9/22/2015 - forceberry wrote:

Dark cherry to maroon color with a big, long-lasting, creamy head. Rich, complex nose with Dubbel-y sweet bread, spice and malt, some savory old wood, a little tart green apple and a touch of something metallic. Dry and refreshing, yet also sweet and fruity in the mouth with flavors of caramel, apple jam, some sour lemon juice, a little earthy spice and a hint of old wood. No discernible bitterness and quite small, smooth carbonation. Mid-length, quite sweet and complex finish with flavors of cherry marmalade, apple jam, caramel malt, a bit of astringent spice and a faint hint of lemon sourness.

An interesting and compelling for a Timmermans beer and a textbook example of oud bruin: sweet and sour at the same time. Nothing really special, but definitely worthwhile to check out and enjoy slowly. A nice little drop for 3,98€.

11/3/2007 - thirtyoneknots wrote:

Not sure if this was flawed or if it was supposed to taste like frozen fish and dirty socks. I was very excited to try this and it was extremely disappointing. No thanks.

3/10/2020 - Homer Holland wrote:

Feudi di San Gregorio Società Agricola S.p.A., Cutizzi, Greco di Tufo, Greco di Tufo DOCG, Campania, Italy, 2017, 13%.
100% Greco di Tufo.
1 (750ml) purchased from WiB-205 on 05/16/2019.
Lot:
P177
0857
L S146513
EAN:
8022888760014
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo 'Cutizzi' Campania 2017 is gemaakt van 100% greco di tufo, afkomstig van de beste wijngaard van het wijngoed.
Na zorgvuldige handmatige oogst en een strenge selectie van de beste druiven, werd het voorzichtig geperst en gefermenteerd bij een gecontroleerde, constante temperatuur.
Dit werd gevolgd door verschillende maanden ontwikkeling op de gist.

1/4/2020 - Homer Holland wrote:

Freixenet, Cordón Negro, Metodo Tradicional, Gran Selección, Brut, Cava, Catalonia, Spain, 11.5%.
EAN 8410036009090
L8344019M8 (= from 2019 ?)
Made of macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo by the Metodo Tradicional with maturing for 10 to 14 months in the bottle (other sources say 18 to 24 months; the legal minimum is 9 months).
I find the Gran Selección on the label somewhat misleading. since to gain the Gran Reserva designation, the maturation period is extended to 30 months.
Well made, modern style sparkling.
No faults, but with a very light body and nearly no taste and a no brainer.
Like a good sprakling mineral water, with some alcohol.
Taste very young and more like in tanks produced / matured, than according to the traditional (bottle) method.
It has a rich, a little bit rough, but okay mousse for its price, a nice acidity, so fresh and it is a real brut.
Cheap for around € 7 to 8 normal price in the NLD, but ofcourse very mass produced.
Better spend a few euros more and get (much) more ?
But this no brainer will be liked by "everybody", so it likes parties, goes with snacks and other food or it will serve as apperatiive and/or for cleansing your mouth, before drinking some real stuff.
I find Tom Cannavan with 86/100 and Wine Enthusiast with 87/100 (but with their confusing different higher rating system) too high with their ratings.
For me R=87 only for the mousse, no faults and being a real brut, but R=82 to 83 for the overall.
On CT! I think this wine can also be found as:
1. Freixenet Cava Cordón Negro Brut
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=64036
and
2. Freixenet Cava Gran Cordón Negro Brut
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=675599
and with the follewing being the most correct name:
3. Freixenet Cava Gran Seleccion Cordon Negro Brut
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2714064
Concl.: S=83 R=7(8) 1/4/20 M=now

2/22/2019 - Zweder wrote:

Spicy, mild and friendly, despite the alcohol. Some caramel and sweet impressions. Long and sweet finish.

7/19/2019 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Ambitiously heavy bottle with the biggest punt I have ever seen on a non sparkling wine.
Floral nose, lemony
Surprisingly lean, was expecting something massive from the bottle, lemons, limes and satsumas. Strong floral notes at the end. Long.
This is rather good. Tastes sort of Greek.
Chardonnay 60%, Minutolo 20%, Moscatello Selvatico 15% and 5% other varieties

8/17/2008 - Kazappa wrote:

Really awful. Given that it's a cheap German table wine, but this tastes like it was made with synthetic grape juice. I've never poured out a bottle of wine that wasn't defective...until now. Just awful.

