let's give it a pour.

Pours slowly, as expected for thick lactose beers, and it generates and solid white head reminiscent of ice cream. Pretty nice! The beer projects a juicy - and somewhat hoppy - aroma, kinda like a Tree House beer. Or an Aslin one.

Initially there's a sweet flavor - the lactose coming through - and the beer presents some soft fruit flavors, like peach (which, incidentally, is probably from the hops.) The vanilla is definitely there; hard to necessarily pick out the marshmallows, but I'll take their word for it. Texture is nice the whole way through, and while those peach hops stick with you, the vanilla sort of disappears. Finishes quickly, not much flavor "on the back end", although there are some sugary flavors in the mouth after swallowing.

Generally, the beer is pretty balanced. The lactose adds a nice texture, although not to the level of the "Girl Grey." I would be curious to try the beer without the lactose, just to see how much it softens it. I'm also curious about the marshmallows; I wonder if the marshmallows contributed to the softness and the sugariness more than the lactose. After all, lactose gives a beer taste and body but it's not the primary driver of flavor.

Now - the big question - is this worth $20 for a four-pack? I'm thinking no. It's a good beer, but doesn't bring the flavor, or an innovative texture, or anything else that might bump it up to that price point. Some of the other Decadent offerings are even more expensive, with one I saw ringing up at $26.99 for four tallboys. Not to say this beer wasn't tasty, but for such a high price, I'd expect something more.

The Prisoner Wine Co. - 2016 "Salto" red blend [California]

Here's an interesting bottle of wine which I had recently at the Char restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi, of all places. It's from The Prisoner Wine Co., an Rutherford, CA-based winery led by Chrissy Wittmann. Known for a small yet respectable range of wines, Prisoner's offerings are mid-level wines, most of them in the $30+ pricepoint. Although this doesn't constitute "mid-level" for most wine drinkers, it is far cheaper than many other wines on the market.

This wine, made from grapes from Dry Creek (Healdsburg), Lodi, and Amador County, is a blend of 85% Zinfandel and 15% Syrah and Petit Syrah. And yes, the wine label is actually from a label maker.

Very, very good. I love Zinfandel and this does not disappoint. The wine is a dark red in the glass, and purple when put to the light. The flavors are very full, with lots of dark fruit tastes, like black cherries, with a little bit of spicy tannins. It's not too heavy or hot to be unapproachable, but just the right blend of strength and flavor. The taste lingers long after swallowing, and has a hint of tannic esters.

What strikes me most is the balance. It's hard to describe this quality in wine - harmonious sounds too much like a Wine Spectator-type "jargon" word, but it fit in this case. In some wines, it's easy to pick out flavors, or perhaps one dominates over all, or it appears unfinished (paging "Two Buck Chuck") but this one is full of flavor, velvety smooth, and a perfect pairing to a fine porterhouse. In fact, this is one of those wines that is so delicious, you'll keep wanting more and more. In fact, I seriously considered a second bottle for after dinner.

It's well worth the $30 one might spend retail on the bottle. I won't tell you what it cost at the restaurant, but if you find this for $30, grab it. It's definitely a wine to seek out if you want a special bottle to pair with that Sunday steak dinner, or something to open on a special occasion. You won't be disappointed.

The Bruery - "Girl Grey" ale

I realized it's been a while since I reviewed something by The Bruery, those fine California alemakers that makes some pretty fantastic stuff. You may have seen their offerings in the store - big 750mL bottles with fancy labels. I reviewed a couple of their beers back in 2016 (including "9 Ladies Dancing", a tiramisu stout, and their fabulous "Or Xata") and of course I have often mentioned one of my favorites, the "Autumn Maple". They just opened up a new bottle shop in Union Market here in DC, and my D'Vines colleague Martin O. picked this up for me in trade for a can of Snitz Creek rauchbier.

This is called "Girl Grey", and is an ale made in collaboration with celebrity chef Brooke Williamson, of 'Top Chef' fame. This new release weighs in at 8.50% ABV, and is brewed with lactose, almond, with Earl Grey tea.

You'll see that this beer is made with lactose, which may seem weird. It's actually rather neat: as you may know, sugar is an important ingredient in beer. As yeast dissolves sugar, it produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. The sugars not consumed add body and flavor to the beer, and knowing this, brewers use different kinds of sugars to make different outcomes. For example, using brown sugar (or, in the case of Old Dominion Brewing Co.'s "Candi", candi sugar) adds a caramel flavor to the beer. The most common way you may see lactose in beer is in the popular style of milk stout; milk is not actually used, but milk sugar is - lactose.

So, here we go. 1pt 9.4 floz - a wine bottle's worth.

Pours golden and clear, whit TONS of bubbles. I mean, zillions of tiny little bubbles coming up. It generates a wonderful aroma, one of the nicest I've ever had the pleasure of smelling in beer. Floral, milky, and aromatic. The bubbles settle to a thin, white disk.

OK, whoa, this is really remarkable. Very interestingly, the beer presents the flavors in three distinct "stages":

First off, we have that Belgian yeastiness that we come to know and love. There's some background malt flavors, a little bit of sweetness, and definitely some Belgian spice. A nice background to what's coming next.

This flavor subsequently gives way, very distinctly, to the almond. Not sweet like almond extract, but a pleasant nutty flavor that reminds me of ground almonds. The boozy quality almost makes it like an amaretto.

Finally, the bergamot, which rounds out the beer. Kinda tastes like someone dunked a Lipton Earl Grey teabag into the beer. It's not particularly deep or strong, kinda like a glass of tea with too much water.

The aftertaste isn't terribly strong, but to be expected with the softness of flavors...which was much more understated than I was anticipating, actually. In this way similar to "Or Xata" in terms of texture and flavor presentation. Soft and delicate, the flavors do make a "laddered" appearance (instead of all at once) and the lactose delivers that overall creaminess that really ties this beer together.

Overall, very well done. The texture is super creamy and smooth, the flavors are nuanced and enjoyable, and noticeable! It's really hard to get flavors to show themselves so distinctly. Although it's not something I'd drink with food, it would make a fine dessert beer - or simply something to enjoy and savor all on its own.