Elixirs

Beer

Here are some beers that we’ve tried.

Scotch

Here are some Single-malt Scotches we’ve tasted.

Wine

  • Banrock Station 2005 Shiraz (AUS): box is 12$ at Liquor City in Syracuse. A decent “house wine” that seems to vary in quality box to box.
  • Barefoot Wines Pinot Grigio (US): a fresh, herbal, light white for hot summer days. Citrusy with a bit of grassyness and just the right amoutn of effervescence.
  • Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon: Love it. It’s a little more expensive than the other boxed wines, but makes up for it in quality. Toasted oak, ripe olives, and blackberry are the major players in this really light bodied wine. Strangely, it’s a Cab when it feels more like a Pinot in the mouth. Very fruity and rich.
  • Botabox 2005 Shiraz (CA): Full bodied, tart cherry and fruit. Environmentally sound product.
  • Finger Lakes Tour Sept ’07 Highlights: Hunt Country (NY): Pinot Gris 2006: very fresh, a unique white. Vignoles 2006: Tart and citrusy, pineappple, good with spicy food. Ruby Port: good and economical. Dr. Konstantin Frank (Salmon Run, NY): 2004 Meritage, 2005 Pinot Noir 24.99. Heron Hill: 2002 Pinot, 14.99, very smoky and tanniny. Mark didn’t like as much as I did. Ravines Wine Cellars: 2006 Cerise, 13.95 Very good, light bodied wine. Perfect for summer! We also liked the 2005 Pinot (21.95) and the 2005 Meritage (23.95).
  • Benjamin Tawny Port (AUS): a very affordable introduction to port at 8$ a bottle (in the US). One sip and you’ll want this for dessert every night!
  • Borsao Crianza 2005 (SPAIN): This 50% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo, 25% Cabernet had a beautiful ruby color and felt light in the mouth. It had a pretty bold raspberry bouquet, but yet an earthy finish. The bottle touts “pomegranate,” but I got cranberry. We had it with cranberry chicken and a mixed grain pilaf, with Mark Bittman’s brownies for dessert. A perfect wine for a perfect evening.
  • Castillo di Diablo Pinot Noir (CHILE): medium bodied, dry but smooth.
  • Lamoureaux Landing (New York State) 2009 Chardonnay. Tried this with the Barbers on a wine tour with them in the spring. I normally don’t enjoy chardonnays, but this is the 2nd time I’ve been blown away by one. Its fresh, light, dry mouthfeel and coconutty tones make it a memorable summer white.
  • Pepperwood Pinot Noir (AUS): had at Meg and Charlie’s on labor day ’08. Not sure of the vintage, but boy, was this ever great! I almost didn’t believe it was a pinot, given its thick cherry tartness. This wine gets great reviews and is very affordable.
  • Pepperwood Shiraz (AUS): had for Lydia and Carter’s visit (with Cauliflower Red Lentil Curry), wonderful for the price (US 6$).
  • Phillipe de Rothschild Pinot Noir (FR): one of our favorite affordable Pinots.
  • Pinot Evil (FR): 16$ box at Liquor City. At first we were really unimpressed, but on a second try discovered more of the pleasingly light cherry essences. I think it might be the kind of pinot that truly should be drunk only with mildly flavored foods. Maybe on the first try we mistakenly paired it with a more pungent dish.
  • Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir (CDN): a not-too expensive cherry/vanilla, medium-bodied wine.

One Response to “Elixirs”

  1. Jen, LOVE your blog. RE: Beer, not a big beer drinker myself but this one gets me every time: do your tastebuds a favour and see if you can get Lindemans Pechesse (Peach Beer) from Belgium. Timmermans Peche from Belgium is close too. W-w-wow….

    Cate said this on May 18, 2008 at 4:58 pm | Reply

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