6/22/2018 - Homer Holland Likes this wine:

sugars 10.6 gr in 100 ml.
EAN 5000112602463
An okay cola, but very simple and one dimensional.
I very much much prefer the PepsiCo, Caleb’s Kola, which I rated 88.
See PepsiCo BeLux BVBA & Vrumona NL, Caleb’s Kola (Benelux Edition).
The main soda pops from the USA:
• 1885 - Dr Pepper by Charles Aderton
• 1886 - Coca-Cola by John Pemberton
• 1898 - Pepsi-Cola by Caleb Bradham
• 1929 - 7Up by Charles Leiper Grigg.
My rating:
S=84 R=7 06/22/18

12/9/2014 - FandL Likes this wine:

A classic that always is in stock in my cabinet. It too sweet for me to drink neat, so I prefer it with ice. Great for cocktails, and in hot chocolate or coffee. For sipping, the 15 year version is best.

8/17/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:

A private dinner with friends (at home): A fascinating old bottle of Bénédictine, most likely from the 1940’s, recently acquired at auction. Driven cork, loads of sediment (beeswings). Decanted. With so much alcohol (43% ABV) and sugar present, it is not surprising that this has survived its 70-odd years in bottle very well. Pale golden colour, looks beautiful in the decanter; intensely herbal nose, pungent, with a hint of sweetness; sweet and concentrated palate, rich and soothing, lively and without any signs of decay; hot and fiery finish, very good length. Hardly a refined drink, but the power more than makes up for that.

4/24/2016 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:

Dark malty nose
Chewy acidity, intense, long and nutty
Serious stuff, might need a bit of cheese

5/20/2018 - Homer Holland Likes this wine:

Nativ, Suadens Rosso, Campania Rosso IGT, Campania, Italy, 2017
Hersteller: Società Agricola Nativ SRL
Weingut: Azienda Agricola Nativ
www.winenativ.it
13,5% alc.
Lot 2017 L8 3 18
EAN 8000255390613
Restsüße: 14 g/Liter (!)
Säuregehalt: 6,30 g/Liter
3 einheimischen Rebsorten: 33% Aglianico, 33% Sciascinoso en 33% Piedirosso.
Van oude druivenstokken die groeien op de vulkanische bodem aan de voet van de Vesuvius.
Appassimento method (dried on the vine). Ze worden pas in oktober geoogst – veel later dan normaal – zodat de druiven iets indrogen aan de stok en extra geconcentreerd worden.
Met een speciale techniek zijn ze geoogst op het moment dat de maximale fruitaromaticiteit bereikten.
De druiven zijn met de hand geplukt.
Nativ is met 15 hectaren een kleine wijnproducent in Paternopoli, in de streek Irpinia in Campania.
Wijnmaker Mario Ercolino wordt in Italië ook wel "Super Mario" genoemd. Hij hoort tot de beste wijnmakers van Italië. Het is een wijnmaker die de internationale wijnpers doet verbazen met zijn eigenzinnige werkwijze. Ercolino is ooit begonnen als hoofd wijnmaker bij het zeer bekende wijnhuis Feudi Di San Gregorio. In 2008 startte hij met wat vrienden het wijnhuis Nativ.
An again ridiculous high 99/99 (is his maximium) score from Luca Maroni (LM) and according to the LM sticker on the bottle neck the rating is issued in 2019 (sic !). But I noticed before that high ratings by LM are given to wines in extremely heavy bottles and so is this bottle.
02-05-2018
It was not sold as an off dry or semi sweet wine to me and I did not look on the label (but it is NOT stated on the label too !) or elsewhere before I tasted it, and I found it an appassimento method like wine and yes, I found that out after finishing the bottle and while writing this TN.
So, I found it far too sweet for a normal dry red wine, but for the rest, I did like it. Medium-plus body, also because of lots of sweet red fruits, sweet cherry liqueur like, but somewhat simple and short. A little bit of tannins and alcohol remain in the after taste.
It tasted like more than 13.5%.
Okay for € 15, but for € 22.50 a bit too expensive.
15-05-2018
Now a bit lesser sweet, more overall balance and more tannins.
Very good for in sauces, sorry.
18-05-2018 (= bottle finished)
Now at it's best.
Conclusion:
At first S=85, since no faults, later S=87.
Better give this wine lots of air before drinking.
And it will last, will most likely get (much ?) better, for a good while, let's say for 5 to 10 or even more years.
I guess my rating will be higher in a few years from now, but never 99 ..... .
S=87 R=8.5-7(15-23) 5/20/18 M=2018-2025/2030

9/4/2016 - Arikael Likes this wine:

Nice balance between acidity and sweetness in the nose, although there is a slight alcohol/benzol note.
On the palate I find apple, citrus, melon and taste of "slightly rotten fruit" which sounds terrible but isn't.
Further there is again the slight sweetness in a nice combination the acidtiy, a kind of minerality (I can't describe better) and some marzipan.

I find it looses with air, especially the nice freshness.

6/13/2016 - tplskylrk wrote:

Like. Dark red Spanish fine, full bodied w that Temp edge. Not giving up much on the nose, but the palate is full flavored, the Temp in full rich, spice. So hard to describe the flavors fora Cali Cab drinker. Some dry, rustic ranch angles. Dry wood, leather, hot dusty w some sweet tannins and full flavored fruit, just yummy stuff. Can imagine this killing it w a Palella

7/29/2017 - Homer Holland Does not like this wine:

Bottled by the Austin, Nichols Distilling Company.
Now 2 TNs on CT!, resp. 92 and 94.
And Falstaff 'Bester Whiskey USA 2015' !
What ?!
Unbelievable, since it is very sharp, and for me undrinkable stuff.
Maybe it was MUCH better in 2014 or earlier ?! (my bottles are most likely from 2015 or early 2016)
Behind the sharpness you can taste some good things, but the very strong sharpness is overshadowing everything.
I am going to finish my 3 bottles - and luckily I payed only € 25 = approx. 25 USD each for it - blending it approx. 50/50 with Drambuie, since Rare Breed has a more of Scotch than a Bourbon taste, and that was a good and drinkable mix (but less than 50% Rare Breed, since the high alcohol is nice for the blend, but with more than 50% of Rare Breed the sharpness of the Rare Breed even comes through the sweetness of Drambuie).
The body is medium. The wine has coarse texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.

6/13/2017 - azscot wrote:

One of the best roses I have sampled in a long while. Plenty of depth with the Mourvèdre reflecting the earthiness and garrigue of the vineyards of Languedoc.

I've been a long time fan of Bandol roses but they are getting overpriced. This is the best value rose on the market right now.

3/23/2017 - GTFreek wrote:

Medium nose shows black plum, candied blackberry, black pepper, anise. Palate is sweet in style, candied white raisins, blueberry, blackberry, cinnamon, medium plus tannins. A little simple but strong flavors. Kind of a fruit bomb but then it has structure too on the finish. Not much mid-palate. Too sweet for me but I could see it's use for some. Nice QPR for what it is.

6/19/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:

Combined tasting note of the standard Heineken lager and the "Extra Vers" ("extra fresh") version. Both are brewed to the same recipe and both are pasteurised and filtered, but the Extra Vers (introduced on the Dutch market in November 2015) is chilled during transport and in the supermarket and wrapped in light blocking paper. In particular on the nose, the difference is quite spectacular. The standard version has a slightly sweet, malty aroma, a bit weak, whereas the Extra Vers has a very fresh and floral aroma of hops and yeast, with the malt in the background. On the palate the difference is smaller, both have a lovely and typical lager freshness and gentle hoppy bitters, but again the floral and yeasty flavours are noticeably stronger in the Extra Vers. Unsurprisingly, the standard lager finishes shorter and sweeter than the Extra Vers. A miniature study in the effects of storage conditions. For Heineken this is a clever way to sell its product for almost twice the price (€ 1.09 per 30cl bottle as opposed to about € 0.60 for a 30cl bottle in a standard crate without discount), but it does beg the question why anyone would want to drink the non-fresh beer anymore...

8/7/2016 - fozzibaer wrote:

Full bodied and fruity, but there is not a lot of structure. Drink it now, I don't think this will improve.

12/3/2016 - lars@thorstensen.dk Likes this wine:

Liked the Wine - bordeaux blend thats my taste and at a reasonable price
I tasted other vintage as Well 2013 definetly the best so far.

12/30/2014 - SAND wrote:

Slight rhubarb aroma on the nose.
Relatively light, appears very dry (despite the back label's "semi dry" description), some fruitiness, a slight bitterness in the aftertaste.
Drinkable but not very interesting 2 year old rhubarb wine.

10/25/2015 - lkilpio wrote:

This is somewhat more crisp, more acidic, less fruity and more dominated by berry aromas and flavors than Zenato's Valpolicella Superiore. However, in its own style and nature, this is convincing. The wine was a good pair with home-made pizza.

7/14/2016 - ctbob Likes this wine:

Not the Brut, and it's not brut; slightly off dry, but it has a pleasing acidic bite on the finish. A little simple, but it goes down easily.

2/5/2016 - IlonaN wrote:

As far as sweet vermouths go, this is by far the best one I've tried. Very layered and aromatic, quite a lot more bitter than standard sweet vermouth, but in a very pleasing way. Makes a great Manhattan or Rob Roy cocktail!